Pickpocketing

[Buttercup]

One of my players has decided it would be amusing to play a Kender type character. As a result, he continually pickpockets the other members of the party. The other rogue suggested that she should have some sort of bonus to notice him trying to pick her pocket, since she has the skill herself.

Now frankly, if she caught the little git and punched his lights out, I wouldn't mind in the slightest. But I want her to catch him fare and square. And I would really rather that the other party members kick his butt than me having to kill him.

So would the rest of you include some additional modifier to her spot check to notice that she was being pickpocketed?

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I might give a little +2 synergy bonus to the Spot check since knowing Pick Pocket would mean you can probably detect when its happening to you better...but I wouldn't really give anymore than that.

 

[Trine]

I might give out a +2 synergy bonus for having at least 5 ranks in the Pick Pockets skill.

More likely I'd just give a +2 circumstance bonus to every party member if they've consistently been finding (or not finding, as the case may be) items missing. Basically just to represent that they'd be on a heightened guard over their items.

Strictly speaking though, this is house rules territory.

Also, did the player decide it would be amusing for him/her to play the character or amusing for the entire group? If it's the former, I don't think I'd be too pleased as a DM. In any case, I hope the entire group is ready and willing to RP what will happen. Thieving within the party is usually never a good thing for dynamics.

 

[AuraSeer]

In a situation like this, if the kender is a known thief and the other PCs know they need to keep their eyes on him, I'd increase the Spot modifier over time. Call it a cumulative +1 each time the kender is seen with another PC's item, each time a PC notices that an item has gone missing, and each time he is caught with his hands in someone else's pack.

This seems reasonably realistic to me. After enough of their missing items turn up in the kender's pockets, the other PCs will never stand closer than 10' from the kender, and they'll keep their eyes glued to him whenever he so much as twitches. It's awfully hard to successfully pick a pocket in that kind of environment.

'Course, since this is D&D, there are a number of in-character ways to deter pickpockets. The simplest is to magic mouth your valuable items, to scream bloody murder if the kender touches them.

 

[Buttercup]

Also, did the player decide it would be amusing for him/her to play the character or amusing for the entire group? If it's the former, I don't think I'd be too pleased as a DM. In any case, I hope the entire group is ready and willing to RP what will happen. Thieving within the party is usually never a good thing for dynamics.

The former, and as you say, I'm not too pleased. This is an extremely antisocial PC. We played our first session of a new campaign today, and in 4 hours he wandered off twice, once nearly getting himself killed, and picked the pockets of four of the other five party members. One of the dwarf fighters caught him and told him flat out that if it happened again he would cut his hand off.

But as you knd folks have suggested, I'll give the rest of the party a +2 circumstance bonus, and I think I'll give the other rogue an additional synergy bonus of +2. And I suppose I will need to have a talk with the pick pocket's player as well.

 

[Drawmack]

I would use it as a role-playing oportunity.

Something to realize is that a good pick pocket does not just go around sticking their hands in other peoples pockets but rather have mastered the art of distraction.

They wil either wait for the person to be distracted or intentionally distract the other person.

If they wait for a distraction then I would have everyone who is not disctracted roll a spot check to notice the theft and a +2 synergy bonus and those that are distracted do not get the synergy bonus.

If they create the distraction then they would have to attempt to bluff all present party members, now that they are suspicious. If any party member passes the bluff check they automatically notice the pick pocket attempt.

 

[Hypersmurf]

One of the dwarf fighters caught him and told him flat out that if it happened again he would cut his hand off.

Be certain the player is aware that you as DM are not going to prevent the dwarf from carrying out that threat, just so there's no indignation aimed your way when the thief gets maimed...

"You were warned... take responsibility for your own actions."

-Hyp.

 

[Ave Rage]

I remember reading in a Han Solo novel about an encounter with a young thief. It described how he felt the kids hands slip into his pocket and out again in a very technical way. Seemed pretty plausable.

Of course, I wouldn't have given the guy a second chance so this wouldn't even have been a problem

 

[hong]

I remember reading in a Han Solo novel about an encounter with a young thief. It described how he felt the kids hands slip into his pocket and out again in a very technical way.

What a truly marvellous euphemism.

"As the drugs began to take hold, Martha became aware of Joe's hands slipping into her pocket in a very technical way."

 

[darkbard]

rather than just having the other rogue make a spot check with a +2 bonus, why not give her [?] an opposed pick pocket roll [assuming her pick pocket skill level exceeds her spot level, of course]?