One of the things that I seem to be asked most often from many different up-and-coming Rogues is for basic information and tips on lockpicking. Now while I'll admit, I haven't ever personally run the Alliance version of the lockpicking quest, there is some common information between the different factions that will prove useful to Rogues of all flavors. In this week's edition, I'll be going over some lockpicking basics. For those of you who are higher up, I'll also include a special tip to make some extra cash just before you need to buy your epic land mount and head into Outland. (Or for those of you who like to farm old content for cash and prizes, but may not have known about this.)

When it comes to learning the fine art of pilfering goodies from locked boxes, there is only the basic quest that will teach you the skill. Unlike other "gathering" type skills that you can pick up in game, there are no higher lockpicking trainers that you check in with to learn more down the road. Instead, you will gain 5 points of potential ability towards your lockpicking skill per every level that you gain. Both Alliance and Horde get their lockpicking quests at level 16, with a pile of Lockpicking points already available for the growing Rogue to skill up on. (Your maximum lockpicking skill can be figured by multiplying your Current Level by 5.)

Imagine with me, if you will... You're standing in the bank minding your own business. You have all your bags open, both in your inventory and in the bank. Everything is arranged perfectly, and you're comparing pieces of gear in the bank versus ones you've since picked up to see which items should stay and which should go. As you go to pick up the next item -- *BAM* -- all of your windows close. There is no warning before this happens, and you freeze mid-mouse move. You double-check your chat box, questioning if you've somehow overlooked a /say, a /whisper, even an /emote... There isn't anything. It then dawns on you that you're now staring at some random stranger's trade window. A window where they are hurriedly moving a lock box from the top trade slots to the "will not be traded" spot, as if even having that item in your vicinity means that you'll somehow steal it from them. As if this weren't enough, they then just stand there, silent. It would appear that the owner of this box is one of the myriad number of players who are laboring under the belief that Mind Reading is one of the first-tier talents in the Rogue's Subtlety tree that we all seem to spec into, just for reasons such as this. Welcome to the life of a Rogue -- especially one in a major city.

No other ability or tradeskill in the game seems to garner people shoving trade windows in your face without so much as a single word. But every single day, across many different servers, people open trade windows with Rogues and wordlessly await the opening of their lockboxes. While I understand and appreciate everyone's desire to get their boxes open to get at the goodies inside, I must personally get on the pulpit here and just say "Ask us first, please?" I will happily open lockboxes if people ask first, and I don't even care about tips. The request makes me happy enough, frankly. So, please -- if you want your lock boxes opened, ask before you open trade.

Any other Rogues out there with this particular issue? I know from talking to the Rogues in my guild I'm not the only one, but I'm curious just how widespread the problem is of people opening trade windows without asking is.