Is chest stealing wrong or expected?

Kingof7heNor7h1 · June 2017

I ask because what happened to me yesterday while running around Glenumbra. I noticed a random chest with some other random player next to it and without thinking I walked up and looted it to find out it was unlocked and all the gear was labeled stolen and was much higher level than I currently am. Though I didn't notice until after I already took it and walked away and once I realized what I did and went back to return it and apologise to the player but they were long gone. I held onto the gear for awhile hoping to see the player but never did so I laundered it all and sold everything off. I feel guilty about it and feel like an idiot for not thinking about what was going on until after the deed was done. I honestly didn't think I was stealing anything while it was happening only that I was super lucky and/ or this person was just being awesome. So should I feel so bad or was it not a big deal? I'd really like other people's opinions on the subject of chest stealing.

FlyLionel · June 2017

Yeah it happens all the time dude, you went back to give it to them so the REDEMPTION is already in place. No biggie.

Danksta · June 2017

Nothing wrong with it at all. The player was obviously already in the chest since it was scaled to his/her level. Some people just pick and choose what they take from chests and I think we're safe in assuming that this was the case here.

SHADOW2KK · June 2017

Kingof7heNor7h1 wrote: »

Thank you for all your answers everyone I truly appreciate everyone's input. I truly did not know at the time that I was ripping the guy off I thought I was just lucky and either the guy was being nice or didn't want it. It happened not to far from the Ebon Crypt since I had just left there after grinding and loot hunting. As for the chest and the other player the he was definitely a player because as I looted the chest and started walking away he started jumping around like crazy and slashing at me with his weapon but since no PVP there or anything like that he couldn't actually hurt me. I thought he was just messing with me or something because again I didn't think at the time I had stolen anything and after a couple minutes he stopped and I continued on my way and not long after I decided to finally looked at the gear and that's when I seen it was labeled as stolen and of a much higher leveland I realized what I had done and went back to where I found the chest and other player to apologise and return the gear but he was long gone. The chest itself looked like any other random chest that pops up randomly throughout the game but had a player standing next to it and when I went to click on it I noticed it wasn't locked at all so I opened it grabbed everything without actually looking at the gear first and you guys know the rest. I hope that answers everyone's questions and clears up any confusion. But if anyone wants to know more please feel free to ask and I'll answer to the best of my ability. I can honestly say I will never make that mistake again if I see someone next to a chest or fighting for one I won't be touching it the last thing I want is to rip people off or be a general jerk to people. Thanks again everyone.

An honourable player, kudos to you sir.

BlackSparrow · June 2017

It's not wrong, but chest and node sniping is definitely against online etiquette. Generally, if you see someone standing near or fighting monsters that are on top of a chest or resource node, it's good manners to leave it to them.

It happens though. Sometimes you don't see the other person or they don't see you, so it's not the end of the world.

That said, if everything was marked as stolen... I take it this chest was fairly small? Sounds like you found a Thieves Trove. Those spawn with loot that is flagged as "stolen," so you didn't really steal from the other player so much as you stole from some nebulous previous NPC owner.

QuebraRegra · June 2017

BlackSparrow wrote: »

It's not wrong, but chest and node sniping is definitely against online etiquette. Generally, if you see someone standing near or fighting monsters that are on top of a chest or resource node, it's good manners to leave it to them.

It happens though. Sometimes you don't see the other person or they don't see you, so it's not the end of the world.

That said, if everything was marked as stolen... I take it this chest was fairly small? Sounds like you found a Thieves Trove. Those spawn with loot that is flagged as "stolen," so you didn't really steal from the other player so much as you stole from some nebulous previous NPC owner.

could also mean one of the vendor type lock boxes/chest thingees, where you have to pick the lock. There's usually only gold and a stolen item inside tho.

BlackSparrow · June 2017

QuebraRegra wrote: »

BlackSparrow wrote: »

It's not wrong, but chest and node sniping is definitely against online etiquette. Generally, if you see someone standing near or fighting monsters that are on top of a chest or resource node, it's good manners to leave it to them.

