-	-	-	-	-
Character Classes	-	-	-	Unearthed Arcana

SUMMARY

* Any [thief] character with a min. S of 15 and a min. D of 16 may decide to forego normal thievery after rising through the 5th level and become a "split-class" specialist, a Thief-Acrobat.
* Skills ended at 5th level, while no longer improving, are not forgotten, so they remain at the level (5th) which the thief was when he or she began to specialize in acrobatics in conjunction with his or her profession.
* Thief-acrobats with S and D scores of 16 or better add a 10% bonus to earned experience.

* Upon gaining sufficient XP to achieve 6th level ability as a thief, the character desiring to specialize as a thief-acrobat must seek out a character already in this profession to TRAIN him or her.
* The established thief-acrobat must be at least 10th level.
* It will require 6 full weeks of training to learn the basic skills needed to begin active practice of the social profession of the thief-acrobat.
* In addition to these functions, the thief-acrobat retains the abilities to move silently, hide in shadows, hear noise, and read languages which he or she acquired through 5th level of the standard thief profession.

* The skill allows ascent up a rope or beam of about 45° angle (maximum) or descent at a slightly steeper angle, all the while upright and with hands free (in general).
* USE of the skill further assumes that the character will be traveling no more than 60' distance.
* Movement rate is 60' per round.
* If distance is greater than 60', then additional checks must be made.
* Moderate winds decrease chance of success by 10%, strong winds by 20%.
* In strong, gusty wind conditions there is always a 5% chance of failure.
* In non-windy conditions, a balance pole increases the chance of success by 10%.
* Those characters who are not thief-acrobats can walk a tightrope at a base 20% chance, and move no faster than 30' per round.

* A successful pole vault requires at least a 30' running start and a pole of at least 4' greater height than the vaulter.
* The vaulter can land on his or her feet atop a surface of 1/2' less height than the maximum height of the pole vault if so desired, assuming such a surface exists.
* Otherwise, the vaulter lands, tumble-rolls, and is on his feet in 1 segment.

THIEF-ACROBAT TABLE I.

Experience. Points	Exp. Level	6-Sided  Dice for Accum.  Hit Points	Level Title	THACO	Actions and Abilities	Saves*	WP/NWP	XP
20,001 -- 45,000	6	6	Burglar-Acrobat	19	-	-	3/4	-
45,001 -- 75,000	7	7	Second-Story Thief	-^-	-	-	-^-	-
75,001 -- 125,000	8	8	Cat Burglar	-^-	-	-	-^-	-
125,001 -- 180,000	9	9	Master Cat Burglar	16	-	-	4/5	-
180,001 -- 250,000	10	10	Thief-Acrobat	-^-	-	-	-^-	-
250,001 -- 500,000	11	11	Master Thief-Acrobat	-^-	-	-	-^-	-
500,001 -- 750,000	12	12	Master Thief-Acrobat	-^-	-	-	-^-	-

250,000 experience points per level for each additional level above the 12th.

    * High jumping requires at least a 20' running start.
    * This surface can be no more than 4' above the level from which the jump is made, or 2' under the maximum height for normal high jumping, whichever is the greater.
    * In either case, the thief-acrobat lands on his or her feet in 1 segment.

    * A running broad jump requires a run of at least 20'.
    * If the character wishes to leap in an extended position, 2' of additional distance can be gained, but the character will then land prone and take 2 full segments to get back on his or her feet.
    * A 3' extension can be attempted, but this has a 25% chance of failure and a 3-segment period of recovery; a 4' extension has a 50% chance of failure and a 4-segment recovery; an extension of 5' has a 75% chance of failure and a 5-segment recovery period.
    * Non-thief acrobats can perform a standing broad jump of up to 4' in distance and a running broad jump of up to 8'.

    * In any event, the chance of success cannot exceed 60%, adjusted for dexterity and/or race.
    * Evasion routines of any sort require 1 segment maximum to perform.

