Its not stealing when the game world keeps turning a blind eye to it most of the time. Think of it as appropriating resources needed for the investigation.
Charisma is most useful for RPS dialogue battles so if you want to focus on combat the most you dont need it.
Nasty deeds are mostly worthless.
Arent stealth and invisibility branches on the same tree? Or rather, fruits on the same branch? Sweet delicious fruits. yum.
Experiment, let the dice roll, live wild. (of course you wont, meh)
I really appreciated this post, Hiver.
Taking it point by point you're quite right about the game world turning a blind eye to stealing. Honestly, I think this is a major shortcoming in games of this nature (Elder Scrolls, etc.), in that they include the notion of ownership and theft but enforcement never has any teeth. Larian actually goes further than most games in having NPCs chastise you and get you to cough up goods when spotted (and you lose influence with them), but they make it quite easy to not be spotted...and then there's no arm of the law to meaningfully enforce it.
Perhaps it's extreme, but maybe games shouldn't provide anything to steal until they conjure up a punishment that feels grave enough to greatly discourage the behavior (or at least balances the rewards of plunder with added difficulty somehow). Otherwise, if you don't steal (as in Divinity OS), you're essentially forfeiting free money. The only barrier at that point is the player's restraint in the interest of playing "good, law-abiding" characters.
While I am more combat than RP focused, the dialog and RP aspects of Divinity OS are quality enough that I'd say a few charisma points are warranted. Thanks for clarification on that.
Nasty deeds are worthless. But sneaking is a nasty deed and you seem to indicate ("yum") that it appeals to you. Lockpicking does seem to be a convenience and aids realism (vs. chopping at someone's back door for the equivalent of 20 minutes while they're home...and apparently oblivious).
Stealth and invisibility do appear to be interchangeable initially and both are probably equivalent for certain tasks. But, actually, the game does grant certain bonuses to sneaking that are not afforded to being invisible. For example, the Guerrilla talent gives you double damage to attacks made while sneaking (this does not work with invisibility). I'm wondering if there are other instances of this as well.
"Experiment and live wild..." Ah, that is such sage advice (and I say this with all seriousness). I wish I had the will to take it more often (the few times I have were absolutely worth it). It's some sort of a horrible gamer's affliction, I tell you.
Thanks,
Geezer
P.S. Please keep the responses coming I really enjoy hearing others' points of view.
