How to pickpocket in Baldur's Gate 3

See yourself as a sleuth, spy, or suave thief? If you don't know how to pickpocket in Baldur's Gate 3, you're sure to be found out quickly. And that level of immediate infamy won't bode well for the rest of your run. Burning a bridge is one thing, but burning them all is campaign suicide. Luckily, there are a few tricks you're able to employ when rifling through the pockets of unsuspecting people.

Being a sprawling RPG with thousands of unique endings, intimate scenes, and ways to alienate those who just want to tag along for the ride, pickpocketing being an option isn't out of character. It's best performed by specific characters, sure, but you can also build your whole team around the art, having certain classes buff the traits that make looting a passerby less risky. And we're going to talk about that.

How to pickpocket in Baldur's Gate 3

Once you know what you're doing, pickpocketing in Baldur's Gate 3 can be done in a couple of clicks. You wouldn't be blamed for wondering why it's not on the right-click context menu when you attempt to interact with an NPC. After all, it's the most intuitive way given it's how you get most character interactions moving.

To learn how to pickpocket in Baldur's Gate 3, however, you need to be stealthed. You can do this either by clicking the big button at the far right of your character's hotbar, or by tapping down on the D-Pad if you're using a controller.

This causes the chosen character to crouch, entering Hidden or Stealth mode. While in this position, your right-click prompts will change. Get close to the back of an NPC, right-click, and you should see the option to pickpocket them.

click to enlarge

While pickpockets, you'll be shown the NPCs entire inventory of lootable items. Hovering over each will show a number on a d20 die. As soon as you click to claim an item, you'll roll for the privilege, gaining the item if you're successful, or being caught and reprimanded by the character if you're not.

Class bonuses and buffs can affect your rolls in the pickpocket menu, so use Rogue boons or Cleric buffs to your advantage before attempting a particularly low chance grab. Getting caught could trigger a fight you might not win, so be sure to quicksave if you're ever worried about the outcome of your actions.

Need more quick tips? Check out how to change languages in Baldur's Gate 3 if you're struggling with that one or want to use it to practice another. We've also covered how to free Shadowheart, how to change dice skins, and even how to highlight objects you can interact with.