Skill Overview
Another illegal body of knowledge, setups are what thieves use to prepare their pray for a grab, pouch cut, or other larceny. If someone seems to be catching your character's eye in an unusual way, check the area-better yet, check your pouch. It may not be there anymore! Thieves often work in teams, with one accomplice drawing attention while another does the dastardly deed almost unseen. You'll have to find your way into the guild or to a thief trainer to learn the details of this skill set.
Setups is in many ways a companion skillset to Pickpocketing. While some of the skills may be useful to less dishonorable folk, a thief will find far more use for them any day of the week.
| Skill Info | Ranks Taught by Trainer | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills/Actions | Difficulty | Hidden Iridine Trainer 1 | Hidden RV Trainer 2 |
| Setups | Easy | 25 | 200 |
| Draw Attention | Easy | 25 | 150 |
| Ground Approach | Average | 25 | 150 |
| Assess Target | Average | 25 | 150 |
| Ear for Coin | Easy | 10 | 150 |
| Lip Reading | Difficult | - | 10 |
| Thief's Look | Easy | - | 10 |
| City Stalking | Average | - | 10 |
| Fade Away | Average | - | 10 |
| Drunken Approach | Average | - | 10 |
| Street Approach | Average | - | 10 |
| Gentleman's Touch | Difficult | - | 10 |
| Eavesdrop | Difficult | - | 10 |
1 Shh! It's a secret! Look for a rat holding a glass of posca in the harbor.
2 Shh! It's a secret! May a torch bracket light your way to wisdom in the Northeast part of town.
Notes on Learning
- If you're looking to learn skills or lessons that are not taught by NPC trainers, you may wish to discreetly inquire about them to one of the Criminal Orgs. It has always been said that certain people with the right connections can learn a good deal more in the art of stealing. Though sometimes it's best to let them find you, rather than seeking them out yourself.
Skill Details
#Draw Attention spook <target>
"Pretty simple ta understand. Merchant's don't watch their pouches as good when they're not lookin' at it… Distract tha schmuck's an' it'll be that much easyah fer ya ta… examine 'is wares." the Trainer chuckles.
Distraction is one of the best methods a thief can use on a mark. Have him looking one way, while your mate is busy lifting his pouch and you'll both be a coin purse richer with ease. This skill is useful with a partner, or alone, either way it will help keep your mark looking at your face instead of your hands. Either way, use this on every mark and you'll learn the finer points of setups in no time.
General Notes
- This skill effectively lowers your success requirement for your next few maneuvers and increases their success requirement at the same time. It is highly useful if you use it before using a pickpocketing maneuver that you have not yet perfected, as it will lower your success for that move by a decent amount and increase the likelihood it will succeed.
- While this generally can not be utilized against npc combatants as they will simply ignore it, it can be used during pvp situations against players if you feel like fighting dirty. A proper feint might be more useful and would benefit from the speed boost of reflexes, whereas this will not.
Visibility
- Target: On Success - Visible. On Failure - Hidden.
- Public: Hidden (occasional emote).
When you see this in use you see:
> spook trader
Your distraction has definitely gotten a trader’s attention.
You barely get a trader to glance at you.
Your distraction has definitely gotten a trader’s attention.
You have a trader, nearly hypnotized trying to figure out what you’re doing.
#Ground Approach grou?nd [approach] <target>
The Trainer wrinkles his nose as he thinks. "Pretty simple, reallah… ya slip in fast and quick next ta ya target, an tha next thin he notices is that yer right 'side 'him. Itsa good way of gettin' past annoyin' guards, but they still see ya comin', an so does tha target. Thar bettah ways ta get close ta someone unsuspectin'… not that I'd know, of course." the Trainer cackles.
This maneuver is used for quickly approaching a target, and with a bit of skill, bypassing anyone guarding your mark. It will be noticed by the mark when you use this method of approach. If you plan on stealing a good bit, this is a worthwhile training maneuver to use on each mark to help you learn the ropes when it comes to setups.
Visibility
- Target: Visible.
- Public: Hidden (occasional emote).
When you see this in use you see:
> ground trader
You manage to get right on top of a trader before being noticed.
#Assess Target com?batassess <target>
"Wanna know if ya target's an ignorant schmuck with dat gladius, or a mastah blade with tha balls ta slice ya ta bits? The Trainer chuckles. "Tha bettah ya are at assessin' targets, the bettah ya are at tellin' how good he is with a weap'n."
Good for sizing up an opponent, combat assess will give you a rough idea of how skilled someone is in combat. If they're wielding a weapon, you might be able to get a more precise idea of their exact skill level with that particular weapon. For a thief, if you're using this, you'd be better off running than standing around drooling at their weapon before they use it ta bash yer skull in. For other folk, this is a worthwhile move for 'getting to know' someone else.
Visibility
- Target: Visible.
