[Pathfinder] Using Combat Maneuvre:Steal to place objects.

[Golkiwu]

I was wondering if a character could use Steal/Improved Steal/Greater Steal to place an object on a person rather than take one?

In Playing the Fallout 3 series (I know, but it is an RPG) you can pick the pocket of characters and place Items (like grenades) on their person. It would be nice to see if this would be a practical interpretation of the Steal CM. It would be a useful function for framing other NPC's (or Characters) for crimes they did not commit. I recently played it hard and fast in a Session I was running, and allowed a character to use Steal in order to attempt the placement of a rock that had Light cast on it on the back of a creature that was able to turn invisible at will. Once the creature became visible due to attack, and before it was able to become invisible again, the character had a readied action to perform the steal and place the Light-rock. The attempt was successful, and I even gave the creature a perception check against the rolled Steal total (it failed miserably). I decided that it would allow them to target the square of the creature (targeting the light source) but still had the %50 miss chance.

Thoughts?

[jmelesky]

The Steal maneuver is more about grabbing something that's out and obvious (like the pin on a grenade on the guy's bandolier, or the magic broach which she uses to control the dragon, or whatever), rather than picking someone's pocket.

Specifically, it says:


This maneuver can be used in melee to take any item that is neither held nor hidden in a bag or pack.... Items that are simply tucked into a belt or loosely attached (such as brooches or necklaces) are the easiest to take. Items fastened to a foe (such as cloaks, sheathed weapons, or pouches) are more difficult to take, and give the opponent a +5 bonus (or greater) to his CMD. Items that are closely worn (such as armor, backpacks, boots, clothing, or rings) cannot be taken with this maneuver.

So i don't think the Steal maneuver is the right way to plant stuff on someone.

Using a standard action to perform Sleight of Hand to plant something is a different story, and makes plenty of sense. There should be an opposed Perception roll (though, if it's a big combat, i'd be inclined to give it penalties for distraction).