help with pickpocketing

[DrwHem]

so i am constantly annoyed by this....i pickpocket an item successfully but then the store owner turns around and accuses me. i pass that first check but then before i can go anywhere they accuse me again! i usually can intimidate my way out of this but is this working as intended?
why do i get constantly accused again and again? i try to run away but it dosnt seem to help.

[Dizzy Ladybug]

are you going into turn-based mode when pickpocketing? even if you're successful, characters will still notice something missing and accuse you if you're close enough.

go into turn-based mode, pickpocket what you want, and run away while turning off turn-based mode.

[brendan_in_china]

Don't have your party nearby. Don't have multiple witnesses nearby. Be in turn-based. Leave the scene of the crime immediately. Don't return until they've finished investigating.

[Emilia Tempest]

Most merchants have a certain patrol pattern that they will run off the entire time
Very likely you are just getting that pickpocket done when they turn around due to their patrol pattern
The two who dont move are the druid merchant in the Grove (which is the first merchant you meet) and the hidden merchant you get by talking to an hob-goblin merchant in the Underdark (however the hob-goblin still moves)

Make sure to just go into turn-based mode to avoid this as this will freeze everyone in place
You can also just talk to the merchant with another member of your party to keep him from moving (yes you can still pickpocket the merchant), as all merchants have a talk box and that prevents the talk to be ended automatically since the game will continue to run dialogue even if you dont control the one in the dialogue (at least till act2 I can confirm so, no idea about act3)

[Remedy]

Aside from going into turn-based, you can also return to camp for a bit. It instantly teleports you there and they can't get to you.

[DrwHem]

how do i turn on turn based mode?

[Dizzy Ladybug]

Originally posted by DrwHem:

how do i turn on turn based mode?

click the hourglass in the bottom right or shift+space

[DrwHem]

how do i get someone to talk to the merchant without going into the trade screen?

[Popsicles]

Camp or fast travel with the map right after you steal your loot. I'm level 4 and nearing the end of Act 1. I have 9k in gold, all the arrows, all the healing potions... :)

[Zaris]

Originally posted by DrwHem:

how do i get someone to talk to the merchant without going into the trade screen?

You don't need that, here some tips:
- buff your thief (rogue or bard with double bonus in sleigh of hand) with dex advantage / skill check bonus from mage / cleric and equip pickpocket equip like the +2 sleigh of hand ring from act 1 under the bridge near waukeens
- cast invisibility on your thief or check viewcones with shift(?)
- quicksave, activate turn base combat and steal what you like and run away (for example the smith in druid grove -> run to the prison cells) or teleport to camp and wait maybe 30 sec

Buy what you want and steal back the gold coins as general tip. Later on with better sleigh of hand skill you can easily pickpocket back 30k gold without problems (50% double chance on success easily), it's only annoying in the beginning of the game.

[Popsicles]

Originally posted by Zaris:

Originally posted by DrwHem:

how do i get someone to talk to the merchant without going into the trade screen?

You don't need that, here some tips:
- buff your thief (rogue or bard with double bonus in sleigh of hand) with dex advantage / skill check bonus from mage / cleric and equip pickpocket equip like the +2 sleigh of hand ring from act 1 under the bridge near waukeens
- cast invisibility on your thief or check viewcones with shift(?)
- quicksave, activate turn base combat and steal what you like and run away (for example the smith in druid grove -> run to the prison cells) or teleport to camp and wait maybe 30 sec

Buy what you want and steal back the gold coins as general tip. Later on with better sleigh of hand skill you can easily pickpocket back 30k gold without problems (50% double chance on success easily), it's only annoying in the beginning of the game.

All good advice. I would add:

Goto the Zhent hideout as soon as you can, and buy/steal the gloves that give ADV on Sleight of Hand.

You can get away with high stealth to steal from Dammon in the Grove. I wait to steal all of Ethel's gold until it's time to raid/defend the Grove. She will leave as soon as you steal from her.

