For those of us players that use the Sleight of Hand skill we need to show respect for the fact that the victims have little choice in the matter and we should use the skill sparingly.
That's really the bottom line, I think.
In the Pick Pocket's eyes you have someone assuming its all fun, and its a skill in the game, so why aren't you allowed to use it? The Pick Pocket might assume that it doesn't matter that the person can't see them--in truth, it probably doesn't occur to them about 99 percent of the time whether or not someone has skill in spot, or they just stupidly assume that every character should crosstrain in spot, and spend 2 points for every one they get in it.. or that every character should have to take Able Learner (maybe we should default it to every character since apparently so many people think its required to train in cross skills).
Then you have the Victim, who basically says, look, I can't see you. I'm having things stolen that I just bought, healing potions, half-plate armor, weapons--some of which you shouldn't even be able to lift with the Pick Pocket's likely strength modifier, let alone walk away with. However, you are walking away with them.. not to mention quest items too, quests that you probably can't even do because hey, the Victim's only level 2.
I'm being highly sarcastic in this post, so if that offends people, well, I don't really care if it offends anyone, these are my views.
Looking at several points:
1. Get more spot skill - how exactly is someone supposed to do that? Sacrifice skills that a character actually needs in difference to putting double the amount of points in spot that is necessary? Or, ohhh, I know, you can take Able Learner (this requires everyone withotu Spot as a core skill to take it mind you, basically, everyone except Rogues, Rangers and I think Bards) so that you can get it for one point each. Guess what, my level 2 is a warlock. She puts her points in other core skills that are required for her to survive.
2. Roll a rogue - oh, what a genius idea. I thought I'd mention this one before someone pointed it out. I have one. It didn't happen to be the character I was playing at the time. I've played them in the past, and in fact, my elven rogue Ivae in Dasaria 1 was a KNOWN thief from her RP. Because I gave her that reputation, everyone assuemed she was--and they assumed wrong about 99 percent of the time
3. Stealing items too large to carry - half-plate armor, weapons most of them with the exception probably of darts, arrows, bolts, daggers, and kukri's -- actually all armor and clothing now that I'm on the subject. Why in the world could you walk away with anything that makes you encumbered or has the possibility of doing so? I don't know about you, but my rogue's core skills are in Dexterity and Intelligence (for the skill points). I'm not putting tons of points in Strength in order to recover or encounter encumberance. To me, this is not only wrong, but its an abuse and exploit of the Sleight of Hand skill to be able to get these items in the first place.
4. Metagaming - okay, let's get this bullet metagaming thing out of the way here. A
DM suggested it. I don't think that means that you're going to get burnt alive for doing it. And it isn't a bad suggestion Wyvern made, and I might just do it. I don't see this as metagaming, I see it as creatively diverting a thief's attention.
5. Suggestions: Things I've seen suggested in this thread, chopping off someone's hand (now, it isn't a bad idea, and I do play a thief, and I have advocated on these boards RP with the thief rather than conflict). This brings up another thought, how do you RP with the thief? Well, if you're the victim, you're at the benefit of the thief themselves. If they don't RP their pickpocketing attempt as a bump or as "you dropped this" or something that is creatively similiar, it boils down to -- the person wants to steal from you for personal gratification of some sort, and they don't want to be bothered with RPing at all. If you aren't bothered with attempting RPing at all, why are you playing this module at all?
I'd go into more detail, more than I have all ready about thoughts that have been building in my head, but its time for me to leave work.
-K