    * Thus, at 6th level, there is a 25% chance that the character will take no damage from a 10' fall.
    * Again in the case of a 6th level thief-acrobat falling 10' and taking damage, only 75% of normal (1d6) damage, rounded down, is taken.
    * Note that at 9th level, it is not possible for a thief-acrobat to take damage from a 10' fall, and it is 25% probable that he or she will take no damage from a 20' fall.
    * Example: A 23rd level thief-acrobat is knocked off a tightrope and falls 60' to the rocks below.
    * No damage would be sustained if the fall were 50' or less, but in a 60' fall the character's body reaches a high velocity, such that unless 20% or lower is scored by the character on a falling roll, he or she will take 80% of the usual amount of damage for a 60' fall, so it is 80% likely that 80% of 6d6 damage would be taken.
    * Thus, in the example above, the 23rd level thief-acrobat falling 70' instead of 60' would suffer 80% of maximum damage for a 60' fall (80% of 6d6), plus 100% of 7d6.
    * For an 80' fall, 100% of another 8d6 would be added; the total damage therefore would be 15d6 plus 80% of 8d6.

THIEF-ACROBAT FUNCTION TABLE (PLUS RACIAL ADJUSTMENTS)

Character  Level	Tightrope  Walking	Pole  Vaulting	High  Jumping	Broad Jumping,  Standing	Broad Jumping,  Running	Tumbling,  Attack	Tumbling,  Evasion	Tumbling,  Falling
6	75%	9'	4'	5'	9'	6%	10%	25%, 10'
7	80%	9.5'	4.25'	5.5'	9.5'	7%	15%	50%, 10'
8	85%	10'	4.5'	6'	10'	8%	20%	75%, 10'
9	90%	10.5'	4.75'	6.5'	10.5'	9%	25%	25%, 20'
10	95%	11'	5'	7'	11'	10%	30%	50%, 20'
11	100%	11.5'	5.25'	7.5'	11.5'	11%	35%	75%, 20'
12	100%	12'	5.5'	8'	12'	12%	40%	25%, 30'
13	100%	12.5'	5.75'	8.5'	13'	13%	45%	50%, 30'
14	100%1	13'	6.25'	9'	14'	14%	50%	75%, 30'
15	100%1	13.5'	6.5'	9.5'	15'	15%	52%	20%, 40'
16	100%2	14'	7'	10'	16'	16%	54%	40%, 40'
17	100%2	14.5'	7.5'	10.5'	17'	17%	56%	60%, 40'
18	100%3	15'	8'	11'	18'	18%	58%	80%, 40'
19	100%3	15.5'	8.5'	11.5'	19'	19%	60%	20%, 50'
20	100%4	16'	9'	12'	20'	20%	60%	40%, 50'
21	100%4	16.5'	9'	12'	21'	20%	60%	60%, 50'
22	100%5	17'	9'	12'	22'	20%	60%	80%, 50'
23	100%5	17.5'	9'	12'	22'	20%	60%	20%, 60'
Racial  adjustments	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dwarf	-5%	-2'	-1'	-2'	-3'	+10%	+5%	-
Elf	+10%	-	-	-	-1'	-	+5%	+5%
Gnome	-	-2'	-1'	-1.5'	-4'	+5%	+5%	-
Half-elf	+10%	-	-	-	-	+5%	-	-
Halfling	-	-2'	-1'	-1.5'	-4'	+5%	+10%	+5%
Half-orc	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	+10%

1: Includes the ability to carry up to 100# weight/encumbrance in addition to normal load, or handle a moderate wind with no penalty to the chance for success.
2: Includes the ability to carry up to 200# weight/encumbrance in addition to normal load, or carry up to 100# weight/encumbrance in a moderate wind, or handle a strong wind.
3: Includes the ability to carry up to 200# weight/encumbrance in a moderate wind, or up to 100# weight/encumbrance in a strong wind.
4: Includes the ability to bear up to 300# weight/encumbrance, or perform as in (3) above.
5: Includes the ability to carry up to 200# weight/encumbrance in a strong wind, or up to 300# weight/encumbrance in a normal wind, or up to 400# weight/encumbrance in no wind.

* This includes the gaining of followers, other special abilities, setting traps (at 5th level of ability, of course), and the gaining of XP.
 

