Lockpicking | Skills TES V: Skyrim Guide
Last update: 05 December 2019
This TES V: Skyrim World Atlas page describes Lockpicking skills. These skills are related to the thief archetype. Our tutorial in addition to describing the skills will tell you how to develop them, and what related best features are worth unlocking.
How to increase skill: This skill can be increased by attempting to open different types of locks. The growth of the skill depends on if you've succeeded at opening a lock and how complicated it was to unlock it.
Main purpose of developing this skill: Increasing the effectiveness of lockpicking (less likely to fail).
Available perks: 11.
Best perks: Quick Hands, Treasure Hunter, Unbreakable.
Comments:
- The most important thing you should know about lockpicking is that you don't have to purchase any perks from this skill tree. It's entirely possible to open any kind of lock without them (even the master locks), however it will of course be much more difficult. The only reason why you should consider acquiring perks is to lower the difficulty of the entire process and by that I mean losing less lockpicks while trying to find the right combination.
- Don't give up if you've failed when trying to open a lock, because you'll lose only one lockpick and even then you'll gain some progress needed to improve the Lockpicking skill (much less of course than if you'd succeeded).
- I would recommend that you save your game before each attempt of opening a lock, so that you won't have to risk running out of all lockpicks and being forced to go back for some more. It's always good to have a decent number of lockpicks with you, so you'll know that you'll be able to open each new lock you've discovered during your journeys.
- You can significantly lower the difficulty of all lockpicking attempts by joining the Thieves Guild and completing Blindsighted quest, because during that quest the main character finds an object called a Skeleton Key. This key works similar to lockpicks, however it can't be destroyed. You should consider delaying the rest of the Thieves Guild quests from that point on, because you'll be forced to return the Skeleton Key at some point of the game. An ideal moment to give it back would be after unlocking Unbreakable perk which grants the exact same effect (indestructible lockpicks).
- NOVICE LOCKS
- APPRENTICE LOCKS
- QUICK HANDS
- WAX KEY
- ADEPT LOCKS
- GOLDEN TOUCH
- TREASURE HUNTER
- EXPERT LOCKS
- LOCKSMITH
- UNBREAKABLE
- MASTER LOCKS
NOVICE LOCKS
Requirements: None.
Description: Lower difficulty level when picking novice locks.
Comments: You must purchase this perk to gain access to all the remaining ones from this skill tree.
APPRENTICE LOCKS
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to at least 25 points. Unlocked Novice Locks perk.
Description: Lower difficulty level when picking apprentice locks.
Comments: The reason for unlocking this perk is the same as above, however in this case you'll have a choice how you want to continue unlocking the skill tree.
QUICK HANDS
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to at least 40 points. Unlocked Apprentice Locks perk.
Description: Ability of opening locks without the risk of getting caught.
Comments: This is an extremely useful ability, as long as you often find yourself picking locks in public places (cities, homes etc). By unlocking this perk you don't have to worry about hiding the main character in the shadows before attempting to open the lock. The same goes with not having to worry about avoiding the guard patrols.
WAX KEY
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to at least 50 points. Unlocked Quick Hands perk.
Description: Possibility of receiving a copy of the key from an opened lock so that it can be used (if necessary) in the future.
Comments: This is practically a useless perk, because only a very small number of locations and chests become locked again later in the game. Furthermore, it's always possible to open them again (or to steal an original key from the correct person).
ADEPT LOCKS
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to at least 50 points. Unlocked Apprentice Locks perk.
Description: Lower difficulty level when picking adept locks.
Comments: You'll want to purchase this perk not only to lower the difficulty when lockpicking, but also to gain access to new interesting perks.
GOLDEN TOUCH
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to at least 60 points. Unlocked Adept Locks perk.
Description: Possibility of finding more gold in chests.
Comments: The only reason why you should unlock this perk is to gain access to the one explained below, because you won't have any gold problems during the game.
TREASURE HUNTER
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to at least 70 points. Unlocked Golden Touch perk.
Description: 50% chance of finding a special treasure in a chest.
Comments: This is a very interesting perk, especially since the chances are high and almost every time the main character finds something very valuable which he may use in his upcoming adventures or sell with a high profit.
EXPERT LOCKS
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to at least 75 points. Unlocked Adept Locks perk.
Description: Lower difficulty level when picking expert locks.
Comments: This is a valuable perk, because you'll be dealing with expert locks very often and because it unlocks access to three final perks of this skill tree.
LOCKSMITH
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to at least 80 points. Unlocked Expert Locks perk.
Description: Ability of starting the lockpicking process much closer to the mini-game's solution.
Comments: Obviously this perk is all about lowering the difficulty of the mini-game even more, but the main reason for unlocking it is to gain access to the next perk (the one explained below).
UNBREAKABLE
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to 100 points. Unlocked Locksmith perk.
Description: All lockpicks become indestructible.
Comments: This is an excellent perk if you don't have the Skeleton Key mentioned earlier in the text or if you've already returned it and therefore can't get it back. Having indestructible lockpicks makes the entire process of opening locks much easier, because you won't have to worry about running of them or restarting the mini-game after a failed attempt.
MASTER LOCKS
Requirements: Lockpicking skill increased to 100 points. Unlocked Expert Locks perk.
Description: Lower difficulty level when picking master locks.
Comments: Master locks are always extremely difficult to open and they take many attempts, however if you've already unlocked the Unbreakable perk you won't have to invest in this one as well.