While running an experimental one/two/three shot dungeon crawler with some new players who had limited experience in TTRPGs; I decided to forgo normal game mechanics in favor of a more streamlined OSR-ish experience. No skills or classes, just basic character stats and most importantly, items. Starting as nobodies with limited starting gold; the players had to make tough choices early on like to enter the dungeon without armor in favor of healing items, balance encumbrance with how many specific tools they wanted to bring versus how likely those tools would actually need to be used, and a good range of ammunition or specific weapon types. Without telling them anything and simply presenting the list of equipment they could buy with starting gold, they correctly deduced that multiple damage types may be useful and light sources would be crucial. We even got some character and group progression via purchasing new items in the shop after each delve and loot found in the dungeon. However one tool a player absolutely made sure to get and tell the others not to waste their gold on? The humble lockpick.
Now this came up to be quite a challenge for me. At the time, I didn't really know how I wanted the lockpicking to work. With no Rogue or Thief class, no desire to add a skill system, I didn't really consider using roll-under-Dex even though it work fine simply because of the annoyance of a player wanting to lockpick but being "stat deficient" to do it, plus the added annoyance and simple fact that the players would never interface with the mechanic anyway; since you aren't lockpicking in combat it's always just going to be the highest Dex character performing the check. This is boring. Given my desire to run a fairly OSR experience; involving feeling around for traps and pressure plates, careful "puzzles" that can be solved by studying the environment, and rewarding out of the box thinking; I decided to say screw it and make lockpicking an interactive and simulated element. Like the rest of the "game".
Player Skill Lockpicking
When you approach a locked door or chest, you will be told its basic size, shape, and other features. Some locks can't be picked (like gemstone locks or magic "metal shape in hole" locks, though you could probably make a forgery in town with a chance to break upon use and seal you in as soon as you pass through the opening), but for a traditional pin-and-tumbler lock you can pick it. Also we know these locks were not invented in the roughly middle age time period and technology most fantasy games are set in but Ward locks are boring so ignore that and roll with it.
Whenever you want to pick a lock, you have to say what tools you're using for the job. Lockpickers (usually) only have two hands, and most locks only have enough space for two tools inside at a time anyway. These tools are in order from most common and inexpensive, to specialized and only able to be made by master craftsmen (or as loot).
Tension Wrench is a thin but much stronger and broad piece of metal meant to go in along with a lockpick to help turn the lock once the tumblers are past the shear line. While it can't pick the lock on its own; allows you to open heavy duty locks (which regular lockpicks are too thin to turn) and also prevents your lockpick from breaking when trying to turn a rusted lock. I'm not sure if it should help with springlocks because I think the idea of having to find a more interesting solution (like putting a tiny stick inside to be broken instead) is more interesting.
Probes are the second most basic tool. They are a long and very thin metal rod with no hook on the end. They are primarily used for getting information on the lock and "scouting" it out before attempting any moves to open it. You can probably bend a probe into a lockpick or vice-versa with a hammer but this has a chance to break it (1 in 6) and the resulting pick or probe will be structurally much weaker and have a 2 in 6 chance to break every time it's used or always breaks in a springlock mechanism.
When a probe is inserted into a lock, you can get a hint on what is inside. This is based on the noise and sensation it gives.
Under tension or has some give : Tension lock. Will snap your lockpick if you try to open it by itself; the intended key is beefier and won't break apart. You can prevent this by putting a thicker piece of metal in the lock (like a thin stiletto, or a specialized tension wrench)
Strange groves along the side : Carvings inside the lock that line up into a magic symbol or rune when fully rotated into open position. Can be any spell, but usually Fireball or a Death spell for a Wizard more serious about his security.
Hard roughness and a "Click" : Tiny lodestone hidden inside the mechanism. When you pick this lock, will snag onto one of your tools randomly and won't let go. That tool is just stuck in the lock under extreme magnetic force; breaking if you try to yank it free. Intended for a nonmetallic key.
