Thief!

I'm having problems with looting houses and chests. I've been playing for some time now, and I'm still not sure how stealing works in G3. Yes, I've accepted the fact that when you loot a chest, everyone will suspect you even if no one has seen you, but still there is something I don't understand. I have the skill that lets me talk my way out of trouble ("It's not what you think!" ). The problem is, it doesn't really work. I thought that when the hero is confronted about things going missing in a city for the first time, he will automatically say "I don't know anything about that" and on the next occasion you will get those dialog options (Bribe? Does that even work at all?!). That used to happen to me. Now I know that it not always works that way. Huh.

I stole a few things in Geldern (Couldn't say no to a locked door… ahh, good old days. ) and now I'm in a no-win situation. When I come near an orc, I'm confronted about the stolen stuff and I have to choose one of the three options. 1) Bribe, of course doesn't work. I've never seen it work. 2) Explaining myself - they don't believe me. Actually, this skill worked for me only once in the game. Why? Does it have to do with the level of my "thieving" skills? Or with the amount of things that I've stolen? 3) Provocation. I've read a few times that you can use this, and everyone around you will think that this is just a fight between you and the other person. Really? Heh, the last time I tried it, I liberated a city! When I provoke the accuser and we start fighting, everone joins in. The best outcome I can get, is when I provoke and lure the orc out of the city, and then beat him up. But strangely enough I cannot use the spell to make him forget. And the status of everyone in the city turns from "white" to "orange". Of course, that doesn't really change anything since you can't lose reputation, but I would have to live with the fact that everyone knows that I did something wrong. Why is everyone so omniscient in this game? At the moment I'm sneaking around the city - heh, I've even sneaked past the guards to get out of town! I used Geldern as an example here, but this happened to me before in another place.

My question is, how can I get away with my evil crimes? What am I doing wrong? Ideas? Comments?

General:
As far as I know your "thieving" skill has something to do with sucess of "talking way out", but in G3 i can't understand the complete Thieving-"tree"…I love to sneak around and steal things in games, but in gothic there is no need for thieving (my oppinion).

@Question:
I haven't played 1.12, but without that patch you can simply provoke them, lure them out of the city(out of sight of any npc), knock him down (not killing) and everything is forgotten…working if you are wanted for murder too
And you mentioned white to orange names…I know no difference between NPCs with white or orange names…only green and red are interesting for me

But if it's changed with 1.12…can't say that - G3 is in my shelf and I'm playing G1 at the moment

Right, I think your Thief skill is checked against the Orc's Intellience(?) and right you don't kill (just beat him down) the guard if your intending to continue dealing with the Orcs.

Each town has a set limit for the amount you can steal before being caught. Having the make excuses skill just gives you the chance during the 50%-100% stage of that amount to talk your way out of it I believe. The system is pretty crappy IMO (I played as a thief/hunter character) but this is what I observed. I would have far prefered the Gothic 2 system, espically with pickpocketing as it is completely worthless in G3.

I agree I really dislike the way PB did stealing in G3, much better in G2.
I really hate game design where people or factions know things without ever seeing them, total BS design.

Yeah, it's annoying, especially when the forget spell doesn't work. Not to mention that lockpicking isn't the fun it used to be. Hm, I guess that Gothic 3 just isn't so focused on thievery as the previous parts. Too bad, but what the heck, I'll keep stealing 'cause it's so much fun even with the current system! He, he. : P

There are few games where I've found stealing "fun". It's usually some boring minigame that is more frustrating than fun. The king of these minigames is, of course, the lockpicking in Oblivion.

Originally Posted by Maylander
The king of these minigames is, of course, the lockpicking in Oblivion.

If that is king, then lockpicking in Dungeon Lords is Queen!