You'll need invisibility to make it easy with most other merchants. Once you have invisibility you can ripoff pretty much anyone.

Once you steal, fast travel with the map or goto your camp. You'll never get arrested, nor lose any favor with the merchant. No need for turn base or keeping your party away from you. You can stay grouped as well.

[Emilia Tempest]

Originally posted by DrwHem:

how do i get someone to talk to the merchant without going into the trade screen?

You can ungroup the party (by pressing G, that should be the default)
If it somehow doesnt work you can also drag the portrait of one of the chracters (preferably the theif) away to the right which causes them to be out of the group
Another way is pressing the button on the left (it looks like two chess pawns with a chain attached to them) which is the first button below the group UI

Once you did that, you can let the thief far away so he wont be auto-added into the talk (or just send him into the camp and bring him back out after you talk with teh merchant)

When you are in the talk you can see a button on the left-bottom corner, it looks like a chess pawn with two arrows making a "loading symbol" (it should be the 2nd button from the left)
Since merchants usually get stuck in a talk-choice, for example the druid merchant in the emerald grove you have to ask him "I would like to see your wares". Before you press that option, you just click the button I said.
When you press that button, you get shown 4 portraits (which are the members of your party), just select the portrait of your thief

Then you simply go and pickpocket the merchant without worrying about them constantly running away or turning around right when you pickpocket
This is also nice for repeatedly setting up the "turn based combat" mode as reloading saves dont save it being enabled and take you about ~6 seconds till you can re-enable it
However if you get caught pickpocketing (because you failed the check) the merchant will break the convo and address the thief, so this isnt a way to pickpocket their entire stock without any repercussions

[harken23]

I decided to pickpocket the woman outside the Counting House who is teasing the beggar by counting her money. All she had was a bucket, but I took it. Nobody saw me, but when I was walking away, she apparently noticed that her bucket was missing, and, yada yada yada, I ended up massacring everyone in the Counting House. Hadn't planned to, but the whole building full of guards attacked me. For a bucket. Hope it was worth it, bkz I looted the place they were supposed to be guarding, too.

[guard65]

+1 on turn based mode. then exit the area using a map portal for best results.

[brendan_in_china]

Originally posted by harken23:

I decided to pickpocket the woman outside the Counting House who is teasing the beggar by counting her money. All she had was a bucket, but I took it. Nobody saw me, but when I was walking away, she apparently noticed that her bucket was missing, and, yada yada yada, I ended up massacring everyone in the Counting House. Hadn't planned to, but the whole building full of guards attacked me. For a bucket. Hope it was worth it, bkz I looted the place they were supposed to be guarding, too.

When people go temporarily hostile, you don't have to battle to the death, you can run and hide. Or even Feign Death.

This is how I can successfully steal even at level 2 on HM.

[harken23]

Originally posted by brendan_in_china:

Originally posted by harken23:

I decided to pickpocket the woman outside the Counting House who is teasing the beggar by counting her money. All she had was a bucket, but I took it. Nobody saw me, but when I was walking away, she apparently noticed that her bucket was missing, and, yada yada yada, I ended up massacring everyone in the Counting House. Hadn't planned to, but the whole building full of guards attacked me. For a bucket. Hope it was worth it, bkz I looted the place they were supposed to be guarding, too.

When people go temporarily hostile, you don't have to battle to the death, you can run and hide. Or even Feign Death.

This is how I can successfully steal even at level 2 on HM.

Yea, but there were 3 guards outside, so I had my wizard cast Evard's Black Tentacles inside the door - and close it- on one turn, and then Arcane Lock on the door in turn 2. Melee ppl took out the ones outside, and rest stood in the Tentacles trying to bash down the door (which was metal) for 3 or 4 turns. So it was basically a mop-up job by then, and easy loot.
And when I left, the mean lady was still teasing the beggar.