Every other thread around here seems to be about pilfering, so I figured it's about time for this, right? First, the basics.

Pilfer: lvl 10 thief skill. Allows you to steal from a monster with low sucess rate. Usually used to pilfer weapon recipes, though other common pilfers are various mats, gold (amount increases with monster's level and location, usaully around M. level - 2), iron arrows and frogs.

Common pilfer myths:
1. Dex will give you a higher pilfer rate
-Untrue. Extra Dexterity will give you more Mag. accuracy, which means pilfer will 'hit' more, but it will still 'fail' the same amount. So, Dexterity will not help.

2. Thieves have a higher pilfer rate than another job with Thief subclassed
-Untrue. As long as your main job has the Mag. Accuracy for pilfer to 'hit', the level requirement and MP to use pilfer, and don't die in one hit, you should be fine. I suggest shaman or doc for their MP reserves.

3. Higher level pilfer gives a better chance of sucessful steal.
-Another untrue. Higher level pilfer will only steal from higher level mobs. I suggest you adjust the level of pilfer used depending on the level of monsters you're pilfering, to save MP

4. The lower the HP, the easier it is to steal.
-Untrue. Sort of. You CANNOT pilfer from monsters with HP ABOVE 1/2. Anything BELOW 1/2 is, however, an equal chance. I've personally tested this one >.>

5. Higher pilfer rate on lower level monsters.
-Again, not true. I wish, I really wish...

6. Pillage has a higher rate than Pilfer
-True, from what I've noticed. If nothing else, you have a better chance using both.

I've probably missed a lot here, but it's a start... feel free to post up questions or tips for pilfering, and I'll address them ^^;

Nice guide Cylvia

Just want to comment a little~

Maybe I am being a little nit-picky... but I don't think my pilfer has "missed" yet. It has failed before, but it never "missed" (that or I am not aware).. so perhaps dex doesn't even do anything at all (I am under the impression that pilfer only fails, but never misses) [except on the case you said about hp]


Anyways, I hereby grant you a title:

Cylvia: the Thief Mythbuster~

Common pilfer myths: 1. Dex will give you a higher pilfer rate -Untrue. Extra Dexterity will give you more Mag. accuracy, which means pilfer will 'hit' more, but it will still 'fail' the same amount. So, Dexterity will not help. 2. Thieves have a higher pilfer rate than another job with Thief subclassed -Untrue. As long as your main job has the Mag. Accuracy for pilfer to 'hit', the level requirement and MP to use pilfer, and don't die in one hit, you should be fine. I suggest shaman or doc for their MP reserves.

I believe Magi Acc only applies to pillage. I can still steal with Concentrted Fury level 5 on. But only with pilfer. Pillage makes a "miss" pop up above the monster's head.

3. Higher level pilfer gives a better chance of sucessful steal. -Another untrue. Higher level pilfer will only steal from higher level mobs. I suggest you adjust the level of pilfer used depending on the level of monsters you're pilfering, to save MP

Hummm... I find that this is true... I'm stealing lots more with level 6 pilfer than level 5 pilfer on minos.

4. The lower the HP, the easier it is to steal. -Untrue. Sort of. You CANNOT pilfer from monsters with HP ABOVE 1/2. Anything BELOW 1/2 is, however, an equal chance. I've personally tested this one >.>

I have pilfered a baton recipe from a full HP hedgehog... I'll try this again/

5. Higher pilfer rate on lower level monsters. -Again, not true. I wish, I really wish...

I do think that only higher pilfer level aplies...

6. Pillage has a higher rate than Pilfer -True, from what I've noticed. If nothing else, you have a better chance using both.

Meh... I think pillage only starts to get higher chances as it gets higher in level... It was easier for me to steal a recipe from a turtle with level 6 pilfer than level 1 pillage.

the level pilfer/pillage you mentioned, quist, could be just luck based. May I ask for the experiment and how it was done? The control group, and the trials times (n)


I agree on the pillage affected by M.acc part.

I also think that its "possible" to steal from a full hp mob, but its very much unlikely to be success (from experience)

I believe Magi Acc only applies to pillage. I can still steal with Concentrted Fury level 5 on. But only with pilfer. Pillage makes a "miss" pop up above the monster's head.

I have, in fact, missed a pilfer before :/ Your dex has to be pretty low for it though, lol

Hummm... I find that this is true... I'm stealing lots more with level 6 pilfer than level 5 pilfer on minos.

I've gotten better results from lvl 1 pilfer at times... I think it's due to something befores pilfer level, honestly

I have pilfered a baton recipe from a full HP hedgehog... I'll try this again/

If you pilfer from something that doesn't have anything to pilfer, like a pure white pupu, it will say 'Stealing Failed' instead of 'Pure White Pupu has nothing in posession...' until half health. Also, I use pillage as another attack skill and have never stolen anything until the monster is below half

Also, it's been my feeling for a long time that some type of in game luck is involved in pilfering... From monitoring on the group I was in last night, I would guess Fighting Chance... Untested as of yet, but something to think about ^^

I am pretty sure its fighting chance.


Provider's is for alchemy success and bonus
Love is.... for relationship xD
Fighting chance is crit rates, drop rates, hit rates, so I am pretty sure if anything it IS fighting chance

HOWEVER, I do believe that aside from character luck, another huge factor is "player's luck", self explanatory I think...

I like the quide. I seem to be the worst at pilfering.

EvaMarie, I would add the bit about pillage to your top post as well. I was trying to pillage from a full health mob and then switching to pilfer when the HP was down (I was trying at very low HP only, much less than half). I should rethink this.

Thanks for the guide and a play to collect ideas!

Something I'll add, though its slightly hard to explain, it seems that pilfer works better when a monster is near a specific hp, which is below half of course. Many variables still take effect of this, yes, and if I'm correct about this, then the amount of hp to give it a higher chance would be different for each monster.

But as said, it also depends on overall player's luck as well, best pilfer run I've had was 3 Stone Crossbows in a row, no fails or junk in between. I haven't had this happen in a while again x_x;

I'm pretty sure pilfer is autohit and ignores magic accuracy.

I have never "missed" a pilfer, even on dancer enemies as a doctor. Failed, sure, but never a miss.

Pics or it didn't happen?

EvaMarie wrote:

3. Higher level pilfer gives a better chance of sucessful steal. -Another untrue. Higher level pilfer will only steal from higher level mobs. I suggest you adjust the level of pilfer used depending on the level of monsters you're pilfering, to save MP

high lvl pilfer gives a better chance tho O,O" around like 5% chance of stealing