Lockpicking, Skill or luck?
- Thread starter Dirty Mac
- Start date
Nocte Aeterna
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Film
In my opinion, it's both. It takes luck to find the point at which you can fully turn the lock, but it takes skill to actually do so without breaking the lockpick in the process.
And jiggling and tumbling indicates that you haven't quite hit the "sweet spot". Too much rumbling causes the pick to break. Usually when picking locks, you want the turning process as smooth and as fluid as possible.
And jiggling and tumbling indicates that you haven't quite hit the "sweet spot". Too much rumbling causes the pick to break. Usually when picking locks, you want the turning process as smooth and as fluid as possible.
Nocte Aeterna
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Film
Yes, exactly. If you feel too much jiggling, change your angle. On higher-level locks, the jiggling is very prevalent. But the further you get without a jiggle, the better off you are.
Nocte Aeterna
Sir Not-Appearing-in-This-Film
Certainly.
Daelon DuLac
How do you backstab a Dragon?
In my opinion, it's a skill. Of course there is some luck involved, but, with finesse, you can pick almost any lock. Sure some of the experts take a couple of tries, but, practice makes perfect. It's all about finesse. I haven't really paid attention to the sounds, but, there is usually a clue on the appearance of the lock in my opinion with some spot, grove, dent or nub indicating for me. I have been picking all types of locks since about level 4 with success and, although I'm up to over 90 on my lockpick #'s on the tree, I have yet to get any of the perks. I will probably just legendize it when I get to 100 and move them somewhere else.
True. Also, does the vibrate function work on a PC if you use a controller? I assume not, which makes me very sad.
The trick I use is to take note of where you place the pick, in relation to the box, ie the mottled grey lock fitting you see in the mini-game. There's so many unique little marks and cracks, it's really easy to pick a spot and work from there, even on a Master lock with a low skill level. I've opened a Master chest with 7 or fewer lockpicks with less than 20 skill a few times.
Nighthiker77
Well-Known Member
Wait until you get dragonborn and just reset the perks. You'll never find enough locks to get it up again. They only count once.
orca45
What we do in life, echoes in the eternity !
I have been able to open expert - master chest with patience, skill and a bit of luck also. It does require practice and patience when you are starting to play the game.
Bad-People
Supreme Overlord of the Barbarian Tribe of Hothor
Never start in the center because the resistance won't tell you what side to go to in that case. I like to start about a tenth of the way left of center on my first turn and feel it out from there.
Riften Guard
Bad Thief
I heard somewhere that when you break a pick, the pick breaks in the direction you need to go. This works a lot for me, but I doubt that it is an "intended" function.
Bad-People
Supreme Overlord of the Barbarian Tribe of Hothor
I heard that too. I found it to be false.
Daelon DuLac
How do you backstab a Dragon?
My sweet spot us usually about 1/4 over on the right (most locks start there for me), but there are the occassional lefties as well.
berzum
Why is the alto wine always gone?
i heard the same thing, it is false as far as i know, lock picking is more patience than anything once you find a spot that lets you turn even a little bit that means you are on the sweet spot lol
Acid Raindrops
Member
probably a little bit of both.
DrunkenMage
Intoxicated Arch-Mage
I guess it depends, on higher levels you don't care too much about losing a lockpick. I have like 674 lockpicks.
Annageckos
Well-Known Member
I always start in the middle, it works great for me. I find for a lot of the locks that is the spot. If it isn't I will go to the right about a 1/4 way and keep that up till I find the spot. I find most locks are to the right. I rarely break the picks this way. But everyone has a way that works best for them.
