Keep your eyes on Munchkin Thieves at all times. The moment you look away, you’ll find a dagger in your back and your precious treasures in someone else’s back… pocket!
- - Smash Up: Munchkin rulebook
The Thieves are one of the 8 factions from the Smash Up: Munchkin set.
Thieves love to steal things. And they sell their treasures for VPs.
Other factions from the same set: Clerics, Dwarves, Elves, Halflings, Mages, Orcs, Warriors.
Cards[]
The Thieves have the usual 10 minions and 10 actions. The total minion base power (not counting any abilities) is unusually low at only 28 or an average of 2.8 per minion compared to the usual 30 and 3.
Among their actions, there are:
- 0 play-on-minion actions,
- 1 play-on-base action: Secret Stash,
- 9 standard actions (4 that affect one or more minions, in bold): Backstab, Clever Distraction, Mugging, Potion Bandolier (2x), Smuggling, Strip Bare, Swipe (2x),
- 2 actions that directly increase a minion's power: Potion Bandolier (2x).
Minions[]
1x Master Thief - power 5 - Talent: Draw a treasure card. FAQ
2x Fence - power 3 - You may discard two treasure cards to gain 1 VP. FAQ
3x Cat Burglar - power 3 - Reveal any number of treasure cards from your hand. Place a +1 power counter on this minion for each one you revealed. FAQ
4x Pickpocket - power 2 - If there is another Pickpocket here, draw a treasure card. FAQ
Actions[]
1x Backstab - Discard a treasure card to destroy a minion of power 3 or less. FAQ
1x Clever Distraction - Special: Play after a base scores, if you have a minion there. The winner loses 1 VP and you gain 1 VP. FAQ
1x Mugging - Transfer an action played on a minion to one of your minions. FAQ
2x Potion Bandolier - Choose a minion. Discard a treasure card to give that minion +3 power until the end of the turn. FAQ
1x Secret Stash - Play on a base. Ongoing: When this base scores, add two treasure cards to the reward. FAQ
1x Smuggling - Discard two treasure cards to gain 1 VP. Shuffle your discard pile into your deck. Place this card on the bottom of your deck. FAQ
1x Strip Bare - Choose a treasure card in play. Place it into your hand. FAQ
2x Swipe - Draw a treasure card. FAQ
Bases[]
Clarifications[]
Here are the official clarifications as they appear in the Smash Up: Munchkin rulebook:
Mugging, Strip Bare: Removing actions does not count as an effect affecting a card, so cards like Dork Orc don’t stop this. (updated by The Bigger Geekier Box)
Mechanics[]
Thieves specialize in drawing treasure cards and trading them for effects, such as power boosts and VPs.
While players could think Thieves depend on Munchkin bases, they actually have several cards to draw treasures without having to destroy monsters.
While the treasures are useable as treasures, Thieves can use them to greater effects to get VPs, or to boost their minions. Cat Burglar is especially potent if you manage to keep many treasures in your hand.
Synergy[]
- Dwarves: Another Munchkin faction focused heavily on treasure. Thieves can discard treasure for benefits, while Dwarves can retrieve treasure from the discard pile. Gold Digger is especially useful for reloading treasure to discard to various Thief effects. You can discard treasure that can't played on minions to the Thieves and play treasure that can on the Dwarves.
- Warriors: Warriors are good at destroying monsters, which makes them good at gaining treasure as well.
- Aladdin: Most treasures are actions, which the Aladdin faction can discard as well.
External Strategy Guides[]
FAQ[]
Questions on Master Thief[]
Q: I already have ten cards in hand. What happens if I decide to use this talent? Do I draw a treasure card and immediately discard a card?
A: You draw the treasure card and don't discard any card until your upcoming Draw 2 Cards phase. At that point, you will indeed need to draw two cards and discard down to 10 if you have more than 10. That's the only moment where you must discard down to 10. At any other time, you keep your hand of cards.
Questions on Fence[]
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on Cat Burglar[]
Q: If Cat Burglar's ability is cancelled, are the +1 power counters placed by its ability removed?
A: No. When you place a +1 power counter, it's a definitive effect (like drawing cards, if you play Enchantress, you're not going to discard the card you drew if Enchantress's ability is cancelled), so the +1 power counters remain even if the card that placed them has its ability cancelled. Besides, how are you going to keep track of which +1 power counters were added by Cat Burglar's ability and which ones were not (e.g. if you're playing Thieves Giant Ants or Thieves Mad Scientists)? That would be very cumbersome.
Rule: Cancelling (or losing) an effect does not necessarily undo what it did.
Questions on Pickpocket[]
Q: After playing this card, I (somehow) have more than 10 cards in hand. Do I immediately discard down to 10?
A: You don't discard any card until your next Draw 2 Cards phase (so not any Draw 2 Cards phase!). At that point, you will indeed need to draw two cards and discard down to 10 if you have more than 10. That's the only moment where you must discard down to 10. At any other time, you keep your hand of cards.
