Pickpocketing
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Pickpocketing was an important method of gaining information, money, or items.
History
Third Crusades
It was the only way for Altaïrto restock Throwing Knives, apart from going to Masyaf and/or going to an Assassin's Bureau.
Renaissance
To Ezio, pickpocketing was an optional way to acquire florins, and later also items.
How to Pickpocket
To pickpocket, the player must press the Lock On button. Depending on control settings, the Lock On button will be either L1 (Playstation 3), Left Trigger (Xbox 360), or F (PC default layout). While targeting the victim, move Altaïr a few paces behind them and hold the Free Hand button, which will be either 
(Playstation 3), B (Xbox 360), or Shift (PC default layout). Once Altaïr is close enough, as long as you are not detected by the victim or a Guard, you will steal from the victim's bag, a successful pickpocket. With Ezio, you simply hold the Steal button while in Low Profile and go near any target with no need to Lock On.
In Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles, you need to use the touchscreen to remove a key from a coin purse without touching the edges or the other objects.
During the Third Crusades
Who to Pickpocket
There were two kinds of people that could be pickpocketed, always identifiable by the pouch around their waist, on their left side.
Informants
Every so often during Investigations, there would be a person with a bit of useful information, be it a map or a letter, that they placed in a pouch around their waist. When Pickpocketing targets were first located, they would be seen talking with another person.
Thugs
The thugs roaming the cities always had knives on hand, which Altaïr could use as throwing knives. Each thug had five throwing knifes that could be stolen. If more throwing knives were acquired while the hold is maxed, no more knives will be stored, and there will be a warning telling the user that the maximum amount of throwing knives has been acquired. Pickpocketing thugs was available once the ability to carry throwing knives was regained. This happened in Memory Block 3 after killing Garnier de Naplouse. If Altaïr alerted the thug to his presence, a fight would ensue. Drawing a weapon during this encounter would result in the thug fleeing, and alert any near-by guards.
When not to Pickpocket
There are various scenarios in which a pickpocket may fail, leading to a fight:
- The victim stops.
- The victim is facing Altaïr.
- The victim is looking behind himself.
- Altaïr is too close to his target.
- A guard is very close.
Achievement
On the Xbox 360 version there is an achievement for pickpocketing 200 knives:
| Icon | Name | Description | Points | Secret? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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The Hands of a Thief | Pickpocket 200 throwing knives. | 15
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No |
During the Renaissance
Ezio was first taught to pickpocket by Paola (though he can pickpocket prior to this), and stole money instead of throwing knives. To do this, he must walk quickly in Low Profile, and use his empty hand to pickpocket when in close proximity with another person. However, if Ezio lingered too long in the area, he would be recognized and attacked, usually by males, though females didn't hesitate to engage in a fight either. A single blow to the attacker would already cause him/her to flee, however it is best not to draw attention.
Unlike Altaïr, Ezio did not have his arms stretched out behind someone as he was pickpocketing.
Amount
Stealing awarded from 3 to 505 (when pickpocketing heralds after being bribed) florins at a time. The amount of florins Ezio received from pickpocketing, could be roughly gleaned from the quality of clothing the intended victim was wearing; generally, the higher the quality of clothing, the more florins could be looted.
The Dead and Unconscious
In addition, Ezio could also loot unconscious or dead enemies for money; though this took longer and left him open to attacks. Civilians would also openly scold him for looting the dead. With this method, it was possible to get over 100 florins as well as items, such as Throwing Knives, Medicine vials, Poison, and Smoke bombs.
Usefulness
However, pickpocketing would quickly become useless as Ezio progressed. This is due to the small amount gained, in comparison to the prices of items that could be bought, as well as the significantly larger profit achieved by investing in the Villa Auditore. Therefore, the only time it was really useful was during the very beginning of the game, before armed guards started showing up after Giovanni was arrested.
Pickpockets
Like Borgia Messengers, there were random pickpockets in the cities who were shown with an icon on the mini-map: a pouch with an exclamation mark; if one was in the line of sight, a white marker would appear over
the pickpocket. A pickpocket could be tackled, grabbed or attacked, to obtain a small amount of money, or in when in Rome, money and a trading item. Also, as the name suggests, they would at times attempt to steal money from the player. After stealing from the player, the pickpocket would begin to run away. They seem to outmatch ordinary Thieves at free running, though while on rooftops they were still subjected to the same laws as Ezio, so any archer which spotted a pickpocket would begin shooting arrows at him. Pickpockets in Rome have reduced compared to what they had in previously visited cities. If guards were successful in killing the pickpocket, then they started to attack Ezio. Also, the money a pickpocket had could be looted from their dead body if killed by a guard. Killing one has no penalties or warnings or desynchronization, only an increase in notoriety.
Achievement
Similar to the one in Assassin's Creed, two achievements can be earned by pickpocketing:
| Icon | Name | How to obtain | Points | Trophy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Kleptomaniac.jpg | Kleptomaniac | Pickpocket 1000 Florins. | 10
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Bronze |
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Easy Come, Easy Go | Pay 500 florins to an orator, then pickpocket him afterwards. | 5
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Bronze |
Trivia
- In Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, after bribing a Herald, the money can be stolen back from him -- this is an Achievement in Brotherhood. Though this contradicts the purpose of bribing, as it causes a slight increase in notoriety, the notoriety gain from pickpocketing is less than the amount removed by the Herald. If Ezio has 25% notoriety or more, the end result is a free decrease in notoriety. The Herald can also be killed, and the corpse can be looted to re-obtain the money.
- The art concept shown for the pickpocket (as shown above) shows him holding some kind of amulet and a pouch that resembles the one Ezio used to store The Apple.
- After completing 5 challenges of Thieves Guild hired thieves will pickpocket money for Ezio.
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