AbilitiesThieves have the ability to steal an item from an enemy that they can use as an environmental weapon. In terms of game mechanics, the thief does not literally steal an item, but instead creates an environmental weapon based on the targeted creature's classification that the thief can store for later use. The stolen item will be taken from a pool of several possible items for each creature classification, including opposing players in PvP.
The thief's weapon skills have no recharge time; instead they use initiative. This resource allows the thief to use attacks back-to-back and more quickly in a unique pattern. The cost of initiative is being unable to use weapon skills while waiting for the initiative bar to regenerate over time. Thieves also have their own special weapon skill types; dual wield skills,Stealth Attacks and shadowstep skills.
Thieves are less powerful in terms of raw strength and durability in comparison to some professions. They must rely on stealth, evasion, surprise attacks, and debilitating and damagingconditions to overpower their opponents. An experienced thief can take on multiple targets but preferably one at a time. The thief is the only class in the game that does not have any way to gain 1200 range with any weapon (although it has access to a 1500 stealing range through traits)
Skills: See list of thief skills.
Special skill types
Equipment
Armor: The thief is an adventurer profession thus wears medium armor.
Weapons
There are seven possible weapon sets for this profession and two weapon sets while underwater. The thief can switch between two weapon sets in combat.
Crafting
The following crafting disciplines can create items that are useful to the thief:
The thief's weapon skills have no recharge time; instead they use initiative. This resource allows the thief to use attacks back-to-back and more quickly in a unique pattern. The cost of initiative is being unable to use weapon skills while waiting for the initiative bar to regenerate over time. Thieves also have their own special weapon skill types; dual wield skills,Stealth Attacks and shadowstep skills.
Thieves are less powerful in terms of raw strength and durability in comparison to some professions. They must rely on stealth, evasion, surprise attacks, and debilitating and damagingconditions to overpower their opponents. An experienced thief can take on multiple targets but preferably one at a time. The thief is the only class in the game that does not have any way to gain 1200 range with any weapon (although it has access to a 1500 stealing range through traits)
Skills: See list of thief skills.
Special skill types
- Dual wield — Skills are determined by the combination of main-hand and off-hand weapons equipped.
- Shadowstepping — Certain skills allow the thief to disappear from one location and then instantly appear at a different location by traveling through the shadows.
- Stealth — Thieves have access to multiple skills that, for a short duration, make them invisible to enemy players and avoid aggro from hostile NPCs. While stealthed the thief is not targettable, but can still be damaged by area of effect, and attacking from stealth will break the deception.
- Stealth Attacks — These special skills replace the first weapon skill of the thief's skill bar while in stealth.
- Traps — Placed at a thief's current location and cause an effect whenever an enemy triggers it.
- Venoms - Apply a creature's venom to your weapon to inflict conditions with next several attacks.
- Deadly Arts increases Power and Condition Duration, and especially focuses on use of poison and venoms.
- Critical Strikes increases Precision and Critical Damage, and focuses on increasing rate and damage of critical hits, and dealing damage as quickly as possible.
- Shadow Arts increases Toughness and Healing Power, and favors use of skills which grant stealth to the thief or their allies, and use of venoms as support.
- Acrobatics increases Vitality and Boon Duration, and greatly enhances dodging and general survivability.
- Trickery increases Condition Damage and Steal Recharge Rate attributes, and offering a good selection of traits for utility and increased initiative.
Equipment
Armor: The thief is an adventurer profession thus wears medium armor.
Weapons
There are seven possible weapon sets for this profession and two weapon sets while underwater. The thief can switch between two weapon sets in combat.
- Two-handed
- Main-hand
- Off-hand
- Aquatic
- Harpoon gun — Bombard enemy with ranged attacks - good for kiting with several attacks that cause movement impairment.
- Spear — Rapid melee counterattacks spiced up with the usual thief tricks.
Crafting
The following crafting disciplines can create items that are useful to the thief: