Criminals I
The lowest criminals haunt the alleys and slums of even the proudest cities. Slinking from their dives and basement lairs to prey upon the weak and unwary, they take what they can, making meager livings that only afford them the opportunity to go on living their violent lives, while ever hoping to make a big score. These lesser criminals often organize into gangs or, under a more influential leader, into whole guilds, becoming significantly more dangerous and daring then they ever could be alone.
Pickpocket CR 1/2
XP 200
Human rogue 1
N Medium humanoid
Init +3; Senses Perception +3
Defense
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+1 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 5 (1d8+1)
Fort +1, Ref +5, Will –1
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee sap +0 (1d6 nonlethal)
Ranged dart +3 (1d4)
Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
Statistics
Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 14
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 13
Feats Deft Hands, Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand)
Skills Acrobatics +7, Appraise +5, Bluff +6, Disable Device +9, Disguise +8, Escape Artist +7, Knowledge (local) +5, Perception +3 (+4 to find traps), Sense Motive +3, Sleight of Hand +12, Stealth +7
Languages Common, Halfling
SQ trapfinding +1
Combat Gear bag of caltrops; Other Gear padded armor, darts (4), sap, disguise kit, thieves' tools
Boon A pickpocket can attempt to steal a small item for the PCs or plant a small item on a target.
Pickpockets are the bane of the marketplace—innocuous waifs with innocent smiles and deft hands who can cut a purse in an eyeblink. Pickpockets could also serve as any of the countless street urchins or guttersnipes found on the streets of any large city.
Adding a dagger or short sword turns a pickpocket into a desperate mugger. Replacing Deft Hands with Deceitful and changing Skill Focus from Sleight of Hand to Bluff can make a con artist pickpocket, while changing Skill Focus to Disable Device makes for a good apprentice lock-picker or trapspringer. Replacing the Appraise skill with Perform creates common acrobats, jugglers, or mummers, perhaps members of a troupe that engages in a little larceny on the side.
In pairs (CR 1), one pickpocket usually provides a distraction for her partner to take advantage of. In large cities and markets, pickpockets often work in gangs of six (CR 4) or even more. A wanderer might employ a pickpocket assistant (CR 3), while a storyteller or minstrel might employ half a dozen pickpockets to help "work" the crowd (CR 5 or 6). A shady barkeep might keep two pickpockets on staff disguised as serving girls, along with his two regular barmaids, to supplement his tavern's income (CR 5).
Street Thug CR 1
XP 400
Human fighter 1/rogue 1
NE Medium humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception +5
Defense
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 16 (2 HD; 1d10+1d8+6)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee quarterstaff +4 (1d6+3) or quarterstaff +2/+2 (1d6+3/1d6+1) or dagger +4 (1d4+3/19–20) or sap +4 (1d6+3 nonlethal)
Ranged dagger +3 (1d4+3/19–20)
Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
Statistics
Str 16, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Skill Focus (Intimidate), Toughness, Two-Weapon Fighting
Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (local) +4, Perception +5 (+6 to find traps), Stealth +7
Languages Common
SQ trapfinding +1
Gear masterwork studded leather, daggers (2), quarterstaff, sap, manacles (2)
Boon A street thug could attempt to kidnap or threaten a particular NPC, deliver a message, or create a disturbance with a street brawl whose distraction causes a –2 penalty on opposed Perception checks for 1 minute.
Street thugs are the alleybashers and bullyboys of the streets. They are the crude muscle employed by other criminals to keep rivals at bay and shake down hapless shopkeeps and business owners. Innocent townsfolk live in fear of a street thug slipping out of the shadows to administer a brutal beating.
In more lawless cities, street thugs can serve as corrupt guardsmen or as a vigilante militia. Street thugs can also be used as bouncers in a tavern or casino. Replacing Two-Weapon Fighting with Intimidating Prowess makes a street thug a better extortionist. Outside of cities and towns, street thugs can also be used as bandits or brigands, or as low-level guards for a merchant caravan.
A single street thug can be a prostitute's pimp (CR 3) or the intimidating partner of a pickpocket (CR 2). A pair of street thugs might operate with a slaver (CR 5) or torturer (CR 6), or they might work as bodyguards for a dealer acting as a minor crimelord (CR 5). Six street thugs might form a riot-busting brute squad (CR 6).
Burglar CR 2
XP 600
Human rogue 3
N Medium humanoid
Init +3; Senses Perception +9
Defense
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 16 (3d8+3)
Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +1
Defensive Abilities evasion, trap sense +1
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee sap +3 (1d6+1 nonlethal) or dagger +3 (1d4+1/19–20)
Ranged mwk composite shortbow +6 (1d6+1/×3) or dagger +5 (1d4+1/19–20)
Special Attacks sneak attack +2d6
Statistics
Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 16
Feats Deft Hands, Skill Focus (Perception), Stealthy
Skills Acrobatics +9, Appraise +8, Bluff +5, Climb +9, Disable Device +13, Disguise +5, Escape Artist +11, Knowledge (local) +8, Perception +9 (+10 to find traps), Sleight of Hand +11, Stealth +11, Swim +7
Languages Common, Elven, Halfling
SQ rogue talent (quick disable), trapfinding +1
Combat Gear potion of feather fall, potion of jump, tanglefoot bag; Other Gear leather armor, dagger, sap, masterwork composite shortbow (+1 Str) with 20 arrows, universal solvent, climber's kit, 50-ft. silk rope with grappling hook, masterwork thieves' tools
Boon A burglar can open a trapped item for PCs or search a building for traps. She might break into a house to recover an item for the PCs or break a PC out of jail.
Burglars are prowlers of cities and towns, dancing cat-like along rooftops and slipping quietly into homes and shops by night.
Changing Skill Focus (Perception) to Skill Focus (Disable Device) turns a burglar into an expert safecracker, while replacing Deft Hands and Skill Focus (Perception) with Point Blank Shot and Weapon Focus (shortbow) makes a skulking sniper. Replacing Skill Focus (Perception) with Skill Focus (Acrobatics), and changing the quick disable rogue talent to ledge walker or stand up creates a thief-acrobat. Changing a burglar's rogue talent is a good way to customize further.
Burglars usually work alone but will sometimes hire a pickpocket as a lookout (CR 3). A trio of burglars might cooperate to rob a large house or bank, with three street thugs for muscle and a pickpocket lookout (CR 7). A burglar may also work in concert with a barkeep and barmaid (CR 5) to rob patrons' rooms of valuables.
