I don't like that selling and buying raises my speech, and therefore contributes to levelling me. But that's the way they decided to do it. They don't force you to pick locks though. I sometimes roleplay a warrior who can't pick locks and the game is still playable. You still can get more than enough loot.

True, but it's not like you're gaining tons of levels by selling things. I agree about the locks, though. It depends on my character. If I'm playing someone that's not a thief by trade, they can only pick locks that match their current level, Novice (up to 25), Apprentice (50), Adept (75) and so on.

you can?!?!?!? omg why did i not know this....so much... gold....lost.....

I complain a lot of railroading in this game, but lockpicking isn't one of them. I rarely lockpick anything on non rogue-ish types, unless it's Novice.

Well, in real life you become a little more good at negotiating every time you talk to people and you try to persuade them, even if you don't notice it. You learn from your mistakes and get better. So it makes sense to level up speech even if you're not doing it on purpose.

About the lockpicks, well, nobody forces you to open locked chests... but since you're an adventurer in a fictional fantasy world, and everybody knows fictional fantasy worlds are full of locked chests, well, you really can't help but open all those locked chests if you want to pur your little hands on the goods inside them.

In Morrowind you could use magic to open locks, but that made lockpicking completely useless in the long run.

It's terrible game design, but in the end it doesn't really effect you much if you play a normal playstyle.

i have always kinda wished there was an option to break open some chests or doors...just like in dnd. obviously magically enhanced, stone, iron or otherwise harder materials should be more difficult to get through than a wooden door or chest. i still dont think that should change anything with the lockpicking skill. maybe just assign chests and doors a hp value that is static for each type of material. that way eventually even the toughest of materials could be broken through it would just require alot of time or a really powerful weapon. obviously trying to smash through a stone chest fitted with dwarven metal hinges with an iron axe should be near impossible, but an enchanted daedric greatsword should have a little better of an effect. keep in mind just like in dnd, breaking open a chest or door is very noisy and is likely to attract the attention of any hostile nearby so it wouldn't really make lockpicking trivial it would just put it more in line with the stealth type of characters that would use it

Try to break open a chest in Baldur's Gate. Just try it. It never ever works! Unless you've got a character who invested everything in the Strength attribute, of course.

There's a world of difference between levelling up and taking Perks in that discipline.

You also don't HAVE to unlck all those chests if you don't want to.

And if you don't want to barter just don't speak.

Jeez.

Lockpicking I can see, but I have never once leveled speech intentionally. I simply never bother with it, and have gotten through every quest I have played just fine.

Exactly.

The speech Perks are basically designed to give the player access to more cash and a higher chance of persuading and/or intimidating NPCs earlier in the game. They're not essential, but they can give a character early advantages.

As with all Perks they're a User choice.

Seriously? Are people serious when they complain about this [censored]? Should there be keys somewhere to open most things? Maybe that'd be an okay idea.. does it actually matter at all? No. Picking locks is easy, and those who refuse to do it because of RP reasons and then complaining are taking Rping way too far.

Any quests that require the player to bypass a lock usually have a key somewhere and speech is never required. I level both through regular gameplay and I don't put much thought into either.

With enough practice, one can open any lock no matter their skill level and without perks spent. The speechcraft perks that aid in buying/selling are more of a convenience than anything else.

having 9 characters, each with a different play style, I never felt I was forced to level up speech or lock picking, except for my Thief who I wanted to have a high lock picking capability.
I think a problem is how locks can be opened based on player ability. I think it should all be based on character skill level. But it is fine, I just don't abuse it.
I have never tried to level up speech, sure it happens, but it's no big deal.
One thing I don't want is less skills for the next game. It's bad enough that we have been losing them as it is.
I don't agree that combat-related skills should be the only ones that matter for leveling up.