The Outer Worlds 2 is filled with valuable items just waiting to be taken, but not everything is lying around for free. If you want to build your wealth through less-than-honest means, you’ll need to master the art of stealing and pickpocketing. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about becoming a master thief in the galaxy, from unlocking the right skills to avoiding the dangerous consequences of getting caught.
Key Takeaways
- Unlock Pickpocketing: You need Lockpick Level 1 and 1 Perk Point to unlock the Pickpocket perk
- How to Pickpocket: Crouch behind unaware NPCs and initiate the action when prompted
- Stealing Items: Look for red text on owned items and take them when no one is watching
- Consequences: Getting caught results in reputation loss, bounties, and hostile NPCs
- Best Thief Skills: Focus on Lockpick, Sneak, Hack, Observation, and Speech
- Essential Perks: Pickpocket, Sleight Of Hands, Ghost, and Bag Check
- Avoiding Detection: Stay out of sight, steal in private, and save before risky attempts
How to Unlock the Pickpocket Perk
Before you can start lifting items directly from NPCs’ pockets, you must first invest in the necessary skills and perks. The game doesn’t let you pickpocket right away, you need to earn this ability through character progression.
Reach Lockpick Level 1
The Pickpocket perk is locked behind the Lockpick skill. You must first invest skill points to reach at least Lockpick Level 1. This is one of the most important skills for any thief build, as it not only enables pickpocketing but also helps you access locked containers and doors throughout the game.
Lockpick is a versatile skill that serves multiple purposes for thieves. It allows you to open locks with a difficulty at or below your skill level, giving you access to areas and items that other players might miss. Plus, it provides a small bonus to your evasion chance, which can help you escape tricky situations.
Spend a Perk Point
Once you have the required Lockpick level, navigate to your Perks menu. Here, you can spend 1 Perk Point to permanently unlock the Pickpocket Perk. Perk points are acquired with every even level, so you’ll earn them regularly as you progress through the game.
After activating this perk, you gain the ability to pickpocket NPCs by crouching and approaching them from behind. This opens up a whole new world of opportunities for acquiring valuable items and bits (the game’s currency).
How to Pickpocket NPCs in The Outer Worlds 2
Pickpocketing is a direct, person-to-person theft that requires stealth and timing. Unlike stealing items from the environment, you’re taking items directly from an NPC’s inventory. Here’s how to do it successfully.
Activate Stealth Mode
First, you need to enter stealth mode by crouching. When you crouch, a detection meter will appear on screen, showing you how aware NPCs are of your presence. The goal is to keep this meter as low as possible while approaching your target.
The detection meter is your best friend when pickpocketing. If it fills up, NPCs will become suspicious and eventually hostile. This is why the Sneak skill is so important for thieves, it lowers NPC detection rates and makes your stealth movements more effective.
Get Behind Your Target
Approach the NPC from behind while crouched. The less they can see you, the better your chances of success. NPCs have a cone of vision in front of them, so staying behind them is crucial for remaining undetected.
Positioning is everything in pickpocketing. Try to find moments when NPCs are stationary or looking in a different direction. Some NPCs have predictable movement patterns, making it easier to time your approach. If an NPC turns around unexpectedly, back away immediately and wait for another opportunity.
Initiate the Pickpocket Action
When you are close enough and sufficiently hidden, a prompt will appear to initiate the pickpocketing minigame or menu. This is your chance to see what items the NPC is carrying and decide what to steal.
Your success in taking items is influenced by your Lockpick skill level. Higher-level Lockpick allows you to steal better and more heavily guarded items without getting caught. This is why investing in Lockpick is so important for thieves, it directly affects your pickpocketing success rate.
How to Steal Items from the Environment
Stealing items from the environment is different from pickpocketing NPCs. This involves taking items that are owned but not directly on a person. It’s often easier than pickpocketing but still carries risks.
Look for Red Text
Any item that is considered owned will have its name displayed in red text when you hover your cursor over it. This is your signal that taking the item counts as stealing and will have consequences if you’re caught.
Red text is the game’s way of telling you “this item belongs to someone else.” It could be anything from a weapon on a table to a piece of armor in a locker. If you see red text, be prepared for the possibility of getting caught when you take it.
Remain Unseen
You can take these items without consequence as long as no NPC has a direct line of sight on you. If you are seen, they will immediately become hostile or report the crime, leading to reputation loss and possibly a bounty.
Line of sight is crucial when stealing from the environment. Use corners, furniture, and other objects to block NPCs’ view of you. If an NPC is looking in your direction, wait until they turn away or move to a different position before making your move.
Common Stealing Locations
This type of theft is most common inside private homes, faction-controlled areas, and merchant stalls. These locations often have valuable items that are worth the risk of stealing.
Private homes are particularly good targets because they often contain valuable personal items and the residents may have predictable schedules. Faction-controlled areas might have better loot but also carry higher risks since getting caught there affects your reputation with that entire faction.
Understanding the Reputation System and Consequences
Every theft in The Outer Worlds 2 carries a potential risk that can severely impact your gameplay. The reputation system is complex and has long-lasting effects on your game experience.
