You have the power to be whoever you want to be in Starfield. Those with valiant goals will probably side with Constellation, thwart the Crimson Fleet whenever they can, and mostly follow the laws of the United Colonies and Freestar Collective. If you want to explore the dark side, that’s also possible, and there are several skills you can learn to improve your criminality.
If you want to be the best thief in the Settled Systems, you’ll have to work on your Theft skill. Master this, and you’ll be able to nab valuable items off targets without being detected. It takes a while to become a great pickpocket, but the rewards make the investment worth it.
How to enable pickpocketing in Starfield
You cannot pickpocket in Starfield until you have unlocked the Theft skill. You’ll find the Theft skill in the Social section of your skill tree. There are four ranks to complete, so you’ll need to accumulate the necessary credits and complete the required challenges for you to become an expert thief. The Theft skill offers the following rewards:
- Rank 1 – Unlock the ability to pickpocket.
- Rank 2 – 10% greater chance to successfully pickpocket.
- Rank 3 – 30% greater chance to successfully pickpocket.
- Rank 4 – 50% greater chance to successfully pickpocket. You’re also able to pickpocket holstered weapons.
The Theft challenges have you successfully pickpocketing people. This can be difficult, especially because getting caught can end in a confrontation with law enforcement. To increase your odds of not getting busted, grab an EM gun (such as the Novablast Disruptor), sneak into enemy bases, and stun unsuspecting foes before pickpocketing them.
How to pickpocket in Starfield
Once you’ve unlocked the Theft skill, the world of pickpocketing is open to you. To commit the crime, you first need to sneak up on your target. Crouching will help you make less noise. It’s also smart to invest in the Stealth skill in the Physical category of your skill tree. It has the following ranks:
- Rank 1 – Adds a stealth meter. You are 25% more difficult to spot when sneaking. Suppressed weapons deal an extra 5% sneak attack damage.
- Rank 2 – Upgrades the stealth meter. You are 50% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons deal an additional 10% sneak attack damage.
- Rank 3 – You are 75% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons deal an extra 15% sneak attack damage.
- Rank 4 – You are 100% more difficult to detect when sneaking. Suppressed weapons deal an extra 20% sneak attack damage. Doors you interact with while in stealth no longer alert enemies.
While you’re picking up new skills, consider investing in the Concealment skill for the perfect thief build. These are the benefits:
- Rank 1 – You no longer set off enemy mines. Ranged sneak attacks deal 2.5x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 4x normal damage.
- Rank 2 – Running while sneaking doesn’t affect stealth. Ranged attacks deal 3x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 5x normal damage.
- Rank 3 – You gain a chameleon-like ability when completely still and sneaking. Ranged sneak attacks deal 3.5x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 8x normal damage.
- Rank 4 – Engaging stealth causes distant enemies to lose you. Ranged sneak attacks do 4x normal damage and your melee sneak attacks do 10x normal damage.
Once you are close enough to your target, you can view what’s in their pockets. Select the item want and steal it. Your success will depend on your skill levels and the item you’re trying to steal. You’ll see the chance of success next to each item, and blue items are usually the easiest to steal.
Learning to pickpocket is useful, as it allows you to claim key items without resorting to conflict. If you steal contraband, you’ll get into trouble if you’re caught with it, making it a good idea to invest in a shielded cargo compartment.