Hard smoothness and a "Click" : Tiny crystal prism inside the lock. Likely has a spell enchanted to activate when the lock is opened without the cancelling crystal on the end of the intended wizard key. Or maybe shoots a laser.
Hard smoothness, a "click", and faint light inside the lock : Mirror magic light trap. Harder to detect then others, maybe the probe feels different since it hits a flat smooth surface instead of bouncing off the facets of the crystal. 100% shoots a laser when opened. You can destroy this by breaking it; you can hit it hard with a probe (but has a 1 in 6 chance to break the probe off in the lock) or with a Springpick.
Hard and a "Tink" : Glass vial of acid or poison; acid vial melts the lock into uselessness making it unable to be picked again, and probably takes your pick too. Pretty similar to below; but I think the cork is more interesting.
Soft with some give : Cork of a tiny bottle. Maybe used in special locks that release a rust cloud to degrade all your equipment (but the lock's mechanisms are all made of bismuth or something so they're immune) or a cloud of gas erupts from the lock-hole when you try to open it without its intended key.
Something flutters and/or light chiming sounds : Noise trap. Musical chimes may attract monsters, or ghosts. You can stuff a small amount of clay or cloth down the lock with a probe to silence this trap.
Soft with a rustling sound : Dried grasses and tinder for a firetrap. Don't ask how the lock still functions with that deep in; there's like a special metal compartment or something. If you turn the lock without the intended key, it sparks the tinder and lights the chest on fire or maybe explodes.
Light tugging or muffled swearing : There's a gremlin in the lock. Gremlins love to break things and cause misfortune; and was probably waiting to grind down the teeth of the intended key to this lock the next time it got put in. You can beat it by putting in a fake key in the lock (will confuse it with the real one and bite it) or by shoving a very thin and small sword into the lock to kill the little bastard.
Wet and Squishy : That's a mimic, dude. Extra comedy points if the chest starts purring and getting really warm while you're playing around in there. It only attacks when you stop.
Lockpicks are the basic tool required to pick all locks. They are long and thin metal rods with a hook on the end to pick tumblers. Standard lockpicks require an exploration turn to open a regular lock. If a random encounter is rolled, you have a 1 in 6 chance to break the lock off when ambushed in the surprise. Broken lockpicks get stuck in the lock and mean you can't pick it open anymore; meaning you'll either have to bust it open (making noise) or leave it for later. You can have a 1 in 6 chance to break a lockpick when you attempt opening a rusty lock (locks in wet places) from the friction and rust. Calling every standard lockpick a "lockpick" seems a bit basic but in the way that players are incentivized to carry more then one of them; you can still have the fantasy of a master thief with a whole set of tools.
Rakes are lockpicks with a wave pattern, used to hit multiple tumblers at once. Unlike in real life and within the confines of this simplistic setup, we'll be changing their function to let you pick simple locks in a hurry (no longer need to roll a wandering monster check) OR prevent you from breaking a lockpick or losing progress when surprised by monsters while picking. Also if inserted in the lockpick of a complex, clockwork clock that resets its pins every turn; prevents this.
Moon Picks are shaped like a thin crescent moon on the end of the pick. Used to catch poison needle traps that come out of the keyhole and prevent them from stabbing you in the hand and cut any strings inside the lock. You can also use it as a double headed lockpick in a pinch, but will be bent out of shape more likely then a regular lockpick (2 in 6 chance).
Ward Picks have a smooth metal circle at the far end of the tip inscribed with a holy word or magic symbol of luck. Used to disarm or weaken magical curses and effect when the chest is opened. Much be inside the lock when the lockpicking is finished; cancels out one spell level or die worth of effect.
