The notoriously hard lockpicking mechanic returns in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, is even more difficult now, and is sure to be a source of frustration for many players, both new and old. As the game progresses and you pick up more stats, Skills, and Perks related to lockpicking, so will the complexity and difficulty increase in the locks themselves.
This KCD2 guide has everything there is to know about how to successfully pick locks in the game.
Lockpicking Mechanics
Starting off, it is necessary to actually be in possession of a lockpick in order to begin the lockpicking minigame. These are readily available for purchase from certain merchants and blacksmiths, but can also be looted in some areas. They can also be gained as a bonus while smithing items, and a certain Perk will increase that further.
Next, look at the lock and select ‘Open’ to view the mechanism. The pointer will now be a small (in the early game), copper-colored orb. This orb must be carefully swept around the area of the mechanism until it glows gold, which is an indicator that the lock can now be rotated using the ‘Rotate Lock’ function. In the process of rotating the entire mechanism, the orb must continue to be maintained in its glowing gold state through some adjustments by the lockpicker as you try to follow along with the rotation.
An added layer of complexity comes from the orb itself quaking as you continue to rotate the lock, with the lock’s difficulty determining the severity as well as the level of precision required from you.
Failing to keep pace with the rotation while keeping the orb golden will cause the lockpick to make noise and even break loudly, both instances being able to alert any nearby NPCs that hear it. There is a Perk to counteract this.
Lock difficulty levels range from Very Easy, Easy, Medium, Hard, to Very Hard. Improving your lockpick skills simply enlarges the gold orb making it much easier to both find the sweet spot as well as follow the rotation of the mechanism. Difficulty determines the length of the rotation, with a full circle required by the highest tier.
If the lock is well above your current capability based on your stats, it is entirely possible that the lock will be next to impossible to pick, or even that the orb will never glow gold, at least not until you improve your abilities. The sweet spot where the orb glows gold will be so tiny that you will likely miss it no matter how carefully you sweep the mechanism’s area.
Tips
One tip would be to determine how large of a sweet spot you have to work with, for any given lock: once you have found the general location, carefully move the gold orb around in the vicinity to determine the edges and total area of the sweet spot. Then use your judgment to place the orb in the dead center of that zone, before using the ‘Rotate Lock’ function. This will provide you some room for error correction as you try to keep up with the rotation.
Use the intricate designs of the lock’s mechanism as a visual guide to help determine where to hold the gold orb as you rotate the lock.
Quickfinger Potion
Increases Craftsmanship and Thievery by 4 for 20 minutes, the latter of which has a direct impact on lockpicking ability. Consuming this potion will significantly improve your ability to pick a lock within your current spectrum of difficulty, as well as allowing you to access locks that were previously impossible.
Perks
A handful of Thievery Perks and one Craftsmanship Perk will come in very handy in your quest to lockpick every chest in the land:
- Locksmith, under Craftsmanship, unlocked at Craftsmanship 12
- When picking locks, your Thievery skill will count as 3 higher, so it’ll be a lot easier. Plus, you can also make use of scrap iron, so you’ll get an extra 1-3 lockpicks for each item you successfully forge.
- Silent Fiddler, under Thievery, unlocked at Thievery 6
- You’re almost silent when using a lockpick, and if it happens to break, the sound will be 75% quieter.
- Tool Master, under Thievery, unlocked at Thievery 8
- Your lockpicks will be more durable and last 15 % longer before breaking. If you still manage to break a lockpick, once you’ve successfully overcome the lock, a lockpick will be returned to your inventory.
- Mischief Artist, under Thievery, unlocked at Thievery 14
- After successfully picking a lock or pickpocketing, you gain a +3 bonus in Thievery and a +3 bonus in Stealth. The effect lasts for 120 seconds, or until you break a lockpick or fail at pickpocketing.
- Master Thief, under Thievery, unlocked at Thievery 18
- You can unlock simple locks almost instantly, without the need for mini-game activation or committing a crime. Still, be careful because looting an unlocked chest like this is still a crime.
That is all there is to know about lockpicking in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.
