Thief-acrobat - any idea who came up with the concept?

[Chainsaw]

Anyone have any idea who came up with the thief-acrobat concept? Is this a class EGG actually wrote/wanted - or just somebody else's idea that sneaked through?

[Falconer]

I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Gary’s concept, just because he proceeded to write 7 novels about one.

[AxeMental]

Not sure, but the name and concept is about as gay as you can get (and I mean that as silly not as in homo...not that theres anything wrong with it). Thief acrobat in tights says to self: "Wow, how did this rope get stretched tight across these two buildings? Hey instead of climbing across that rope...I think I'll just tight walk it...now where did I put my umbrella?" In reality this guy would fall and break his neck. And of course this leaves the monk class looking up from the bar watching as his thunder is taken...poor squinty eyed halfbreed sweeping and taking abuse from obnoxious fighter types (aka about 3/4 of the Kung Fu episodes). Seriously, that sort of shit was supposed to be what seperated monks from thieves. And the only reason a monk would do something so foolish is if he had to (once in a blue blue moon). As for the Gord books, he seems like some sort of wacky combo of things (fighter, thief, superincredible cat reflexes given his supernatural lineage) not a "class" comparison IMHO. Gord is a thief first and formost.

YEP WHAT A MORON. Oh, and a bad drawing btw.



Another authentic UA piece of shit.

[Chainsaw]

Axe, I kept wondering when you would appear to say, "Who cares, it's UA crap!" By the way, the guy in that pic looks like he stole E.T.'s fingers.

Anyway, a pretty simple Google search informs me that the class first appeared in Dragon #69 (1983). I wonder if EGG wrote this article or no?

I don't have that issue.

[Matthew]

He surely did, indeed.

[Chainsaw]

Did he ever talk about why it sucks so bad?

[Philotomy Jurament]

Not sure, but the name and concept is about as gay as you can get…

I agree with Axe. I've always put the Thief-Acrobat in the "stupid, not cool" category.

[Chainsaw]

I think the idea of supplementing the thief abilities with incredible gymnastics and free-running type stuff has potential, but readily admit it's not very effective as written. We'd need it to become virtually supernatural and do so much earlier - scurrying across ceilings, walking across water, etc.

Of course, I guess the counterpoint to my "has potential" thought is..

[grodog]

Did he ever talk about why it sucks so bad?

LOL, I don't remember him talking about the class in his Q&A threads much, no (but that also doesn't mean that he didn't answer Qs about it: my memory's not really tuned into the TA like, say, Greyhawk ). Unlike the Barbarian (Dragon 63), and to a lesser degree, the Cavalier (Dragon 72), the Thief Acrobat didn't change a lot from publication in Dragon to its final appearance in UA. I still prefer the Dragon version of the Barbarian to the UA one, but I don't ever remember really comparing the two side-by-side as I did with the Barbarian (probably because no one ever played a TA in one of my games: I'll have to make one up for a pregen for next year's levels @ GaryCon and NTX!).

I've toyed with the idea of other split classes over the years (including my various illusionist "sub-sub-classes", but never quite rationalized them with the TA concepts. I could easily see stealing the TA abilities and giving them to monks, then eliminating the class (which might give monks a place in a thieves guild, perhaps?).

Anyway, my random thoughts, Donovan: take 'em or leave 'em

[Chainsaw]

Anyway, my random thoughts, Donovan: take 'em or leave 'em

Probably fair.. I guess I will leave 'em then, at least the "as written" version.

[Matthew]

When gymnastics is combined with karate, and then augmented with a stylish mullet, a new type of mockery must rise to the challenge!

[Chainsaw]

When gymnastics is combined with karate, and then augmented with a stylish mullet, a new type of mockery must rise to the challenge!

I actually own Gymkata, haha!

My wife HATES when I watch it, but not as much as when I bust out CYBORG...

[Matthew]

I have seen Cyborg, but had forgotten Jean-Claude Van Damme was in the lead role.

[Chainsaw]

I have seen Cyborg, but had forgotten Jean-Claude Van Damme was in the lead role.

Thankfully, most of his speaking was done in those trailer scenes. The rest is pretty much just him kicking people's asses (unlike later efforts, where he tries to show his 'range' ). I love that scene at the end where Fender and Gibson (love the guitar names, haha!) are roaring at each other in the rain, moving very robotically with their arms out, just like He-Man toys. Always makes me laugh.

Believe it or not, I have read that this movie was originally supposed to be a live-action He-Man film, but budget problems (or something, I can't quite remember) ultimately blew that up.

[genghisdon]

I believe it is EGG's class. My players seem to enjoy the class on the rare occassions it sees play (I generally ban the UA).