Summary

  • Oblivion Remastered offers Lockpicking as a timing-based minigame. You must set tumblers at the top of their chambers by pressing up and then precisely hitting the A button. 
  • Lockpicks break frequently which is why you will need a good supply, especially when starting with low Security skill levels. 
  • You may buy “Open Lock” spells instead of lockpicking to unlock access to hidden areas or rewards.

The locks are waiting for you in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. With locked doors and treasure chests throughout your Cyrodiil exploration, you must master lockpicking to access these hidden area or valuable loot. Here’s a quick guide on how to lockpick in Oblivion Remastered Xbox, to gain access.

Understanding the Lockpicking Minigame

Now, what is Lockpicking in Oblivion Remastered? This serves as a minigame for players where they have to unlock a locked door or chest they’ll find. They can attempt to open it through the use of a lockpick. For Xbox, here’s how the lockpicking works:

  1. Approach the locked object you’ve found and interact with it to initiate the lockpicking minigame.
  2. You’ll see a cross-section view of the lock with up to five tumblers inside tiny chambers.
  3. Use your left control stick to push a tumbler upward.
  4. Press the A button to “set” the tumbler when it reaches the top of its chamber.
  5. If timed correctly, the tumbler will lock in place and turn dark.
  6. You must successfully set all tumblers to pick the lock completely.

The difficulty of the lock varies depending on how many tumblers you’ll need to set. What makes this challenging is that they have to set the time correctly for this. The fewer tumblers are, the easier the locks are while the harder ones have more to set.

The Golden Rule of Lockpicking Success

There’s no guaranteed way to succeed in lockpicking in Oblivion Remastered. However, there is one golden rule that you should know which is to perfect your timing. The timing determines the success of your lockpicking attempt. Waiting for the tumbler to move slowly before trying to set it also works. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can accomplish this:

  1. Push a tumbler upward using your left control stick.
  2. Observe its movement speed and don’t try to set it immediately.
  3. Let faster-moving tumblers drop back down and try again.
  4. Wait for a tumbler to move very slowly (this is your opportunity).
  5. When you see this slow movement, press the A button as the tumbler reaches the top to set it in place.

If you find a slow-moving tumbler, you can keep it “bouncing” by repeatedly tapping up with the control stick. It’ll create an infinite loop where the tumbler can keep its slow speed while giving you more control over when to set it.

Where to Find Lockpicks

Players need to have a good supply of Lockpicks throughout the game. These lockpicks are fragile and frequently break, decreasing your attempt chances when unlocking. Here are some of the best ways how you can obtain lockpicks in Oblivion Remastered:

  1. Dungeon Exploration: You should try searching barrels, chests, corpses, and crates in dungeons to find lockpicks. 
  2. Join the Thieves Guild: Thieves Guild members immediately gain access to fences that sell up to 100 lockpicks at a time. 
  3. Visit Shady Sam: If you prefer not to join the Thieves Guild then find Shady Sam outside of Imperial City Walls near Chestnut Handy Stables. You can buy a maximum of 30 lockpicks at a time from him as his inventory refreshes.
  4. Obtain the Skeleton Key: You should complete Nocturnal’s Daedric Shrine Quest at level 10 to receive a Skeleton Key. This key is unbreakable and helps boost your Security skill by 20 points. 

Improving Your Lockpicking Skills

You should also pay attention to your Security skills for your lockpicking ability in Oblivion Remastered. By increasing your Security skills, you’ll earn several benefits such as:

  • Fewer tumblers will reset when a lockpick breaks
  • Auto-attempt becomes more successful at lower-difficulty locks
  • You’ll advance through Security ranks (Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, etc.)

It is easy to improve your Security skills as long as you spend time and effort on it. To improve your Security skills:

  1. You should practice frequently on locks
  2. Read skill books that increase your Security
  3. Pay for your training from NPCs who teach Security
  4. Use the Thief birth sign when creating your character

Tips for Xbox Players

There are different ways to be successful in lockpicking in this beloved classic remake across their available platforms. However, here are more tips on how to lockpick in Oblivion Remastered Xbox. 

  • Save Before Lockpicking: You should create a save before attempting difficult locks to avoid wasting lockpicks.
  • Use Auto-Attempt Wisely: Try the auto-attempt feature by pressing Y on your Xbox for extremely easy locks or manually setting some tumblers. This works best if you have specifically higher Security skill levels.
  • Reduce Distractions: Pay attention to the visual timing of the tumblers as much as possible and turn off possible distractions like the game’s background music.
  • Be Wary When Lockpicking in Towns: Avoid getting caught committing a crime by entering a sneak mode before lockpicking in populated areas. 
  • Consider Spell Alternatives: You can also purchase or learn Open Lock spells to automatically open the locks if you’re struggling with lockpicking.

Conclusion

That’s all the steps on how to Lockpick in Oblivion Remastered Xbox guide for beginners. All these seem simple and easy as long as you have all the resources needed. Certainly, mastering lockpicking takes patience, but it adds an exciting layer of exploration and reward. Practicing the timing will help you perfectly succeed with lockpicking the locks.