When playing good parties, I rarely steal from stores, but in my current game with a chaotic neutral Blade CHARNAME it really seems a shame not to put his pickpockets skill to good use. To prepare for this I had been selling *all* my gems and jewelry and high-value magic items that I don't need (at least the ones that he will buy) to the armour merchant in the Carnival Area (apart from rings, which he won't buy, they've been going to the main store in Nashkel, which is also quite easy to steal from), as he offers good prices and the store is one of the easiest to steal from (see: http://www.forgottenwars.com/bg1/miscellany.htm ).
My Blade is now Level and has 42 points in pick pockets, so with two potions of Master Thievery (bought from the Wandering Merchant near Durlag's Tower, though you can also get on from Vitaire in the Carnival Area, if you're quick about killing him) I can get 122 points in pickpockets, which gives a net pickpocket score of 112% vs. the armour merchant.
This means I can easily steal *everything* back from the armour merchant (inlcude Prism's emeralds, which I can then give to Oublek for his quest). Whilst "under the influence" of the potions I also pickpocket everyone in the Nashkel area (Volo, Zeke, the Great Gazib).
I've done this for all the gems and jewelry I sold, though won't be able to sell these again until I get to:
[spoiler]
Black Lilly's in Baldur's gate
[/spoiler]
I've also sold and stolen back (fully charged - 50 charges) my Shield Amulet and the +1 Protection Amulet I bougt from the store next door. I'm also considering doing the same for my other magic rings and amulets (and maybe belts and possibly my magic ammo).
BUT - I'm tempted to pretty much stop there, otherwise in theory I could sell every single magic item (and Dorn's Full Plate etc.) my party owns and then steal *all* of it back, which seems a little excessive.
Also, it seems a little *wrong* to be able to shop lift a Suit of Full Plate Armour a +1 Large Shield or large two-handed weapons, for example - these could hardly be grabbed and hidden under clothing. It also seems wrong to be able to steal all this stuff then to openly wander around with all these items equiped and on display.
So, I'm thinking of limiting myself to shoplifting items that could conceivably be concealed under clothing, both for stealing and when in use - rings, amulets, perhaps belts. Also wands, potions and scrolls ( (though you can't sell or steal them from the armour merchant anyway) - they can't be concealed when in use, but you need only get them out when needed.
Off-limits would be: Armour, Shields, Cloaks, Boots, Robes (easy to steal, but not to conceal when worn), Two-handed weapons - basically anything that you can't conceal when worn
Items I'm undecided about whether to allow stealing for: one-handed weapons and magic ammo (could be tricky to RP concealing these when stealing, and you would have to display them openly when equipped with them), gloves (could be concealed for stealing, but have to be worn openly to be used).
What do people think? Does this sound like a reasonable compromise? I don't want to ban stealing from stores entirely, as it's a fun addition to the game and is one of the benefits of being a Bard, but wan't to make it a little less OP.
My Blade is now Level and has 42 points in pick pockets, so with two potions of Master Thievery (bought from the Wandering Merchant near Durlag's Tower, though you can also get on from Vitaire in the Carnival Area, if you're quick about killing him) I can get 122 points in pickpockets, which gives a net pickpocket score of 112% vs. the armour merchant.
This means I can easily steal *everything* back from the armour merchant (inlcude Prism's emeralds, which I can then give to Oublek for his quest). Whilst "under the influence" of the potions I also pickpocket everyone in the Nashkel area (Volo, Zeke, the Great Gazib).
I've done this for all the gems and jewelry I sold, though won't be able to sell these again until I get to:
[spoiler]
Black Lilly's in Baldur's gate
[/spoiler]
I've also sold and stolen back (fully charged - 50 charges) my Shield Amulet and the +1 Protection Amulet I bougt from the store next door. I'm also considering doing the same for my other magic rings and amulets (and maybe belts and possibly my magic ammo).
BUT - I'm tempted to pretty much stop there, otherwise in theory I could sell every single magic item (and Dorn's Full Plate etc.) my party owns and then steal *all* of it back, which seems a little excessive.
Also, it seems a little *wrong* to be able to shop lift a Suit of Full Plate Armour a +1 Large Shield or large two-handed weapons, for example - these could hardly be grabbed and hidden under clothing. It also seems wrong to be able to steal all this stuff then to openly wander around with all these items equiped and on display.
So, I'm thinking of limiting myself to shoplifting items that could conceivably be concealed under clothing, both for stealing and when in use - rings, amulets, perhaps belts. Also wands, potions and scrolls ( (though you can't sell or steal them from the armour merchant anyway) - they can't be concealed when in use, but you need only get them out when needed.
Off-limits would be: Armour, Shields, Cloaks, Boots, Robes (easy to steal, but not to conceal when worn), Two-handed weapons - basically anything that you can't conceal when worn
Items I'm undecided about whether to allow stealing for: one-handed weapons and magic ammo (could be tricky to RP concealing these when stealing, and you would have to display them openly when equipped with them), gloves (could be concealed for stealing, but have to be worn openly to be used).
What do people think? Does this sound like a reasonable compromise? I don't want to ban stealing from stores entirely, as it's a fun addition to the game and is one of the benefits of being a Bard, but wan't to make it a little less OP.