Pickpocket etiquette

mabdastardseb17_ESO · July 2022

For those trying this for the first time here is the correct etiquette for a successful pickpocket firstly pick your intended mark approach in stealth then pick their pocket wait til you can pick their pocket again and do so and finally instead of picking their pocket for a third time and leaving them with empty pockets use the blade of woe. It its your civic duty to reset them so when they come back they once again have full pockets so you or someone else can redo the afore mentioned. Regards Avya lostyerwallet

Ashryn · July 2022

I would add: if you see someone else pick-pocketing, don't think its your duty to do it also (or kill them with the Blade of Woe) BEFORE they can finish it! Basic politeness goes a long way!

phaneub17_ESO · July 2022

mabdastardseb17_ESO wrote: »

leaving them with empty pockets use the blade of woe.

I'm a thief not a sociopathic serial killer.

ArchangelIsraphel · July 2022

1. If you don't own the dark Brotherhood DLC you cannot use BOW and should not feel obligated to purchase it just to participate in the justice system. DB is not part of the base game.

2. If people want to play thieves who are not Assassins, they have every right to do so and you don't get to tell them how to play their character.

3. Go somewhere else to steal and murder if the way others play is bothering you. Thieves who don't murder have to go to other areas when they find everything dead in an area, so if finding empty pockets is an issue, an assassin can do the same.

I also have never had an issue with this. I've stolen items from npcs after someone else has taken three, and the npc still had three for me. I've never found empty pockets when a normal thief is in the same area, and even if I did, I wouldn't want them to feel forced to play as an assassin.

whitecrow · July 2022

No.

I am a thief not a killer.

There are plenty of pockets to pick in the game. Maybe someone just doesn't have anything on them at that time. Call it realism.

MaraxusTheOrc · July 2022

Been participating in the Justice system since it launched, but I’ve never thought about the murder of a mark as “proper etiquette.”

If you’re new to thieving, please do not feel pressured to assassinate your marks. If you just want to steal one or two items, that is entirely your prerogative.

Hoghorn · July 2022

how long does it take from 1st successful pickpocket until we can attempt again? i haven't done much pickpocketing, i always just move on after the 1st.

RisenEclipse · July 2022

I disagree that this should be considered proper etiquette. For the reasons already mentioned.

But for those that want double stolen item drops, pickpocket and then killing the npc will give you double drops. One from the pickpocket and the other from looting the corpse. So the pickpocket then kill method is more efficient. But I don't think it should be pressed on anyone to do... especially if it goes against their character.

Freelancer_ESO · July 2022

Keep in mind that npcs will also have empty pockets if you've looted them too much on a character in a short period of time.

I'm not sure if it's a bug or a feature but, I've noticed it start to happen recently.

ixmike · July 2022

I never murder or steal in the Daggerfall Covenant regions.

Syldras · July 2022

Hoghorn wrote: »

how long does it take from 1st successful pickpocket until we can attempt again? i haven't done much pickpocketing, i always just move on after the 1st.

You have to step back for just a few seconds. It's really not a long time.

ArchangelIsraphel · July 2022

RisenEclipse wrote: »

I disagree that this should be considered proper etiquette. For the reasons already mentioned.

But for those that want double stolen item drops, pickpocket and then killing the npc will give you double drops. One from the pickpocket and the other from looting the corpse. So the pickpocket then kill method is more efficient. But I don't think it should be pressed on anyone to do... especially if it goes against their character.

It actually isn't double for doing this- if you pick once then stab, you are missing the third item on the npc. The usual pattern for Assassins is pick-pick-stab to get all three. Thieves who do not murder but instead pick three times also can get all three. There is no additional bonus for assassination, it's only a time saver.

Picking once then stabbing actually loses you the third item in my experience.

Unless picking three times then killing gets you something? Never got anything extra on my one assassin for doing this.

SilverBride · July 2022

I am not going to murder my target so someone else can pick their pockets sooner.

Alinhbo_Tyaka · July 2022

ArchangelIsraphel wrote: »

RisenEclipse wrote: »

I disagree that this should be considered proper etiquette. For the reasons already mentioned.

But for those that want double stolen item drops, pickpocket and then killing the npc will give you double drops. One from the pickpocket and the other from looting the corpse. So the pickpocket then kill method is more efficient. But I don't think it should be pressed on anyone to do... especially if it goes against their character.

