pickpocketing in BG2EE:SoA

needsmoarhamsters

Since I hate micromanaging stealth for backstabs, I've been putting Hexxat's points into locks/traps and pickpocket, with some going into detect illusion if I feel like it. However, at this point I have 120 points in pickpocket without the cloak, and I still can't pickpocket anything useful from shops. Is there a way to calculate the chance to steal an item based on weight/value? Furthermore, is there anything (new or preexisting) worth stealing in SoA:EE I should keep an eye out for?

Schneidend

If you don't want to micromanage your thief too much, set them to the wonderful Thief Controlled script, which allows you to toggle between constantly stealthing or constantly looking for traps with the press of a key.

needsmoarhamsters

The problem with Thief Controlled is that it turns off auto-attacking. I don't mind toggling trap finding or stealth by hand, either; I just hate having to stealth, backstab, run behind a corner, stealth, backstab etc. over and over.

Lord_Tansheron

Afaik there is no reason to go over 100 in anything except the stealth skills. Not sure if the EE changed anything there, and I'm not a thief expert so I might be wrong.

jackjack

I think some marks require a much higher pickpocketing skill, (Aran Linvail comes to mind).

elminster

Its worth it to go above 100 in the pick pocket only because your chance of being successful, especially against merchants, will improve. Its also a quick way of making cash. The sell stolen item -> steal item back -> sell item again still works with Roger the thief for instance.

Freche

I can't remember the exact number, but you need a little more then 200 in pp for the items that are the most difficult to steal.

Akihiko

As for items worth pickpocketing, pickpocket Ribald Barterman at the Adventurer's Mart. You'll get a Ring of Regeneration.

elminster

Freche said:

I can't remember the exact number, but you need a little more then 200 in pp for the items that are the most difficult to steal.

If you are referring to pick pocketing, rather than stealing from a store menu, I don't think thats the case anymore with BG2EE. I just stole Ribald's regeneration ring on a second attempt with 95. Since he is wearing it as a ring you should be able to steal the ring from him with a 60 (but you will very likely fail repeatedly trying to do it).

Sed

Wasn't there a cap of 240 in pickpocket for BG2?

Lord_Tansheron

I think all thieving skills are capped at 250 or so. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they benefit from all those points. I'm not so sure about the others, but I'm fairly certain that Lay Traps and Detect Illusions do not benefit at all from points over 100 (penalties to thieving skills aside). I also seem to remember that there are no locks in the game that need more than 95 or something in Pick Locks to open, but I could be wrong.

elminster

Basically Hide in Shadows and Move Silently are the two that get the biggest benefit now from being above 100. Thats only because of the sunlight penalty you get when trying to hide in sunlight. Pick Pocket will also benefit I suppose but I'm not certain by how much.