Foot pads

[touringCompl3t3]

A lot of people seem to have a certain amount of misinformation about what footpads are. 

Footpads are basically the shoes that ninja's wore.  Basically a light slipper with a little bit of cushioning on the bottom. 

http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=ninja+shoes&btnG=Search+Images

They're useful on night-time burglaries, when you're breaking into the upper story of a house (that you expect to be deserted) and you don't want people on lower stories to hear you as you look in desk drawers and under mattress for the family valuables.  They offer a limited ability to run quietly, although if you full out sprint in them people can still hear you. 

They're of almost no practical use to a pick-pocket -- pick-pockets don't do much sneaking around, they want you to see them as they bump into you, and hastily apologize.  You're supposed to notice them but not notice that they just pinched your wallet. 

Most civilians wouldn't properly recognize footpads.  To most people, footpads just look like funny shoes.  Some policemen wouldn't recognize them, either.  A well-trained policeman would instantly recognize them and they would make him highly suspicious.  An experienced criminal would probably recognize them as well, and so would just about any fence. 

If someone walked into a bar wearing footpads, the most obvious question would be
"Why are you wearing those funny shoes?"
or, if you happen to be in the know:
"What burglary are you on your way to?" 

Footpads are not something that someone would casually wear.  Given that they are essentially slippers, they are not resistant to wear and tear and so therefore are not appropriate walking gear.  I'm willing to hazard a guess that they've never been en vogue in any earth culture at any point in time.  They're thin by design so they're not likely to keep your feet warm, and are therefore not comfortable in many climates. 

If you were a burglar planning on using them, you'd probably keep them in your backpack with your binoculars, stethoscope, pepper spray and lockpicks until you got to the second story of the house you were doing.  You'd need something with better traction to get to the second story.  Footpads additionally might not fit into the links on a chain link fence, arguably important if you're doing some kind of a fenced compound.  Trying to make it over barbed wire in a pair of slippers is arguably unwise, and trying to make it over razor-wire in slippers is probably stupid. 

In addition to the problem of drawing unwanted attention, possession of footpads would likely qualify as possession of burglary tools.  In the jurisdiction that I live in, I think that possession of burglary tools is a Class IV felony punishable by a jail sentence of no more than ten years and a fine of a few thousand dollars.  You wouldn't get the book thrown at you for your first offense, but if you're got a couple of priors then it means that you might be locked up for a decade without eligibility for parole the first couple of years for wearing a pair of funky padded shoes.  Criminal intent can be considered prima fascea with possession in my state, too.  Certainly, footpads are nothing you'd want to slip on to run down to the local taco stand to grab dinner and a beer.

Amateur-quality footpads would be easy to make but professional quality footpads would be tough to come by.  I've never heard of a factory that makes them, except as costume novelty.  Costume footpads would probably work fine, although if you wanted really good ones you'd probably have to sew your own.  Suffice it so say that footpads are not what your local crackhead would wear if he were doing a "smash and grab" on a poorly protected pawnshop to get him a couple of watches.  More likely, footpads are what James Bond would wear if he needed to get some secret plans out of a fortified compound.

I checked wikipedia but their entry is not accurate.  To add to the confusion, footpad has an unrelated meaning of a petty criminal, without regard to the implement worn to commit burglaries.  I'll try to find a better source of information for you guys. 

[Only He Stands There]

Excellent post, and I always thought it odd when someone wanders on down the street in a pair of footpads. It's sort of in the same ballpark, to me, as waltzing around in a filthy hooded cloak with a bent piece of bone in your hand. Characters are gonna make assumptions.

[Synthesis]

Instead of assuming what footpads are, try reading their description.

Nothing about the description screams "ninja boots" unless you desire to take that impression away when you go into the examination.

Edited to add:  furthermore, this is a perennial issue that people never seem to get over.

[Rhyden]

Agreed. Footpads are delicate, soft footwear used to suppress the sound of footsteps.

Was there any ever doubt?

[Marauder Moe]

I always thought they were just cheap sandals.

[Kalden]

The problem is the stuff that gives you sneaky bonuses for the Labyrinth type sneaking also helps you in the main city.

When you're in the city, common clothing should give you hide bonuses. When you're in the Labyrinth, dark clothing and footpads should give you bonuses, although the ability to make silently is always good for sneaking up on people, whether you're trying to blend in or not.

The only way to solve this is to split city hide into two different skills: one for the Labyrinth, and one for the city. That way certain items can give bonuses to a different sort of hide.

And pickpockets in this game need to be able to hide and sneak if they're going to survive. Footpads are a major advantage because of this:

Staying hidden while moving requires strong stealth abilities.

[Raesanos]

They are not illigal, and while some people might be suspicious about it, some people might not care at all.

Kind of like wearing a black hoodie, the actual reaction you get depends on other things, like if you're hanging out in front of a liquor store at 3:00 AM.

This post can be considered authoritative.

[Bebop]

I don't know about footpads being useless to a thief but my personal opinion is that if you are wearing these casually in public I'm gonna quirk a brow most likely.  Especially if you're an elf.

[Qzzrbl]

The problem is the stuff that gives you sneaky bonuses for the Labyrinth type sneaking also helps you in the main city.

When you're in the city, common clothing should give you hide bonuses. When you're in the Labyrinth, dark clothing and footpads should give you bonuses, although the ability to make silently is always good for sneaking up on people, whether you're trying to blend in or not.

The only way to solve this is to split city hide into two different skills: one for the Labyrinth, and one for the city. That way certain items can give bonuses to a different sort of hide.

