Do you think there should be more pickpocket opportunities within the game?

[Deleted User]

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Mormont

Yeah, more pick pocket oppotunities are welcome!
It is sad that i think in know all lucrative pick pockets in BG2. On the other Side without Drizzt i dont know any pick pocket opportunitie in BG1.

Kamigoroshi

No. But I think there should be more enemies that pickpocket CHARNAME and party.

Necomancer

Pick Pocketing is very risky and has very little chance for reward in BG1. Something that can get an entire town wanting to murder you should have better rewards. At least more gold and mundane items.

Mathmick

Pickpocketing needs to be made less risky first. Setting an entire area hostile is something that should be removed in favour of summoning guards after a delay etc.

In terms of increasing opportunities, a little more weight to purses is really all that's needed. Maybe an item or two on someone important as well, but that's not as necessary.

Lemernis

Definitely!

Southpaw

As a delusional MindFlayer Priest, in RL usually playing thieves - Absolutely!

Wiggles

Should there be more for those that use it? Yes.

Will I personally ever find a use for pick-pocket since a failure means almost death/hatred of an entire town? No.

XD

revaar

Yes, but I'd basically like to see most people having, at most, a few gold, common gems, daggers, and other common items. Maybe when you pick a normal (ie not uniquely named) pocket, it rolls on a table, to keep things interesting, and if you are lucky you could get a healing potion or antidote, but nothing bigger than that.

[Deleted User]

I agree with @Mathmick on both counts. As it is, if you're going to pickpocket anything you either need a very high skill rating to make success assured, or a quick finger on the quickload button. As far as the second point goes, I don't think we really need much more money in the game. Nor do we need more powerful magic items just so they can be pickpocketed. @revaar has the right idea. Allow more people to be pickpocketed, but only give them a modest amount of gold (or equivalent item). That way you can use it to make up the difference when you're a little short for that expensive item or resurrection, but you won't be breaking the bank.

Tinter

Pickpocketing is currently essentially a succeed-or-reload mechanic. Its really bad gameplay. A change that made it interesting would be nice but probably isn't permissible, so its probably best left marginalised.

Wanderon

I'm not a fan of pickpocketing as it is implemented and 99% of the time I don't use it at all - I think I made one attempt at Algernons cloak since I started playing BGEE.

The issue for me is unless you are prepared to reload a failed attempt the consequences are almost never worth the risk and even if I am not playing a no reload campaign I still only reload on character death so reloading is not an option.

KidCarnival

There isn't enough reward to really take the risk if there are other options. Drizzt and Algernon, and the gnome (?) in Ulgoth' Beard are the only targets that have items of value, so it's a wasted skill. All other thief skills pay out in way more situations, but bards only get the one skill. Even Charm Animals for rangers has more opportunities to use it, with zero risk.

I don't neccessarily want more targets with major items, but a much lower risk would be welcome. Even if it's just commoners with 20 gold I can pickpocket; as long as they don't immediately make entire towns hostile, or close shops forever, that's fine.

Zzidolfas86

Yes please, I like stealing lots of virtual goodies

smeagolheart

Kamigoroshi said:

No. But I think there should be more enemies that pickpocket CHARNAME and party.

I can imagine boo getting boonapped quite a bit in that scenario.

Oh and also:

CHARNAME: "Haha Hurgan I have returned with the soultaker dagger from Durlag's Tower! "

Hurgan: "Where is it?"

CHARNAME: "Hold on, it's in one of these pockets. I had it just a minute ago. Say where is my gem bag, dagger of venom, long sword +1 and Ankheg platemail? I'll be right back I'm going to retrace my steps."

.... oh the fun.

Oxford_Guy

Yes, but then I do like playing Bards... There are of course plenty of shop*lifting* possibilities, to the point where this can spoil the game a little if you abuse this, so I tend to set my own limits on this.

Oxford_Guy

Also, it would be nice if characters with high Charisma could have a chance to talk their way out of failed attempts...

Djimmy

Yeah, nice idea.