Corkscrew Pick is a type of lockpick with a sharp corkscrew on the end. Designed to counter Labyrinth locks; a type of lock with multiple false tunnels and tumblers that only the real key is supposed to spin into the correct position. Trying to pick one without a Corkscrew pick increases the time it takes to open this lock to an hour instead of a 10 minute turn. They can also be used to unplug the cork of a bottle trap, letting you siphon out or expose the solution to air gently before it can be fully activated by picking the lock open. In the thieves cant, they are called "Duck Dicks".
Pincers are not lockpicks but are extremely useful for the trade. Let you pull out small objects from the lock you're working on like tiny venomous spiders, flammable tinder, or broken lockpick parts.
Eye Pick is a long and thin pick with a very small metal loop on the end. Used to put things inside the lock like a small bit of cotton (to soak up oils or poisons), pull a tiny switch inside, or tie a string to it and place inside the lock to act as a wick for a fuse (to explode the trap at a safe distance) or maybe a metal wire put inside and redirected so you can ground an electric trap before it zaps you.
Windup Pick is a lockpick with a thin but flat edge that can be wound up and thrust forward to deliver a small kick of force. Can be used to wind up clocks with timers in them (which will activate a nasty trap if not finished in time), break a mirror or a weakened glass vial inside a lock, or knock out an annoying gremlin living in a lock without killing it (like if you want it to keep protecting the lock for future people).
Lightning Pick is like a little miniature lightning rod with a glass vial at the opposite end of the handle. If you prick an electrical trap with this, it gets stored inside and prevents it from zapping you when you pick the lock. You can also use it as a probe. However once it has a charge, it will discharge the next time it touches someone; so if you disarm a lock with it you could stab somebody like a little mini wand of Shocking Grasp or something like that; always dealing a minimum damage roll.
Water Picks are little metal straws with a tube attached and a crank. You have to connected the tube to a water source and have an extra set of hands to turn the crank and squirt the liquid inside. Can be used to wash out fine powders (that would get kicked up by picking the lock, usually choking or poison), or retard fire/explosive traps and reduce the maximum amount of damage they can deal to 1 per die (ie; 4d6 becomes 4 damage). However will ruin anything inside the chest that can't handle water (paintings, spell scrolls, spices, gunpowder, etc.) and create a huge puddle that would make any electrical traps that discharge hit everybody in the room instead of just the guy picking the lock. Usually more trouble then its worth to carry around.
Crystal Picks have a tiny magic crystal on the end; used specifically for countering magical traps or curses placed on the lock. Can also deliver a light charge more discretely then a lantern. Crystal picks are unlike other picks in that they have limited uses before needing to be mystically recharged again. Crystal picks are very fragile however and any trap that breaks picks or has a chance to destroy your tools will always break the crystal on the end and spoil the magic.
Skeleton Keys can open any type of lock. That sounds extremely cool but that doesn't mean they can't be broken, protect you from traps or curses, won't lock in place, etc. You have other tools for that.
The main idea behind this system is to add interesting decisions and a more engaging system for lockpicking. While each individual part is simple; combining them creates some interesting mechanics. It also creates a slight bit more engagement in the world and connects what the players are doing in the setting. I just thematically really like the idea of a player bringing along extra lockpicks and tension wrenches when exploring the Dwarven Tombs, since their locks are going to be heavy duty and prone to being mechanically trapped, where as ancient Elvish strongholds might have thin gold plated locks that seem easy to open but are layered in magical wards and traps. In the same way you should have to bring different weapons to deal with different enemies; you should have to bring different tools to pick different locks.
You can also still have the classic masterwork lock you can't pick (by making an alternate form of lock, like a magic gemstone) to gate progression, or the slightly artificial super-hard lock you aren't supposed to pick now and come back to later but instead of it being because your characters progress their skills instead you progress your equipment. I also quite like the idea of this implied setting's "master locks" to not be one lock at all but multiple build in to a single item; like a chest with three keyholes requiring all three of its original shared owners to be present with their plot-important keys to open up; this way you can still include locks that take longer to open, but done with an in-universe reason (multiple keys) instead of an arbitrary "this lock is extra complex".