It actually isn't double for doing this- if you pick once then stab, you are missing the third item on the npc. The usual pattern for Assassins is pick-pick-stab to get all three. Thieves who do not murder but instead pick three times also can get all three. There is no additional bonus for assassination, it's only a time saver.

Picking once then stabbing actually loses you the third item in my experience.

Unless picking three times then killing gets you something? Never got anything extra on my one assassin for doing this.

Actually the stab is more than a time saver. As the successful pick percentage goes down with each pick you risk being caught and having a bounty added. Using BOW guarantees you will get the third item and as long as you aren't careless guarantees you will not get a bounty.

I have never received anything for killing the mark if I perform all three picks first. The only thing killing does is allow the NPC to respawn which resets the items they carry.

EF321 · July 2022

No honor among thieves.

VaranisArano · July 2022

Pick, pick, stab.

Silencer Maria Montclair doesn't feel the least bit bad for her victims. Have you seen what's in the pockets of those pious Aedric priests in Vulkhel Guard?

They're a bunch of Maomer-loving, daedra-worshipping, Veiled Heritance jerks. They amply deserve a blade in the back; she's just doing Queen Ayrenn a favor.

ArchangelIsraphel · July 2022

Alinhbo_Tyaka wrote: »

ArchangelIsraphel wrote: »

RisenEclipse wrote: »

I disagree that this should be considered proper etiquette. For the reasons already mentioned.

But for those that want double stolen item drops, pickpocket and then killing the npc will give you double drops. One from the pickpocket and the other from looting the corpse. So the pickpocket then kill method is more efficient. But I don't think it should be pressed on anyone to do... especially if it goes against their character.

It actually isn't double for doing this- if you pick once then stab, you are missing the third item on the npc. The usual pattern for Assassins is pick-pick-stab to get all three. Thieves who do not murder but instead pick three times also can get all three. There is no additional bonus for assassination, it's only a time saver.

Picking once then stabbing actually loses you the third item in my experience.

Unless picking three times then killing gets you something? Never got anything extra on my one assassin for doing this.

Actually the stab is more than a time saver. As the successful pick percentage goes down with each pick you risk being caught and having a bounty added. Using BOW guarantees you will get the third item and as long as you aren't careless guarantees you will not get a bounty.

I have never received anything for killing the mark if I perform all three picks first. The only thing killing does is allow the NPC to respawn which resets the items they carry.

That pretty much translates as a time saver to me since you don't have to hide and reset the target to attempt the third pick again or wait out a bounty if you aren't carrying pardon edicts. It's basically a remedy for those who want to save time by bypassing the pick percentage mechanic and the bounty mechanic .

SilverBride · July 2022

There are targets all over the place in every zone. If my targets have empty pockets I'll just go somewhere else.

UrQuan · July 2022

Alinhbo_Tyaka wrote: »

I have never received anything for killing the mark if I perform all three picks first. The only thing killing does is allow the NPC to respawn which resets the items they carry.

I've never had it happen in other zones, but in Vvardenfell if you pick 3 times and then blade of woe you've got a chance (although only a chance) of getting a 4th item. I'm pretty sure the 4th item (if you get one) is always a style mat for one of the Vvardenfell styles, but it's possible I might have also had Vvardenfell motifs drop as the 4th item: I can't remember for sure. It's definitely never one of the usual treasures you get from pickpocketing that's only intended for selling to fences.

spartaxoxo · July 2022

1) Don't stab until the pockets are empty if you're using passives that increase the quality of item when pickpocketing
2) Nobody is obligated to buy DLC
3) There's no such pickpocketing etiquette. People do this to make their own farming easier, not because it's needed to be polite. But, some people don't for a variety of reasons. They aren't farming just wanted or needed to try to get a couple of picks, they don't own DB, killing innocents goes against their roleplay, they'd get spotted and don't want the bounty, etc. All legitimate.

ArchangelIsraphel · July 2022

UrQuan wrote: »

Alinhbo_Tyaka wrote: »

I have never received anything for killing the mark if I perform all three picks first. The only thing killing does is allow the NPC to respawn which resets the items they carry.

I've never had it happen in other zones, but in Vvardenfell if you pick 3 times and then blade of woe you've got a chance (although only a chance) of getting a 4th item. I'm pretty sure the 4th item (if you get one) is always a style mat for one of the Vvardenfell styles, but it's possible I might have also had Vvardenfell motifs drop as the 4th item: I can't remember for sure. It's definitely never one of the usual treasures you get from pickpocketing that's only intended for selling to fences.

