Begging is an art only for the most patient adventurer.  Beggars must be willing to be rebuffed, jeered, and even attacked at times.  However, the persistant beggar can often score easy cash with no effort or other talent.

There are several good ways to practice your art.  In each of these examples, the beggar is supplementing his begging income in other ways; begging doesn't pay the rent, so to speak.  The first method is similar to the rogue's Pickpocket ability; while fighting a humanoid monster (one from whom you can successfully pickpocket/beg), turn attack off, beg, and then attack again, all in rapid succession.  The second method is to find a place to beg and fish at the same time.  Several places to do this are the lake in West Commonlands (beware of Dragoon Zytl!), the waterfall in Rivervale (beg from the young halfling), the docks in East Freeport and South Qeynos, etc.  Finally, if you are a pet class, you can raise your skill by begging from your pet, although this can be somewhat demeaning right after he calls you Oh Great One.  You can also beg from the boat while doing the tedious passage between continents.

Begging can provide you with easy unearned cash, but many of your targets will feel no sympathy for your poverty when you plead for coppers.  In fact, they may even be so repulsed by you that they attack.  It is a good idea to beg only from people that like you already, and to beg only from people that wouldn't be able to kill you, if it came down to that.  Unlike many skills, begging will improve even when used on much weaker targets.

Do not expect to be given anything more than a copper until you have at least begun to master the skill (~50).  Then you can start raking in the coppers, and even occasional silvers.

Submitted by Knot Ninefingers, Master Beggar