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The earliest reliable place to buy lockpicks in Oblivion Remastered is Shady Sam, a vendor who stands outside the Imperial City wall near Chestnut Handy Stables. A PowerPyx guide dated April 23, 2025 reports that he becomes available after the prologue, sells 30 lockpicks at 6 gold each, and restocks after 72 in-game hours. Those figures come from that guide and describe in-game values, not anything measured outside the game.
Compare your lockpick sources
Each route differs in when it opens, what it costs, and whether the supply can be counted on. The table below sets them side by side; the sections after it give the location and caveats for each.
| Source | When it opens | Cost or requirement | Supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shady Sam (outside the Imperial City wall) | After the prologue, per PowerPyx (April 23, 2025) | 6 gold per pick; 180 gold for a full stock of 30 | 30 picks, restocking after 72 in-game hours |
| Thieves Guild recruitment (Armand Cristophe) | Begins with the guild’s recruitment quest | Joining the guild; Armand temporarily sells picks for 5 gold during recruitment, per PowerPyx (April 23, 2025) | Not stated for Armand after recruitment |
| Thieves Guild fences | After joining the guild | Gold; fence inventories not stated by Bethesda Support | Not stated; fence stock is not guaranteed by the official page |
| Dark Brotherhood merchants | Not stated | Gold; PC Gamer (April 22, 2025) says they sell picks | Less stock than Thieves Guild fences, per PC Gamer; exact quantities not confirmed |
| Loot from chests, bandits, and goblins | Any time you find it | No purchase needed | Occasional; not a dependable resupply |
Shady Sam: the fastest early source
Shady Sam needs no faction membership, which makes him the practical answer for a player who runs out of picks early. To find him, fast travel to Chestnut Handy Stables near the Imperial City’s west gate, then follow the outer wall north. He is outside the city, leaning against the wall, in the recess by the wall. Stock is 30 picks at 6 gold each, so a full batch costs 180 gold. After 72 in-game hours his stock refreshes, so a second purchase depends on how long you wait.
Thieves Guild: cheaper picks after joining
Bethesda Support says to find Armand Cristophe in the Imperial City Waterfront District at midnight in-game time to begin joining the Thieves Guild. PowerPyx reports that Armand temporarily sells picks for 5 gold during the recruitment quest, which is cheaper per pick than Shady Sam.
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- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Physical Deluxe Edition includes the base game, unique digital Akatosh and Mehrunes Dagon Armors, Weapons, and Horse Armor Sets, Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine story expansions, access to the Digital Artbook and Soundtrack App, and additional downloadable content: Fighter’s Stronghold, Spell Tomes, Vile Lair, Mehrune’s Razor, The Thieves Den, Wizard’s Tower, The Orrery, and Horse Armor Pack.
- Journey through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe inspiring.
- From the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.
Once you are a member, guild fences buy and sell stolen goods. Bethesda lists these fences:
- Dar Jee in Leyawiin
- Fathis Ules in the Imperial City or Chorrol
- Luciana Galena in Bravil
- Ongar the World-Weary in Bruma
- Orrin in Anvil
Bethesda’s page documents the fence role but does not promise that any of these NPCs stock lockpicks. Check each one’s shop window before you plan around them.
Rank #2
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered modernizes the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay.
- Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before and stop the forces of Oblivion from overtaking the land in one of the greatest RPGs ever from the award-winning Bethesda Game Studios.
- Rediscover Cyrodiil Journey through the rich world of Tamriel and battle across the planes of Oblivion where handcrafted details have been meticulously recreated to ensure each moment of exploration is awe-inspiring.
- Navigate Your Own Story. From the noble warrior to the sinister assassin, wizened sorcerer, or scrappy blacksmith, forge your path and play the way you want.
- An Epic Adventure. Step inside a universe bursting with captivating stories and encounter an unforgettable cast of characters. Master swordcraft and wield powerful magic as you fight to save Tamriel from the Daedric invasion.
Dark Brotherhood merchants
PC Gamer (April 22, 2025) reports that Dark Brotherhood merchants sell lockpicks, with less stock than Thieves Guild fences. The guide did not confirm exact inventories or quantities, so treat this route as an extra option rather than a main supply.
Loot and the Skeleton Key
Search dungeon and bandit-hideout chests, and check defeated bandits and goblins. Both PowerPyx and PC Gamer describe picks as occasional loot, so it helps to keep a stock from purchases instead of relying on drops.
Rank #3
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered brings the game of the year 2006 up to date with all-new stunning graphics and enhanced gameplay.
- Explore the vast landscape of Cyrodiil like never before in one of the greatest RPGs of all time from award-winning Bethesda Game Studios, preventing the powers from the realm of forgetting from conquering the land.
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered - Physical Deluxe Edition includes the main game, unique digital Akatosh and Mehrunes Dagon armor, weapons and horse armor sets, Shivering Isles and Knights of the Nine story expansions, access to the digital artbook and soundtrack app, plus additional content to download. en: Fighter's Stronghold, Spell Tomes, Vile Lair, Mehrune's Razor, The Thieves Den, Wizard's Tower, Orrery and Horse Armor Pack.
- Travels through the magnificent world of Tamriel and struggles on the plains of the realm of oblivion. The hand-crafted details have been meticulously recreated so that your exploration becomes an unforgettable experience.
- Create your own way from the noble warrior to the sinister assassin to the wrinkled wizard or funny blacksmith and play in your way.
PC Gamer identifies the Skeleton Key as an unbreakable pick and links to its own guide. A 2026 PC Gamer artifact guide that appeared in search results ties the reward to Nocturnal’s quest and a level 10 requirement. That detail was not confirmed on the page itself, so check the quest requirements in-game before you count on the level threshold.
Make your picks last
Lockpicking is governed by the Security skill. The original PC manual states: “Use lockpicks to open locked doors and containers” (Bethesda Softworks, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion PC Manual, p. 24). The manual also explains that a failed attempt can break the pick and drop tumblers. Higher Security ranks reduce how many tumblers fall, and a Master drops none.
Rank #4
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Lockpicking minigame
- Raise each tumbler and set it at the top.
- A failed attempt can break the pick and reset tumblers you have already set, so timing matters.
- PC Gamer advises watching for slower tumbler movement and listening for the change in sound that signals a set.
Saving picks on hard locks
PowerPyx recommends quicksaving before a difficult lock, so a broken pick does not cost you the attempt. Auto-attempt is also available; its success depends on your lockpicking skill, so it is most useful once your Security rank is high enough to make it reliable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Version and availability notes
The Shady Sam figures come from a Remastered-specific guide dated April 23, 2025. PC Gamer’s April 22, 2025 guide says it applies to both the original game and Remastered and confirms Shady Sam’s location, the broader vendor routes, loot, and lockpicking mechanics. Faction vendor stock can change between game builds, and the exact current inventory of each Thieves Guild fence and Dark Brotherhood merchant was not verified against the current game. If a specific vendor doesn’t have picks, check again after a few in-game days or after a new loot drop.
What is not established
- The exact stock and prices of each Thieves Guild fence.
- The exact quantities sold by Dark Brotherhood merchants.
- The Skeleton Key quest’s level requirement.
These points are the most likely to differ between builds or regional guides. Verify them in-game before planning around them.
Quick Recap
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