THIEF-ACROBAT TABLE II: Adjustments for Strength

Strength Score	High Jump	Standing Broad Jump	Running Broad Jump
16	-	-	+0.5'
17	+0.25'	+0.25'	+1'
18	+0.5'	+0.5'	+2'

THIEF-ACROBAT TABLE III: Adjustments for Dexterity

Dexterity Score	Tightrope  Walking	Pole  Vaulting	Tumbling,  Attack	Tumbling,  Evasion	Tumbling,  Falling
16	+5%	-	+1%	+2%	-
17	+10%	+1'	+2%	+3%	-
18	+15%	+2'	+3%	+5%	+5'
19	+20%	+3'	+4%	+8%	+10'

THIEF-ACROBAT TABLE IV: Weight/Encumbrance Limits (#)

Level	Body-associated  wt./encumbrance	Additional (carried)  wt./encumbrance
6	45	10
7	46	20
8	47	30
9	48	40
10	49	50
11	50	60
12	51	70
13	52	85
14	53	100
15	54	150
16	55	200
17	57	225
18	60	250
19	62.5	275
20	65	300
21	660	350
22	670	400
23	700	400

Note: The term Body-associated weight/encumbrance refers strictly
to the clothing, accessories, armor, and weapons of the character.
Consider the following example of this for a typical character:
 

2	Clothing (partial only due to armor)
15	Leather armor
3	Boots, soft
0.3	Belt
1	Belt pouch, large
0.5	Belt pouch, small
2.5	Cloak, hooded
1	Dagger and scabbard
3.5	Short sword and scabbard
28.8	TOTAL
-	-
16.2 (no more than)	Balance for additional equipment and/or loot
-	-
45 (maximum for 6th level)	GRAND TOTAL

* Thus, a 14th level thief-acrobat can carry an additional burden of 100# weight/encumbrance in tightrope walking, but he or she cannot expect to otherwise MOVE freely during vaulting, jumping or tumbling routines, or even to climb walls with an extra 100-pound load.
* At 22nd level, a 400-pound person (perhaps a man in plate mail) could be carried on the thief-acrobat's back, but only so long as that individual did not move so as to throw the thief-acrobat off balance.
 

THIEF-ACROBATS TABLE V

    Effects of Armor on Thief-Acrobat Functions
 

Thief-Acrobat Function	No armor1	Elfin Chain	Studded or  Padded	Ring or  Chain	Scale or  Banded	Plate Mail	Plate Armor
Tightrope Walking	+5%	-	-10%	-40%	-70%	-90%	-100%
Pole Vaulting	+1	-1/2'	-1'	-4'	-8'	-12'	-18'
High Jumping	+1	-1/2	-1	-4'	-8'	-12'	-18'
Broad Jump, Standing	+1/2	-	-1/2	-3'	-5'	-7'	-10'
Broad Jump, Running	+1	-	-1/2	-5'	-10'	-15'	-20'
Tumbling, Attack	+2%	-5%	-10%	-20%	-20%	-30%	-50%
Tumbling, Evasion	+4%	-5%	-10%	-30%	-60%	-70%	-70%
Tumbling, Falling	+5%	-	-5%	-10%	-30%	-50%	-70'%

        General note: No dexterity bonuses apply to functions (although penalties do) when wearing armor other than simple leather.
        1: This category applies when wearing bracers of defense and/or a cloak, but no large protective devices.

<broad jump (standing/running): ensure that the numbers in these rows are not inversed. as well, check the numbers in the armor entries against the original article>

Q: Which races can become thiefacrobats?
A: All races that can become thieves can
become thief-acrobats.
(139.67)

Any thief character with a minimum strength of 15 and a minimum
dexterity of 16 may decide to forego normal thievery after rising
through the 5th level of experience and become a “split-class” specialist,
a Thief-Acrobat. The thief then leaves off all practices which increase
his or her manual dexterity and begins a regimen of physical
exercise in order to build coordination, muscle tone, and balance.
This program of gymnastics precludes any further progress in the following
skills:

    pick pockets     find traps
    open locks     remove traps
    read magic (never gained)

Skills ended at 5th level, while no longer improving, are not forgotten,
so they remain at the level (5th) which the thief was when he or she
began to specialize in acrobatics in conjunction with his or her profession.
A thief-acrobat may be of any race, just as regular thieves can
be. Thief-acrobats with strength and dexterity scores of 16 or better
add a 10% bonus to earned experience.