I've had that happen too, but it isn't linked to assassination. My thieves can proc a fourth and even fifth pick in Vvardenfell without killing and receive style materials on those picks. It can happen rarely in Auridon as well, where you can get either a human skull or an elsweyr coffin/lid furnishing plan.

whitecrow · July 2022

I haven't gotten anything special from pickpocketing or looting for the event.

Hapexamendios · July 2022

SilverBride wrote: »

I am not going to murder my target so someone else can pick their pockets sooner.

Me neither. I'm going to kill them so I can pick their pockets sooner.

Kisakee · July 2022

The fastest way is to just accept the bounty and murder everything on sight. No need to wait for anything, 100% loot and you're not annoying anyone but those who can't stand a blood bath.

MJ202 · July 2022

Ashryn wrote: »

I would add: if you see someone else pick-pocketing, don't think its your duty to do it also (or kill them with the Blade of Woe) BEFORE they can finish it! Basic politeness goes a long way!

I have one objection to this. I had marked my Blade of Woe victim and staked my point of attack. As my victim arrived, someone else tried to move in for the steal. I know the cutpurse wasn't aware they were cutting in on my mark, so I hold no grudge. That being said, I'm not going to postpone my attack and start my stalk all over again.

Under those circumstances, I say it's tough luck for the would-be cutpurse.

BretonMage · July 2022

UrQuan wrote: »

I've never had it happen in other zones, but in Vvardenfell if you pick 3 times and then blade of woe you've got a chance (although only a chance) of getting a 4th item. I'm pretty sure the 4th item (if you get one) is always a style mat for one of the Vvardenfell styles, but it's possible I might have also had Vvardenfell motifs drop as the 4th item: I can't remember for sure. It's definitely never one of the usual treasures you get from pickpocketing that's only intended for selling to fences.

I get that sometimes too after the 3rd pick, just pickpocketing. I've never murdered for it.

spartaxoxo wrote: »

1) Don't stab until the pockets are empty if you're using passives that increase the quality of item when pickpocketing

What is that? Does anything happen if you kill after the pockets are empty?

Alinhbo_Tyaka · July 2022

UrQuan wrote: »

Alinhbo_Tyaka wrote: »

I have never received anything for killing the mark if I perform all three picks first. The only thing killing does is allow the NPC to respawn which resets the items they carry.

I've never had it happen in other zones, but in Vvardenfell if you pick 3 times and then blade of woe you've got a chance (although only a chance) of getting a 4th item. I'm pretty sure the 4th item (if you get one) is always a style mat for one of the Vvardenfell styles, but it's possible I might have also had Vvardenfell motifs drop as the 4th item: I can't remember for sure. It's definitely never one of the usual treasures you get from pickpocketing that's only intended for selling to fences.

I have never heard about an RNG 4th drop nor had it happen so just got into the habit of killing the mark for the third pick. If waiting to kill helps with getting more of those stingy Vvardenfell drops I'll give it another go.

grapedog · July 2022

I prefer pick pick pick, maybe a 4th pick, then move on to a new target.... no stab. The 4th pick is rare, and can be anything, including just another white item. Ive gotten 4th picks probably 300+ times and its random for the treasure you get.

You wanna stab, go right ahead, but im not going to...

Xinihp · July 2022

Not really etiquette but more of a pro tip: If you spot another thief eying up your mark and suspect their intent is to compete for pocket time, just pick them once and move on. Most times the competition WILL kill them, in which case any remaining items will be waiting for you on their body.

So you get a total of 3 items to pick, but if you pick one and someone kills them, 2 items will be waiting for you. Easier than picking them three times if you know they are about to die.

nightstrike · July 2022

My record is 6 picks (with a 40% probability on that last pick) before getting empty pockets. It's happened 4 times now.

There's no reason you can't stab when the pockets are empty if you want a faster respawn.

And for those who think that pocket contents are shared between players, they aren't. So resetting an NPC's pockets for you (or not) has no bearing on pocket contents for any other player.

spartaxoxo · July 2022

BretonMage wrote: »

What is that? Does anything happen if you kill after the pockets are empty?

There's a passive that increases the quality of your loot from pickpocketing in the green tree. AFAIK, it only applies if you do it from the pickpocketing rng thing and not from looting corpses. Nothing happens if you kill after the pockets are empty (other than npc respawning with new loot), it's just that passive only applies to pockets that were picked. So you don't get the increased chance for better loot.