How do you guys feel like a hero while playing thief?

I think joining the Order of Whispers (and Priory) helps to solidify the idea that there is a place for characters and classes who are not the noble warrior archetype. There is a place for scholars and thieves, and a front-on attack isn't always the only solution...at least during the core campaign when you actually get a choice of how to approach certain quests.

My thief still wears a hood, heritage armour (from Hall of Monuments) and Order of Whispers boots. And it's all grey tones with no sparkly stuff because he doesn't want to be visible. This is probably one of the reasons why I liked that Trahearne was in charge -- he took the spotlight and I got to keep skulking around in the shadows instead of losing every shred of anonymity.

If you prefer to stand out though, you're better off looking at the skins which are available to you through the wardrobe (in your bank account). You'll be able to preview EVERYTHING, including skins you don't own, find what you like, and then you can look into how to acquire them.

Alternatively, you could also look at outfits on the gem store as they don't limit you to "medium" armour appearances. You can be a thief but look like a knight wreathed in flames if that's your preference.

As for abilities, short of aiming for an elite specilisation from the expansions you're locked to what thieves have. Your only option there is to create a new character with a different class.

Hope this gave you some ideas.

I mean right from the get go the class is called thief... not rogue, not assassin but thief.

If you were going into the game with a role playing mindset I feel like you should have taken into account that your class was called Thief and either accepted it or chose something else.

With my Thief I completely disregarded the class, to be honest...

The Daredevil is a cosplay of Dorian Pavus from Dragon Age Inquisition (because Viper armor was perfect for it, and he could wield a staff)

https://imgur.com/a9xP4AO

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And the Deadeye, I went for a Witch Hunter/Demon Hunter look - dual pistol + sword/dagger

https://imgur.com/SZfk73Y

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These are just for running around in Open World, but both are pretty effective for that.

My Thief is a char magical girl who fights with Unicorns(Dreamer) and Confetti(Quip).

I feel like rev is the thief I always wanted

"...with my pistols" Oh god PP.... You understand that with PP you're a kite around chipping them down build not a badass build.

JK, about a 1/3 of the HoT HPs and Chak Driver I use PP to solo but again that's all about kiting and chipping them down.

Seriously though, you can check out outfits on the gem store. Not as customizable and not exclusive to thief or medium armor, plus does cost gems, but that's just aesthetics.

For non-aesthetics have you tried power staff?

Reading the title, I thought this was going to be a rant about all the thieves running around in WVW sniping people. ^(My disappointment is immeasurable.)

Eh I love my human thief though. Elonian style Daredevil with Forged Staff.

Or you can do the PvP scarf one like every tryhard out there...

Here is how my thief looks like: (One for Condi, One for Power)

https://imgur.com/a/MyfFhIo

Doesn't fit the current theme of Icebrood Saga, but I mainly do PvP nowadays anyway... (I'm a fashion warrior though, so I would love to help out for any other race and thematic as well)

Edit: Big fan of shiny/glowy weapons. Not a big fan of being a walking candle, even for Guardian.

My thief uses Spearmarshal armour, except the shoulders and hands armour. It looks almost identical to Elonian armour. And it looked amazing during PoF and season 4. Now on Icebrood Saga it probably looks out of place though, but I have stopped playing with him so I haven't updated his looks

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Spearmarshal%27s_armor_(medium)

I don't think there is a conflict in how you use stealth in combat vs how well known your character is in lore. I mean you don't need to be a nobody to ambush your foes or roam undetected.

As for using pistols against dragons, well, you could imagine that you are using special bullets or magical/alchemical projectiles. Consider monster hunters in fantasy tropes who use guns with silver bullets to kill vampires and werewolves.

My thief is daredevil and is a martial artist to me. I designed her a bit to be of cantha origins but I mostly just use heritage armour because I like it for medium (think my leg armour is something else). She just uses the default elite spec weapon skin (never got around to getting the ascended one but would use that if I got it). If she can get some really nice martial artist armour from cantha she would be complete.

Way I play her is basically she is an ex-thief more with elite spec rather than trying to justify an honest thief (which is perfectly do-able, how we fight, how we pick targets and such).

There is always a more anti-hero option. Your methods might not be the most heroic but your goals are. You can vary this a lot with how dark you go as an anti-hero idea from "I wouldn't ever harm an innocent" to "The ends justify the means and anyone who gets in the way of the greater good is an enemy".

I think anyone who is not a warrior in the game will feel out of place story wise. I'm a necro who is a follower of Balthazar yet I have to fight him.. What.