Questions on Backstab[]
Q: What if I play this card and don't have any treasure cards in hand? How do I prove that I don't have any treasure cards in hand?
A: You don't have to prove anything. It's a "Do X to do Y" type of ability, so while it doesn't say "you may", doing X is actually optional![1] So play Backstab and say that you don't discard a treasure card. No need to justify yourself.
Rule: When a card says "Do X to do Y" or "You may do X to do Y", doing X is optional in both cases.
Q: Can you destroy a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it (and it can copy it even if its power is more than 3), Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you won't discard an additional treasure card from your hand for affecting a second minion; that part was already resolved before the part that can be copied and is what led you to destroy a minion in the first place.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself and it can copy it even if the power of the minion that gets the copy is more than 3), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you won't discard an additional treasure card from your hand for affecting a second minion; that part was already resolved before the part that can be copied and is what led you to destroy a minion in the first place.
- If We are Family copies it (and it can copy it even if the power of the minion it is on is more than 3), the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you won't discard an additional treasure card from your hand for affecting a second minion; that part was already resolved before the part that can be copied and is what led you to destroy a minion in the first place.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if it destroys one of your minions, but if Funky Town does copy it (and it can copy it even if the power of the minion that gets the copy is more than 3), the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that you won't discard an additional treasure card from your hand for affecting a second minion; that part was already resolved before the part that can be copied and is what led you to destroy a minion in the first place.
Questions on Clever Distraction[]
Q: It says "if I have a minion" there. Is it enough if there is a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so I "have" it, right?
A: No. "If you have a minion" means "if you control at least one minion (whether or not you own it)". Minions you just own but don't control don't count.
Q: What happens if several players are tied for first place? Do you take a VP from each winner?
A: Clever Distraction doesn't make you take a VP from a player! It makes the winner lose 1 VP and you gain VP. That's the difference. If there are several winners, each of them loses 1 VP and you gain only 1 VP.
Rule: The player with the most power on a base is the winner.
Q: If the winner won no VP from the base scoring (e.g. Great Wyrm, Ruins), do they still lose 1 VP? Do I gain 1 VP?
A: Yes to both. They are the winner, so they lose 1 VP no matter how many VPs they got from the base, while you gain 1 VP.
Q: If the winner won no VP from the base scoring (e.g. Great Wyrm, Ruins) and they also have 0 VP, what happens?
A: They don't have any VP to lose, so they don't lose any. But you still gain 1 VP.
Q: Can I play this even if I'm a winner of the base? If so, what happens? Am I immune to losing a VP?
A: Nothing prevents you from playing Clever Distraction if you are a winner on the base, so yes, you can play it. Also, nothing prevents you from doing what Clever Distraction says, so you must lose 1VP if you can, and then you gain 1 VP.
Q: Can I play it from stasis after a base scores?
A: No, while in stasis, the only abilities that can do anything are the ones that explicitly state that they do something there.
Rule: Abilities of cards in stasis do not work unless they refer to stasis.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it doesn't affect any minions in play and so its effect can't be copied.
Questions on Mugging[]
Q: It tells me to transfer the action to "one of my minions". Can I transfer it to a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, right?
A: No. "Your minions" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: Do I take control of the action I stole? E.g. If I steal Missing Uplink, do I now draw an extra card at the end of my turn? If I steal Daisy Chain, does my minion get +2 power because, well, I control it?
A: No, you're not "stealing" it; you're "relocating" it. The controller doesn't change! So even if Missing Uplink is on one of your minions, it's the player who played Missing Uplink who controls it, and therefore they're the one who will draw an additional card at the end of their turns. Same thing with Daisy Chain, you don't control it, so the "you" on the card refers to Daisy Chain's controller, and therefore your minion will get -2 power, not +2 power, because their controllers differ.
Rule: When you transfer an action, it doesn't change controller.
Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.
Q: Can I transfer an action to a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be chosen by cards that do not explicitly state cards in stasis can be chosen.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it doesn't affect any minions in play and so its effect can't be copied. Yes, transferring an action between two cards (minions or bases) affects that action, but not the cards (minion or base), either the one it was transferred from, or the one it was transferred to.
Questions on Potion Bandolier[]
Q: What if I play this card and don't have any treasure cards in hand? How do I prove that I don't have any treasure cards in hand?
A: You don't have to prove anything. It's a "Do X to do Y" type of ability, so while it doesn't say "you may", doing X is actually optional![1] So play Potion Bandolier, choose a minion and say that you don't discard a treasure card. No need to justify yourself.
Rule: When a card says "Do X to do Y" or "You may do X to do Y", doing X is optional in both cases.
