You aren't just any regular thief; you break the law in style, with a flare for the dramatic. You take the stage and charm your audience, you know how to entrance them, entertain them, and most importantly, distract them while you take what you want right in front of their very eyes. Weather you perform in slight of hand, magic tricks, a serenade, seduction, or pretending to be a vender, you deceive people with ease and leave them none the wiser. Perhaps it was a rough life on the streets that left you this way, or just the thrill of the con, you make your living either way.
- Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Slight of Hand
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, One tool from Disguise Kit, Forgery Kit, or Thieves' Tools.
- Equipment: One gaming set, a crowbar, a lucky charm, a set of fine clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
There are many kinds of con artists, depending on how they prefer to dupe their targets. Choose the tactic you utilize in your criminal life, or roll on the table below.
| d8 | Con Specialty |
|---|---|
| 1 | I cheat at games of chance. |
| 2 | I shave coins or forge documents. |
| 3 | I insinuate myself into people's lives to prey on their weakness and secure their fortunes. |
| 4 | I put on new identities like clothes. |
| 5 | I run sleight-of-hand cons on street corners. |
| 6 | I convince people that worthless junk is worth their hard-earned money. |
| 7 | I put on performances to distract my targets |
| 8 | I befriend my targets to find their openings |
You specialize in the performances you put on. Weather it is used to gain access to public places, put on a distraction for your heist, disguise yourself as some other act, you can fool and distract an audience to great effect.
You can always find a place to perform, usually in an inn or tavern but possibly with a circus, at a theater, or even in a noble's court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.
Suggested Characteristics
Con artists 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 always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong. |
| 2 | I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I never raise my voice or let my emotions control me. |
| 3 | The first thing I do in a new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden. I pocket anything I see that might have some value. |
| 4 | I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. |
| 5 | I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide. |
| 6 | I'm a born gambler who can't resist taking a risk for a potential payoff; I don’t pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds. |
| 7 | I lie about almost everything, even when there's no good reason to. |
| 8 | Flattery is my preferred trick for getting what I want. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fairness. I never target people who can't afford to lose a few coins. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them. (Chaotic) |
| 3 | Charity. I steal from the wealthy so that I can help people in need. (Good) |
| 4 | Creativity. I never run the same con twice. (Chaotic) |
| 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 | Redemption. There’s a spark of good in everyone. (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m trying to pay off an old debt I owe to a generous benefactor. |
| 2 | My ill-gotten gains go to support my family. |
| 3 | Something important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back. |
| 4 | I will become the greatest thief that ever lived. |
| 5 | I’m guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it. |
| 6 | Someone I loved died because of a mistake I made. That will never happen again. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | When I see something valuable, I can’t think about anything but how to steal it. |
| 2 | I'm convinced that no one could ever fool me the way I fool others. |
| 3 | If there’s a plan, I’ll forget it. If I don’t forget it, I’ll ignore it. |
| 4 | I have a “tell” that reveals when I’m lying. |
| 5 | I turn tail and run when things look bad. |
| 6 | An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that. |
All you need to make a lot of gold is a little gold. Except at those times when all you need to have no gold at all is a little gold. Whether you're a good gambler or a bad one rarely matters, because no one can divine the whims of Lady Luck. Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down. But the thing about gambling is that someone is always willing to take a bet.
Odds and probability are your bread and butter. During downtime activities that involve games of chance or figuring odds on the best plan, you can get a solid sense of which choice is likely the best one and which opportunities seem too good to be true, at the DM's determination.
Previous Versions
| Name | Date Modified | Views | Adds | Version | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10/18/2023 10:01:25 PM
|
1
|
4
|
1.0
|
Coming Soon
|
Comments