Upon gaining sufficient experience points to achieve 6th level ability
as a thief, the character desiring to specialize as a thief-acrobat must
seek out a character already in this profession to train him or her. The
established thief-acrobat must be of at least 10th level. It will require 6
full weeks of training to learn the basic skills needed to begin active
practice of the social profession of thief-acrobat. Except as noted, the
specialization procedure is otherwise the same as that for a regular
thief.

The primary functions of a thief-acrobat are tightrope walking, pole
vaulting, jumping, and tumbling. In addition to these functions, the
thief-acrobat retains the abilities to move silently, hide in shadows,
hear noise, and read languages which he or she acquired through 5th
level of the standard thief profession. Although the ability to read
magical writings is never gained, the ability to climb walls is still increased
according to experience level.

    "First of all, every thief-acrobat can
    and does achieve 6th-level skill (not just 5th)
    in pick pockets, open locks, and find/remove traps.
    Second, a thief acrobat does gain the ability
    to "decipher magical writings and utilize scrolls"
    at 10th level, just as regular thieves do (see Player's Handbook, p.27).

Tightrope walking assumes that the character will use this means to
cross from place to place. The skill allows ascent up a rope or beam of
about a 45° angle (maximum) or descent at a slightly steeper angle,
all while upright and with hands free (in general). This is accomplished
by balance, muscle coordination, and superb reflexes. Use of
this skill further assumes that the character will be traveling no more
than 60’ distance. Movement rate is 60’ per round. If distance is
greater than 60’, then additional checks must be made.
Moderate winds decrease chance of success by 10%, strong winds by 20%.
In strong, gusty wind conditions there is always a 5% chance of failure.
In non-windy conditions, a balance pole increases the chance of success
by 10%. Failure to perform successfully means that the character
falls to the area below, taking damage accordingly. Those
characters who are not thief-acrobats can walk a tightrope at a base
20% chance, and move no faster than 30’ per round.

Pole vaulting includes any jumping which employs a leverage device
to assist the individual in gaining height from momentum; i.e., a teeter
board or springboard might serve as well or better than a pole in some
cases. It will help to get quickly on top of or over obstacles. It requires
strength, dexterity, and practice to improve. A successful pole vault
requires at least a 30' runnign start and a pole at least two-thirds the
length of the distance to be vaulted. The pole is dropped when the
vault occurs. The vaulter can land on his or her feet atop a surface of
1/2' less height than the max. height of the pole vault, if so desired,
assuming such a surface exists. Otherwise the vaulter lands,
tumble-rolls, and is on his or her feet in 1 segment. Non-thief-acrobats
cannot effectively pole vault.

Jumping includes all sorts of unassisted leaps - high jumping and
broad jumps (both from a standing and a running start) being important
here. The use of this skill requires coordinated strength and continual
practice.

High jumping requires at least a 20’ running start. The high jumper
    clears the obstacle in a near-horizontal position but lands on his or
    her feet. If some elevated step, or a series of such steps, enables
    the character to maintain rapid motion, he or she can then highjump
    from such an elevated step just as if doing so normally. Alternately,
    the jumper can opt to land atop some higher surface. This
    surface must be no more than 4’ above the level from which the
    jump is made, or 2’ under the maximum height for normal high
    jumping, whichever is the greater. In either case, the thief-acrobat
    lands on his or her feet in 1 segment. Non-thief-acrobats can high
    jump about 3' without difficulty.

