Lock

Locks are found throughout the wasteland on doors, safes and boxes. In Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, the player can use their Lockpick skill to pick a lock using bobby pins. Some can also be unlocked with keys.

Lockpicking in Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel
Picking locks in older Fallout games is simpler than in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas; instead of a mini-game, a lockpick skill roll will take place every time you use the skill on a door or a container. A successful roll will open the lock, a failure will not. A critical failure will break the lock, rendering it unavailable until the next day.

The lockpick skill can be used on unlocked doors and containers as well, and locking them will give the same amount of experience as unlocking a locked one (25 XP). Note that one door or container can give experience only once via lockpicking.

Lock difficulties
Locks come in 5 difficulties: very easy, easy, average, hard and very hard. Which locks you can pick depends on your Lockpick skill (see table to the right). Difficulty and your Lockpick skill also determine the probability of success for an attempt to force a lock open (see force lock below).

Experience points
Depending on its difficulty (harder locks reward more XP), successfully opening a lock grants an amount of XP. Without any XP reward-increasing perks, each level rewards the player with the XP shown in the table above.

Picking a lock
In order to pick a lock you must have a Lockpick skill high enough for the difficulty of the lock, and you must possess one or more bobby pins. Bobby pins are weightless items, often found in first aid kits and locked containers.

If the conditions are met, a mini game is activated. A bobby pin and screwdriver (a free, weightless item which does not appear in your inventory) are inserted into the keyhole of the lock. The player attempts to find the correct position for the pin, which is checked by turning the screwdriver as if it were a key. The further the screwdriver turns the lock, the closer the pin is to the correct position. Once the screwdriver is able to turn the lock a full 90 degrees, the lock opens.

The basic premise is complicated by several factors. If the player fails to determine the correct position of the lock too many times, the bobby pin will break, forcing the player to use another in order to continue the attempt. The number of times it takes for a pin to break varies, as placing too much force on the screwdriver will cause it to break faster than a light touch. The integrity of the pin can be roughly tracked by how violently it shakes on a failed attempt. When it is about to break, it will bounce out of the center position. The player can exit the mini game and restart it, which will prevent the pin from breaking, but this will also reset the correct position for the pin. Since there are dozens of bobby pins in the main game alone, it is often more practical to simply break one or two pins on a difficult lock. In addition, the difficulty level of the lock determines how accurately the bobby pin must be placed and how easy the pin is to break. A very easy lock needs little to no pin adjustment for a successful attempt, in turn making the likelihood of breaking a pin low. A very hard lock, conversely, requires extremely precise placement, and thus the repeated checks to find the correct position will wear out a pin quickly.

Controls for PC
The bobby pin is moved with the mouse, in a semi-circle around the top of the lock. The screwdriver is moved by tapping any movement key. In order to get the most out of a single pin, it is recommended to gently tap the screwdriver until it encounters resistance, then adjust the pin position and repeat until the lock is opened.

Controls for console versions
The bobby pin is moved with one analog stick, and the screwdriver with the other. The controller will vibrate with the wiggling of the bobby pin, and vibrate strongly as it starts to break. As with the PC, a light touch is recommended to keep the pin intact as long as possible.

Force lock
It is also possible to skip the mini game by attempting to force a lock open. The probability of success for this action depends on your Lockpick skill and the difficulty of the lock. This is far less reliable than the mini game, as the only combination which has a 100% success rate is a very easy lock with a Lockpick skill of 90-100; every other combination will have a smaller percentage.

If you fail at forcing the lock open it will break, and no other attempt at opening it can be made unless you have the Infiltrator perk (which grants a second attempt) or the appropriate key.

Behind the scenes

 * The way in which lock picking is portrayed in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas is almost completely inaccurate. A torque wrench (screwdriver) and a pick (bobby pin) are present, but the action of actually picking the lock is nothing like what a pin tumbler lock or most other locks with a cylindrical design would require to successfully manipulate the lock.

Bugs

 * Once your bobby pin breaks if you immediately press the "Force Lock" key the lock will be picked. The screwdriver continues moving without a pin hitting any tumblers.

