When is it stealing?

Hello!

I would like to know when the game consider taking items from containers as stealing. I am asking because I am visiting the church of St. Cuthbert in Hommlet and I found scrolls and potions in one bookshelf. They're not under lock and Calmert said to me "Please feel free to peruse the tracts and scrolls of our religion."

Thanks!

 

I personally justify it as payment for converting Jak's family to Cuthbert. And one is the potions is necessary for that anyway.

 

I can't justify my Pally ever taking them, although that pesky halfling gets into everything and it's almost impossible to watch everything she does.

 

As long as you are doing St. Cuthbert's work...

 

Hello!

Thanks for your answers but what I really meant to ask was: is there a way to understand when NPCs turn hostile when you take items? Is there some sort of game rule? Like, the NPCs turn hostile if you pick a lock and take the content but not if you take items from a non-locked container?

 

Or save before if you're not sure.

This game doesn't seem to have any consistent morality. There DO seem to be cases where you can get away with things like murder only a limited number of times before suddenly and mysteriously...

I tend to role-play and find that responding in a "good" or "evil" fashion to unknown situations tends to be satisfactory.

 

But when I tested stealing from the locked chest in the jewelery in Hommlet the two guards and the owner turned hostile in there.

From what you said, Gaear, I would expect it to not be the case? Or did I simply misunderstand?

GuardianAngel82,

I make a point to play the game with no reloads so try'n'save is not really an option I'd pick.

 

Coo! You've hit the spot. :asleep:

testing this on vanilla

 

I think he's telling you to examine/glance/read the scrolls not necessarily use it in a way that it will disappear, that will be considered stealing. And St. Cuthbert punishes those who steal. Be prepared meeting him underground. :xeyes:

 

I quote: ST Cuthbert rewards those who help the needy! Well, we were needy and helped ourselves .... so, come on Cuthy ..... where's my reward?

 

Well, I guess there is space for lots of improvement when it comes to stealing then.

If I understand correctly, NPCs turn hostile if their MOB includes a specific script and if it does, they always turn hostile?

If so, it'd be nice if this mechanic could be tweaked a bit so that:

1) Every intelligent NPC has the san_catch_thief script assigned

2) Intelligent NPCs turn hostile if their property is being looted (looting should include: the mere attempt of disarming a trap on a container, the mere attempt of opening a locked container or looting any non locked container) and the perpetrator's Move Silently opposed to the NPC's Listen skill check results in failure

3) Intelligent NPCs turn hostile if being pick pocketed unsuccessfully and the perpetrator's Sleight of Hand opposed to the NPC's Spot skill check results in failure

Would this be possible? Is there a reason why such outcome would be undesirable?

 

I am fairly certain that #3 is always in effect on all NPCs, already.

 

Good to know, maalri.