You can just kill them and loot their keys.

No! I may be a thief, but I am no murderer. I can't murder innocents.. has some roleplay reasons.

I try to choose perks that add to my fun as much those that just functional, and this is definitely that for me. It's great to pickpocket someone and find a note that tells you they're about to betray you. Gives you the upperhand. Plus, the Extra Pockets perk is DAMN HELPFUL.

So far I have no perks spent on magic, so techinically that's not a "necessity."

I find pickpocket a fun way to role-play my thief character.

Have you made a theif related character? Pickpocket/Lockpicking/Speech? It feels right especially with role-playing even though many consider lockpicking the most unecesarry.

No, pickpocket is not a necessity, but the Perk points put into it do make some actions much easier/possible. But Lockpicking is the same way. I've had many Assassins and Thieves who picked many-a-lock with out ever putting a single point into Lockpicking. And even Master level locks don't take more than 20 seconds for me to get into in the mini-game. Once you have the mini-game down, you will never need to put a point into Lockpicking again.

Unless you are fond of making NPC's poison themselves, there really isn't any reason (IMHO) why you need to waste points on Pickpocket.

Uh...hell no!! I'm a straight forward warrior type of player. If i need something from someone, i kill the bastard and take it from him.

Do i make myself clear?!

Bwuh?

I use pickpocketing all the time, it's my favourite skill...

I would prefer it if you didn't have to be 100% hidden to get away with it, real pickpockets merely disguise thier fingerwork rather than try to hide from a crowd while inside it.

Strongly disagree. It's vital to thief characters and for my Stealth/Assassin character the poison perk is very useful (extra pockets perk is useful too). The more silent you can kill, the better. Also I found that if you slip a paralyze potion in a persons pocket you can pickpocket non-stealable gold (not sure about other items). So when ever I drop alot of gold on training, I steal it all back. Note: you cant pick pocket a person while they are paralyzed but once they just start getting up you can pickpocket them and steal their large amounts of gold when it says 0% chance to steal.

I did not know that, thank you.
Could make that trophy more fun, lol.
Were is the Poisoned Perk? Alchemy?
I'm loathe to waste any more points than I have to on some skills.

Well I like to put poison on people and take their weapons, so no, pickpocket is not useless for me.

The pickpocket skill is meant for an assassin, so you can humiliate your enemy and make some cash on the side so you can buy more ingredients for your alchemy needs.

I disagree, Lockpicking is the worst skill in Skyrim, even more so then Pickpocket. If it's at a 15, you could still open up a Master Lock chest, although You'll lose 30-50 picks unless your really skilled or lucky.

I'm amazed there's even an argument over this. Obviously it's a role playing function and has its uses just like lockpicking or any other semi useless skill.

It's absolutely necessary...
To reach the level cap.

I find that any character will eventually learn everything if they desire to maximize their magicka/health/stamina potency. There's really no reason not to, at least for me.

This is why I'd prefer the different skill tiers etc. Daggerfall. You can reach the level cap while only having to specialize in the skills that suit your specific character.
[And for the player to have a choice with what novice destruction spell they start with, instead of being apparently inherent to pyromancy in every game.]

It depends on your character, Most of my characters (atleast my mains) are warriors who don't muder, steal, etc.
But when I get bored I make a completely evil character (Werewolf, Vampire Cannibal, Murderer, or Theif)
It can come in handy to steal stuff if you have the right perks like the one that lets you sell stolen goods and extra 1,000 coins for each vendor.
Plus, make everybody in Whiterun walk around doing their daily activitys in their underwear is pretty funny too.

IDK, I felt the skill was useful. Another way of earning gold.

Pay gold to trainer / steal it back / repeat until about level 30 in only an hour or two.

Ha! oh man i gotta try this.

I do agree its not necessary. But its super fun and a bethesda game wouldn't be a bethesda game with out it.

They could've done better. Like replace Pickpocketing with a Thievery Skill, which has Pickpocketing part of it but as well as other stealing methods and the sort. The Thievery skill should also give other perks like you can get away stealing cheap items while being watched or maybe add some more stealing options to do, like make stalls have a special stealing option where you can get a chance to steal what-ever is on the stall for that day, which the perks will be increasing your chances with this. And much more stuff...

So Pickpocket as a skill is a stupid idea and a waste. They could've added pickpocketing perks, and the sort, into another more general skills which will allow Thieves do more.. Currently, Thieves only have 3 main skills to use.. Pickpocket, Picklocking, and Sneaking. None are about actually stealing; and, if I am correct, in the real world, stealing stuff requires some good skill. Not just skill in picklocking and sneaking.

Highlighted for emphasis. I cannot say how completely and factually wrong this statement is. How does one play the game without using a skill? One has to use some skill to get through the game and also progress in level to complete it. Unless the game allows for no leveling (or one just avoids leveling), one will be using whatever skill available to get through the game, outside of avoiding quest, enemies and just roaming around enjoying the milieu.

Yes, but there are no skills that you NEED to take. My mage might need conjuration or destruction, but my thief definetly doesn't. There is not a single skill in the game that every character needs.