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I seem to level up my pickpocketing skill very fast based on what items I pickpocket.

My question is, is it based on % chance to pickpocket, with lower percentages granting more experience, or is it based on the value of what I pickpocket.

I know success percent decreases based on value, but it also seems to decrease based on how heavy an item is.

Will pickpocketing something with a 50% chance and a value of 100 give me more experience than pickpocketing something with a 90% chance and a value of 1000?

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1 Answer 1

up vote 9 down vote accepted

It's based on the value of theitems you steal.

Easy way to check this: Go to a trainer, pay them for training 1 level of a skill. Then pickpocket the money you paid them back. Then pay them for training 4 levels, and pickpocket that money back all at once. You'll see a much greater skill increase.

(Incidentally, you can use this 'exploit' to reach a fairly high level before even leaving the first village in the game.)

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I should have realised this all along seeing as money is weightless and still gives a fairly good skill increase for large amounts. –  Mr Smooth Nov 14 '11 at 3:41
I have like 90 pickpocketing at this point, and it's artificially inflated my level (Level 30, combat level maybe 10) so dungeons are getting much harder. I have never thought to try this though, this is how I can bring my combat skills up to par! Thank you for helping my thieving ways pay off =) –  Pithlit Nov 14 '11 at 16:24
Won't the trainer spot you because you're level is so low? And where the heck is this trainer? –  Ivo Flipse Nov 28 '11 at 9:09
@IvoFlipse I know a homeless woman in Windhelm provides training in Lockpicking. I think this applies to any trainer though. –  user56 Dec 3 '11 at 9:48
@LessPop_MoreFizz, you're wrong: youtu.be/GcSV2hsef_A –  NiteCyper Sep 7 at 1:29

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