Hey ,

so I was wondering how Sneak and Pickpocket are leveled - can i just walk around the place wile in sneak mode to level it, or do i have to be doing something specific?

Also, Pickpocketing - do i just pickpocket people ? and do i have to be succesful?

I dont think you have to be success to level up a skill, you just need to use it. Lock picking for example, i break locks and it still levels up, I assume pickpocketing is the same
Also there are trainers for all the skills that can help you gain levels as well. Id find them first esp for pickpocketing since its something you dont want to do a lot just to level it

FOr sneak yes you can just walk around the world in sneak mode to level it

Yeah, sneaking gets leveled by sneaking, not sure on pickpocketing though, never done it really. Don't think you need to be successful for it to level, on lockpicking you level it even when a lockpick breaks, but slightly slower.

Sneak gets leveled by sneaking when there are NPCs who can potentially see you nearby

Pickpocketing levels by stealing. Higher value = http://forums.bethsoft.com/index.php?/topic/1269932-i-need-some-thief-build-advice/more exp. BTW, Pickpocketing, at least for me, has leveled VERY fast. Its at 100, my other skills are at 50. And I don't even pickpocket that much. Just a warning that you might find it levels you up TOO much if you do it a lot.

I highly recommend Archery if you plan to play a thief. You'll have a hard time going toe-to-toe with Dragons otherwise.

I don't think you need to be sucessful to level your pickpocket skill but seeing as failing means ista fine and that person not being very pleased with you. Your best off buying a few levels first and sticking to pickocketing easy to steal items, Gold or light cheep objects (keys n things)

Plus once you get a few perks it gets more easy. (also the % chance of sucsess is at the bottom of the screen)

Sneaking gets leveled on a successful sneak (correct?). You can get massive boosts to sneak if you sneak around a boss-type for instance.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick". - Roosevelt.

I follow this quote when It comes to being a thief.

Basically...

Thief build = smarts, gotta know when you can and can't do something.
And use your skills whenever you get the chance, just be careful.
Caution carves thieves out of stone. Also, you can steal from houses.
Not just pockets. And you can enchant your items to make certain areas level up faster.

The NPC must be able to detect you and you need to be successful in sneaking by them.

I thought I read somewhere that pick pocketing goes up even if you don't take something out of the pickees pockets. Like you can just look at what's in their inventory.

Sneaking also gets a huge boost if you get a sneak attack on someone. That's the fastest and best way I've found to level it up. I haven't been playing my thief long enough to learn the details about pickpocketing but I'm guessing that looking in someones inventory gives you a minor skill up, then pickpocketing but being caught, then a succesfull pickpocket. At least I would hope it's that way.