Charlatan Thief (5e Background)
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This page is incomplete and/or lacking flavor. Reason: Surely you could just use the charlatan or criminal backgrounds in the PHB? 20:14, 16 December 2023 (MST)
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Nothing pleases you more than earning someone's trust and learning their hearts' desires only to, sometimes literally, stab them in the back when you deem they are no longer of use to you. You are able to get people to believe you are a friend after only a few moments of conversation because of how bright and cheery you are. It's a useful talent and it's one that you're perfectly willing to use to your advantage.
You know what people want and you deliver, or rather, you promise to deliver. You're a thief by trade and use your apparent friendliness to get close to people only to betray them later. You aren't above a little murder here and there.
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth (choose 2)
Tool Proficiencies: Thieves' Tools, Forgery Kit
Equipment: A set of Fine clothes, Thieves Tools, and a pouch containing 15 gp.
Charlatan Thief[edit]
Favorite Scheme[edit]
Every charlatan has an angle they use in preference to other schemes.
Your favorite scheme is that you insinuate yourself into people's lives to prey on their weakness and secure their fortune.
Feature: False Identity[edit]
You have created a second identity that includes documentation, established acquaintances, and disguises that allow you to assume that persona. Additionally, you can forge documents including official papers and personal letters, as long as you have seen an example of the kind of document or the handwriting you are trying to copy.
Suggested Characteristics[edit]
Charlatans are colorful characters who conceal their true selves behind the masks they construct. They reflect what people want to see, what they want to believe, and how they see the world. But their true selves are sometimes plagued by an uneasy conscience, an old enemy, or deep-seated trust issues.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I fall in and out of love easily, and am always pursuing someone. |
| 2 | I have a joke for every occasion, especially occasions where humor is inappropriate. |
| 3 | Flattery is my preferred trick for getting what I want. |
| 4 | I'm a born gambler who can't resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. |
| 5 | I lie about almost everything, even when there's no good reason to. |
| 6 | Sarcasm and insults are my weapons of choice. |
| 7 | I keep multiple holy symbols on me and invoke whatever deity might come in useful at any given moment. |
| 8 | I pocket anything I see that might have some value. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Fairness. I never target people who can't afford to lose a few coins. (Lawful) ( |
| 3 | Charity. I distribute the money I acquire to the people who really need it. (Good) |
| 4 | Greed.I will do whatever it takes to become wealthy. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I’m loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I care. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Aspiration. I'm determined to make something of myself. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My ill-gotten gains go to support my family. |
| 2 | I owe everything to my mentor – a horrible person who's probably rotting in jail somewhere. |
| 3 | Somewhere out there, I have a child who doesn't know me. I'm making the world better for him or her. |
| 4 | I will become the greatest thief that ever lived. |
| 5 | A powerful person killed someone I love. Some day soon, I'll have my revenge. |
| 6 | Someone I loved died because of a mistake I made. That will never happen again. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | If there’s a plan, I’ll forget it. If I don’t forget it, I’ll ignore it. |
| 2 | I'm always in debt. I spend my ill-gotten gains on decadent luxuries faster than I bring them in. |
| 3 | I'm convinced that no one could ever fool me the way I fool others. |
| 4 | I'm too greedy for my own good. I can't resist taking a risk if there's money involved. |
| 5 | I can't resist swindling people who are more powerful than me. |
| 6 | An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that. |
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