Aside from passing a lockpick skill check, players can also open locked doors and containers inBaldur’s Gate 3by casting the right Spell or destroying the locked object with brute force. Since all of these lockpicking methods inBaldur’s Gate 3will lead to the same result, it’s understandable that players would want to choose the method that requires the least investment: destroying locked objects by attacking them.
With as many creative alternatives as there are to lockpicking inBaldur’s Gate 3, players may be hesitant to invest in a party member’s dedicated lockpicking proficiency. However, investing in lockpicking can be a useful asset to have in any party. More specifically, investing in Dexterity can have many benefits that can enhance any character’s build and provide useful opportunities for theplayers’ party inBaldur’s Gate 3, so players would be wise not to sleep on lockpicking.
Why Players Shouldn’t Sleep on Lockpicking in Baldur’s Gate 3
While breaking open doors and containers with brute force will always be a cheap andreliable lockpicking method inBaldur’s Gate 3, there’s still plenty of merit to investing in the dedicated lockpicking skill. Even if not for the sake of lockpicking, investing in the primary ability that affects lockpicking, Dexterity, can provide several extra benefits.
Ranged Weapons Shine With Dexterity Builds in Baldur’s Gate 3
Whether players are fully invested in aranged-weapon build inBaldur’s Gate 3, or using ranged weapons as a backup for a melee build, having a few points in Dexterity can make all the difference in how often players will land their attacks with ranged weapons. Having powerful ranged attacks is a luxury that allows players to stay out of range of enemies with melee builds, often making enemies waste their turns in combat just to close the distance.
Dexterity also affects a character’s attack rolls with Finesse weapons inBaldur’s Gate 3.
Stealth in Baldur’s Gate 3 Can Be Overpowered in the Right Hands
In general, stealth builds inBaldur’s Gate 3are both high-risk and high-reward. At the cost of not using some of thebest heavy and medium armor inBaldur’s Gate 3, a stealth build can provide an advantage on attack rolls, override Initiative to surprise enemies and skip their first turn in combat, and allow players to avoid being directly targeted by certain incoming attacks.
Outside of combat, pickpocketing inBaldur’s Gate 3is also affected by Dexterity through the Sleight of Hand skill, and this can be a quick path to riches. Not only can pickpocketing allow players to obtain top-notch weapons and armor from NPC merchants for free, but a high enough skill proficiency can allow players to obtain more Thieves’ Tools, Trap Disarm Toolkits, Spell scrolls, and camp supplies than most players would ever legitimately use throughout a playthrough.
Players’ Sleight of Hand skill also affects their chances of disarming traps inBaldur’s Gate 3.
Lockpicking in Baldur’s Gate 3 Has a Low Skill Ceiling
While investing in high Dexterity can naturally provide separate benefits to a character and the overall party, lockpicking inBaldur’s Gate 3generally doesn’t require high investment to begin with. As long as players have Thieves’ Toolkits in their inventory, players can generally continue to attempt to pick a lock even after failing the skill check, which is quite a generously low skill ceiling.
Dexterity in Baldur’s Gate 3 Is a Versatile Ability
Especially if they are already planning on using ranged weapons, finesse weapons, and/orstealth builds inBaldur’s Gate 3, players will likely already have more than enough Dexterity to have a sufficient lockpicking skill. In hindsight, while lockpicking may not be a vital skill on its own compared to some of the other creative ways to open locks, investing in proper lockpicking synergizes with multiple game-changing skills that arguably make it a worthwhile investment nonetheless.
