Improvised Lockpicks

Lockpicks are made for the job, but it is possible for a resourceful thief to improvise a lockpick from a length of wire, a hairpin or hat pin, or some similar ready-to-hand item. Obviously, this will never be anywhere as good as the specially-crafted item, but it's better than nothing. As stated in the Player's Handbook, a penalty of anywhere from -5 to -60 can be applied to the use of such improvised lockpicks. The following suggestions are given for the DM to select within this range.

To create improvised lockpicks the thief must make an Intelligence check, modified (positively!) by his experience level—reflecting the resourcefulness greater experience brings. If this check is successful, the improvised items can be used with a penalty of -5 to -30 (1d6x5) to the open locks roll. If the modified Intelligence check is failed, the thief can bodge up something, but it is a feeble effort—the penalty is -35 to -60 (1d6x5, +30) for the Open Locks attempt. Locks which are of Masterful quality, however, cannot be opened with improvised lockpicks (unless the DM allows the 01=success rule here).

Critical Failure: When opening locks, either with lock picks or with improvised lock picks, the DM may rule that on a skill check roll of 96-99 the tool snaps but can be wangled out of the lock if a Dexterity check is made; on a roll of 00 the snapped tool is wedged in the lock and cannot be removed (save for disassembling the whole lock!).

Special Rule, Combination Locks: The DM may wish to allow the existence of these complex locks in his campaign world. If he does, then such locks are always of Superior or Masterful quality. As an optional rule, a thief who makes a successful detect noise roll when trying to open such locks can halve the usual negative modifier to his skill for such formidable locks, as he is able to detect the sound of tumblers falling!