Rogues v. Thieves

Some of you may be aware that I occasionally write about Castles and Crusades (C&C); everyone's favorite 21st century version of AD&D that isn't HackMaster (4th edition). Published by Tolllords, C&C replaced the clunky old 1st ed. table-drive game mechanism with a sporty 3e cylinder d20 valve engine with ascending AC, providing a streamlined chassis for modern gaming. However, the Trolllords also adopted the unsightly "rogue" nomenclature for the thiefly class. This act has put them on the wrong side of history ever since. 

In an effort to rectify this misstep, in their recently (sort of) published Unearthed Arcana--excuse me, Adventurer's Backpack--tome they included a new "Thief" class that is pretty much identical to the Rogue. Throughout the history of this blog I have gone to great lengths to explain why the term "Rogue" is the worst thing to happen to thieves since d4 hit dice. But with this publication we finally have the chance to settle the matter within the game itself. 

While the two classes as written up in the C&C PHB and Unearthed Backpack tomes are very nearly identical, there are some minor differences. Notably, each has one unique ability that is not shared with the other: Rogues get a Sneak Attack ability while Thieves can Escape. Review the data in the table below: 

  

By the bye, BtH = "Bonus to Hit". 5e players might equate this to proficiency, but only as it pertains to strike chance.

In conclusion, thieves do double damage from all rear attacks, regardless of whether the target knows you're there, are able to move silently whilst simultaneously hiding at 1st level, Rogues must wait until 3rd to achieve such sneakery. Furthermore, thieves can escape from non-magical bonds (which could include stocks), speak and understand Cant whilst wearing metal armor, and have more rapid combat advancement. 

Rogues, on the other hand, have more options when selecting alignment and weapons, and are extra good at cheap shotting unsuspecting targets.  If you really want a Goodly aligned thief, or want a thief who can wield a sickle, then Rogue is your best option. Otherwise, I am glad to report, thieves are the better option otherwise.