Lock (Fallout: New Vegas)

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	For an overview of locks, see Lock. For information on hacking, see Hacking (Fallout: New Vegas).

Locks are found throughout the wasteland on doors, safes, and boxes. The player character can pick a lock using bobby pins. Some can also be unlocked with keys.

Difficulty[]

Locks come in five difficulties: Very Easy, Easy, Average, Hard, and Very Hard, corresponding to the minimum Lockpick skill required to attempt picking the lock. The difficulty level of the lock determines how accurately the bobby pin must be placed to successfully pick the lock. Difficulty and the Lockpick skill also determine the probability of success for an attempt to force a lock open.

Picking a lock[]

To pick a lock, the player character must have a Lockpick skill high enough for the difficulty of the lock and possess one or more bobby pins. Bobby pins are weightless items, often found in first aid kits and locked containers.

If the conditions are met, a mini-game is activated. A bobby pin and screwdriver (a free, weightless item that does not appear in the inventory) are inserted into the keyhole of the lock. The lockpicker turns the pin in an attempt to find the correct position, which is checked by then turning the screwdriver as if it were a key. The further the screwdriver turns the lock, the closer the pin is to the correct position. Once the screwdriver can turn the lock a full 90 degrees, the lock opens.

If the lockpicker fails to determine the correct pin position for the lock too many times, the bobby pin will break, requiring them to use another to continue the attempt. A Very Easy lock has a wide area for success and needs little to no pin adjustment, in turn making the likelihood of breaking a pin low. A Very Hard lock has a narrow area, requiring precise placement, and thus the repeated checks to find the correct position will wear out a pin quickly.

The number of times it takes for a bobby pin to break varies, as placing too much force on the screwdriver will cause it to break faster than a light touch. The integrity of the pin can be roughly tracked by how violently it shakes on a failed attempt. When it is about to break, it will bounce out of the center position.

The mini-game can be exited and restarted which will prevent the pin from breaking, but this will also reset the correct position for the pin.

Forcing a Lock[]

It is possible to skip the mini-game by attempting to force a lock open, and this does not require a bobby pin. The probability of success for this action depends on the Lockpick skill and the difficulty of the lock. Failing to force the lock open will break it, and no other attempt at opening it can be made without the Infiltrator perk (which grants a second attempt) or the appropriate key.

Locations[]