List of locks (Fallout: New Vegas)
{| class="va-table sortable" !style="width:15em"|Closest map marker !Directions !style="width:7em"|Difficulty
 * Atomic Wrangler Casino
 * Ground level, behind the bar, near the bathroom there is a door.
 * Very hard
 * Bison Steve Hotel
 * In the gift shop, behind the counter. Contains Lucky.
 * Hard
 * Black Mountain
 * Behind the broadcast building after you've reached the top there's a gate.
 * Hard
 * Bloodborne Cave
 * Go straight as you enter the cave and you'll find a gate, be careful as there is a trap wire right behind the gate.
 * Very Hard
 * Bloodborne Cave
 * You need to have picked the very hard gate first, and then there's a trunk.
 * Average
 * Bradley's shack
 * Behind his bed is a first aid box.
 * Very Easy
 * Brewer's beer bootlegging
 * The door to the cellar.
 * Average
 * Brewer's beer bootlegging
 * In the basement is a gun cabinet. Can also be unlocked with the key found in the next room on the table with the chemistry set.
 * Hard
 * Brewer's beer bootlegging
 * In the southeastern corner of the cellar is an explosives crate.
 * Average
 * Camp Forlorn Hope
 * Across from the Quartermaster's tent; the storage shed door.
 * Very Hard
 * Camp Forlorn Hope
 * In the Medical Center, there's a locker.
 * Hard
 * Cannibal Johnson's cave
 * Next to Cannibal Johnson's bed there is a locked trunk.
 * Average
 * El Rey Motel
 * At the western end of the bridge near the motel, there is a mine box near a sandbag fortification.
 * Easy
 * Emergency service railyard
 * At the southwest corner of the building, there is a metal box under the wooden platform.
 * Easy
 * Freeside
 * In the Atomic Wrangler Casino, the door in the large entrance room labeled for entry by authorized personnel only.
 * Very Hard
 * Gomorrah
 * Various doors throughout the building.
 * Very Hard
 * Goodsprings
 * Northeast exterior door of Prospector Saloon.
 * Very Easy
 * Goodsprings
 * Southwest exterior door of Prospector Saloon.
 * Very Easy
 * Goodsprings
 * Safe inside bedroom of Goodsprings Home directly SE from Doc Mitchell's house.
 * Average
 * Goodsprings
 * Safe inside Goodsprings schoolhouse. It can also be unlocked via the nearby Average terminal.
 * Easy
 * Goodsprings
 * Floor safe inside Goodsprings gas station. It's located behind the counter, partially concealed by the bed.
 * Easy
 * Goodsprings
 * Floor safe in south room of Prospector Saloon. It can also be unlocked via the nearby Easy terminal.
 * Hard
 * Wins Hideout
 * Inside the Wins Hideout is The Wins' Safe. Can also be unlocked via dialog check (Speech 55) with Pauline Wins.
 * Very Hard
 * Helios One
 * A door at the southeastern corner of HELIOS One Power Plant.
 * Very Easy
 * Helios One
 * A safe at the Solar collection tower down the stairs from the entrance.
 * Average
 * Helios One
 * A safe at the Solar collection tower, downstairs in a southern room.
 * Average
 * Jean Sky Diving
 * There's a locker inside the building. It can also be unlocked with the key on the nearby table.
 * Average
 * Lucky 38
 * At the Cocktail Lounge you can find a safe.
 * Average
 * Lucky 38
 * At the Cocktail Lounge you can find a briefcase.
 * Hard
 * NCR Correctional Facility
 * On the second floor of the Administration building, there's a door directly ahead of the top of the stairs.
 * Average
 * NCR Correctional Facility
 * On the second floor of the Administration building, there's a wall safe directly behind Eddie.
 * Average
 * NCR Correctional Facility
 * In Cell Block A, there is an armor case in the last cell on the right.
 * Average
 * NCR Correctional Facility
 * In Cell Block A, there is a mine box in the last cell on the right.
 * Easy
 * NCR Correctional Facility
 * In Cell Block B, there's a footlocker in the first cell on the right.
 * Very Easy
 * NCR Correctional Facility
 * In Cell Block B, the first cell door to the left.
 * Easy
 * Nipton
 * The cage door in the booby-trapped house East of the Nipton General Store. Contains
 * Average
 * Nipton
 * The refrigerator in the booby-trapped house East of the Nipton General Store.
 * Easy
 * Nipton
 * The kitchen cabinet in the booby-trapped house East of the Nipton General Store.
 * Average
 * Nipton
 * The desk in the booby-trapped house East of the Nipton General Store.
 * Very Easy
 * Nipton
 * The bedroom cabinet in the booby-trapped house East of the Nipton General Store.
 * Easy
 * Nipton
 * The safe in the bathroom of the booby-trapped house East of the Nipton General Store.
 * Very Easy
 * Nipton Hall
 * In Town Hall Steyn's Office, there is a door.
 * Very Easy
 * Nipton Hall
 * In Town Hall Steyn's Office, the door to the room behind the mayor's office.
 * Average
 * Nipton Road Reststop
 * Inside the general store, across the hall is a gun cabinet.
 * Average
 * Novac
 * Inside the Dino Dee-lite front desk, behind the counter there is a floor safe.
 * Easy
 * Novac
 * Inside the Dino Bite gift shop, behind the counter there is a door.
 * Very Easy
 * Novac
 * Inside Ranger Andy's bungalow, there is a gun case atop a shelf on the wall.
 * Average
 * Novac
 * Inside McBride House, there is a first aid box in the bathroom.
 * Easy
 * Novac
 * Inside McBride House, there is a gun case atop a shelf on the wall.
 * Average
 * Novac
 * Inside the Novac House just north of McBride House, there is a first aid box in the bathroom.
 * Very Easy
 * Novac
 * Inside the Novac House just north of McBride House, there is a footlocker in the bedroom.
 * Average
 * Novac
 * Inside the Novac House just south of No-bark's shack, there is a footlocker under the bed in the bedroom.
