Skillful Lockpickery (or Skyrim-Style Lockpicking)
⚪ Last updated 2020⚠️ Install Order · 5 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
Preview

🔍 Analysis
- 👍 0.1% endorsement rate
- 🏆 #117 of 441 Gameplay Effects and Changes mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
"What kind of duckery is that?", I asked in complete silence.
Well... it isn't the kind of duckery I'll stand for, I'll tell you what!
Skillful Lockpickery (or Skyrim-Styled Lockpicking)
FEATURES:
-
[]A scripted, safe emphasis on both your Lockpick Skill and your own skill as a player.
[
]Built-in compatibility for Stewie's Tweaks - specifically the one that un-levels all locks (bPickLocksWithoutSkill)! (WHICH IS HEAVY RECOMMENDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS MOD)[]Complex yet easy to understand formulas!
[]A requirement that you have the JIP LN, xNVSE and JohnnyGuitar script extenders installed!
- No permanent edits to vanilla values, making patching unnecessary and load order a thing of the past.
HOW IT WORKS:
Simple, really. There's three stages to the system - that work across every locked object in the game.
Firstly, your Lockpick Skill is pitted against the lock's difficulty in a no-holds-barred one-on-one battle to the death. Once one is crawling away with tears in their eyes and a broken limb, the remainder is turned into the value used for Phase 2.
Secondly, depending on how hard either side won the battle, it is separated into tiers where that remainder is then multiplied if one side was particularly wimpy that day.
Thirdly, that final mult from Phase 2 is thrown at the gameplay settings which judge your Bobby Pin's health and how hard it is to find the Sweet Spot of a lock - some boring math is done and shiddly, boddly, BOOM - the minigame is made easier or harder automagically depending on how your build stacks up against the lock.
THE END EFFECT:
An empowering journey for a build that - while still beating you into the dirt if you're going up against a tough lock with improper Skill - is yet possible with determination, a lotta bobby pins, and maybe a bit of irl luck. Levelling the Skill will feel rewarding, boosting your perceived ability to find those sweet spots and your handling of the bobby pin, while simultaneously offering a dynamic journey in your travels of breaking into eve
Skillful Lockpickery overhauls Fallout 4's lockpicking to emphasize player skill and dexterity, replacing the level-based system with unleveled locks. It's a scripted mod with 301 endorsements and over 321k downloads, last updated in October 2020.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Huge download count (321k) shows it's a popular choice for lockpicking overhauls.
- Unleveled locks mean you can tackle any lock if you're skilled enough, adding challenge.
- Focus on player skill over character stats appeals to purists who want dexterity to matter.
⚠️ Cons
- Last updated in 2020 — may have compatibility issues with newer game patches or DLC.
- Scripted mods can be prone to conflicts with other mods that alter lockpicking or UI.
For Fallout 4 players who find the vanilla lockpicking too easy or level-gated and want a more skill-based challenge. Also for those who enjoy mods that reward player dexterity over character stats. Skip if you prefer a more casual experience or don't want to deal with potential script conflicts.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Since it's a scripted mod, make sure you have a mod manager like Vortex or MO2 to handle load order properly.
- Test the mod early in a new playthrough to see if the unleveled locks feel balanced for your playstyle.
- Check the mod's posts section for any known compatibility patches or user reports about conflicts.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- New Vegas Mods
- Author
- AshenBonfire - Demorome
- Version
- 1.20
- Downloads
- 321,402
- Endorsements
- 301
- Category
- Gameplay Effects and Changes
- Created
- 10/26/2020
- Updated
- 10/29/2020
🧩 Commonly Used Together
Users add these mods to the same collections — a real compatibility signal, not an AI guess.
🔧 How to Install New Vegas Mods
Download from Nexus.
📖 Full step-by-step install guide for New Vegas →
Visit the official mod page for specific installation instructions for this mod.
🎮 Need cheat codes or console commands? Check ur gaming wiki for New Vegas commands, item IDs, and more.
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