Oblivion Remastered brings back much of what made the original memorable—lockpick mechanics included. Whereas Skyrim tweaked the system later on, the Oblivion remaster keeps it original, and if you’re struggling, we can help.
I’m writing this guide from a place of experience. I’ve broken more lockpicks in The Elder Scrolls and Fallout than I’ve probably spoken words. They’re such brittle objects and feel like one gust of wind away from breaking. Oblivion Remastered first introduces you to easy locks, and before you know it, you’ll be going through lockpicks quicker than healing potions.
I have some tips to help you get better at lockpicking in the remaster.
How Does Lockpicking Work in Oblivion Remastered?
Oblivion Remastered’s Lockpick mini-game requires you to move the lockpick between Tumblers, and you need to push them up, wait for a clicking sound, and press the action button at the right time to stick them in place. Depending on the lock’s difficulty, you need to do this with between one and five Tumblers.
Here’s how a basic lockpick attempt goes in Oblivion Remastered:
- Acquire a lockpick.
- Find any chest or door that requires a lockpick to open.
- Interact with it.
- Move the lockpick along to any of the Tumblers in the lock.
- Push the Tumbler up—be careful how fast you push the controller stick or mouse as it affects the Tumbler’s speed.
- Wait for a distinct clicking sound once the Tumbler reaches the top of the lock.
- Press X on PlayStation, A on Xbox, or the applicable keybind on PC when you hear the click.
- Repeat this process with any remaining Tumblers.
How to Get Better at Lockpicking in Oblivion Remastered
The way to lockpick more efficiently in Oblivion Remastered is through improving your Skills, patience, and understanding—seriously.
I’m sure you’re thinking, “What great advice,” but trust me, it’s true.
You can start mowing your way through lockpicks in the blink of an eye. You break one, get frustrated, break another, you rush, get even more impatient, and before you know it, you’re into double digits in terms of broken lockpicks.
- Make sure you’re keeping a consistent speed when moving Tumblers.
- Push Tumblers up multiple times to see how they all react.
- Come back later if you need to!
Along with natural ability and improvement, you can also artificially upgrade your lockpick skills.
How to Improve Lockpick Skill in Oblivion Remastered
Completing lockpick mini-games improves your Security Skill over time—reducing how many Tumblers fall when you fail an attempt.
The Security Skill is one of several stats in Oblivion Remastered upgraded through repeated actions. In this instance, picking locks contributes to Security, and once you pick so many, you level the Skill.
Thanks to Game8, here’s every level of the Skill and what it does.
| Skill Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Level 1-24 | Up to four tumblers will fall when you fail and break a lockpick. |
| Level 25-49 | Up to three tumblers will fall when you fail and break a lockpick. |
| Level 50-74 | Up to two tumblers will fall when you fail and break a lockpick. |
| Level 75-99 | Only one tumbler will fall when you fail and break a lockpick. |
| Level 100 | No tumblers fall when you fail and break a lockpick. |
I hope this guide helps you out. If you find any extra tips and tricks to make lockpicking easier in Oblivion Remastered, let us know. Or, post a quick message in the Insider Gaming Forum.
Here is some extra Oblivion Remastered guides in the meantime: Can you use mods, how to unlock the Arena, where the Adoring Fan is, and the complete trophy list.
Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
More from Andrew Highton