It happens though. Sometimes you don't see the other person or they don't see you, so it's not the end of the world.

That said, if everything was marked as stolen... I take it this chest was fairly small? Sounds like you found a Thieves Trove. Those spawn with loot that is flagged as "stolen," so you didn't really steal from the other player so much as you stole from some nebulous previous NPC owner.

could also mean one of the vendor type lock boxes/chest thingees, where you have to pick the lock. There's usually only gold and a stolen item inside tho.

True. I'd assumed "running around Glenumbra" meant in the exteriors, where there aren't a lot of vendor chest, but that could be the case too. It's possible to pick a lock on one of those things and then realize that you're out of inventory space. I've done it. XD

Slurg · June 2017

It is both wrong and expected. If the other player didn't want it why would he still be standing there? But it's pretty much expected if you don't take something right away someone else will materialize out of nowhere and grab it.

uzbachchi · June 2017

It wouldn't have been marked "stolen" if taken from another player.

though maybe it should because it's kind of a jerk move. At least you feel bad about it. A couple dudes on reddit were talking about how they'd gladly take a chest to get the upper hand for certain drops. Doing it by accident is a learn from your mistakes moment. Doing it on purpose is just a jerk move.

Valkysas154 · June 2017

Well he could of been deleting some items -inventory full- i would say its bad manners but i don't think you can get a ban over it

Kingof7heNor7h1 · June 2017

Thank you for all your answers everyone I truly appreciate everyone's input. I truly did not know at the time that I was ripping the guy off I thought I was just lucky and either the guy was being nice or didn't want it. It happened not to far from the Ebon Crypt since I had just left there after grinding and loot hunting. As for the chest and the other player the he was definitely a player because as I looted the chest and started walking away he started jumping around like crazy and slashing at me with his weapon but since no PVP there or anything like that he couldn't actually hurt me. I thought he was just messing with me or something because again I didn't think at the time I had stolen anything and after a couple minutes he stopped and I continued on my way and not long after I decided to finally looked at the gear and that's when I seen it was labeled as stolen and of a much higher leveland I realized what I had done and went back to where I found the chest and other player to apologise and return the gear but he was long gone. The chest itself looked like any other random chest that pops up randomly throughout the game but had a player standing next to it and when I went to click on it I noticed it wasn't locked at all so I opened it grabbed everything without actually looking at the gear first and you guys know the rest. I hope that answers everyone's questions and clears up any confusion. But if anyone wants to know more please feel free to ask and I'll answer to the best of my ability. I can honestly say I will never make that mistake again if I see someone next to a chest or fighting for one I won't be touching it the last thing I want is to rip people off or be a general jerk to people. Thanks again everyone.

Darlgon · June 2017

One other option tho.. since it apparently was a Thieves Guild Trove, not a real chest. TG Troves dont have a lock to pick, but only they contain stolen items. Some players will afk at a chest/trove, waiting for it to respawn. He may actually have opened the chest, forcing the spawn and locking the gear levels, decided he didnt want anything inside, and left it to wait for next spawn. That is actually bad, since it takes longer if you dont loot it, but sometimes bots are stupid. If he was actively in the chest. the loot, his level, would have been locked.

DocFrost72 · June 2017

Not a single chest out there is labeled with anyone's name. It sucks to have it done to you for sure, but it's kinda the same as a grinder worried about "their" XP.

HertogJan71 · June 2017

People do it to me, I do it to others, no hard feelings form my side. Sometimes someone is just standing to an opened chest, crafting node or thieves trove, doing nothing. Then I try to lure an enemy hoping for an AoE attack forcing the other one into combat so I can loot it. Wrong or not, it's just fun

Danikat · June 2017

The fact that the items were marked as stolen means it must have been a Thieves Trove (small silver chest) or a chest that "belongs" to an NPC and happens to share the same model as the treasure chests.