 * Easy
 * Ranger station Bravo
 * Inside the truck trailer at the southwestern corner of the station, there are four total Ammunition boxes.
 * Average
 * Ranger station Delta
 * Inside the communications tent, there is a Gun Case.
 * Average
 * Ranger station Echo
 * Inside the communications hut, there is an Ammunition Box.
 * Easy
 * Ranger station Foxtrot
 * Inside the tent, there is a First Aid Box.
 * Very Easy
 * Ranger station Foxtrot
 * Inside the tent, there is a Mine Box.
 * Very Easy
 * REPCONN Headquarters
 * A door on the first floor, near the Shipping sign.
 * Very Hard
 * REPCONN Headquarters
 * On the ground floor past three exhibit rooms is a double broken door.
 * Average
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * On the road leading to the site, to the southeast there's a Grenade Box in the sandbag-fortified area where the road curves slightly.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * In the lobby, there's a door directly behind the semi-circular desk.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, the first door on the left.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, inside the locked room on the left, there's a safe.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, inside the locked room on the left, there's a door.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * Up the west stairs beyond the broken double doors, the first door on the left.
 * Very Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * On the third floor, in a carpeted room. There's a safe behind the semi-circular desk.
 * Average
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * On the third floor, the room across the hall from the carpeted room.
 * Very Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * The door to the REPCONN basement. Can also be unlocked with the key given to the player by Jason Bright.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * In REPCONN Basement, the southern room. Harland is inside.
 * Easy
 * Ruby Hill mine
 * In the area filled with water. You can get there either by swimming or walking, there is a box.
 * Average
 * Ruby Hill mine
 * In the area filled with water. You can get there either by swimming or walking, there is a box.
 * Hard
 * Sniper's Nest
 * A Gun Case on the floor.
 * Very Hard
 * Sunset Sarsaparilla Headquarters
 * Go up a flight of stairs and down another to the ground floor. The door that's already open and broken can be picked for the xp.
 * Very Hard
 * Ultra-Luxe
 * The cashier's door in the lobby.
 * Average
 * Vault 21
 * The door to Sarah's room. It's located northeast from the entrance.
 * Average
 * Vault 21
 * Inside Sarah's room there is a locked dresser next to the bed.
 * Hard
 * REPCONN Headquarters
 * A door on the first floor, near the Shipping sign.
 * Very Hard
 * REPCONN Headquarters
 * On the ground floor past three exhibit rooms is a double broken door.
 * Average
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * On the road leading to the site, to the southeast there's a Grenade Box in the sandbag-fortified area where the road curves slightly.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * In the lobby, there's a door directly behind the semi-circular desk.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, the first door on the left.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, inside the locked room on the left, there's a safe.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, inside the locked room on the left, there's a door.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * Up the west stairs beyond the broken double doors, the first door on the left.
 * Very Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * On the third floor, in a carpeted room. There's a safe behind the semi-circular desk.
 * Average
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * On the third floor, the room across the hall from the carpeted room.
 * Very Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * The door to the REPCONN basement. Can also be unlocked with the key given to the player by Jason Bright.
 * Easy
 * REPCONN Test Site
 * In REPCONN Basement, the southern room. Harland is inside.
 * Easy
 * Ruby Hill mine
 * In the area filled with water. You can get there either by swimming or walking, there is a box.
 * Average
 * Ruby Hill mine
 * In the area filled with water. You can get there either by swimming or walking, there is a box.
 * Hard
 * Sniper's Nest
 * A Gun Case on the floor.
 * Very Hard
 * Sunset Sarsaparilla Headquarters
 * Go up a flight of stairs and down another to the ground floor. The door that's already open and broken can be picked for the xp.
 * Very Hard
 * Ultra-Luxe
 * The cashier's door in the lobby.
 * Average
 * Vault 21
 * The door to Sarah's room. It's located northeast from the entrance.
 * Average
 * Vault 21
 * Inside Sarah's room there is a locked dresser next to the bed.
 * Hard
 * Sniper's Nest
 * A Gun Case on the floor.
 * Very Hard
 * Sunset Sarsaparilla Headquarters
 * Go up a flight of stairs and down another to the ground floor. The door that's already open and broken can be picked for the xp.
 * Very Hard
 * Ultra-Luxe
 * The cashier's door in the lobby.
 * Average
 * Vault 21
 * The door to Sarah's room. It's located northeast from the entrance.
 * Average
 * Vault 21
 * Inside Sarah's room there is a locked dresser next to the bed.
 * Hard
 * Vault 21
 * Inside Sarah's room there is a locked dresser next to the bed.
 * Hard
 * Hard

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