SCARY_WIZARD

Yes, please! Perhaps nothing as astounding as what you get when you pickpocket Drizzt, or Ribald Barterman, or Arundel (in Icewind Dale), but still a couple of things to make you go "whoa". And maybe even some Red Herring items.

Pibaro

Usually I don't like random treasure, but i think that pickpocketing should give random items and a small % of rare valuable magic item.
This will give to pickpocketers a reason to pickpocket, and to thief with no point in PP no chance of getting all good staff with a couple of potions.

SCARY_WIZARD

Pibaro said:

Usually I don't like random treasure, but i think that pickpocketing should give random items and a small % of rare valuable magic item.
This will give to pickpocketers a reason to pickpocket, and to thief with no point in PP no chance of getting all good staff with a couple of potions.

Like pick pocket tables! I like this.

dstoltzfus

Pick-pocketing should be like stealing from chests.

PugPug

I'd be happy if most NPCs had a few gold pieces on them. Gems are kind of inconvenient and unlikely to be carried around anyway.

It doesn't need to be much, just SOMETHING for completionists/pickpocketing enthusiasts. It's a waste of a skill if there are enough potions of master thievery to get everything pickpocketable.

SCARY_WIZARD

dstoltzfus said:

Pick-pocketing should be like stealing from chests.

Pick the locks on Duke Eltan's armor and then open i...yeah!
"Alright, there's where he keeps his family photos...walletwalletwallet. There!"
"So, are you guys gonna help us, or not?"
"Uhh, yeah, sure."

zur312

i think pickpocketing and others are kind of cheesy and cheap(lol)
the real fun begins for no-reload

save pickpocket
is it in my bag?
yes ->save
no ->reload

Senash

Yes, but not like the ones that are in the game already (most of them I consider to be a bit cheesy). I mean, most of the time you wouldn't know that the guy has something very valuable. If there would be a quest or hints that someone has a lot of valuables, that would be great.

I also agree that the system is not that good (turning everyone hostile, btw do they switch back to neutral after a while or stay like that? ), and that more money to pickpocket (especially from noblemen and such) would be welcome.

dstoltzfus

Really though, if they made it so that most NPC's in the game had a few bits of gold or gems, it would definitely make it worthwhile. If you failed, then the guards are alerted just like when you open a chest in front of someone.

lunar

In BG2, there are a few very good pickpocket spots, like Ribald's ring, and Athkathla is full of nobles and guards, they sometimes carry around high level scrolls and expensive jewelry like Laeral's Tears necklaces. (goes for 3000 gp!) I think they have a randomtreasure item of very high level.

In BG1, IIRC you can pickpocket Dushai (the wise, gnomish woman in the entrance of Ulgoth's Beard) for her ring. I am not sure if it is still there in BG:EE. More opportunities will be welcome. And, a Rogue mod had the improved pickpocketing at shops. Like, if you fail, you could talk your way out of it with high charisma, intelligence, wisdom, or even reputation! If you fail too many times though, the shopkeeper will get mad and never sell you anything ever again. So much better than turning everyone around hostile and making that part of the game world unplayable.

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SamuelVarg

More semi-cool items would be nice.

Failed pickpocketing should trigger a dialoge instead of turning every-frickin-one hostile.
You should be able to bribe your way out of it, talk to them and maybe even try to knock the victim unconscious.

Ascerion

I'm all for it, but I wish that the Pickpocket process itself made more sense. I've never been a big fan of chance-based success roles, especially with easy re-loading. Since you can't emulate a real-life scenario in which your target is distracted, or brushed up against in a throng of people...

If I was a mod maker, I would require two characters to pickpocket a target. One to distract the mark, and the other to engage the victim with small-talk while the thief did the filching. CHARNAME could be the conversationalist, high charisma needed, of course. While the thief would have to be hidden the entire time via H.I.S or invisibility. If the thief was even seen in the same room by anyone, even a witness, the crime would later be reported after the mark realizes the take for what it was.

Bonus points if the dialogue involves different questions each time that have to be engaging and different, to allow for versatility and quick-thinking in the face of danger.

Even one pickpocket attempt would take a minute or so, and reloads would be much more punishing, thereby.