Lockpicking Skill

At first glance you may wonder why the lockpicking skill is needed at all, when the Magery spell Magic Unlock seems to do the same thing. However, lockpickers with the lockpicking skill are able to open harder locks that the magic unlock spell cannot. The lockpicking skill is essential for a treasure hunter.

Besides opening tougher locks, lockpicking has one more advantage over the magic unlock spell - stealth. Casting a spell takes time and everyone can see you doing it, while you can pick a lock while hidden. This comes in handy in dungeons and on treasure hunts.

Even though lockpickers can open high level locks, there are still locks that require magic to open.

On your adventures you may come across key varieties: skeleton keys and master skeleton keys. Skeleton keys are similar to lockpicks but more effective; the chance of failure is reduced. Master skeleton keys are a much improved version; they can open almost any locked chest, but they can only be used once.

Skill Training
While training the lockpicking skill, it helps to take up the Tinkering skill as well. First, to train lockpicking you will need boxes to practice on; these are made by a tinker/carpenter, and you will need boxes of various levels from the start all the way to 100. Second, you will need lockpicks, and as it happens one of the easiest ways to train tinkering is making lockpicks. So you can follow a plan like this:

1. Buy skill in tinkering/Carpentry/lockpicking up to ~30.
2. Make small crates and set them aside for later use.
3. Raise tinkering to 30 by making spoons.
4. Raise tinkering to 45 by making hammers.
5. Raise tinkering to 55 by making lockpicks.
6. Make small crates and keep them separate from the first set.
7. Raise tinkering to 80 by making lockpicks.
8. Make small crates and keep them separate from the earlier ones.
9. Raise tinkering to 95 by making lockpicks.
10. Raise tinkering to 100 by making flour sifters.
11. Make small crates and keep them separate from the earlier ones.

At this point you have 4 sets of lockable crates and plenty of lockpicks. Now raise your lockpicking skill by locking and unlocking these crates over and over. Start with the first set of crates you made, and as your skill goes up, move on to the next set.

The lockpicking skill can be raised to 95 with these tinker made boxes. To push your skill higher than that, you will need to pick the locks of chests found on treasure hunts and in dungeons.