Leveling your Lockpicking skill in Classic World of Warcraft is essential for Rogues and anyone wanting to open locked chests and doors. Remember, your maximum Lockpicking skill is capped at (5 * your character level). For instance, a level 20 character can reach a maximum Lockpicking skill of 100.
For those still in the leveling process or starting a new character, consider using a leveling guide like Zygor’s 1-60 Leveling Guide. It provides in-game guidance, streamlining your leveling experience without needing to constantly check external websites.
Leveling Lockpicking: 1 – 100
For the initial skill levels, head to The Barrens near Ratchet. You’re looking for Buccaneer’s Strongboxes located inside the ship there. These strongboxes are ideal because they respawn rapidly, allowing multiple players to train Lockpicking simultaneously.
Be cautious of “The Jewel of the Southsea” chest at the ship’s bottom. Opening it at a low level will trigger a mob that can easily defeat you.
Alternatively, Practice Lockboxes in Redridge Mountains, north of Lake Everstill, offer another excellent and fast respawn location to reach skill level 100.
Leveling Lockpicking: 100 – 150
Next, travel to Zoram Strand in Ashenvale. Search along the shoreline (on land) for Waterlogged Footlockers. These provide the next step in your Lockpicking training.
Leveling Lockpicking: 150 – 200
Venture into the Badlands, specifically Angor Fortress. Here, you’ll find two types of footlockers. You’ll need a Lockpicking skill of at least 175 to open the Dentened Footlockers. Pickpocketing mobs in this area for boxes isn’t recommended as they are too low level to provide skill points.
Leveling Lockpicking: 200 – 250
Move to the center of Searing Gorge and enter the cave known as The Slag Pit. Inside, you’ll find numerous footlockers. Pickpocketing mobs here can also yield Sturdy Junkboxes, offering additional skill-ups.
Focus on the lower section of The Slag Pit until you reach Lockpicking skill 225, as the upper area’s lockboxes will be too challenging before then.
Leveling Lockpicking: 250 – 300
The final stretch to 300 Lockpicking skill takes you to the Blackrock Depths (BRD) dungeon. Follow this efficient route inside BRD:
- Upon entering, turn left and unlock the first door.
- Take the first right and unlock the subsequent door.
- Turn left again and open the first door you encounter.
- Proceed through this door and interact with the large wooden structure protruding from the ground below the giant gear – this is the Shadowforge Lock.
After picking all four locks on the Shadowforge Lock, reset the instance by right-clicking your character portrait and selecting “Reset all instances.” While instance resets are limited to 5 per hour, granting a maximum of 20 skill points from the Shadowforge Lock directly, supplement this by pickpocketing mobs within BRD for Strong Junkboxes and Heavy Junkboxes. These boxes will help bridge any gap to reach 300 Lockpicking, or simply wait to re-enter the instance.
