Oblivion Remastered: How to get the Skeleton Key
By Ryan Woodrow
Whether you’re new to Oblivion and are used to Skyrim’s lockpicking or are just out of practice from when you last played the game, a lot of people have trouble with the lockpicking minigame in Oblivion Remastered. Thankfully, there is an in-game way to make sure you never fail it again without having to use any cheats: the Skeleton Key.
This unique item is a lockpick that will never break and simply having it in your inventory will give you a +40 buff to your Security skill. We’ll explain where to get your hands on this valuable item.
There are some locks that you can't pick though, like those to all player homes in Oblivion Remastered.
How to get the Skeleton Key
If you’ve already played Skyrim then you’ll know that the Skeleton Key is the Daedric Artifact of Nocturnal. While in Skyrim you encounter her as part of the Thieves Guild questline, in Oblivion you need to seek out her shrine which is just north of Leyawiin on the opposite side of the river.
Speak to the shrine there and, provided you’re at least Level 10, you can begin her quest, which will direct you to seek out two Argonians in Leyawiin who have stolen something from her. Talk to a guard and ask about Leyawiin for them to start talking about said Argonians, Weebam-Na and Bejeen. Follow up with the new talking point and you’ll get a quest marker pointing you to Weebam-Na’s house.
They’ll both deny knowing anything, so instead you’ll need to eavesdrop. Just crouch down in a corner of their house where neither of them can see you (or drink an invisibility potion) and the two of them will eventually start to talk about the Eye of Nocturnal’s location. Note that you may have to leave and re-enter the house while sneaking to trigger this conversation.
They’ll mention it’s at Tidewater Cave and a marker will be added to your map, so that’s where you should head next. You don’t have to go too far in though. As you head into the cave turn left into the watery area and follow that passage all the way around until the water gets deep enough for you to dive. At the end of the flooded passage you’ll find the Eye floating in the water and a chest you can loot.
With the Eye in your possession, return to Nocturnal’s Shrine and speak with her once more. She will take the Eye and give you the Skeleton Key as a reward, making it yours to keep forever.