Closest map marker	Locked Item	Directions	Difficulty
Bitter Springs recreation area	Safe	In the office.	3 !Average
Black Mountain	Gate	Behind the broadcast building after reaching the top.	4 !Hard
Black Mountain	Trunk	One of the large, light-blue trunks in the large makeshift shelter near where Neil awaits the Courier after their initial encounter.	3 !Average
Bloodborne cave	Gate	Go straight upon entering the cave, be careful as there is a trap wire right behind the gate.	5 !Very Hard
Bloodborne cave	Trunk	The very hard gate has to be picked first, and then there is a trunk.	3 !Average
Bradley's shack	First aid box	Behind his bed.	1 !Very Easy
Brewer's beer bootlegging	Door	Goes to the cellar.	3 !Average
Brewer's beer bootlegging	Gun cabinet	In the basement. Can also be unlocked with the key found in the next room on the table with the chemistry set.	4 !Hard
Brewer's beer bootlegging	Explosives crate	In the southeastern corner of the cellar.	3 !Average
Camp Forlorn Hope	Door	Across from the Quartermaster's tent; the storage shed door.	5 !Very Hard
Camp Forlorn Hope	Locker	In the Medical Center.	4 !Hard
Camp McCarran	Grenade box	In a large tent north of the central entrance to Camp McCarran terminal building.	3 !Average
Camp McCarran terminal building	MP confiscated goods trunk	Found on the second floor, across from the interrogation room. Can also be unlocked with the NCR MP confiscated goods trunk key.	5 !Very Hard
Camp Searchlight		In the Searchlight NCR storage room where Logan is found. Can also be accessed via the nearby Average locked NCR storage database terminal.	3 !Average
Cannibal Johnson's cave	Trunk	Next to Cannibal Johnson's bed.	3 !Average
Charleston Cave	Ammunition box	In the center of the large room directly south of the entrance.	2 !Easy
Crimson Caravan Company	Ammunition box	In the guard barracks.	2 !Easy
Crimson Caravan Company	Desk	In the Crimson Caravan main office, the desk that Alice McLafferty sits behind.	1 !Very Easy
Crimson Caravan Company	Safe	In the Crimson Caravan main office, between the lockers and the desk that Alice McLafferty sits behind.	3 !Average
El Rey Motel	Mine box	At the western end of the bridge near the motel, near a sandbag fortification.	2 !Easy
Emergency service railyard	Metal box	At the southwest corner of the building, under the wooden platform.	2 !Easy
Freeside	Door	Atomic Wrangler Casino, in the entry room north corner, labeled authorized personnel only, opens into cashiers cage. Both Francine Garret and James Garret carry a bank key.	5 !Very Hard
Freeside	Door	Atomic Wrangler Casino, ahead around the corner behind the bar, near the bathroom. Both Francine Garret and James Garret carry a key, but it will become unlocked as one of the Garrets heads upstairs to their room.	5 !Very Hard
Freeside	Door	Atomic Wrangler Casino third floor. Both Francine Garret and James Garret carry an upstairs key.	3 !Average
Freeside	Safe	Atomic Wrangler Casino, third floor through locked door, room directly across hall, under the bed.	5 !Very Hard
Gomorrah	Door	Various doors throughout the building.	5 !Very Hard
Goodsprings	Door	Northeast exterior door of Prospector Saloon.	1 !Very Easy
Goodsprings	Door	Southwest exterior door of Prospector Saloon.	1 !Very Easy
Goodsprings	Safe	Inside a bedroom of Goodsprings home directly SE from Doc Mitchell's house.	3 !Average
Goodsprings	Safe	Inside Goodsprings schoolhouse. It can also be unlocked via the nearby Average terminal.	2 !Easy
Goodsprings	Safe	Floor safe inside Goodsprings gas station. It is located behind the counter, partially concealed by the bed.	2 !Easy
Goodsprings	Safe	Floor safe in the south room of Prospector Saloon. It can also be unlocked via the nearby Easy terminal.	4 !Hard
Gun Runners (Fallout: New Vegas)	Gate	To the left of the kiosk.	3 !Average
Gun Runners (Fallout: New Vegas)	Locker	On the right in the room with the Gun Runner terminal.	3 !Average
HELIOS One	Door	At the southeastern corner of HELIOS One Power Plant.	1 !Very Easy
HELIOS One	Safe	At the solar collection tower down the stairs from the entrance.	3 !Average
HELIOS One	Safe	At the solar collection tower, downstairs in a southern room.	3 !Average
Hidden supply cave	Door	The exterior door of the cave.	3 !Average
Hidden Valley	Door	In the bunker that is next to the intercom.	5 !Very Hard
Jacobstown	Door	The exterior door of the Jacobstown Bungalow that is closest to the front doors of the Jacobstown lodge.	3 !Average
Jean Sky Diving	Locker	Inside the building. It can also be unlocked with the key on the nearby table.	3 !Average
