New Job Thief Concept

[Sandpark]

Hmm....

If we make THF as a branch from ROG, the main thing would really be establishing some sort of specialization for THF so that it stands out from NIN. For that, I'd suggest the buff to Throwing Dagger go to NIN (make it generate Ninki or something), while buffing Mug for THF. This is merely thematic, but I feel it would fit both jobs while also being callbacks to older FF games (where NIN's main gimmicks were Dual Wield and the Throw command). By the same token, Sneak Attack making a return as a THF-only skill would be a step in the right direction, specially since you have the Stealth Gauge.

I'm looking over your OP so that I can give better feedback, but there are some good foundation in there.

Finally someone interested in at least some version of thief.

The reason why I went with the dagger buff to thief is because ninja has the shuriken/katana and rogue/thief traditionally use daggers. However I do concede that Ninja is known for the throw command in the FF universe. I mainly added throwing to this concept because thief needs come kind of ranged or AoE attack and it wouldn't make sense at least for me unless it was bombs or traps.

I have a three way mode for mug to be altered. ESO has morphs which what my idea is kind of like except here the choice is not permanent.

Could you elaborate on how you would buff Mug?

Considering we had a Thief that was the protagonist of a FF game and saved the world (Zidane), I don't think that's a bad thing.

I do like Zidane and he played a huge role. But my favorite Thief is still Locke, though he would want to be called Treasure Hunter.

I think that depends on how you intend to use the class. If it were me designing it, THF would be a sort of less refined alternative to NIN. NIN train specific arts and have a method they follow to get things done. THF would be more like the guy that fights dirty and wins fights through agility, wit, and improvisation.

Provided we want to put the work in, I think that distinction has a lot of mileage.

Yes, this was why I included Cloud Of Dust and the meta of being more potent when debuffs are applied. To me the iconic image of a rogue or thief is a slightly dirtier version of Han Solo or Indiana Jones, kind of just winging it in a high fantasy setting.

Kind of a drunk, kind of aloof, kind of a dork, but still has a view of what is right or wrong and always gets the job done somehow. This job could potentially teeter the line of what is good or bad and maybe either way is kind of gray.

[Duelle]

I mainly added throwing to this concept because thief needs come kind of ranged or AoE attack and it wouldn't make sense at least for me unless it was bombs or traps.

Assuming you were to go with a crossbow, you have a ranged option. You could give Throwing Dagger the Miasma II treatment by tying it to ROG and NIN. When the Soul of the Thief is equipped, you instead get a skill called Hip Shot. Likewise, Mug could be made exclusive to THF.

Could you elaborate on how you would buff Mug?

There's a couple of ways to do this. One way would be to make it a spender of Stealth Gauge. Like, having above X amount of Stealth Gauge makes mug have no cooldown and/or gives it an additional effect like a temporary buff for you or a debuff that can then interact with other skills.

Another way would be to make Mug an optional part/step in Gambits, though that would require some adjustments to how Gambits work because THF-version-of-mudras doesn't really jive with me.

As for what I'd do with Gambits, I'd start with the literal meaning of a gambit, that being a plan or strategy. Perhaps activating a gambit alters certain skills, which allows them to be used in a certain order to execute the gambit. Or perhaps there's an action button that changes over time, allowing you to carry out parts of the "plan" in set time intervals.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To help illustrate this, let's do a small build:

Abilities
12 Hip Shot - Delivers a ranged attack with a potency of 120.
15 Mug - Delivers an attack with a potency of 140.
18 Sneak Attack - Delivers an attack with a potency of 200. Will always deal critical damage if used from the target's rear.
30 Jugulate - Delivers an attack with a potency of 80. Additional effect: Silence.
34 Toxic Vial - Deals damage over time with a potency of 40 for 24s.

Job Abilities
30 Bamboozle - 3-step Gambit. Upon completion, reduces target's damage dealt by 10% for 10s. Cooldown: 180s.
40 Snuff Out - 4-step Gambit. Upon completion, increases target's chance of tanking critical damage from your attacks by 25% for 15s. Cooldown: 240s.

Let's say you activate Bamboozle. Doing so modifies Mug, Sneak Attack and Jugulate, allowing you to execute the Gambit by using them in a specific order. In this case, it'd be opening with Sneak Attack (which applies the debuff "Startle" on the enemy, quadrupling the damage Jugulate deals to the target), followed by Jugulate (which allows Mug to temporarily increase one of your secondary stats for 20s), followed by Mug (which completes the Gambit, thus inflicting the enemy with a damage dealt debuff for 10s).

Now assume you want to use Snuff Out. In this case, Toxic Vial, Hip Shot, Sneak Attack and Jugulate would be the modified skills. You'd open with Sneak Attack (which applies the debuff "Gaping Wound", allowing Toxic Vial to inflict front-loaded damage), then Toxic Vial (which morphs Jugulate into Throat Stab, dealing considerably higher damage), then Jugulate (which increases Hip Shot's critical chance to 100%), and then Hip Shot (which completes the Gambit, causing the target to have a 25% higher chance of taking critical damage from your attacks).

These examples are purposely imbalanced for the sake of showcase.