Have a couple of questions:

1. Is it a requirement to turn hostile when commiting an act of PVP, even if the PVP isn't a physical attack;

e.g. PC1 has a lot of goods laid out on the ground to trade them. PC1 becomes distracted by something. PC2, whilst invisible, grabs a few of the said items.

Would PC2 need to go hostile before grabbing anything?

2. What are the bonuses in regard to the hostile status? Is it just pick pocket? I thought it was spot/listen as well? i have tried to find about this and can't seem to on the forums.

Ta

1. Is it a requirement to turn hostile when commiting an act of PVP, even if the PVP isn't a physical attack;

e.g. PC1 has a lot of goods laid out on the ground to trade them. PC1 becomes distracted by something. PC2, whilst invisible, grabs a few of the said items.

Would PC2 need to go hostile before grabbing anything?

That would be ideal. Things like that are more difficult to enforce though, particularly since often times the grabbers are just totally new players who are completely clueless and just think there's free loot on the ground.

2. What are the bonuses in regard to the hostile status? Is it just pick pocket? I thought it was spot/listen as well? i have tried to find about this and can't seem to on the forums.

As far as I know, there are no bonuses from being Hostile at all. There is definitely a rumor that there it is, and people have claimed it, but the research I've done indicates that it remains the same. If anyone has reliable proof otherwise let me know.

Im not sure this will apply to every character but Rangers will not recieve their bonuses for favored enemy (Spot, AB, AC is that all the bonuses? ) if the creature is not Hostile.

EDIT : So sorry DMs, thought that this was the suggestions thread for some reason. Aplogies!

While your information is useful Goblin, in the future try to refrain from posting in other player's ask a DM threads.