Armor and Thief Skills (CTH)

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Rogues traditionally wear no more than leather armor, since garb any more bulky greatly hinders the traditional abilities of thieves. The Player's Handbook notes the benefits or penalties of wearing no armor, elfin chain, and studded or padded leather armor, since these options are also available to thieves. In some instances thieves will be found wearing still other sorts of armor. Multi-classed demihumans and dual-classed humans, for instance, may have fighter or cleric as one of their classes, and may therefore be permitted any sort of armor whatsoever.
Thieves using the disguise proficiency also should be permitted to wear armor not normally used by their class, to aid the deception. (Otherwise it becomes obvious that anyone in leather armor who refuses to don chain mail must be an assassin or spy.)
For this reason we offer expanded rules to cover the effects of the heavier and bulkier armor types on thieves' skills. Table 38 lists the adjustments accorded to each armor type.
 Table 38: Effects Of Armor On Thief Skills
Skill 	NoArmor1	ElfinChain	Studdedor Padded	Hide	Ring orChain	Brigandineor Splint	Scale orBanded	PlateMail2	PlateArmor3
Pick Pockets 	5% 	-20% 	-30% 	-60%	-40% 	-40% 	-50% 	-75% 	-95%
Open Lock 	— 	-5% 	-10% 	-50%	-15% 	-15% 	-20% 	-40% 	-80%
Find/Remove Traps	— 	-5% 	-10% 	-50%	-15% 	-25% 	-20% 	-40% 	-80%
Move Silently 	10% 	-10% 	-20% 	-30%	-40% 	-40% 	-60% 	-80% 	-95%
Hide in Shadows4 	5% 	-10% 	-20% 	-20%	-30% 	-30% 	-50% 	-75% 	-95%
Hear Noise 	— 	-5% 	-10% 	-10%	-20% 	-25% 	-30% 	-50% 	-70%
Climb Walls 	10% 	-20% 	-30% 	-60%	-40% 	-50% 	-90% 	-95% 	-95%
Read Languages 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
: General Notes: Leather armor is taken to be the standard, with no positive or negative adjustment to thief skills. No dexterity bonuses apply to thief functions (though penalties do) when wearing armor other than simple leather.
: 1 This category applies when wearing bracers of defense or a cloak, but no large protective devices.
: 2 Includes bronze plate mail.
: 3 Encompasses both field plate and full plate armor.
: 4 Assumes that armor worn is covered by another garment. Elfin chain mail is light and thin, and can be worn under normal clothing. All other types of armor except simple leather are stiff or bulky, and can only be covered by a full body cloak.
: No skill can have a chance of success (including all adjustments) greater than 95%. However, a character can always have a 1% chance of success, even when trying to pick pockets in full plate armor.
Option: Some DMs may permit thieves to wear any available armor. For most thieves, however (especially at low levels), it isn't worthwhile to wear bulkier armor because the penalties cripple thiefly skills. A rogue could favor bulk anyway, but DMs should emphasize (a) if the player wants a fighting machine he should play a fighter, (b) the thief can't gain experience and increase skill in thieving abilities that he doesn't use.