Ive just purchased this game (and am loving it) but I need some advice. I decided my character will join the Brotherhood. I got the barkeep in Riverwood to tell me the rumour about the boy in Whitehelm. Ive found his house and Im trying to pick the lock. I have used roughly 28 lockpicks all to no avail and been trying to pick it for a large part of this morning. Ive upgraded my lockpicking (still under 20 though).

Can anyone give me advice on picking the lock of the door of that boys house? Im stumped

Go buy more lock picks and get to it.

Only 2 places have lockpicks in the town and sometimes its only 1 each bleh
Is there a trader anywhere in the game that ALWAYS carries a lot of them

I usually buy them from the woman in the Ratways, but then you'd have to join the theive's guild.

a lot of the merchants traveling the roads have tons of them.

also, save right infront of the door and just keep reloading the save if u run out of picks.

Good news! I went to Riverwood and the blacksmith had 13 lockpicks took them all. Went back to Whiterun and opened it with the first pick. Killed the oprhanage matron and BOOM. So thanks....I guess you could say the answer for every quest is

PERSISTENCE!

i just downloaded the mod called lockpicks pro. I hate lockpicking and I hate feeling like i have to invest in that perk tree just to be decent at it otherwise they break with the slightest tap on PC (since you can't slightly press a key on your keyboard). It tells you exactly where to pick

ive never had a problem picking master locks with low skill level. it might take some time and trial/error but its very possible. u just need patience. and lots of picks...

I didn't need lockpicks to kill the lady, I just shot her with the bow point blank in the face in front of all the children. They aplauded. Those sick, sick kids.

no.. It is horrible on PC unless you use a controller. Sadly my razer wireless is screwed up for some games and constantly makes the camera look at the ground otherwise I would use it. There is no pressure sensitivity with keys on the keyboard so you can't easily pick a lock without it instantly breaking since you are always doing it at full strength. It takes a lot of the skill out of lockpicking when you do it on the PC and it's more about luck.

If you are on the oc use the console commands to unlock the door

my method is better since you still get level progress like you should.

It's a matter of technique. The door isn't more than apprentice rating is it?

Move your mouse left/right to adjust the position of the pick, use A/D to apply left or right torque.

The direction of torque is irrelevant really, what matters is whether the pick is at the right angle. The longer you apply pressure the quicker you'll break the pick, so the best strategy is to turn the pick 5-10 degree, and gently tap to apply torque - if the pick "catches" and jiggles, then stop, and move the pick along a few degree more and tap again. In this way you can "test" or 5 or 6 possible angles before the pick breaks.

If when you apply pressure the pick doesn't jiggle, but instead begins to turn, then you know you're getting close but it's not guaranteed you're done yet, be gentle apply more pressure each time to test to see how far it'll turn before it catches, by doing it in increments you ensure if it catches and jiggles again, you won't press too hard and snap the pick. Rinse and repeat the process til you can rotate the barrel 90 degrees.

This'll get you through locks with the least broken picks even if it is fairly cautious =p

yes but he might not have a controller for his pc