Pickpocket Guide - the Ultimate pickpocketer build! - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

Pickpocketing in Baldur's Gate 3

The Basics

In Baldur's Gate 3, pickpocketing is a skill that allows players to steal items from NPCs without them noticing. This can be done both in and out of combat. To pickpocket, you first need to Activate sneak mode. It allows your character to move stealthily, making it easier to approach NPCs without being detected.

Ensure you stay out of their red cone of vision.

Pickpocketing

Enter Sneak mode, and approach the target from behind. Then activate the Turn-based mode in the right corner of the screen. This will allow you to better control your actions and stops time for NPCs. You can then scroll through their inventory and decide what you want to take,

After this target the NPC and left-click (or right-click and select the Pickpocket option). Your success depends on your Dexterity, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth skills.

One of the more confusing things is, how to know if the item is easy or hard to loot. You will need to hover over the item you will see the number - roll target.

So what this means is that you should roll 9 or more to successfully pass this. The higher the requirement, the bigger the risk you take. In this case, I was able to succeed by thin hair:

What if there are multiple NPCs and you cannot become stealthy?

Use Summon Familiar or Minor Illusion to divert enemies' attention or lead them to a more secluded spot, making pickpocketing easier. I only recommend doing this if there are multiple people around

Post-Pickpocketing

NPCs might notice the theft and start investigating. It's crucial to leave the area and wait for the NPC to calm down. This way you can avoid jail or spending gold on briberies. You can make your pickpocket character to either walk away before being found or just go to camp.

However, you must leave one character that has the vision of your target (far away), as otherwise the search animation does not initiate, and your pickpocket will be back before the search has been finished.

If you are caught

• Caught in the Act: If you're caught pickpocketing, you can try to talk your way out of the situation. Your success will depend on your character's charisma and persuasion skills. Generally, I found that bribing fails most of the time
• Hiding Stolen Items: Transfer stolen items to characters in your group who are away from NPCs. If NPCs decide to check your belongings and don't find the stolen items, they will let you go.
• Going to Jail: even if you are caught, going to jail does not bring any huge downsides besides the -5 opinion. You can easily escape the jail by lockpicking or jumping. After that barter some items and give them away for free to get back the opinion

Early Game Strategy

You can have a good character for pickpocketing just at level 3, with sufficiently high Sleight of Hand bonuses. Of course, it would still work at a lower level, but there are some level 2 spells that greatly improve your chances. My suggestion would be to start with Astarion, who is perfect for the early game. So let's go how can you improve Sleight of Hand ability checks:

• +4 - Proficiency + Expertise in Sleight of Hand. This can be obtained with Rogue at level 1, or Bard at level 3 (they can choose 2 skill expertise)
• +3 - 16+ Dexterity. This can be turned into +4 if you reach 18 Dexterity with Ability Improvement feat at level 4.
• +1 - Gloves of Power, get it at one of the early fights near the Grove entrance.
• +2 - Smuggler's Ring obtained when jumping down the Emerald Grove, close to where you encounter Karlach.
• +1d4 - Guidance​ either have someone cast it or use Silver Pendant to learn it.
• Advantage - Enhance Ability, learned by Bard, Cleric, Druid, or Sorcerer.
• +1 - Vampire Bite​ with Astarion.

Overall, Astarion makes a perfect pick for this setup, as he starts as Rogue (or respec to Bard once you unlock Withers). Of course, this can also be done with any other character, but Vampire Bite​ is an excellent early bonus. Now with these things ready here is the further strategy:

Cast Fog Cloud or any other mist-type spell

This is not mandatory to do, but a good way to be unseen in case there are multiple cones of visions in your way. You can use Arrow of Darkness, Fog Cloud, or Darkness​ to hide yourself inside, and freely pickpocket enemies without detecting you.

Reset Vendor Inventories

You can have one character to respec and be level 1. Then, each time you pickpocket the vendor, wait for them to stop searching. After that, level up, change back to a pickpocket character, and continue stealing with full vendor inventory.

I find this a good way to build a war chest early in the game to buy useful items like Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, Hand Crossbow +1, etc.

Optimizing pickpocketing speed

Place one character a bit further away from the trader, but where it can still be seen. Once you finish pickpocketing, exit turn-based mode and teleport to camp. Use the character that you left behind, to see what the trader is doing.

Once the trader is back to their original position, return your thief from the camp and initiate stealing again. This will save a lot of movement from waypoints and steamline the operation.

Maximizing the stealing success chances through the game

As you play, there are a few items and features relevant throughout the acts. Getting these will further improve your chances of obtaining more and more gold, scrolls, and equipment. Let's go through them:

Act 1

Although I covered most of it, there are a few items to be on the lookout:

• Gloves of Thievery - they sound better than they are. Generally, this is an alternative to Enhance Ability, so no problems if you don't get them. Gloves of Power are still your best in slot choice for stealing.
• The Graceful Cloth - another item that negates the need for Enhance Ability​. However, different from Gloves of Thievery this gives +2 to Dexterity, making an excellent pickpocket option.

Act 2

Here you will also be able to get a few more relevant items

• Shapeshifter's Boon Ring - can be looted from Strange Ox. Although you can get it in Act 1, you will then lose out on Hat of Fire Acuity.
• If you have the ring have someone cast Disguise Self​ or use Mask of the Shapeshifter to activate the Shapeshifter's Boon Ring.

Act 3

• At level 11, you can hire a Hireling from Withers (if not haven't done so already). Then make it a Rogue to obtain the Reliable Talent, which guarantees a minimum +10 roll. Astarion can still do this as Vampire Bite​ +1 is very good. However, if he is the main party it would be too tedious to do constant respect - so get a hireling.
• Unlucky Thief's Gloves - the best gloves for pickpocketing, that will replace Gloves of Power for +2 instead of +1.

Additional tips

• Reset Vendor inventories: you can have one character to respec and be level 1. Then each time you pickpocket the vendor, wait for them to stop searching. After that, level up, change to a pickpocket character, and continue stealing with full vendor inventory.
• Optimizing pickpocketing speed: place one character a bit further away from the trader, but where it can still be seen. Once you finish pickpocketing, exit turn-based mode and teleport to camp. Use the character that you left behind, to see what the trader is doing. Once they are back in their original position, return your thief from the camp and initiate stealing again.
• Save Often: Before attempting to pickpocket, it's a good idea to save your game. If things go south, you can reload and try again. This is savescumming and it does not work on Honour Mode. However, having a dedicated character for that will not be a huge problem as they can incur all the negative opinion penalties.
• Inventory Reset: The merchant's inventories reset every level up, so you can just respec at Withers in camp and get more gold, potions, etc. every time
• You can always be caught: this was a bit puzzling for me to understand at first, if I have huge bonuses from Stealth and Sleight of Hand why do sometimes I get caught picking cheap scrolls? The answer is a critical roll where you roll 1. So there is still always a chance to get caught unless you get Reliable Talent with level 11 rogue.