Lockpicking tips

[Meowish]

I was wondering if anyone has any tips for lockpicking, my partner has nerve damage in his hands and his hands seem to shake too much to get it done, no matter how much he practices... I've read that it will get easier as you level up the right skill etc, but I was wondering if maybe someone has any other insights that we could use? We've tried it both on m&k and on controller, so far without luck, haven't managed to pick even a single lock so far..

[Kona]

Mouse and keyboard should be easier. Start with very easy locks and pickpocketing sleepers to raise thievery. Quickfinger potions also make it easier when you gain access to that recipe.

If you haven't lowered your mouse sensitivity do that.
Visually identify the sweet spot on the lock
Engage the lockpick and try to keep the pick in the gold sweet spot as best as you can.
If you are having a rough pick then just release and reset to prevent your pick breaking.

By the time you hit 15 thievery VH locks should be doable especially with potions

[Lazydrones]

Might need to simply pick more and more locks to reduce the game's forced "jiggling difficulty". The "difficulty" of the lockpick jiggling reduces the higher your lock picking skill is.

If his hand shakes that much - it might not be a way to remedy it in game sadly and I don't think there is a setting in game to remove it.
Though lock picking isn't strictly required for anything save a handful of chests that are of easy skill level - maybe a medium chest or door. Though it does make a few things somewhat easier in some later segments of the game.

Potions do help and there are a few perks that increase the pick durability and reduce difficulty of the locks.

If you want to spend the time to REALLY practice:
In the Miller Krezyl segment - you can pick the chest repeatedly for more and more and more practice and get your skill up to about 15(?) without fear of any punishment. It takes a while though but it is good practice.

You can also get some dark clothes and just run around at night picking door and chest locks and moving on. If no one sees you, nothing happens and it'll re-lock the next day for you to pick yet again.

Picking pockets also bumps your lock picking skill since they are both shared under Thievery.

If you have a lock picking sweet spot that isn't ideal - you can exit the mini-game and go back into it and it'll move the sweet spot. Sometimes that can help, I do find some positions easier to pick than others. Such as those on outer edges with a rail to help guide visually.

[Raywhisper]

Level up thievery. Eventually even very hard locks become easy. With low thievery skill it is impossible to pick harder locks no matter how good actual player is. It is a simple stat check.

[Meowish]

Thanks for the replies! Really appreciated, he's going back in with a little more confidence now that it might not simply be impossible for him!

[Rampant Razza]

i play this game mostly on controller, i say mostly because for all the minigames i find it much easier to use a m+k for precision purposes.
solid advice already on here- start with very easy locks, pickpocket sleepers for easier pickpocketing, and as you skill up it becomes alot easier and less punisihng

[Furin]

I haven't checked, but I bet there is a lockpicking mod on the Nexus by now, you know, if everything else fails.

[Kryten]

At game start I could not even pick the very easy locks at first, but it got better pretty quick. Now I don't even need potions anymore to pick the hardest locks...

[Furin]

And at this time only 28,4% of players have picked the hardest lock type (says achievement), so it isn't super easy, even for people who have non shaking hands. Don't worry about it.

[minisith]

There is a practice chest to lock pick on tge first major quest. Go find the Miller to get to the chest.