Q: Can I choose a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be chosen by cards that do not explicitly state cards in stasis can be chosen.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it, Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and gets +3 power. Note that you won't discard an additional treasure card from your hand for affecting a second minion; that part was already resolved before the part that can be copied and is what led you to boost a minion in the first place. Also, note that merely choosing a minion doesn't count as affecting it, so you can't copy that.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion, that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and gets +3 power. Note that you won't discard an additional treasure card from your hand for affecting a second minion; that part was already resolved before the part that can be copied and is what led you to boost a minion in the first place. Also, note that merely choosing a minion doesn't count as affecting it, so you can't copy that.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and gets +3 power. Note that you won't discard an additional treasure card from your hand for affecting a second minion; that part was already resolved before the part that can be copied and is what led you to boost a minion in the first place. Also, note that merely choosing a minion doesn't count as affecting it, so you can't copy that.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if it affects one of your minions, but if Funky Town does copy it, the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and gets +3 power. Note that you won't discard an additional treasure card from your hand for affecting a second minion; that part was already resolved before the part that can be copied and is what led you to boost a minion in the first place. Also, note that merely choosing a minion doesn't count as affecting it, so you can't copy that.
Questions on Secret Stash[]
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it says "Play on a base", which means that it is not a standard action.
Questions on Smuggling[]
Q: What if I play this card and don't have any treasure cards in hand? How do I prove that I don't have any treasure cards in hand?
A: You don't have to prove anything. It's a "Do X to do Y" type of ability, so while it doesn't say "you may", doing X is actually optional![1] So play Smuggling and say that you don't discard a treasure card. No need to justify yourself. However, you still have to shuffle your discard pile into your deck and place Smuggling under it, because those effects are independent from you gaining the VP.
Rule: When a card says "Do X to do Y" or "You may do X to do Y", doing X is optional in both cases.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it doesn't affect any minions in play and so its effect can't be copied.
Questions on Strip Bare[]
Q: What is a "treasure card in play"?
A: A treasure card in the play area, so either a treasure card played on a base (either a treasure minion or a "play on a base" treasure action), or a treasure card played on a minion.
Rule: A card is in play if it is on another card or if it is one of the active bases.
Q: But, there's this rule, "When a monster or treasure card leaves play, it always goes to the corresponding discard pile, regardless of card text to the contrary.", so with Strip Bare the treasure can't go into your hand since this rule explicitly tells us to ignore the card abilities.
A: This is obviously a very inaccurate rule because that would make Strip Bare useless. A more accurate rule would be that it only applies if the card text refers more generally to "a minion", "an action" or "a card". If the card text specifically refers to the treasure/monster nature of the card, then follow the card text instead.
Rule: Often, card text and rules text will conflict. When there's a fight, card text wins.
Q: After playing this card, I (somehow) have more than 10 cards in hand. Do I immediately discard down to 10?
A: You don't discard any card until your next Draw 2 Cards phase (so not any Draw 2 Cards phase!). At that point, you will indeed need to draw two cards and discard down to 10 if you have more than 10. That's the only moment where you must discard down to 10. At any other time, you keep your hand of cards.
Q: Can I choose a treasure in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be chosen by cards that do not explicitly state cards in stasis can be chosen.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: First of all, if the treasure you chose is an action treasure, then it doesn't interact with them at all, because it doesn't affect any minions in play and so its effect can't be copied. Yes, removing an action affects that action, but not the card (minion or base) it is on. So here's what happens when you choose a minion treasure:
- If Diva copies it, Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is probably placed into the action player's hand, no matter who owns the minion. That's because Strip Bare allows you to put a card you don't own into your hand, therefore ignoring the general rules about ownership. Probably. To be confirmed. TBD
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is probably placed into the action player's hand, no matter who owns the minion. That's because Strip Bare allows you to put a card you don't own into your hand, therefore ignoring the general rules about ownership. Probably. To be confirmed. TBD
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is probably placed into the action player's hand, no matter who owns the minion. That's because Strip Bare allows you to put a card you don't own into your hand, therefore ignoring the general rules about ownership. Probably. To be confirmed. TBD
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if it affects one of your minions, but if Funky Town does copy it, the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is probably placed into the action player's hand, no matter who owns the minion. That's because Strip Bare allows you to put a card you don't own into your hand, therefore ignoring the general rules about ownership. Probably. To be confirmed. TBD
Rule: TBD
Questions on Swipe[]
Q: After playing this card, I (somehow) have more than 10 cards in hand. Do I immediately discard down to 10?
A: You don't discard any card until your next Draw 2 Cards phase (so not any Draw 2 Cards phase!). At that point, you will indeed need to draw two cards and discard down to 10 if you have more than 10. That's the only moment where you must discard down to 10. At any other time, you keep your hand of cards.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: It doesn't interact with them at all, because it doesn't affect any minions in play and so its effect can't be copied.
Trivia[]
- The artists are John Kovalic, who is well-known for drawing the art of many boardgames including Munchkin and several of its expansions, and Francisco Rico Torres, who also designed the art of many other factions.
- Their divider features Cat Burglar.
- The font used for the Thief cards is Quasimodo.
- Warriors are present on Backstab, Mugging and Smuggling.
- A Dwarf is present on Swipe.
- A Cleric is present on Pickpocket.
- Clever Distraction is the first card that can make a player lose a VP.
In other languages[]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| French | Voleurs |
| German | Diebe |
| Russian | Воры |
| Spanish | Ladrones |
| ||||||