Security Question

[Nezkeys]

How exactly does lock picking work and if a lock says very hard is there just no point in trying to open it until i am a higher level.

So i push it up then press x to hold it in place then move on to another which breaks the pick instantly. I dont get the mechanics of it tbh

[Nezkeys]

Yup just tried a "hard" lock...used up 50 picks couodnt get more than 2/4

[Patriot03]

Thanks for the added Alchemy info too!, As for lock picking I found a tactic that works really well. I found for me an my reaction time if I wait for what I know to be the slowlest lock pick animation by the time my brain has confirmed that's the slow one I left click and it's just in time.

So if you can manage, try and ONLY click once you've mentally confirmed that it's slow movement, that's what I do anyway. Not sure how easy this would be on a controller but if you have quick reaction time I'm sure you could manage. You've got to remain calm, and be double sure it's the slow one before attempting. Hope I got that across properly, good luck!

[Nezkeys]

Okay ... i have it now. It clicked via the audible prompts but not because of that video (which i think is unhelpful tbh sorry).

The reason the video is confusing is because it does a double clink every time and he makes out as tho i should listen out for a double clink as if it only happens once and the rest are single clinks.

Basically it's just that one of the double clinks is slower. Also its a randomly changing pattern which is why my brain couldnt latch onto anything tangible earlier. I was assuming it would stay the same but it doesnt. For example...

Double clink (fast)
Double clink (fast)
Double clink (slow)

This would make me think its a pattern of 2 fast to 1 slow. However the next time i did it i just let it run and it did 3 fast then one slow. So yeah...best way is audible prompt just click asap when you hear the slower double clink

[Gorgeous Freeman]

Once you get the hang of it it becomes so much easier and as I said once you reach level 10 you can get the skeleton key which is an unbreakable lockpick

[Nezkeys]

Im security level 5 lol and main level 2. I just opened three very hards in a row XD

[Nezkeys]

Now i can get the 10 poisonous apples!

[BondageSpider]

Some advice for anybody else having trouble with the lockpicking minigame:

- Time stops when lockpicking, even if enemies are chasing you, just like when your Journal is open. Stay calm and take your time.
- The speed at which the pins bounce each time is randomized, but your Agility and Security stats help by making slower bounces more common. High Security skill perks also reduce the number of already set pins that fall when you break a pick.
- When the pin shoots straight to the top instantly, don't even try to click. Keep bouncing the pin until you get a slower upswing, that's when you try to click it in place.
- You need to click the pin in place just as it reaches the top. Once it starts to slide back down, it's already too late. Let it fall, and try again.
- If you need more lockpicks, there is a vendor named Shady Sam who sells them. Go to the Imperial City stables and walk north, following the outside of the city wall. You'll find him against the wall, near a tree, on the outside of the Elven Gardens District. He stands there 24/7 selling potions and lockpicks. There are 30 lockpicks in his inventory, which respawn every three days or so.
- The timing takes a lot of practice. I sucked at this minigame when I started, but now I never run out of lockpicks. It's possible for a player with a lot of experience to open Very Hard locks on the first try, even with a new character that has low stats and skills. You'll get the hang of it.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Snotbag]

Regarding training costs

"The cost of training is 10 gold per point of your current rank in the skill.

You can apply Drain Skill effects to yourself to lower your skill so trainers will train your skills for lower cost, or so lower level trainers will train you. The ranks learned while training will still be added to your base skill level. For example, a custom made Drain Skill 100 points for 1 second effect would render master trainers unnecessary and give your character free training.

This can be used to train your skills over 100, all the way up to 255. Drain Skill effects from two separate sources are required to make this free from 101-200 and effects from three separate sources are required to make this free from 201-255."


http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Trainers

[Nezkeys]

^sounds interesting. I assumed you couldn't take anything past 100

and yeah about lockpicking it's so much easier now. I still miss a few here and there but in general I now have the "thing" I was looking for instead of thinking it's totally random.

Slower doubleclink. I prefer to rely on the audible rather than the visual but obviously I'm using both. My security skill is 5 and my agility is 30 and I can open any very hard lock now