Lockpicking in The Burning Crusade is a rogue-exclusive skill capped at 350 (it scales at 5× your character level, so you need level 70 to max it). There's no gathering cost and no trainer materials — you level it purely by picking locks. The quickest path is opening locked junkboxes (pickpocketed or bought) and picking relockable doors, moving up tiers as your skill rises.
Quick facts
- Who can learn it: Rogues only — grab "Pick Lock" from any rogue trainer around level 16–20.
- Max skill in TBC: 350 (limited to 5× your level; 70 = 350).
- How you level it: Successfully picking a lock above your current skill grants a point. Locks too far below your skill stop giving skill-ups (they turn grey).
- Best sources: Junkboxes (Battered → Worn → Sturdy → Heavy), sellable lockboxes, world chests, and doors that relock after a short time.
Skill breakpoints and what to pick
| Skill range | What to pick |
| 1–70 | Battered Junkboxes, low-level lockboxes, practice chests |
| 70–175 | Worn Junkboxes and mid-tier lockboxes |
| 175–250 | Sturdy Junkboxes |
| 250–350 | Heavy Junkboxes from level 60–70 Outland humanoids |
Exact minimum-skill numbers vary slightly by box, so always check the tooltip — if it says your skill is too low, drop to the tier below and grind a few points first.
How do I level lockpicking fast in TBC?
The fastest method is a steady supply of junkboxes. Pickpocket humanoid mobs as a rogue to farm them for free, or buy stacks off the Auction House. Each box you open that's above your skill gives a point, so keep a bag of the right tier and burn through them.
If you'd rather not spend gold, use relockable objects. Certain chest and cage doors — like those found in dungeons such as the Deadmines and the Stockades — reset after a short delay, letting you pick the same lock again and again for free training.
Where do rogues train lockpicking?
Any rogue trainer teaches the "Pick Lock" ability once you're high enough level (usually mid-teens). After that, no trainer is involved — the skill goes up automatically as you pick locks in the world. There are no ranks to buy; the number simply climbs as you practice.
Why bother maxing lockpicking?
High lockpicking lets you crack lockboxes that drop for the whole server, which you can open for others (often for tips) and loot yourself. It also unlocks sealed chests and doors in the world and dungeons that non-rogues need a key or a rogue friend for — a genuinely useful and slightly profitable niche.
If you'd rather skip the junkbox grind, PewPewShop offers rogue coaching and progression help from vetted human players who can walk you through the fastest 1–350 route, farming spots, and gold-making tricks so you level it right the first time.