The Essentials classes for 4e tried to do some very different things from the original core of 4e. Classes like the Knight and Slayer took stances, a fairly uncommon power type, and made them central to the class, while the thief turned the rogue on it’s head by getting rid of attack powers and instead giving it at will movement tricks. I was always a fan of the 4e rogue, but the thief took it too another level, with the right selection of feats and tricks, and a warlord or 2 in the party, the thief was the ultimate 4e killing machine, it should have combat advantage on pretty much every attack it makes.

Unfortunately, like much of the 4e material that came out during the time of dark sun, phb3 and essentials, it is a class that hasn’t been revisited or expanded on, leaving it with a handful of tricks from the red box start set and the first essentials book. Having recently been playing a thief as an NPC, I wanted to remedy this and give it a few more unique options.

This article started life with the Dart Up power, a way to stand up and move in a single action, and the Chumbawamba lyric was the fitting flavour text to such a power. From there, I thought about the kind of iconic movie moments that ninja’s, spy’s and explorers like Indiana Jones have done, and the powers came easily. However, they were a nightmare to find a balance with. The thief’s tricks are very powerful, granting a movement, often in excess of the normal you’d have (shift 3 squares for example), and a benefit while moving or at the end of the movement (or quite often, both benefits…)

Thieves Tricks

Deflect Arrows

“As the battle wages around you, you focus your attention on the world immediately around you, allowing you to duck and weave around spells and snatch incoming arrows straight out of the air before they can hit you.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed – 2. If you end the movement in a square of normal terrain, you gain a +4 power bonus to your defenses against ranged and area attacks.

Leap of Faith

“You rush forward, and without looking down into the deep abyss below you, leap to safety.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed + 2, and gain a +5 power bonus to athletics checks made to jump, and can jump an additional 2 squares as part of the jump.

Flurry Of Blades

“You move like a blur across the battlefield, grabbing and hurling your weapon from its bandolier before your foes can react.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You can move up to 1 + Dex modifier squares. The next ranged basic attack you make using a dagger before the end of your next turn deals 1 + Dex modifier damage to enemies adjacent to the target.

Move Without Trace

“You tread carefully, your feet gently caressing the stone, leaving no imprint into the ancient dust that covers the floor.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed – 2. The movement does not leave any footprints and you gain a +2 power bonus to defenses against opportunity attacks and attacks made by traps triggered by the movement.

Combat Swipe

“Distracted by the combat that threatens their life, your foe doesn’t notice as you sneak up beside him and relive him of his purse.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You shift up to 3 squares. If you end the movement adjacent to a creature, you can make a thievery check with a +5 power bonus as a free action.

Fast Getaway

“Sometimes it’s better to save your own skin and get the hell out of a fight than risk being killed.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed + 2. The first square you leave does not provoke opportunity attacks. Until the end of your next turn, you gain a +2 bonus to your Will defense.

Walking In The Air

“With your legs pumping as hard as you can, you dash out over the empty air in front of you, landing safely on the other side.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed – 3. The first and last square of the movement must be normal terrain, but the remaining squares can be over open air or liquid.

Dart Up

“I get knocked down, but I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You stand up from prone, shift up to 2 squares, and gain combat advantage against the target that knocked you prone.

Uncanny Dodge

“Instinctive reactions help you dart across the battlefield as you dodge away from incoming blows.”
At-Will * Martial
Move Action * Personal
Effect: You shift up to 2 square. Until the start of your next turn, you gain a +2 power bonus to your AC and Reflex defense, and can shift 1 square as a free action after an attack hits or misses you.