Posted by Proud Blade(VIP) on May 23, 2000 at 14:08:13:
In Reply to: Why do it look like Thives suck bigtime, what is the fun with them exept stealing wich is quite obvious! posted by -?- on May 23, 2000 at 13:25:11:
It's not the power level- thieves are excellent at the middle ranks, and tail off to slightly below average at the higher ranks.
It's certainly not ranking difficulty- they have no XP penalty, and are valuable to a group whether tanking or not.
It's not a lack of PKing ability- 'jack, bind, dual backstab is scary for anyone who can't see hidden or charge set.
It's the total lack of versatility. Thieves have exactly nine unique skills: Backstab, peek, steal, circle, relock, blackjack, bind, rogues awareness, dual backstab. They have less total 'abilities' (skills+spells+supps+songs) than any other class, and they cannot be customized like their two closest competitors, warriors and transmuters.
They have a small set of powerful skills (five of the nine above are excellent, and they have other gems like hide, dodge, and dual wield). Their combat tactics are effective, but quite limited, and fights rapidly become boring, even if you are winning. There are some classes that you can totally frustrate (non-polearm non-duergar warriors, unprepared mages/clerics, etc.), and others where your chances are quite bad without some luck (other thieves, assassins, conjurers who remember mephits, etc.). Once you've spammed blackjack, fled/knifed/returned/repeated, and crushed people with nasty dual backstabs, you've done most of what they can do. Steal is the one skill that makes them interesting on a continuing basis, but it's not enough to convince me to roll one. Definitely the class I would least like to play.