Hi. I'm sorry if this question has been answered before, but is it possible for a thief to gain experience by stealing? I'm just really curious because I'd like to create a mostly nonviolent pickpocket but only if it would still be possible to level up.

Thanks

Mostly, the answer is no. There are nonviolent avenues to gain some experience but you shouldn't expect to see a pacifist make hero or probably even get close.

There are different forms of exp. you could level slowly based on commerce exp alone, by bartering or selling what you stole. Supplement this with exploration, observation, quest and immortal exp.