Lockpicking
Once you’ve bought or found a supply of Lockpicks, you can attempt to open a locked chest or door, and with it, a small mini-game. Beware unlocking chests or doors in areas where others are present; if you’re spotted and the unlock message is colored red, you’re seen as technically attempting a crime, and a Bounty will be applied.
Locks have five difficulty levels:
- Trivial (25)
- Simple (25)
- Intermediate (20)
- Advanced (15)
- Master (12)
The number indicates the time you’re given to unlock the mechanism. Fail, and you must wait a few moments for the lock to reset before you can attempt with another Lockpick.
You can also force the lock, after which your Lockpick breaks and the lock opens, if you’re successful. Invest in Legerdemain to improving your ability to force a lock.
The lock itself has five different pins, which can be depressed downward. The highest setting is the starting position. Your aim is to push each of the five lock spring pins into the correct position within the time limit. Push each pin down one at a time, until it vibrates, then release it so the pin remains in the position. When it does, move to the next pin. If it doesn’t, push the pin down again until it’s set.
If you’re intent on become a proficient lockpicker, you may wish to invest points into the Legerdemain skill line.
Fishing
Fishing is more than a simple pastime; it allows you to feed yourself and catch rare fish you can sell. Plus, there’s a chance to fillet a fish and discover Perfect Roe, an ingredient used in Provisioning to create the fabled Psijic Ambrosia. The regions of Vvardenfell have Fishing Holes that allow fish from the four different types of water to be caught (fresh, foul, river, and salt). This guide’s Atlas pinpoints every single one of them, and what rare and very rare fish to expect to catch at each!
Before reaching a Fishing Hole, obtain bait by looting insects or Undead foes, fishing in various locations, or purchasing from a trader. Then look for a Fishing Hole with visible signs of fish present. There are numerous Achievements available for catching rare fish. The number of players (up to three) at a fishing hole, as well as the type of bait used, increases the chances of catching a rare fish.
Nodes
As specifically discussed throughout the Crafting section of this guide, each crafting skill requires some base ingredients to be harvested before the materials can be honed, brewed, smelted, or otherwise fiddled with, to create final items you can use or sell. However, if you’re just starting out and you see environmental items that interest you, consult the following general information to learn what the item is useful for.
Logs: There’s a variety of fallen trees in the form of logs, such as Maple, Yew, and Ruby Ash. These are used in the refining process for Woodworking.
Ore Veins: There’s a number of particularly colorful veins of rock ore, such as Iron, Ebony, and Voidstone, which are used in the refining process for Blacksmithing.
Plants: There’s a variety of plants, such as Columbine, Mountain Flower, and Nirnroot, that are used as reagents for Alchemy and clothing materials for Clothing. Occasionally, you may find worms or crawlers that can be used as fishing bait.
Runestones: These tiny shrine-like stones allow you to gather, when searched, a variety of runes that are used for Enchanting purposes.
Water: Water Skins and Pure Water, indicated by a splash, can be gathered and used in solvents for Alchemic purposes.
You can employ the Hireling and Keen Eye abilities specific to each crafting skill to allow easier gathering of base materials.
This guide’s Atlas does not show every single node, due to the sheer number of harvestable materials.
Did you harvest ten thousand crafting nodes? Then you haven’t acquired the Grand Master Crafting Harvester Achievement yet, have you?