    Broad jumping is self-explanatory.
    A jump of any sort requires but
    a single segment to accomplish. A running broad jump requires a
    run of at least 20'. In standing jumps, the thief-acrobat can leap
    forward up to the maximum distance, or backward up to half the
    maximum distance, in order to attack or avoid being in attack
    range, if this is deemed possible by the DM. All jumps assume the
    character will land on his or her feet. If the character wishes to leap
    in an extended position, 2' of additional distance can be gained,
    but the character will then land prone and take 2 full segments to
    get back on his or her feet. A 3' extension can be attempted, but
    this has a 25% chance of failure and a 3-segment period of recovery;
    a 4' extension has a 50% chance of failure and a 4-segment
    recovery; an extension of 5' has a 75% chance of failure and a 5-
    segment recovery period. Non-thief-acrobats can perform a standing
    broad jump of up to 4' in distance and a running broad jump of
    up to 8'. They will always land prone and require a full round to recover.
    Naturally, no extra weight or bulky armor may be worn when
    high jumping or broad jumping.

Tumbling assumes all sorts of gymnastic skills - tumbles, rolls,
jumps, handstands, and so on. These routines are then used in attack,
defensive evasion, and in jumpinglfalling. Tumbling maneuvers
have the following benefits:

    Attack adds the indicated percentage to the character's chance
    for success in hand-to-hand combat involving pummeling. Characters
    who are not Thief-Acrobats may not benefit from tumbling
    maneuvers.

Evasion enables the character to opt to evade attacks directed at
him or her - just as magic resistance would work with respect to
magical attack forms directed at the individual (or within a relatively
small area, such as a few square feet, from which the thiefacrobat
could easily remove himself or herself), or from melee
combat - in the case where the thief-acrobat has the initiative,
but only in this case. In any event, the chance for success cannot
exceed a base of 6O%, adjusted for dexterity andlor race. Evasion
routines of any sort require 1 segment maximum to perform.

Q: Can thief-acrobats use their evasion
maneuvers against missile
attacks?

A: Yes, provided they have the initiative and
are aware of the attacks.
(139.68)

Falling percentage indicates the chance for the thief-acrobat to
take no damage from a fall of the indicated distance. Thus, at 6th
level there is a 25% chance that the character will take no damage
from a 10' fall. If damage is taken, the converse of the percentage
to avoid damage is used to find maximum damage. Again in the
case of a 6th level thief-acrobat falling 10' and taking damage,
only 75% of normal (ld6) damage, rounded down, is taken. Note
that at 9th level, it is not possible for a thief-acrobat to take damage
from a 10' fall, and it is 25% probable that he or she will take no
damage from a 20' fall. Again, only damage from the second portion
of the fall's distance would be considered if damage was indicated.
Example: A 23rd level thief-acrobat is knocked off a
tightrope and falls 60' to the rocks below. No damage would be
sustained if the fall were 50' or less, but in a 60' fall the character's
body reaches a high velocity, such that unless 20% or lower is
scored by the character on a falling roll, he or she will take 80% of
the usual amount of damage for a 60' fall, so it is 80% likely that
80% of 6d6 damage would be taken. Falls of a distance longer
than the "safe" distance for a particular thief-acrobat add their
normal increment of damage dice, regardless of elimination of
shorter distances. Thus, in the example above, the 23rd level
thief-acrobat falling 70' instead of 60' would suffer 80% of maxi-
mum damage for a 60’ fall (80% of 6d6), plus 100% of 7d6. For an
80’ fall, 100% of another 8d6 would be added; the total damage
therefore would be 15d6 plus 80% of 6d6.

Q: A 9th-level thief-acrobat has a dexterity
of 19 and wears no armor.
According to the Thief-Acrobat
Function Table (Unearthed Arcana,
page 24), a 9th-level thief-acrobat
can fall a distance of 10' and take no
damage. The modifications for dexterity
and no armor add 15' to the
falling distance. Is this 15' also added
to the 10' that the thief-acrobat
can fall and take no damage?

A: The bonus distances from any source
are added to the distance indicated on the
falling column on the Thief-Acrobat Function
Table; since the "automatic safe" falling
distance is inferred, not listed, it does
not increase with bonuses. The 9th-level
thief-acrobat in your example would take
no damage from falls up to 10'.
(139.67)

In all other respects except as indicated herein, the thief-acrobat is
treated as a thief. This includes the gaining of followers, other special
abilities, setting traps (at 5th level of ability, of course), and the gaining
of experience points.

