Thief

HP 32
Appears on Land
Notes Can steal any item, can drop any item except the ring, can drop tools
Thieves are basically the key to the whole game. They drop every Item that appears in the "Items" section of the Ztats page, with the exception of the Ring. They can also drop Tools, which save you from traps in dungeons and towers.

The only Items you absolutely need to get from Thieves to complete your quest are an Ankh and either a Blue Tassle or a Brass Button and a Skull Key. However, most of the other Items are useful as well, and you can get Tri-Lithiums from Thieves to avoid having to search the last floor of a dungeon or tower.

The problem with Thieves is that they can steal any Item, including the Ring, just by attacking you. The game tells you that an Item was stolen, but not what it is. If you lose an Item needed to operate a Vehicle when that Vehicle is your only way off of the current terrain, you could be screwed. Always be careful when saving after fighting a Thief.

There is an easily killed Thief right near the entrance of Le Jester which can be killed repeatedly to get Items early in the game without danger.
Compare Thief to other Creatures
Items: Dropped by Thief – 16 shown
Uncommon items are only dropped by thieves; special items are not dropped by normal creatures, and must be earned in other ways; useless items do not have any in-game function
Name		 Effect
Is this item used up when it fulfills its basic function?
Consumed
All items in the 'items' area of the Ztats page can be stolen by thieves when they attack; the wider variety of items you have, the more likely one is to be stolen
Subject to Steal
The types of creatures who may drop this item when they are defeated
Dropped By
Tool Prevents damage from traps in dungeons (torch/light spell is still lost) Yes No Thief
Wand Required to cast a spell (staff is also acceptable) No Yes Thief, Wizard
Staff Required to cast a spell (wand is also acceptable) No Yes Thief, Wizard
Boots Sometimes counters daemon leg paralysis No Yes Thief
Cloak Somestimes counters devil arm paralysis No Yes Thief
Helm Required to View Yes Yes Fighter, Thief
Gem No use No Yes Thief
Ankh Required to Board a rocket No Yes Thief
Red Gem No use No Yes Thief
Skull Key Required to Board a plane No Yes Thief
Green Gem No use No Yes Thief
Brass Button Required to Launch a plane No Yes Thief
Blue Tassle Required to Board a frigate No Yes Thief
Strange Coin Required to Negate Yes Yes Thief
Green Idol Sometimes counters balron sleep No Yes Thief
Tri-Lithium Required to Launch a rocket or use Hyper-jump Yes Yes Thief
Set Creatures: Thief – 60 shown
The location or world map where this creature is located
Location
This creature's starting hit points in this instance; some creatures are completely invincible and immune to all attacks
HP
This creature's default behavior; creatures with 'Special' behavior stand still but also have a special response when you Transact with them; if you attack any creature, that creature as well as all guards, monsters (except orcs), and anyone with a behavior of 'Pursue' will change their behavior to 'Attack'
Behavior
Shadow Guard 100 Attack
Shadow Guard 150 Attack
Shadow Guard 200 Attack
Shadow Guard 250 Attack
Shadow Guard 1 Special
Baradins Town 20 Wander
Le Jester 15 Wander
Le Jester 30 Wander
Le Jester 35 Wander
Le Jester 25 Wander
Towne Linda 40 Wander
Towne Linda 40 Wander
Castle of Lord British 50 Pursue
Castle of Lord British 40 Pursue
Castle of Lord British 35 Pursue
Castle of Lord British 40 Pursue
Castle of Lord British 45 Pursue
Castle of Lord British 30 Pursue
Port Bonifice 33 Attack
Port Bonifice 33 Attack
loading table data...
Worlds: Where Thief may be Encountered – 14 shown
Extraterrestrial planets are external to Earth and only have one time period each
World
The year or time this world exists in, as described by the world's sign
Era
The first coordinate entered when using Hyperspace to travel to this world
Xeno
The second coordinate entered when using Hyperspace to travel to this world
Yako
The third coordinate entered when using Hyperspace to travel to this world
Zabo
Legends Legends - - -
Pangea 9,000,000 B.C. 6 6 6
B.C. 1423 B.C. 6 6 6
A.D. 1990 A.D. 6 6 6
Aftermath 2112 A.D. 6 6 6
Mercury - 5 4 5
Venus - 3 3 4
Mars - 6 2 3
Jupiter - 1 3 4
Saturn - 2 8 5
Uranus - 9 4 6
Neptune - 4 0 5
Pluto - 0 1 4
X - 9 9 9
Wizard Orc

Related

Thief

Location Land
HP 31
Damage 2–20
Thieves on land don't steal from you like Thieves in dungeons, but they do deal surprising damage. They have very low HP, a combination which makes them primary targets when they appear.

Thief

Location Dungeon Levels 1–2
Damage 5–6
Notes Steals your lowest-tier unequipped weapon when it hits
Thieves in dungeons don't deal a lot of damage, but they steal Weapons whenever they hit you. The stolen Weapon is always the lowest-tier Weapon you are holding, aside from the one you have equipped. As such, this is rarely a problem unless you keep magic-boosting Weapons (and not much else) in reserve.

Thief

Location Land
Thieves on land don't steal from you like Thieves in dungeons.

Thief

Location Dungeon Levels 1–2
Notes Steals your lowest-tier unequipped weapon instead of dealing damage when it hits (deals damage normally if there's nothing to steal)
Thieves in dungeons don't deal a lot of damage, but they steal Weapons whenever they hit you. The stolen Weapon is always the lowest-tier Weapon you are holding, aside from the one you have equipped. As such, this is rarely a problem unless you keep magic-boosting Weapons (and not much else) in reserve.

Thief

Other Versions Cutpurse, Brigand
Experience 5
Appears Land
Notes May pilfer weapons or armour (not equipped)
Thieves are annoying overworld enemies, because they will steal Weapons and Armour from your characters. They can't steal anything you have equipped, but if you carry a melee Weapon and a ranged Weapon they can steal the backup. Even if not, equipment sells for a lot of money in Ultima III and it sucks to lose it.

You won't generally be attacked by Thieves in townes, with one exception. If you enter the small treasure room in southeast Grey, a Thief will attack and make it difficult to safely leave the town.