Lockpicking

Lockpicking is a delicate, involved process that should have more narrative weight, and the capacity for experts to really display their skills, but games such as Dungeons & Dragons (5e) filter this art down to only a few simple rolls against a difficulty challenge level. Because this is what I would consider to be a 'core mechanic' of the Rogue class, I have created this homebrew rules system to add more levels of tension to these events.

— Dungeon Master's note

Lockpicking - The Basics

Locks are broken into six tiers of difficulty based on the number of tumblers, or 'mechanical' combinations that they are comprised of. Not all locks can be picked, and not all characters can pick locks. The number of mechanisms, or tumblers determines the number of dice that must be rolled (one die for each mechanism), and only experts can unlock the most difficult locks.
If a player fails to pick a lock, the device shows visible signs of tampering, and will often be 'stuck' in such a way that will make repeated attempts to unlock it more difficult.
Because Rogues are uniquely skilled in lockpicking (per their proffession) they receive a bonus to lockpicking equal to the number of Sneak Attack bonus dice they possess at their level, but anyone who is proficient with lockpicking tools also receives a minor bonus.

thief by Klaus Wittmann

Lockpicking Challenge Table

Difficulty:	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6
Dice:	1d6	2d6	3d6	4d6	5d6	6d6
Requirements:				Proficiency - Lockpicking	Proficiency - Lockpicking	Proficiency - Lockpicking (Expertise)
Time:	20s	40s	60s	3m	6m	10m

Lockpicking - Rules

When you attempt to pick a lock or deactivate a trapped mechanism the DM will require you to roll a number of D6 equal to the difficulty of the lock you're attempting to pick. The time it takes to pick such a lock is included in the table. If you are interrupted while attempting to pick a lock it will not be 'jammed' but it will be noticeably tampered with.

• When you roll a 1 on any of the D6 dice you're required to roll, you fail to pick the lock.
• If you possess lockpicking tools you can reroll [1] of those D6 dice and your lockpicking tools are consumed.
• If you are proficient with lockpicking tools you can reroll [2] of those dice, or you can reroll [1] die and your lockpicking tools are not consumed.
• If you are a Rogue, you can reroll a number of D6 equal to your Sneak Attack bonus (I.E. If you possess 3d6 Sneak Attack, you can reroll three dice). Once you have used this feature you cannot do so again (regardless of the number of dice you reroll) until you have completed a long rest. The rerolls can be used in any order until the total number of Sneak Attack dice the character possesses are fulfilled (Example: if you have 3d6 Sneak Attack and choose to reroll two dice but one comes up as 1 again, you can reroll this dice one final time, or use your lockpicking tools to roll it a further time as well)
• If you fail to pick a lock on the first attempt, you may attempt to pick it a second time, but the difficult of the lock increases by one stage. If you fail to pick a lock that is already stage 6, the lock can no longer be picked. It also requires twice the normal amount of time to pick that lock.
• You can reset any lock you have previously picked by spending half the same amount of time as the difficulty level of the lock indicates, and by rolling half (rounded down) the number of dice associated with the lock.