Skyrimhas endured for so many years in no small part due to the wealth of ways players can progress through the levels, explore the world, and play the game. There are a ton of weird and wacky ways to build a character and make it through the world, withthievery being one of the most enjoyable and lucrative pursuits for players to try.
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Pickpocketingmay seem like a small, insignificant part ofSkyrim, but once players know the best targets, and have a few levels in the right skill trees, it can be a fantastic way to obtain powerful items and get rich quick. Here are some of thebest NPCs players might want to relieve of their belongings, including some that fans may not have realized were hoarding some serious wealth.
Skill Trainers
One of the easiest and most useful ways to level up in the early game is one many players will be familiar with, and that is training a skill with a trainer, then pickpocketing the gold back from them. Even at a low level, provided the skill in training is also low, this yields a solid chance of success, and players can level both skills very quickly.
This strategy is much easier on trainers who are alone, to avoid detection (such as Eorlund Gray-Mane), and with the cutpurse and light fingers perks active. As players begin to level their pickpocketing, they can get away with stealing much higher amounts, and this becomes a very fast way to earn levels to unlock perks in other skill trees, completely for free.
Astrid - Dark Brotherhood
Astrid is a character that has divided opinions among fans, with some choosing to marry her and others killing her at the first opportunity. Regardless of this though, she can be a very useful character to pickpocket, particularly when players first meet her in the Abandoned Shack, during the mission ‘With Friends Like These’. This is one for players with a high pickpocket skill, decent sneak, and the misdirection perk, as they’ll be able to steal the Blade of Woe from her inventory, obtaining it without having to proceed downthe Dark Brotherhoodquest line.
For players that do complete the quest line, the blade will be duplicated, allowing one to be disenchanted and the other kept or sold. The Blade of Woe is exceptionally strong at any stage of the game, with base damage higher thanthe Daedric Daggeror on par with the Dragonbone Dagger. It can be improved without the use of ingots at a Grindstone, benefiting from the Steel Smithing perk, but unfortunately, cannot be enchanted.
Jewelry Stalls
A great way to make some quick cash with a few levels in Pickpocket is to steal from the proprietors of jewelry stands in the Riften and Whiterun markets. This will usually also require a decent sneak level, as these NPCs will only be targetable in the open during daylight hours.
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If players are members of the Thieves Guild, or have the fence perk in the speech skill tree, stealing jewelry and precious stones can offer a quick turnaround for some extra cash. This can also be used to levela player’s enchanting level, without having to gather resources and do any smithing to create the apparel in the first place.
Thieves Guild Members
As might be expected, members ofthe Thieves Guildin Riften are some of the best targets to steal from inSkyrim, as they will reliably have acquired some valuable items from their exploits. Gold and precious stones are commonplace, and the Hideout has a great deal of cover to make pickpocketing and sneaking without detection much easier.
Joining the guild is also a very worthwhile use of time, as players will have access to trainers in Sneak, Pickpocket, and more, as well as being rewarded with some very useful artifacts for this line of work. Becoming the Guild Master offers an even better reward, as even if caught players will get no negative repercussions for attempting to steal belongings from other members.
Wealthy Skyrim Citizens
While a Jarl may seem like an opportune target at first, they are often well-guarded and have less chance of carrying valuable possessions on their person. A better target in most cases is wealthy citizens ofSkyrim, such as Maven Black-Briar, Tolbjorn Shatter-Shield, and others, usually identifiable by their fine clothes or entourage.
These NPCs will often carry keys, gold, and other valuables, which will increase a player’s pickpocketing skill quickly due to their value. They will also, in many cases, offer work or side quests to win their favor back, which can be useful down the line or at the very least, secure a payout from their inheritance.
Ahtar - Headsman
Another fantastic target for players looking tosecure a unique weaponis the Solitude headman, Ahtar, usually found at Castle Dour where he is the head jailor. Pickpocketing him will reward players with the two-handed battleaxe, The Headman’s Axe, as long as the player has the misdirection perk in the pickpocket skill tree.
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This Axe is particularly unique, as the longest weapon in the game and the only axe to have its particular shape. It cannot be upgraded at a grindstone but can be enchanted. If nothing else, it’s an excellent status symbol for any Dragonborn, as it was the axe used in their failed execution in Helgen. Unfortunately, it cannot be obtained during this quest, but players will be able tofind him in Solitudeat any time afterward.
Forsworn Briarheart
Perhaps the most pointless but most entertaining use of the pickpocket skill is when used on a Forsworn Briarheart, which can be found in most Forsworn encampments. Since they were transformed into Briarhearts by Hagravens, becoming undead, the process can be undone by pickpocketing the briar heart from their inventory, killing them instantly.
While this is a veryeffective way to sneak attackthese NPCs, it’s rarely practical and more trouble than it’s worth for the objective of actually killing them. However, for players with high sneak and pickpocket looking to have a little fun inSkyrim, it’s a great way to score a few extra briar hearts and entertain themselves in the process.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
