Lockpicking in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion involves a mini-game where you must set a series of tumblers to the top of the lock to open it. Here's how it works and how to do it successfully:
How Lockpicking Works in Oblivion
- When you attempt to pick a lock, you see several tumblers (pins) that need to be pushed up and set at the top of the lock's chamber.
- You move the lockpick horizontally to select a tumbler and push it upwards to try to set it.
- Each tumbler moves up and then falls back down at varying speeds-sometimes fast, sometimes slow.
- The key is to push the tumbler up and wait for it to move up slowly before setting it. If you try to set the tumbler when it moves too fast, your lockpick will break, and the tumbler will fall back down.
- When the tumbler reaches the top slowly, you press a button (Space on PC, A on Xbox) to set it in place.
- If you set a tumbler successfully, it stays up, and you move on to the next one.
- If you fail, the lockpick breaks, and depending on your Security skill level, one or more tumblers already set may fall back down, forcing you to start over.
Tips for Successful Lockpicking
- Be patient: Do not rush to set the tumbler as soon as it moves up. Wait for the slow upward movement.
- Tap the tumbler repeatedly: You can keep tapping the tumbler to make it bounce up and down slowly, which gives you more time to set it at the right moment.
- Listen for sound cues: A distinct "tink" or higher-pitched click indicates the tumbler is at the correct position to set.
- Practice to recognize patterns: Tumblers often alternate between fast and slow movements in a pattern. Learning these patterns helps you time your setting more accurately.
- Higher Security skill helps: With better skill, fewer tumblers reset when a pick breaks, and the timing becomes more forgiving.
By following these steps and practicing, you can reliably pick locks without breaking too many lockpicks
Summary
- Select a tumbler.
- Push it up repeatedly until it moves up slowly.
- When it moves slowly at the top, press the set button to lock it in place.
- Repeat for all tumblers.
- Avoid setting tumblers when they move fast to prevent breaking lockpicks.
This method works consistently and is the best way to master lockpicking in Oblivion
