Hello, guys! Im a total noob to CF, still learning the basics about major areas and most common equipment.
I think my second character in CF will be a thief. More oriented to explore (with gentle walk), pickpocketing and RP as Ill suck in PK anyway :) My major goal in PK is not to die too often :)

So the question is - can a thief be good in defense?
What skills should I consider if I want to survive in PK?
Is shield block here as great as it is in some other MUDs?
And would race would you recommend? Maybe an arial or a human?

Firstly, welcome to our game once again. I've been checking in on your progress closely and you've been doing an excellent job on the role play and the learning front.

Thieves are not always easy to survive with, but they do have some skills which are beneficial to exploration specifically.

So the question is - can a thief be good in defense?
They are a class that I would consider to be extremely defensive, but they can be decent. A skilled thief can be annoying to most classes they are moderate tanks, and they tend to work best with allies.

What skills should I consider if I want to survive in PK?
Acrobatics is probably a must. It will allow you to avoid many forms of lag, which in turn, will let you flee easily.
Shield block will make you more defensive.
Gentle walk will let you avoid aggressive mobs in some circumstances.
The lockpick skills will let you open doors.

Is shield block here as great as it is in some other MUDs?
Not sure how great shield block is on other MUDs. It is behind parry and dodge (for the most part) in its defensive capabilities, but it is certainly a substantial addition to defensive capabilities.

And would race would you recommend? Maybe an arial or a human?
Tough to say, a lot will be based on preference. Arials have supreme dexterity and inherent flight which will help you avoid tripping opponents, but have lowish hitpoints and a nasty vuln (lightning). They will be the best race in terms of raw tanking power.

I think Arial, Human, or Half-Drows would probably make good characters. Duergars and Felars are both more rugged, for the most part, but have more significant downsides.

And of course, having a neutral alignment thief would help you find friends and avoid enemies.

So the question is - can a thief be good in defense?
They are a class that I would'N'T' consider to be extremely defensive, but they can be decent.

Going off the 'but' from the second part I think you meant wouldn't instead of would. Especially considering thieves aren't defensive at all. =P

Not trying to be a butthole but it seemed relevant and he could easily misinterpret and think thieves are extremely defensive if not corrected.

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Thank you very much, Mendos! That helps a lot!
You know, my friends told me CF is a really hardcore place where lawfull evils enforce law and your own A-P groupmates can kill you after ranking becouse they have no need for you anymore.
They forgot to mention that people here are so mature and friendly outside of their evil roles IC :)
Im really happy I found my way here!

And yes, it is as rough and hardcore as you've heard. Sometimes even tougher than that. :) Steep learning curve, but man! I have wished for 10 years that I could get the same "newbie" feeling back as I had 10-12 years ago. It was awesome being new at CF, seeing everything for the first time, learning things for the first time...

I hope you enjoy your time here and stay for the long run, it's worth it!