Master Farmer (2234).

I notice there is a guard now, however, something changed with thieving the master farmer.  I can no longer click on him to thieve from a distance, even a small distance away.  I must first run right up to him, or it doesn't work.  And if he moves, I must again get close enough to him in order to thieve.  I do turn towards him, but I won't move.

I second this, I was thieving and I wasn't able to thieve while standing right under the NPC. Usually, it delays the event about to happen and moves you or the NPC next to eachother so the the event can continue. Now it just does nothing.

Also, when the market guard attacked me my HP bar went less than half, when I had almost full hp. It didn't cut my HP off though, it only showed like it.

Yes, that has happened to me also, down in the dwarf mine when I accidentally attacked a scorpion.