Does anyone else think thieves are at a distinct disadvantage compared to other characters at low levels? I am currently playing a halfling that I decided to make a thiefly type from the beginning, he really sucked for a long time and had to take a lot of spells eventually so he could survive in combat and get some experience. In the past I have never had this much trouble playing mages or technologists, or even thieves so long as they started off as mages and became thieves later. I am not sure how a low level thief is supposed to get experience points. And their skills, like pick locks or pick pockets, don't seem to work until they get 3 or even 4 ranks in them. When they do work, they don't generate experience (that I could notice). They are fun at high level once you are good (4 or more ranks) at picking locks, prowling, and pickpocketing but getting to that point seems quite a challenge unless you start off as a battle mage or molotov tosser.
First off, what's your understanding of a thief character? If you avoid fights, you indeed get less experience. But that is not a thief's disadvantage, its a pacifist's disadvantage. A thief can kill. First off, take a "thief compatible" combat skill. Backstab is classified as a thieving skill, so backstab+melee+prowl may allow you to sneak behind someone's back and score some impressive hits. Bows are great for a thief, they are hard hitting and stealthy. Throwing is good too- chakrams are easily obtained, stealthy, fast and they deal acceptable damage. Second, if you get past the Crash Site, survival isn't much of an issue for a thief. Occasional Ailing Wolves aren't much of a threat, bigger enemies you will have to avoid, and quests in the cities will give you the EXP. Not as much as fighting, of course, but its your choice whether to learn combat for EXP or not.
Thieves aren't really at a disadvantage. It's all in the way you perceive things and how imaginative you are in using what you have to develop your character. I frequently play characters where they use thief skills and I generally specialize in throwing skills for combat so that they can strike from a distance and rely more on speed and dexterity and perception - all needed for thief skills. I also pump up their charisma and persuasion and get a strong party so that they have someone to help out in fights and are able to take on just about anything that gets in their way.
here is what I do. depending on what you have Arcanum set to. *hard normal or easy* put one or two points into melee that's basicly what you need. then either put one in backstab or prowling. it's easy for me. and depending on what you are a tech theif or a magical thief. I prowl and use magic instead of lock picks and use items that increase my prowling stats
Its hard to be pure magical thief because opening door and chests with magic makes a lot of noise. Guards really don't like noise...
