Pickpocketing
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In Assassin's Creed, pickpocketing is an important method of gaining information. It is also the only way to restock Throwing Knives, apart from going to Masyaf and/or going to an Assassin's Bureau. In Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, it is an optional way to acquire florins and 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: Altair's Chronicles you need to use the touchscreen to remove a key from a coin purse without touching the edges or the other objects.
Assassin's Creed
Who to Pickpocket
There are two kinds of people that can be pickpocketed, always identifiable by a pouch around their waist, on their left side.
Informants
Every so often during Investigations, there will be a person with a bit of useful information, be it a map or a letter. They always so conveniently place this bit of information in a pouch around their waist - easy for the player to steal. When Pickpocketing targets are first located, they will be talking with another person.
Thugs
The thugs roaming the cities always have knives on hand which Altaïr can use as throwing knives. Each thug will have five throwing knifes that can be stolen. If more throwing knives are acquired while the hold is maxed, the game will give the player a warning: "You have acquired the maximum number of knives". Pickpocketing thugs is only available once the ability to carry throwing knives is gained. This happens in Memory Block 3 after killing Garnier de Naplouse.
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 Altair.
- The victim is looking behind himself.
- Altair 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 |
Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
In Assassin's Creed II, Ezio is taught by Paola (though he can pickpocket prior to this), and will steal money instead of throwing knifes. 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 lingers too long in the area, he will be recognized and attacked, usually by males, though females will not hesitate to engage in a fight either. A single blow to the attacker will cause him/her to flee, however it is best not to draw attention. Stealing can award the player with anywhere from 3 to 50 florins at a time. The amount of florins Ezio will receive from pickpocketing can be roughly gleaned from the quality of clothing the intended victim is wearing; generally, the higher the quality of clothing, the more florins can be looted.
In addition, Ezio can loot unconscious or dead enemies for money; though this takes longer and leaves him open to attacks. Civilians will also openly scold the player for looting the dead. It is possible to get over 100 florins with this method, as well as items such as Throwing Knives, Medicine vials, Poison and Smoke bombs.
However, pickpocketing quickly becomes useless as the player progresses. This is due to the small amount gained, in comparison to the prices of items that can be bought, as well as the significantly larger profit achieved by investing in the Villa Auditore. Therefore, the only time it is really useful is during the very beginning of the game, before armed guards start showing up after Giovanni is arrested.
Pickpocketing is more noticeable in the first games since when beginning, the player will have their arms stretched out behind someone. This was removed in Assassin's Creed II, and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. If caught, then the civilians will still fight the player, and will flee if Ezio fights back or draws a weapon.
Pickpockets
Like Borgia Messengers, there are random pickpockets in the cities who are shown with an icon on the mini-map: a pouch with an exclamation mark; if one is in the player's line of sight, a white marker will appear over the pickpocket. A pickpocket can be tackled, grabbed, or attacked to obtain a small amount of money, or in AC: Brotherhood, money and a trading item. Also as the name suggests they will at times, attempt to steal money from the player. After stealing from the player, the pickpocket will begin to run away. They seem to outmatch ordinary Thieves at free running. Though while on rooftops they are still subjected to the same laws as Ezio is. So any archers which spot a pickpocket will begin to shoot arrows at him. In AC2, pickpockets have a large amount of health to withstand a guard's attacks, however in Brotherhood, their health is reduced. If guards are successful in killing the pickpocket, then they will start to attack Ezio. Also the money a pickpocket has can 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, an achievement 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 |
Trivia
- In Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, after bribing a Herald, the money can be stolen back from him. Though this contradicts the purpose of bribing, as it causes a slight increase in notoriety, the notoreity 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.
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