Lucky 38	Safe	At the cocktail lounge.	3 !Average
Lucky 38	Briefcase	At the cocktail lounge.	4 !Hard
NCR Correctional Facility	First aid box	On the first floor of the Administration building.	2 !Easy
NCR Correctional Facility	Door	On the second floor of the Administration building, directly ahead of the top of the stairs.	3 !Average
NCR Correctional Facility	Safe	On the second floor of the Administration building, there is a wall safe directly behind Eddie.	3 !Average
NCR Correctional Facility	Armor case	In Cell Block A, in the last cell on the right.	3 !Average
NCR Correctional Facility	Mine box	In Cell Block A, in the last cell on the right.	2 !Easy
NCR Correctional Facility	Footlocker	In Cell Block B, in the first cell on the right.	1 !Very Easy
NCR Correctional Facility	Door	In Cell Block B, the first cell door to the left.	2 !Easy
Nipton	Door	The cage door in the booby-trapped house #4 east of the Nipton General Store.	3 !Average
Nipton	Refrigerator	In the kitchen in the booby-trapped house #4 east of the Nipton General Store.	2 !Easy
Nipton	Cabinet	The kitchen cabinet in the booby-trapped house #4 east of the Nipton General Store.	3 !Average
Nipton	Desk	In the booby-trapped house #4 east of the Nipton General Store.	1 !Very Easy
Nipton	Cabinet	In the bedroom in the booby-trapped house #4 east of the Nipton General Store.	2 !Easy
Nipton	Safe	In the bathroom in the booby-trapped house #4 east of the Nipton General Store.	1 !Very Easy
Nipton General Store	Door	Behind the counter.	2 !Easy
Nipton Town Hall	Door	In Steyn's office.	1 !Very Easy
Nipton Town Hall	Door	In Steyn's office, the door to the room behind the mayor's office.	3 !Average
Nipton Road Pit Stop	Grenade box	In the destroyed house to the North of the road.	2 !Easy
Novac	Safe	Inside the Dino Dee-lite front desk, behind the counter there is a floor safe.	2 !Easy
Novac	Door	Inside the Dino Bite gift shop, behind the counter.	1 !Very Easy
Novac	Gun case	Inside Ranger Andy's bungalow, atop a shelf on the wall.	3 !Average
Novac	First aid box	Inside McBride house in the bathroom.	2 !Easy
Novac	Gun case	Inside McBride's house, atop a shelf on the wall.	3 !Average
Novac	First aid box	Inside the Novac house just north of McBride house, in the bathroom.	1 !Very Easy
Novac	Footlocker	Inside the Novac house just north of McBride house, in the bedroom.	3 !Average
Novac	Footlocker	Inside the Novac house just south of No-bark's shack, under the bed in the bedroom.	2 !Easy
Primm	Door	Inside the Bison Steve Hotel, behind the counter to the right of the front entrance.	4 !Hard
Primm	Safe	Inside the Bison Steve Hotel, in the room where the Bison Steve maintenance key can be found.	3 !Average
Primm	Safe	Inside the Bison Steve Hotel, there is a floor safe behind the counter in the gift shop. Contains Lucky	4 !Hard
Primm	Door	Inside the Bison Steve Hotel, the maintenance door in the SE corner of the room where the elevator can be found. Can also be unlocked with the Bison Steve maintenance key.	2 !Easy
Primm	Door	On the second floor of the Bison Steve Hotel, immediately to the left of the elevator.	1 !Very Easy
Primm	Door	On the second floor of the Bison Steve Hotel, near the SW corner.	1 !Very Easy
Primm	Gun cabinet	On the third floor of the Bison Steve Hotel, in the large destroyed room. Can also be unlocked with the Worn key (Bison Steve hotel)	3 !Average
Primm	Door	The door leading to the cashier's cage in the Vicki and Vance Casino.	1 !Very Easy
Primm	Safe	The sixth safe from the left on the top row of safes in Vicki and Vance Casino's cashier's cage.	2 !Easy
Primm	Safe	The first safe from the left in the middle row of safes in Vicki and Vance Casino's cashier's cage.	4 !Hard
Primm	Safe	The fifth safe from the left on the bottom row of safes in Vicki and Vance Casino's cashier's cage.	2 !Easy
Ranger Station Bravo	Ammunition box	Inside the truck trailer at the southwestern corner of the station, there are four total ammunition boxes.	3 !Average
Ranger Station Delta	Gun case	Inside the communications tent.	3 !Average
Ranger Station Echo	Ammunition box	Inside the communications hut.	2 !Easy
Ranger Station Foxtrot	First aid box	Inside the tent.	1 !Very Easy
Ranger Station Foxtrot	Mine box	Inside the tent.	1 !Very Easy
REPCONN headquarters	Door	On the main floor, to the right of the lobby as soon as the building is entered. Can also be unlocked with the nearby Average terminal.	3 !Average