Thief-acrobats will be a part of the normal thieves’ guild if any such
characters exist in the territory controlled by the guild. They can be
leaders in such organizations, since they are treated the same as regular
thieves by their brethren.

No more than the indicated weights/encumbrances can be borne by
the thief-acrobat at any time if he or she is to be able to perform the
functions of his or her class (except for tightrope walking, as outlined
in the notes to the Thief-Acrobat function Table). Thus, loot will typically
be carried in a hand-held container in order to be quickly rid of it
so as to be able to vault, jump, or tumble. No backpack can ever be
worn during thief-acrobat activities, other than during tightrope walking.
Climbing functions of the thief-acrobat assume that only the stipulated
weightslencumbrances will be borne.

The term Additional (carried) weight/encumbrance refers strictly to
the weight borne when tightrope walking. Since this movement is
very slow anyway, such great encumbrance is of no matter as long as
it is evenly distributed and properly balanced. Thus, a 14th level thiefacrobat
can carry an additional burden of 1,000 gp weight/
encumbrance in tightrope walking, but he or she cannot expect to
otherwise move freely during vaulting, jumping, or tumbling routines,
or even to climb walls with an extra 100-pound load. At 22nd level, a
400-pound person (perhaps a man in plate mail) could be carried on
the thief-acrobat’s back, but only so long as that individual did not
move so as to throw the thief-acrobat off balance.

Q: Do thief-acrobats have to pay extra training costs?
How much does a thief-acrobat?s initial training cost?

A: Acrobats pay normal training costs.
A starting thief-acrobat pays training costs for gaining the 6th level (see the DMG, page 86).
(139.67)

Q: Will gauntlets of ogre power give a
thief-acrobat the bonuses for an 18
strength (as given in the table on
page 25 of Unearthed Arcana)?

A: Gauntlets of ogre power give an 18/00
strength to the chest and arms. Use the 18
strength score only for pole vaulting.
(139.68)
 

The thief-acrobat was an attempt to make the nimble swashbuckler of many a motion picture the same.
So to the point, I did indeed plan those types of characters.
 

THIEF-ACROBAT

1. SUBCLASS = thief (split-class)
2. SOCIAL CLASS MINIMUM = MLC (mid-level thieves advance to MLC) <i would define mid-level as level 4+>
3. ABILITY SCORE MINIMUMS
    * STRENGTH = 15 (6d6)
    INTELLIGENCE = 6 (5d6)
    WISDOM = 3 (3d6)
    * DEXTERITY = 16 (9d6)
    CONSTITUTION = 6 (7d6)
    CHARISMA = 6 (4d6)
    COMELINESS = 3 (8d6)
    PERCEPTION =
4. POSSIBLE RACES & MAX. LEVEL ATTAINABLE = all races (U)
5. MULTI-CLASS POSSIBILITIES = CT (dg, ed), DT (eg, eh, ev, ew, 1/2), FT (all), MT (ed, eg, eh, ev, ew), IT (gd, gs), CMT (ed, eg, eh, ev, ew), FMT (ed, eg, eh, ev, ew)
6. HIT DIE TYPE = d6
7. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HIT DICE = 12
8. SPELL ABILITY = no
9. ARMOR PERMITTED = any
10. SHIELD PERMITTED = none
11. WEAPONS PERMITTED = bow (short), caltrop, club, crossbow (hand), dagger, dart, garrot, knife, sap, sling, sword (broad), sword (falchion), sword (long), sword (short), lasso, staff
12. OIL PERMITTED = yes
13. POISON PERMITTED = DM's option
14. ALIGNMENT = LN, LE, NG (rarely), N, NE, CN, CE (Most thieves tend toward evil.)
15. STARTING MONEY = n/a
16. WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = 2, 1/4 levels (1st: 2, 5th: 3, 9th: 4, 13th: 5, 17th: 6)
17. NON-PROFICIENCY PENALTY = -3
18. NON-WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = 3, 1/4 levels (1st: 3, 5th: 4, 9th: 5, 13th: 6, 17th: 7)
19. STARTING AGE = n/a
20. COMBAT = T
21. SAVING THROWS = T
22. MAGIC ITEMS = T