If it was a treasure chest - the ones where normally you have to pick the lock to open them - the items inside would not be marked as stolen, even if another player had opened the chest first.

As far as the game is concerned the contents don't belong to the first person to open the chest. They will scale to that person's level because the 'roll' to determine what items drop happens when they open it - but they're free for anyone to take.

It's only player etiquette which says you should let the original finder take whatever they want first. And that usually applied before the chest is opened - if you see someone right next to a chest fighting enemies it's a pretty safe bet they're about to open it so taking the chest while they protect you is considered rude. (A bit like taking the last of an item out of someone else's basket at the supermarket - technically it wasn't theirs yet because they hadn't paid for it, but they were obviously planning to buy it.)

There isn't time between the chest unlocking and opening for someone else to take it. So the only other time you can 'steal' items from a treasure chest is if the original finder unlocks it and then realises their inventory is full and has to delete some stuff first.

If they've moved away from the chest and it's still there anything inside is fair game for anyone who comes along. And it's a good idea for someone to take it because the chest won't respawn until it's empty and it's unlikely whatever was left is worth blocking a spawn point for.

scipionumatia · June 2017

The only time I find chest stealing messed up is if a player is picking the lock and another player drags adds to get them off the chest in an attempt to steal it themselves. Other than that alls fair. If they opened a chest and don't have space or something, that's on them

zaria · June 2017

QuebraRegra wrote: »

BlackSparrow wrote: »

It's not wrong, but chest and node sniping is definitely against online etiquette. Generally, if you see someone standing near or fighting monsters that are on top of a chest or resource node, it's good manners to leave it to them.

It happens though. Sometimes you don't see the other person or they don't see you, so it's not the end of the world.

That said, if everything was marked as stolen... I take it this chest was fairly small? Sounds like you found a Thieves Trove. Those spawn with loot that is flagged as "stolen," so you didn't really steal from the other player so much as you stole from some nebulous previous NPC owner.

could also mean one of the vendor type lock boxes/chest thingees, where you have to pick the lock. There's usually only gold and a stolen item inside tho.

The vendor lock boxes require lock picking like the normal chests and will give stolen items.
They are also not in the wilderness but close to merchants or in houses.
They are also instanced so everybody can use them at once.

drakhan2002_ESO · June 2017

Let me use your own words to answer the question you asked in the title...

It is wrong...and it is expected!

True - it has happened to me countless times. While I do not practice this tactic in-game, I've learned to have peace on the occasion that it happens - I just tell myself that there are people in this world who feel that taking rather than earning is just normal for them. I tell myself, I *know* the game will generate more loot for me. That each action they take in-game will be reflected in the other aspects of the game as well and karma, quite frankly, will bite them eventually.

Kingof7heNor7h1 · June 2017

Thanks everyone for your opinions. Since this has happened I've been careful with every chest I open to make sure that I'm not ripping anyone off. I've also joined a guild with my cousin and his friends who are all long time players and they're teaching me the ropes of the game. I realize it's almost expected to loot other people's chests but I still refuse to ever do anything like that again. IDK maybe I'm to nice haha. But I am thankful to you all for your help.

Kaymorolis · June 2017

In these cases I always go with the "do unto others" rule. I don't like getting my nodes stolen so I try not to do it to other people. Yeah that won't stop anyone from node-stealing my stuff, but MY conscience is clear and that is all that matters to me.

Grinzzer62 · June 2017

scipionumatia wrote: »

The only time I find chest stealing messed up is if a player is picking the lock and another player drags adds to get them off the chest in an attempt to steal it themselves. Other than that alls fair. If they opened a chest and don't have space or something, that's on them

lol it's funny u say that I actually had something like that happen to me, I ended up trying to pick a chest in a delve where the adds were missing and in the middle of picking the adds popped up and started to kill me and in the middle fighting them a guy walks in and starts to steal my chest but then I was unable to beat them and died and so after I died he quickly took Aggro, so as soon as he was fighting I quickly ressed picked my chest and was on my marry way.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Is chest stealing wrong or expected?

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