And pickpockets in this game need to be able to hide and sneak if they're going to survive. Footpads are a major advantage because of this:

Staying hidden while moving requires strong stealth abilities.

I seriously doubt the Staff is going to separate hide between the Labyrinth, and everyothercityintheknownworld. The real problem is that people are wearing all of their burglar gear out in the open public.

[staggerlee]

I'd imagine there will always be people that wear their work clothes all the time.  Some warriors never, ever take off their armor, and some thieves never, ever take off their ninja suit. The only difference is that being known as a thief is a problem, and not taking off your armor is just uncomfortable.   I don't think that's ever going to change, or even a problem, some people just don't care about the social repercussions of being known as a thief. 


I'm perfectly comfortable with the current situation. Thieves that are willing to telegraph it will be known as thieves, and thieves that do care will disguise them self.  And what better way to keep your pickpocketing secret than being the guy wearing boots and brightly dyed sandcloth in a bar with two elves wearing footpads and dark cloaks?

I would however suggest however that cheap, slummy player housing would assist sneaky types in actually being able to change out of their work clothes. 

[Qzzrbl]

I wonder.... Is it really so terribly crippling to a pickpocket's career that he get caught trying to rob an NPC and gets dragged off by an NPC guard?

Seriously, just shave your head, grow a beard, and go on to the next town.

[Folker]

Oddly enough, I've seen a few city based NPCs wearing footpads. They didnt look like criminal types, just poor commoners.

[Qzzrbl]

Oddly enough, I've seen a few city based NPCs wearing footpads. They didnt look like criminal types, just poor commoners.

That's the thing.... They didn't -look- like criminal types.... 

[Folker]

Were wearing footpads nonetheless.

[Shiroi Tsuki]

The best criminal-type is the one that doesn't look like one.   

[Qzzrbl]

Were wearing footpads nonetheless.

Were probably digging through your pack when you weren't looking too.  

[Qzzrbl]

The best criminal-type is the one that doesn't look like one.   

QFT

[Folker]

Or ... maybe those NPCs were just regular people who were wearing footpads because they've had them, and not some silk clad boots. Think about it, a footpad is a slipper. Treated leather or fur with leather laces wrapping around the foot. Sounds just the kind of thing a dirt poor commoner would wear. Not because it softens the footsteps or anything, but because it's simple, it's cheap, and it's easy to repair.

[Qzzrbl]

Or ... maybe those NPCs were just regular people who were wearing footpads because they've had them, and not some silk clad boots.

Maybe.... The world may never know.

[My 2 sids]

Or ... maybe those NPCs were just regular people who were wearing footpads because they've had them, and not some silk clad boots. Think about it, a footpad is a slipper. Treated leather or fur with leather laces wrapping around the foot. Sounds just the kind of thing a dirt poor commoner would wear. Not because it softens the footsteps or anything, but because it's simple, it's cheap, and it's easy to repair.

QFT

[Lizzie]

Cheap? Heh. Find out IC.

To me, the explanation is thus:

1) footpads are not slippers. They are foot-gear with a very specific function - to allow the wearer to move with less noise than boots, or high-heel shoes, or that whispy swushing sound of silken *slippers.*

2) if they were intended to be slippers, they would have been called slippers. They are called footpads to distinguish them from slippers, which may or may not also be soft, comfy, and unclunky, but do not exist for the express purpose of helping in the support of a shady lifestyle.

3) just as in all other things Zalanthan, footpads come in varying styles, with varying prices, with varying availability to the public. I think I can safely say without divulging any IC info, that "cheap" is definitely not an adjective one would apply to these things, in general.

4) If I see someone wearing footpads, and my character has lived in or spent a whole lot of time in a city, I will assume my characters know damned well what they are and what they're for. If my character has not lived in a city, or spent a lot of time in one, then my character will be blissfully ignorant and consider them no differently than he would consider a pair of green luminescent spike-heel steel-toed shoes: as just another one of those really stupid things that really stupid city people wear

[Ghost]

The best criminal-type is the one that doesn't look like one.   

By that line of thought, whoever starts acting suspicious after seeing someone with footpads is actually being stupid.

It is the guy in the armored boots you should be worried about.

Actually, go for hunters and aides.  Half of those folks are either assassin or burglar anyway.

[Folker]

Cheap? Heh. Find out IC.

There are footpads and there are footpads. Once again, there are non criminal NPCs out there, living in a non slump area of the cities, which wear footpads and are no different then any other commoner NPCs. Admittedly, it's a bit ... hard to judge in terms of cost inside the game itself. There are people out there who seem dirt poor, and end up having equipment that costs more then many others who by their description should be of better economic status. But the sheer ... simplicity of what a footpad is (One cooked up by an average joe schmoe, not some master cobbler with specifically selected leather pieces

[jhunter]

I don't think that -every- pc someone makes should recognize "footpads" and -know- what their purpose is, I make my pcs different...some may recognize them and know their purpose, some may not. It's really more realistic that way than having -every- pc  you create recognize them, know their purpose, and become suspicious of -every- person they see with them. That's just silly and smacks of a bit of powergaming if you ask me.  As someone else pointed out, just because you see someone wearing a padded, simple shoe it doesn't mean for certain that they are using them to be shady, realistically it could be simply because they can't afford shoes with more solid soles, etc.

Personally, I think the word "footpad" shouldn't be in the description of most of these types of shoes to reflect the fact that not -everyone- would recognize them for what they can be used for. Instead of "A shabby pair of footpads" it should be "a shabby pair of soft-soled shoes", something like that.

[Folker]

Ironically, many footpads look just fine when they're dropped on the ground. Pieces of leather, wont ever suspect anything malicious from them. If only they looked similar when worn.