Steal is a double-swing: the target loses a card and you gain one in hand — unlike Dismantle, which only discards. Play it when a target wears something strong — Red Hare, Eight Trigrams, or a weapon — then equip the loot yourself. Rebels strip the Lord bare; Loyalists can lift a deadly Lightning off an ally's judgement zone. But at Range 1, you must close in first.
Pairs beautifully with Gan Ning, whose black cards convert into Steal or Dismantle — effectively unlimited Steals. Zhang Liao shares the card-snatching theme, grinding enemy hands empty. Add Red Hare or Ma Chao to shrink distance and reach targets that would otherwise sit outside Range 1.
Steal can be Negated — hold a Negate to blank the grab when it targets something you can't afford to lose. Don't hoard strong cards in hand or wear everything at once; spend key cards before they're snatched. And stay out of Range 1 — a defensive horse like Shadow Runner pushes you beyond reach.