So I am going to play as a thief in Skyrim. I was wondering how you guys who played as a thief in Oblivion played the game? Did you just go around in sneak mode killing people? Did you just pick pocket people? I am just wondering how would would play as a thief in Skyrim. Any thoughts?

Sneaking around killing people isn't very thief-like . . .

I stole stuff. I snuck into a place, took the valuables, and left without alerting anyone (why would you kill unless you got a witness on your hands?)

I hardly ever picked pockets, because I was always wary of being caught.

Since when did thief's kill people? They aren't murderers like the Brotherhood, They just steal.

I didn't play a thief in Oblivion, but in Morrowind. Jump on balcony, pick doorlock, sneak around, steal stuff. No killing.

Picking pockets never worked that great, though, and people usually didn't carry anyhting valuable in the first place.

Stole what I liked from chests and inside houses. I hardly ever pickpocketed though. Don't feel as though it really worked all that well in Oblivion. I'll probably do more pickpocketing in Skyrim since you can take weapons and trinkets and I think armor pieces though I might be wrong about the last part.

Never really played a total thief before, but with Skyrim pickpocketing is it's own skill so I'm intrigued by the mechanics of playing a true thief this time.

I beat the bejeebus out of other characters for money. I suppose that's acting more like a highwayman brigand robber thing instead of subtle thief, though....

I still from the good places like castles and shop. I usually leave poor houses alone, not as much good stuff to take.

If you want a theif/assassin Argonian is the race for you. Look at there history.

I'd often just go into someones house and steal everything. That strawberry is worth 1 gold? Steal. Nice looking dinner plate? Steal.

You forgot Khajiit. A+ Thieves.

Really? Khajiits are the ultimate theives.

I know that since in Skyrim you can eliminate all witnesses to keep the guards from finding out that if I do pickpocket someone and they find out about it, they're dead.

Well as a fellow thief first I played basically by stealing npc valuables (anything 4 gold and up ). Like the guild in oblivion I did not kill in less I had to meaning if I was attack. Even If I did get caught stealing if the NPC did not attack me I did not kill them I just let them run and tell the guards. (especially if you make friend with cretin guards they would let you go with misdemeanor stuff.)
A lot of people feel since your a thief you can not explore which is wrong you can explore all you want thats where most of your actions and combat skills are going to come in handy. Try and focus on stealth attacks and take enemies out silently.

I steal things.

Wrong idea if you want to be a pure thief, a theif would run in this situation. Now I'm not saying a theif wont kill, but killing is not a thiefs intention.

In my opinion i think the AI would notice their weapons and armour being taken of their person haha

Yeah I know, I couldn't ever get into the mechanics in previous games. Played assassin and nightblade types mainly for stealth.

Thats understandable, I think more time was put in for thief characters in Skyrim, hopefully.

I tend to break into people's homes and throw things about while searching for anything valuable. If there's a bowl of fruit I tend to grasp it and shake the conents out of it just to cause a mess, and if there's a bunch of worthless stuff on a shelf I tend to to push it out all over the floor. Ultimately sneak back into the night with a big grin on my face, carrying their silverware, family jewels and pocket change, leaving behind a great big mess. It's not so discreet, but it's pretty amusing.

Invisibility on self is all you need to be a thief.

Yawn. Boring......

It's true that a thief's intention isn't about killing in order to thieve but the definition of thievery is taking what isn't yours which is what I would be doing. Don't get me wrong, my intention wouldn't be to kill them in order to get what they have. That for one keeps me from stealing from them again if they get anything else and 2 because it takes too much energy and time to kill them just to steal. However, with that being said, it would take even more energy and time to run from them if they find me stealing from them, then run from the guards who find me, pay off the guard or do the time. Much more simple to kill and cut my losses....or gains. But I agree, their shouldn't be the intention of killing the stolen from.

I was always more of a house burglar, sneaking in and sneaking out undetected while leaving a total mess on the dining table I just danced on held a certain thrill to me.

If I was playing a nightblade type character I would always steal the Mage staff in the Bravil recommendation quest. I would go talk to the guy, then his wife to learn its location, go hang out at the pub until about 1 AM and then sneak in and steal the key and then staff.