Faction Reputation Loss
If you are caught stealing or pickpocketing in a faction’s territory, your reputation with that faction will decrease. A low reputation can cause you to lose access to unique quests, vendor discounts, and friendly dialogue options.
Reputation is one of the key progression systems in The Outer Worlds 2 and determines how members of the different factions react to your character. Your standing with factions can be positive or negative, which affects their treatment, dialogues, and hostility toward you. It also includes vendor trading prices, rewards, and the difficulty required to pass skill checks.
Earning a Bounty
In more severe cases, the faction may place a bounty on your head. This means members of that faction will actively hunt you on sight until the bounty is cleared. Bounties can make traveling through certain areas extremely dangerous.
When you have a bounty, faction members will attack you on sight. This can make completing quests or simply moving through areas very difficult. The higher your bounty, the more hostile the response will be. Some factions might even send elite bounty hunters after you if your bounty gets too high.
Immediate Hostility
If an NPC sees you in the act of theft, they will immediately turn hostile and attack you, often alerting nearby guards or citizens. This can quickly escalate into a large-scale combat situation that might be difficult to survive.
Immediate hostility is one of the most dangerous consequences of getting caught. Not only does the NPC who saw you become hostile, but they might also alert their friends, leading to a group attack. This is why stealth and careful planning are so important for thieves.
Top Tips for Avoiding Bounties and Getting Caught
To be a successful thief, you need to be a smart one. Follow these tips to minimize risk and maximize your stolen loot without suffering severe consequences.
Stay Out of Sight
Always ensure NPCs are not looking in your direction. Use the environment for cover and plan your movements carefully. The detection meter is your best friend, watch it closely and back away if it starts to rise.
Environmental awareness is crucial for successful theft. Look for objects that can block line of sight, such as walls, furniture, or machinery. Time your movements for when NPCs are looking away or distracted. If you’re in a crowded area, wait for NPCs to move to different positions before making your move.
Steal in Private
Avoid committing thefts in public, crowded areas. Isolate your target or wait for them to be alone. The fewer potential witnesses, the lower your risk of getting caught.
Private areas are much safer for theft. If you can lure an NPC to a secluded area or wait until they’re alone, your chances of success increase dramatically. This is especially important for high-value targets where getting caught would have severe consequences.
Save Before You Steal
Make a manual save before attempting to pickpocket a high-value target or steal a well-guarded item. If you get caught, you can simply reload and try again with a different approach.
Saving is your safety net as a thief. Before attempting any risky theft, create a save file. This allows you to experiment with different approaches and learn from your mistakes without permanent consequences. It’s especially important for unique or extremely valuable items that you might not get another chance to acquire.
Manage Your Bounty
If you do acquire a bounty, you can usually clear it by visiting a Bounty Clearance Board or dealing directly with the faction’s authorities, often for a fee. The Speech skill can help you negotiate lower bounty payments or even talk your way out of trouble entirely.
Bounty management is an essential skill for thieves. Sometimes getting caught is unavoidable, so knowing how to deal with the consequences is important. Paying off bounties can be expensive, so it’s often worth investing in the Speech skill to help reduce these costs or avoid them altogether.
Building the Perfect Thief Character
Creating the optimal thief build requires careful planning of your background, traits, skills, and perks. Here’s how to build a character that excels at stealing and pickpocketing.
Best Backgrounds for Thieves
Your choice of background sets the tone for your character and can influence how factions react to you. For a thief build, we recommend:
Gambler: This background adds style and finesse to your playthrough while being morally ambiguous. It fits perfectly with a thief character who takes risks for big rewards.
Renegade: This background has a more in-your-face approach to breaking the law. It’s ideal for players who want to play a character that openly defies authority and lives by their own rules.
Backgrounds in The Outer Worlds 2 are purely role-playing choices that shape your character’s history and personality rather than providing stat bonuses. Choose one that fits the type of thief you want to play.
Essential Traits for Thieves
Traits provide permanent bonuses (and sometimes penalties) to your character. For a thief build, these are the most valuable:
Nimble: This positive trait increases your Speed While Crouched by 25% and your Combat Sprint Speed by 25%. This makes sneaking around much easier and helps you escape quickly if detected.
Brilliant: This positive trait lets you specialize in one additional skill during character creation, making that skill level up faster. It’s perfect for getting a head start on Lockpick or Sneak.
If you choose two positive traits, you’ll need to select a negative trait. For thieves, Dumb is a good choice because it locks 5 skills that you won’t need as a thief who avoids combat.
Must-Have Skills for Thieves
Skills are the foundation of your character’s abilities. For a thief build, focus on these:
Lockpick: This is your most important skill. It enables the Pickpocket perk and helps you access locked containers and doors. Higher levels improve your pickpocketing success rate.
Sneak: This skill lowers NPC detection rates and increases your sneak attack damage. It’s essential for remaining undetected while stealing and pickpocketing.
Hack: While not directly related to theft, this skill helps you bypass computer security and automechanicals, making it easier to clear areas without combat.
Observation: This skill helps you discover hidden passages and secret areas that might contain valuable loot. It’s perfect for thieves who want to find everything.
