Staying true to the classic RPG approach of “anything goes,” Baldur’s Gate 3 allows players to access inaccessible areas through various methods. For example, if you come across a locked door or chest, you can open it using the lockpicking option.
Unfortunately, lockpicking in Baldur’s Gate 3 is not that simple. It involves using a lockpicking tool and passing a luck-based dexterity dice roll. Even after getting all the required stuff, success is still not guaranteed using the Lockpicking method.
How to Lockpick in Baldur’s Gate 3
In Baldur’s Gate 3, opening a locked door or chest requires a key. You find these keys by exploring the vicinity of the locked item. Hunting for the key can sometimes be frustrating, especially when you cannot find it, even after many tries.
Luckily, the game also provides an alternate method to open these locks. This involves using an in-game item known as the Thieves’ Tool. It is a consumable item that you lose with a failed attempt.
This tool allows the player to bypass the critical requirement and unlock the door or chest by performing a Dexterity skill check known as Sleight of Hand. Thieves’ Tools are abundantly available to purchase from merchants or loot from the containers.
In addition to the Thieves’ Tool, the game also provides some skills and items that enhance the chance of success in dexterity rolls. One such item is Gloves of Power, which grants a bonus for Dexterity-based checks.
The lockpicking process in Baldur’s Gate 3 is very simple. If you or your companions have Thieves Tools in their inventory, right-click on the locked item (or press Square/X for Ps5/XSX) and select the “Lockpick” option. This will initiate a 1d20 dice roll with the specified difficulty class mentioned above.
If your roll is equivalent to or greater than the Difficulty Class number, the lock will open. If you fail, you can try again with stacked inspiration or additional Thieves Tools. You can also add Dexterity or Sleight of Hand related bonuses to the roll for a better chance of success.
You can also use the Knock spell (a level 2 spell) to open locked chests and doors. Any class can cast this spell with a scroll; however, Bards, Clerics, and Wizards get it at level 3. You can also get this spell as an Arcane Trickster Rogue or Eldritch Knight Fighter at level 8.
Knock Knuckle Gloves can be looted from the n7 vault of the Counting House during Act 3. Equipping them immediately grants the Knock spell and a +1 bonus to the Sleight of Hand skill.
If nothing works, smash the locked chests and doors as your last resort. However, don’t hit chests with fire or acid spells, as you may lose their contents.
Best Classes for Lockpicking in Baldur’s Gate 3
Unlike its predecessors, Baldur’s Gate 3 doesn’t offer a potion that makes you good at thievery and lockpicking. You can only rely on your Dexterity skill to increase your chances of opening the locks.
As all classes have various stats, three benefit from the Dexterity skill the most. The first is Rogue, which has the highest dexterity, and the second is the Cleric class. For this purpose, we recommend using Astarion, a rogue, or Shadowheart, a cleric, to pick locks.
Rogues also have the Expertise skill from the beginning, which makes them master thieves. The Bard class also gets Expertise as a class feature when they hit level 3.
In addition, you can boost any skill check by using Shadowheart’s Guidance spell.
