How do you guys play this? I know this might be considered a home brew topic as the rules are quite clear, but those rules where made for the base game and desperately needs some modification now, I think.

Me and a friend where discussing the idea of having the thief being able to steal from the magic emporium, armoury and stables(with a small twist I will explain soon) but not from the potion and pet shops (as they're random draw - or if you prefer brewed on demand or in cages).

As for the other shops the thief will have to roll a die, when stealing something, above the gold value of his theft. This makes it more difficult or impossible to steal any of the really good stuff.

We were discussing going to jail if failing or on a 1 roll but decided against it as abilities really shouldn't be bad for you.

What do you think of this modification? Do you've better ideas?

The Thief is a robber of people, a pickpocket. He's not a store burglar. He swipes loot from people in the hustle and bustle of the village and market. And of course, other characters.

That said, you don't need any rules modifications to make him powerful in the City! Just have the Thief follow closely behind someone else. The movement rules for the City allow you to end your movement in any shop. When one character buys something in a store, the Thief comes right behind and swipes it. Fits his character!

Meanwhile the cat burglar is on the roof, trying to steal goods from behind the counter.

We've never seen the thief primary as a pickpocket. Maybe that's how he's supposed to be played nowadays. But we rarely play large games (more than 3 players) which makes character interacting limited. And as Talisman is supposed to be fun for everyone we rarely go after those less fortunate in a game unless they've something we really want.

So, with that said, the thief becomes boring in a game with a few big box expansions, and in our opinion needs an updated set of abilities.

We made a houserule that the thief can steal any object (one per visit max) in the city, as long as it does't cost more that 3 golds.

We made a houserule that the thief can steal any object (one per visit max) in the city, as long as it does't cost more that 3 golds.

Goes against the thief's special abilities.

We made a houserule that the thief can steal any object (one per visit max) in the city, as long as it does't cost more that 3 golds.

Goes against the thief's special abilities.

Thanks for the input, Phap!

We made a houserule that the thief can steal any object (one per visit max) in the city, as long as it does't cost more that 3 golds.

Goes against the thief's special abilities.

Yes, that's why it's a houserule! Don't forget the thief is one of the original characters, before the city was in. Stealing from the original deck objets? Well, is anybody still buy some of those? With the city, they are worthless. Ok, stealing the other players is fine, but the thief is still a thief, he should steal in the city! He steal objects, not followers, that's why with our houserule he can't steal followers or horses, but only objects at max 3 golds, otherwise he would be too powerfull. But anyway, we always pick our character, and nobody ever choose the thief. We are players who don't go so much against the others, we built slowly by ourselves most of the time.

I understand where you are coming from but its still against the thief's special abilities, you can make all the house rules you want of course but is it warranted... Nope.

There is a lot of "classic" characters that need "adjusting" to the newer sets if your going to do the Thief then you need to do them too. Personally the Thief is fine.

The Thief is not limited to Objects. At the Village he can steal a Mule and stealing all Mules used to be a popular strategy for revised 4th edition Thief in the early days. This granted him much room to carry stolen Objects and the other characters had a hard time finding a carrier. But this is over now, there are just too many Mules and Horses and Carts, many of which he cannot take with his ability.

His ability to steal Objects from other characters is powerful, but has a price. The problem with that ability is not in the ability itself, but in the gameplay it calls for. Othes will hate you, will seek you for retaliation and will probably be successful, considering that the Thief has no particular ways to increase his power in combat. You thought that allowing him to walk in the Armoury and steal a Flail would be too good and I agree with you, but that's the only way for him not to be exactly as he his: a wimp that's afraid to use his stealing ability against other characters. He won't gain much confidence from Stiletto, Bow, Greatsword, Scroll, Psychic Crystal and Mirror Shield; nothing more than what he can already get from the standard Purchase deck.

The Thief has never been a good character for this reason. It's a character that relies on PvP abilities and has no particular advantage in facing the game as an individual quest. That's the same problem of the Sorceress and the Merchant. You can try to solve this by broadening his access to all purchasable goods, but then you will just have a Cat Burglar with different stats, and a PvP Object stealing ability instead of encountering cards disregarding the Encounter Number.

In our games, anyone who plays the thief or the merchant gets targeted heavily.

Yep that's so right, that's why the Thief is a strong character.

The Thief is not limited to Objects.

True. I don't know why, I thought it was only the objects. Then our new houserule is that he can steal anything in any shop that does't cost more that 3 golds. I might pick him next time to test this.

The Thief is not limited to Objects.

True. I don't know why, I thought it was only the objects. Then our new houserule is that he can steal anything in any shop that does't cost more that 3 golds. I might pick him next time to test this.

Because "He's a Thief"

The Thief unties your mules while you're in the village or market! That's why! Don't trust that guy...