How to train lockpicking when everything is too difficult?

[Scoob]

Hey all,

So, at some point changes were put in so characters with insufficient skill couldn't even attempt certain locks. However, I've found myself with a bit of a problem this play through...

Despite having trained Lockpicking using the training chests to level 20, every single locked Door or Chest I've found in many hours of play is "too difficult".

Now, I don't role play as a thief, I'll never rob a store or anything, all I'm doing is exploring sites to ancient tech books. I'm finding the sites - I have played once or twice before lol - but I simply cannot access any of the locked chests.

What are my options as a non-criminal player to level up my lock picking to sufficient levels? I've got a Level 2 practise chest, but I cannot craft anything higher - if there is anything higher - until I can unlock some more tech. I'm sorta stuck due to my low lock picking skill. Any advice?

Scoob.

[Immaluckez]

Originally posted by Scoob:

Hey all,

So, at some point changes were put in so characters with insufficient skill couldn't even attempt certain locks. However, I've found myself with a bit of a problem this play through...

Despite having trained Lockpicking using the training chests to level 20, every single locked Door or Chest I've found in many hours of play is "too difficult".

Now, I don't role play as a thief, I'll never rob a store or anything, all I'm doing is exploring sites to ancient tech books. I'm finding the sites - I have played once or twice before lol - but I simply cannot access any of the locked chests.

What are my options as a non-criminal player to level up my lock picking to sufficient levels? I've got a Level 2 practise chest, but I cannot craft anything higher - if there is anything higher - until I can unlock some more tech. I'm sorta stuck due to my low lock picking skill. Any advice?

Scoob.

Most chests/lockers can be unlocked with simple picklocking skill so u need to do more of that before getting into the next stage which is those harder chests unlocks. Must get at least 50+ picklocking skill to open all chests including the ultimate one which gives u 5% chance which is mandatory, anything less will be considered ' too difficult '

[Scoob]

The problem is, every chest / door I've encountered so far has been beyond my level - I must have tried 20 or 30 by now. Note: I will not rob shops and the like, as this role play is about being a good guy. Abandoned buildings are fair game though.

So, how do I level up lock picking when every chest / door is too hard for my current level, and I've already realistically maxed out any levels I can get from training.

Note: Doors aren't a problem, as I can just bash them down, chests cannot though.

Scoob.

[CombatJoe]

I don't steal anything from shops either, but I will still pick open the shop door and the safe behind the counter for training. Most of the skill gain came from hitting more ruins, especially locations like the deadlands workshops which have a lot of mid level crates to train up on.

I focused all the lockpicking on one character until he got to skill 40, once at that rank I revisited sites to get into locks I had skipped. I haven't tried it myself, but you could go find and liberate slave camps, probably a lot of locks and cages to open at those.

[Scoob]

Perhaps I've just been unlucky, but it's ruins and workshops I've been visiting, quite a lot of them now, but all of them had had doors and chests that are above my level. Is the lock level on these sites random?

My chap is level 20, which was purely from the tier II training chest. Before the change you could attempt any lock, you'd just likely be there for ages at a lower level.

I guess I might have to practise my skills elsewhere....though not actually steal anything to fit with my roleplay.

Scoob.

[jwarper]

If you are playing the "good guy" then go find a slaver camp or even in United cities, and unlock slave/prison cells (without being seen of course) A guard will usually come back and re-lock them from time to time.

[Scoob]

I'm actually trying what you suggested @CombatJoe - I'm just picking the locks on chests in Stores.

However, I am experiencing a weird issue...

I pick a lock, complete it, wait until my "Committing Crime" vanishes, then I wander off with everything being fine. Then, a short while later, one of the NPC's says something like "thief" and all hell breaks loose. Firstly, I wasn't actually caught committing a crime, no one did, or possibly could have, seen anything. Secondly, the countdown had finished and I appeared to be in the clear.

I've basically zero experience with levelling my lock picking in this way, so was wondering if perhaps I'm missing something?

To be clear, at the time the alarm is raised I'm not doing anything criminal, I have no "Committing Crime" counter on the screen and I'm wandering around normally - not sneaking or anything.

This appears to occur randomly with the NPC raising the alarm on another floor or in another room way out of site. My understanding was it's only stealing items that makes a noise that can be hear, lock picking is a visual thing. Regardless, I wasn't doing anything when I was "spotted".

Scoob.

[iokimg]

Pretty sure you can change the minimum % needed to try to pick a lock back to 0 in the FCS general settings.

I usually join the Thieves guild and train to 20 on their box, then visit unguarded ruins looking for chests I can skill up on, if I'm not feeling like visiting the local shops.

[jwarper]

@Scoob, I have had this happen to me at the Hub. Not sure if that is the same place and if so, might be a bug. However, i just then used that bar as a training ground, not worrying about my rep with that vendor any longer. I did not see it happen again at higher levels.

[iokimg]

As for the alarm, I've had the same thing. Looted the Traders bank and after I emptied a couple chest at 100% success rating, left stealth and tried walking out they raised the alarm on me.

Same thing at a weapon shop, alone on the roof, 100% success theiving and they 'caught' me after I was already downstairs and on my way out.

[Scoob]

Yeah, I did join the thieves near the start of the game as I started in The Hub. I did build my own tier II practise chest at my own settlement eventually though. So, my guy started at level 20 lock picking. I've found lots of unguarded ruins, but none with locks I could pick at that level.

While I started at The Hub, I've not actually done any "training" in the bar there so to speak :)

The funny thing about me getting "caught" was that I didn't steal a thing lol.

I am levelling quite well now, just finding random chests in various town buildings a quick sprint from my settlement. I'll get to level 40 (almost there) and hopefully that'll be enough for all those locks that were from 0% to 4% chance at level 20 that I couldn't even try to pick. Really, ALL of those should have said 0% chance, as that's the actual number as I couldn't even try!

Scoob.

[CombatJoe]

I've never had that occur Scoob, it sounds like a bug. I do what you do; wait until the crime timer has finished, then stop sneaking and walk out assuming it's day time. If you're doing it at night you need to make sure you're not spotted by any NPC until you are out of the locked building.

For the doors, you can just smash them, until you're good enough to lockpick them.

I really did get most of my ranks from workshops. There were always some high level chests but most of the crates were of mid level and provided great training. The outposts and lost armories also have a lot of these crates, but also pretty nasty enemies.

[Scoob]

I've not actually been going into locked buildings, just ones that are open. I then avoid LoS and pick a chest while sneaking. I then exit sneak mode, wait for the crime counter to vanish - it does go 0, -1, -2 sometimes, which is weird - then I wander away. It usually works just fine, but sometimes I get "caught" when I should be away free.

Every chest in the workshops / libraries was shown in red and as 0% to 4% couldn't even try. Will head back when I'm level 40 or so. I hope to sneak where at all possible past enemies...or return in force later.

Scoob.

[wogamer34]

The crime counter will vanish while you are sneaking, popping off stealth w/o it gone is an unnecessary liability and might be contributing to your problem

[Scoob]

Sorry, I likely wasn't clear - the Crime counter is only three seconds and it's long gone by the time I'm "spotted", so something isn't working quite right there. Also, as mentioned, the crime counter sometimes continues counting down below zero, so -1, -2 etc. while may well be another symptom of this problem.

Scoob.

[Reef]

well since you already joined the thieves its simple to lvl lockpicking. go up to the third floor of their tower and pick those lock while sneaking. they dont care even if they see you but will react if you try to steal anything. this should get you high enough lvl to open all locks ingame as they relock every day