I didn't steal much and I didn't invest in any vendor and I ended the game with 25k+ gold after paying for some expensive plot-related things (access to someone's house, and whatever other things NPCs wanted to sell me).
I didn't find any amazing items I'd like to buy like Robe of Vecna in BG2, or belts for Giant Stength, something to add spell slots, whatever. Honestly, items seemed quite underwhelming to me, most were adding bonuses that I could barely see purple being much better than blue. One spell, or advantage on rolls... Not too exciting :<
Actually yea, somewhere in Act 2 I bought the +1d4 halberd for Lae'zeell because the construct glaive kept stunning her, but shortly thereafter I find some other glaive with +1d4 radiant and permanent light so she doesn't need darkvision anymore.
Items that are always worth buying are the ones with +1 spell DC, so while the +2 CHA hat does the same as the +1 DC hat, I can pass the latter to Jaheria who I'm also using as an offensive backup caster, or do the same with gale.
The +1 DC staff from the mushroom town vendor I've never taken off on my sorc since I got it, meanwhile Jaheira uses the fire staff thats +1 to ranged spell DC but also firebolt cantrip and 1 click of fireball. Also the cantrip on that staff uses her wisdom stat for DC not Intelligence, so along with shillelagh and the ring that infuses weapons with spell damage, she has the full complement of melee attack powers spells > spells powers weapons gear.
How much I wish I could have quicken spell on druids too, but that would be broken.