REPCONN headquarters	Door	On the main floor, to the right of two Protectron bays.	3 !Average
REPCONN headquarters	Door	On the main floor, near the shipping sign.	5 !Very Hard
REPCONN headquarters	Door	On the main floor, behind the counter in the gift shop.	4 !Hard
REPCONN headquarters	Safe	In the room behind the gift shop.	3 !Average
REPCONN headquarters	Door	On the main floor past three exhibit rooms is a double broken door.	3 !Average
REPCONN headquarters	Door	A door to the second floor, located by climbing the ramp created by the broken floor in the room with the Q-35 matter modulator.	4 !Hard
REPCONN headquarters	Door	On the second floor, across the hall from the Hard locked door containing the Q-35 matter modulator, there are two separate doors.	3 !Average
REPCONN headquarters	Door	On the second floor, across the hall from the Hard locked door containing the Q-35 matter modulator, there are two separate doors.	3 !Average
REPCONN headquarters	Safe	In the northwestern corner of the top floor. Can also be unlocked via the nearby terminal.	2 !Easy
REPCONN test site	Grenade box	On the road leading to the site, to the southeast, in the sandbag-fortified area where the road curves slightly.	2 !Easy
REPCONN test site	Door	In the lobby, directly behind the semi-circular desk.	2 !Easy
REPCONN test site	Door	Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, the first door on the left.	2 !Easy
REPCONN test site	Safe	Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, inside the locked room on the left.	2 !Easy
REPCONN test site	Door	Up the stairs beyond the locked lobby door, inside the locked room on the left.	2 !Easy
REPCONN test site	Door	Up the west stairs beyond the broken double doors, the first door on the left.	1 !Very Easy
REPCONN test site	Safe	On the third floor, in a carpeted room, behind the semi-circular desk.	3 !Average
REPCONN test site		On the third floor, the room across the hall from the carpeted room.	1 !Very Easy
REPCONN test site	Door	The door to the REPCONN basement. Can also be unlocked with the key given by Jason Bright.	2 !Easy
REPCONN test site		In REPCONN basement, the southern room. Harland is inside.	2 !Easy
Residential District	Gate	South of the entrance to the Villa and directly to the east of a staircase.	3 !Average
Residential District	Ammunition box	Inside the Cloud in the courtyard with two trees. A RadAway is nearby for visual reference.	3 !Average
Ruby Hill Mine	Box	In the area filled with water. You can get there either by swimming or walking.	3 !Average
Ruby Hill Mine	Box	In the area filled with water. You can get there either by swimming or walking.	4 !Hard
Silver Rush	Door	At the southwest corner of the large main room.	4 !Hard
Silver Rush	Safe	In the room leading to the stairs. Can also be unlocked with the terminal on the nearby table.	4 !Hard
Silver Rush	Door	Up the stairs, straight down the first hall on the left.	4 !Hard
Silver Rush	Door	Up the stairs, straight down at the end of the first hall.	4 !Hard
Sloan	Locker	Inside the Worker barracks, on the right in the back of the room.	2 !Easy
Sniper's nest	Gun case	On the floor.	5 !Very Hard
Sunset Sarsaparilla headquarters	Door	Go up a flight of stairs and down another to the ground floor. The door that is already open and broken can be picked for the XP.	5 !Very Hard
The Prospector's Den	Armor case	In the second room on the right.	3 !Average
The Prospector's Den	Gun case	In the second room on the right.	2 !Easy
Ultra-Luxe	Door	The cashier's door in the lobby.	3 !Average
Vault 21	Door	The door to Sarah's room. It's located northeast of the entrance.	3 !Average
Vault 21	Dresser	Inside Sarah's room next to the bed.	4 !Hard
Villa	Metal box	In the area directly east of the fountain where the hologram of Father Elijah is encountered, on the second-floor walkway. It can be reached via the stairs from the nearby gift shop.	3 !Average
Villa	Cash register	In the shop directly south from the Salida del Sol entrance. One of Dean's Secret Stashes can be found here as well.	4 !Hard
Villa	Door	The door to the Villa police station.	1 !Very Easy
Villa	Gun cabinet	North of the door to the Villa police station is a courtyard with two tree planters. Enter the blue door on the west wall, up the stairs.	3 !Average 1
Villa	Metal box	Near the door to the Villa police station.	3 !Average
Wins hideout	Safe	Inside the Wins hideout is The Wins' safe. Can also be unlocked via dialog check (Speech 55) with Pauline Wins.	5 !Very Hard

¹ Average lock at player levels 1-25, Hard lock at levels 26-50