pick pocketing...why?

[paxx]

Why is it, that when people think of thieving in a game it is only pick pocketing?

Pick pocketing is only one level above begging on the scale of ?thief abilities? in truth there should just be a slight of hand skill, as pick pocketing is just one small chapter in a legendary thief?s life?

Is it only because it is a staple in computer games?

[Xordan]

yes, that\'s exactly why. Pickpocketing is in alot of rpg\'s. And it\'s one of the first abilities u learn. So when people say \'thieves\' they think \'pickpocket\'.

[derwoodly]

IMHO

Pickpocketing always take center stage for thieves because it gets peoples intrest knowing they could loose some of there hard earned loot to a thief.  Noobie thieves always get excited because they think they are going to be able steal that epic quest item in 10 seconds that the other players just spent 500 hours getting.

Yes it is really a minor skill, but in most MMORPG\'s it is all about the items.  In a game like EQ the pickpocketing does not really amount to much because you can not really steal anything.  In a game like Shadowbane no thieves players fear thieves.

In real life most thieves are hated.  The more power you give a thief in a MMORPG the more they will be hated by non thieves.

The Robinhoods are rare exceptions.  But every fantasy MMORPG has to deal with this element because of the amount of influence it has on the background story.

[shangralah]

honestly i dont look at pickpocketing as anything important but it is grief when it isnt controlled

[Rageburst]

If you can make it so that I can pickpocket weapons off high-level monsters (and my combat skills suck, but I have high level pickpocketing), then that would be fun.

It provides an alternative to becoming a fighter-type, and instead concentrates on stealth and stealing.

Of course, it would be nice to have \"thieving\" skills to complement cooperative play too... Like in EQ, the rogues can drag corpses so clerics can revive them.

Other thieving skills that I like to see is lockpicking skills... perhaps to free people from prisons, or just to open an important room in some dungeon without looking for the key... Maybe if some dungeons contain a lot of locked loot rooms, people would be more inclined to hire thieves in a party.

[DarkkStarr]

Most thieves in video games should be agile and stealth-like. Hiding within the shadows and waiting for thier prey to come so they can spring out and surprise them. Or secretly sneak out of the shadows to take some valuables and then go back in to wait. Thieves have a lower chance of thieving and mugging because of the daylight. So night is their best time to move. If yoy have an agile, quick-reflexed, pocket-picking, lock-picking, and mugging thief...you\'ll have a good game.

And mugging would complicate the game a little. Seeing as mid-level thieves could prey on beginning adventurers for some time. Then they eventually progress...so thieving starts out hard and slow.  I dunno. Just an idea.

[shangralah]

If you can make it so that I can pickpocket weapons off high-level monsters (and my combat skills suck, but I have high level pickpocketing), then that would be fun.

this would be terrable because you would leave monsters with no weapons and would have weapons you shouldnt have at your combat skill

[Rageburst]

Oops, you\'re right.... BUT other valuable loot would be nice to have.

If you concentrate on thieving skills, you might not have much room to develop combat skills... so what\'s the better way of getting loot without killing? Pickpocketing!