Pick Pocketing a Cleric's Holy Symbol. Is there a penalty?

[Shadowdweller]

If worn around the neck I'd give it a -20 penalty at the very least, and probably require some manner of distraction. This isn't like carefully reaching your hand into someone's pocket...you'd have to pass the cord or chain directly in front of the victim's face if it couldn't be cut away somehow.

 

[Darklone]

You know those small bags people wear around their necks to keep their money save? Under a jacket? Well... Two times already such a purse was stolen in a group with which I travelled... if the holy symbol isn't quite heavy (e.g. the priest notices the loss of weight immediately even if the check succeeds), I'd say it's a simple typical pick pockets check.

 

[frankthedm]

penalty? Death and damnation

 

[CalrinAlshaw]

Well, for starters, the Sleight of Hand skill says you can only "Lift a small object from a person" with a DC 20 check. However, I believe that assumes the object is not "attached" via necklaces or other things somehow. I'd certainly give some serious consideration if this even falls under the "can be picked off a person" category.

Anyhow, how I'd run it myself, is I'd allow the DC 20 check to lift it, but the cleric in question would get a +20 to the spot check to notice. (If the chain is broken then this is just a grab and run. The +20 to the spot assumes they actually lift it over the individuals head to not damage anything.)

Basically, the rogue can easily get it, but getting it without the cleric noticing is pretty damn slim.

Calrin Alshaw

 

[Plane Sailing]

I would allow the rogue to attempt it without penalty - a good pickpocket can lift rings off your fingers without you noticing, any holy symbol on a belt or neckchain would be simplicity itself. The same could go for a wizards spell component pouch.

The cleric is chock-full of goodies and has few vulnerabilities. The holy symbol is one of them and I feel no urge to specially protect them there

 

[MerakSpielman]

Yes, I feel DC 20 is not unreasonable, but that the cleric in question would be sure to notice. In combat, you're mainly concerned with depriving him of his focus, so you don't care if he notices anyway.

 

[Plane Sailing]

n.b. if this was to take place in a combat situation then I'd use the disarm rules for grabbing objects rather than the pickpocket rules (obvious, I know)

 

[MerakSpielman]

I'd allow Pickpocket if the person doing it was hidden or invisible, and the target was not currently holding the item.