Disguise-self not useful at all when stealing?

[Dralks]

I keep on seeing people recommending disguise-self when stealing, but I just tested it and it seems to be very useless I did the following:

1 Went far away from the vendor and put a disguise on.

2 Stole something and got caught, the vendor approval goes down towards the character, despite the disguise, now he hates me a little.

3 Went far away again, put a new disguise on.

4 Come back and the vendor says that he is watching me (clearly recognising me despite the disguise).

5 Go away again, new disguise, come back.

6 Got caught, approval goes down on my character (not the disguise) and now the vendor attacks because the approval is too low.

Disguise-self is clearly not working with vendors as the approval affects your character no matter what he is wearing, so it seems to only be useful for dialogues? I assume that people talking about using it for stealing is using logic based on what we should expect, but the vendors 100% ignore the disguise in that scenario, am I missing something?

[DietDrPibb]

It's part of standard shopkeeper training in Faerun to be aware of such tricks, how else would they stay in business?

[Dralks]

tested with another random NPC, same result, quite disappointing that such an obvious use for Disguise-self doesn't work

[Cthulhu]

i think disguse-self works only in conversation, and to modify your size

[Kaldrak]

It might be better to use it to avoid getting caught in the first place. Like, enter stealth mode, snatch some stuff from the area or pickpocket the vendor successfully, then run away, send your party to camp, disguise yourself, then go to a nearby area and come back. I did this once and no one was even looking for anything or anyone when I came back.

Course, maybe all you need to do is leave and come back later without getting caught and I made it too complicated.
*shrug*

[Dralks]

Originally posted by Kaldrak:

It might be better to use it to avoid getting caught in the first place. Like, enter stealth mode, snatch some stuff from the area or pickpocket the vendor successfully, then run away, send your party to camp, disguise yourself, then go to a nearby area and come back. I did this once and no one was even looking for anything or anyone when I came back.

Course, maybe all you need to do is leave and come back later without getting caught and I made it too complicated.
*shrug*

That will happen if you don't get caught at all, it has nothing to do with the disguise, getting caught gets your character in trouble no matter what he is wearing, hell, I wish that even changing your clothes had some effect like in Red Dead Redemption 2

[guppy]

Originally posted by Cthulhu:

i think disguse-self works only in conversation, and to modify your size

and apparently to some how trick non sentient magical items into using their racial bonuses, but honestly how any one can bear to look like a gityanki is beyond me

[sere]

There are items that will give you bonuses to stealing while in disguise.

[Argonaut]

Originally posted by DietDrPibb:

It's part of standard shopkeeper training in Faerun to be aware of such tricks, how else would they stay in business?

No it isn't. Even spells like friends had to be changed through edition to include a snippet that the spell leaves even normal people aware that something has been done to them.

[C O M M U N A R]

Yeah, it's not working for stealing. That's really sucks. But it's still useful for speaking with the dead, who were killed by you. Also for getting race specific dialogue options, and to minimize your character size, so you can go into small cave entrances.

[talemore]

Bonuses to stealing means nothing if the narrator will fetch a dog every time stealing.

Sometimes they ask if you were the one stealing and other times they just rush after you = time to die. You get no persuasion attempt. You're done. You thought command was overpowered. The narrator misusing her power.

The item is stolen break everyone's necks.

[ShockedHearts]

if you steal from someone, then noone saw you.

all they know is that someone stole from them. and well.. there you are!