Speech: This skill helps you talk your way out of trouble if caught, negotiate lower bounty payments, and access new areas through dialogue.
Best Perks for Thief Builds
Perks provide powerful abilities that define your playstyle. For thieves, these are essential:
Pickpocket: This is the fundamental perk that enables pickpocketing. You can’t steal from NPCs without it, making it the first perk you should unlock.
Sleight Of Hands: This perk makes pickpocketing significantly faster and gives you a bonus to sneak attack damage. It’s a quality-of-life improvement that makes theft much more efficient.
Ghost: This perk makes you invisible to enemies with the Camouflaged effect for a short period. It’s perfect for escaping dangerous situations or setting up the perfect theft.
Bag Check: While crouching, you can see the contents of a person’s inventory before pickpocketing them. This helps you target the most valuable items and avoid wasting time on worthless loot.
Palm Greaser: This perk makes bribes cost less and stolen items sell for more. It’s perfect for thieves who want to maximize their profits and minimize their expenses.
Advanced Theft Techniques
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can move on to more advanced techniques that will make you an even more effective thief.
Using Companions to Your Advantage
Companions can be valuable assets for thieves. Some companions can help distract NPCs while you steal, while others might provide bonuses to your stealth skills or help you talk your way out of trouble if caught.
Aza and Inez are particularly good companions for thief builds. They complement a stealthy playstyle and can help you in various theft-related situations. Experiment with different companions to find the ones that work best with your particular approach to theft.
Timing Your Thefts
Timing is everything in theft. Learn NPC patrol patterns and wait for the perfect moment to strike. Many NPCs have predictable schedules, they might go to sleep at certain times, take breaks, or follow specific routes.
The best time to steal is often when NPCs are sleeping or when they’re in isolated areas. Pay attention to the game’s day/night cycle and use it to your advantage. Darker conditions can make it easier to remain unseen.
Creating Diversions
Sometimes you need to create a distraction to steal successfully. This could involve throwing objects to make noise, using certain items or abilities to draw attention away from your target, or even causing small explosions in distant areas.
Diversions are especially useful in crowded areas where it’s difficult to remain unseen. If you can get NPCs to look in one direction, you can steal from the opposite direction without being detected.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I unlock pickpocketing in The Outer Worlds 2?
To unlock pickpocketing, you need to reach Lockpick Level 1 and then spend 1 Perk Point to unlock the Pickpocket Perk. Once you have this perk, you can pickpocket NPCs by crouching behind them and initiating the action when prompted. The Lockpick skill is essential for any thief build, so invest in it early.
What happens if I get caught stealing in The Outer Worlds 2?
If you get caught stealing, you’ll lose reputation with the local faction, receive a bounty, and likely be attacked by nearby NPCs. The severity depends on how many people witnessed your crime and the value of what you tried to steal. You can usually pay off bounties at Bounty Clearance Boards or use the Speech skill to talk your way out of trouble.
How can I tell if an item is stolen in The Outer Worlds 2?
Items that are considered stolen are marked with red text when you look at them. This red text indicates that the item belongs to someone else and taking it will count as stealing. Always check for red text before taking items, especially in faction territories or private residences.
Can I sell stolen goods in The Outer Worlds 2?
Yes, most vendors will buy stolen goods, but they might offer lower prices. The Palm Greaser perk can help with this by making stolen items sell for more. Some factions might refuse to buy stolen items from you if your reputation with them is too low, so it’s often best to sell stolen goods to neutral or friendly vendors.
What’s the best way to avoid getting caught while pickpocketing?
The best way to avoid getting caught is to invest in the Sneak skill, stay out of NPCs’ line of sight, and pickpocket when targets are isolated or distracted. The detection meter is your guide, if it starts to rise, back away and try again later. Saving before attempting pickpocketing is also crucial so you can reload if something goes wrong.
How does the reputation system work in The Outer Worlds 2?
The reputation system measures how factions perceive you. Your reputation can be positive or negative and affects how faction members treat you, vendor prices, quest availability, and dialogue options. Stealing and getting caught decreases your reputation with the local faction, which can have long-lasting consequences on your game experience.
What skills should I focus on for a thief build?
For a thief build, focus on Lockpick (enables pickpocketing), Sneak (helps you remain undetected), Hack (bypasses computer security), Observation (finds hidden areas), and Speech (helps you talk your way out of trouble). These skills cover all aspects of successful theft while providing options for when things go wrong.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of stealing and pickpocketing in The Outer Worlds 2 adds a deep layer of risk-and-reward gameplay to your experience. By unlocking the essential Pickpocket Perk, moving with stealth, and understanding the weight of the reputation system, you can become a master thief of the galaxy.
Remember that every credit you steal could cost you a valuable alliance. Weigh your actions carefully, save often, and always have an escape plan. With the right build, skills, and techniques, you can acquire incredible wealth through theft while minimizing the dangerous consequences.
Whether you’re playing as a Gambler who takes calculated risks or a Renegade who openly defies authority, the life of a thief in The Outer Worlds 2 offers exciting opportunities and challenges. Use this guide to perfect your thieving skills and become the most successful thief in the galaxy!
