GameBanshee Forums

Right - I'm doinng the thieves quest in Al-dhern. I try to steal the tattoo in the al-dhern mages guild but the box is at 65 and I can't unlock it! It's too complex for my 21 security plus master lockpick and the "open 50" spell you get in the al0dhen mages guild doesnt seem to help. Any tips?! It's annoying!!

What kind of lockpick are you using? If you can get your hands on a Master's Lockpick that might help. Otherwise find a lock spell and keep practicing. But if you can't find and/or cast that then find a trainer who can help you with your security skill. Check around the Thieve's Guilds or Balmora. You should be able to find someone to train you.

Im playing it on Xbox if that makes a difference! I've got security at 21 but the box I need to open to progress in the theives guild is at 65. Isn't progressing my security skill by training going to cost a fortune?! Is there any way around this?

The Open spell I've got is at 50. Is there a cheap way of advancing this to 65?

You just should get an item enchanted with Open. It's usually one of the first things i use to make - some burglar item with 100 Open on touch. It even shouldn't have lot of charges, it doesn't actually matter if it's exauhsted in 2-3 uses. All you need for it is some filled soul gem and an item (and enough money, since most probably you are going to need the professional help this time). IIRC, an expensive ring or amulet, or extravagant shirt (my choice most often) are good enough.
And it does not matter, what level is the spell you have learned - you can enchant with any other level, and you can make spell of your own (at a spellmaker) of any level as well. The last is cheaper, however spells cast by encahanted items never fail (and do not depend on attributes and your skill in the particular discipline).

Find a spellmaker and get a high open spell. I always have a spell of open 100 on touch.

Maxwell's demon, read the site owner's Please Read Before Posting sticky thread. With questions like these that give away plot or quest information, it's important to put SPOILER in the title of your thread. I'll change this one. Keep this in mind in the future.

OK...read this today. I went to Balmora, Mages Guild, and it appears that an Open 100% requires (A) a really big soul gem which I can't access anytime soon and (B) about $100k in gold, again not obtainable in the "early going"..

So question is how do you guys do this first thing to help through these first level quests?

Create a spell - Open 100% for 1 second on touch; no need to waste a gem on it.