- Public: Hidden.
When you see this in use you see:
> combat trader
A trader looks to be a non-combatant.
From what you can tell of him, XXXXX has been in countless battles and has the stance of an elite warrior. This person is amongst the most skilled fighters around. ~5.5k
From what you can tell of him, XXXXX has been in many battles and has the stance of a highly skilled warrior. This person is a formidable opponent in any fight. ~9-10k
From what you can tell of him, XXXXX has been in a vast number of battles and has the stance of an expert warrior. This person is a dangerous adversary and should be approached with caution. ~12k-17.5
From what you can tell of him, XXXXX has been in more battles than you could ever count, and has the stance of an otherworldly warrior. This person is a legend in their own right and is unmatched in combat prowess. This person is in a class above all others. ~39k
#Ear for Coin coin?listen <target>
"Earin' fer coin is a merchant trick, mostly. Ya tell how much money a schmuck's got on 'im by the sound of da jinglin' of 'is pouches an' sacks. Course… its jes a rough guess, but ya judgement gets bettah as ya practice. Itsa useful trick fer choosin' targets."
This is one of the most useful tricks a thief can learn once they know how to lift a pouch from someone. Often, a mark might only be carrying a few sterces, but every now and then you'll come across one carrying far more coin than he should have been around a thief like you. This skill will let you know which ones to lift and which ones to let walk on by.
General Notes
- Requires the target to be moving around (standing) to perform.
- This will only give you an approximate value of the total amount of coin someone is carrying, and it does not specify which container that amount of coin is in. Npcs usually only carry one coin purse but for pcs this is something to consider.
- This ability will not be able to give you even an approximate value over a talent. If they're carrying 200t, it will still give you the same result.
- This move is absolutely silent. If you're standing at the Stone Toga Inn with time to spare and people standing around you - Use It! They'll never know what you're up to, and you're using your time on training instead of just wasting it then.
Visibility
- Target: Hidden.
- Public: Hidden.
When you see this in use you see:
> coin trader
A trader is carrying a negligible amount of coin. He is carrying very little, if any, money on him.
You strain your ear to hear the faint tinkling of coins coming from a trader. From what you can tell, he is carrying around 20 denars.
Based on the jingling of coins, you estimate that a trader is carrying somewhere in the region of 20 cents.
A trader is carrying far too much money to estimate accurately, but you believe he has at the very least half a talent worth in coins.
A trader is virtually overburdened with coins. You estimate that he is carrying over a talent worth in gold and silver!
#Lip Reading watch lips (toggle)
Carefully watching the lips of those whispering around you, you attempt to make out what is being said.
Visibility
- Public: Hidden.
When you see this in use you see:
Dragaxus whispers something to Apula.
Carefully reading his lips, you make out the words "You've forged the key to my heart."
#Thief's Look glan?ce <target>
TBC
Visibility
- Target: TBC
- Public: TBC
When you see this in use you see:
> glance soldier
[Success: 1, Roll: 33] You see a heavily-muscled man in Iridinian armor. His dark brown eyes return your gaze intently before turning back to the surrounding area. He seems relaxed but watchful. He is wearing a small leather sheath, a small cloth pouch with cord ties, a scabbard, a brown leather belt, a mail cuirass, some banded leggings, some hobnailed soldier's boots, and a polished bronze helmet. He is carrying nothing in his right hand and a long shield in his left hand.
#City Stalking city?stalk <target>
TBC
Visibility
- Target: TBC
- Public: TBC
- This skill can be performed without knowledge of the skill set.
When you see this in use you see:
> citystalk Arteus
[Success: 95, Roll: 86] You make a cautious effort to stalk Arteus from a distance. You are not sure if he noticed.
> citystalk Arteus
[Success: 1, Roll: 7] Cautiously, you move to trail Arteus from a safe distance. You are fairly certain that you are not seen.
#Fade Away fad?e <target>
TBC
Visibility
- Target: TBC
- Public: TBC
When you see this in use you see:
> fade trader
[Success: 5, Roll: 100] You manage to move away from a trader without being seen doing so.
#Drunken Approach dru?nkenwalk <target>
TBC
Visibility
- Target: TBC.
- Public: TBC.
When you see this in use you see:
> drunkenwalk trader
TBC
#Street Approach stree?tapproach <target>
Using the surrounding crowd as cover, you attempt to silently approach your unsuspecting target.
Visibility
- Target: Hidden.
- Public: Hidden.
When you see this in use you see:
> streetapproach trader
TBC
#Gentlman's Touch rif?le <target>
TBC
Visibility
- Target: TBC.
- Public: TBC.
When you see this in use you see:
> … trader
TBC
#Eavesdrop eav?esdrop <portal>
TBC
Visibility
- Target: TBC.
- Public: TBC.
When you see this in use you see:
> … trader
TBC