The key thing to understand about getting better at different skills is that Miller Kreyzl's training chest in Lower Semine is your best friend for lockpicking practice. Its a good spot since the chest resets automatically and you can practice without worry. Maybe interesting to know that drinking a Quickfinger Potion before practicing will make things way easier, and those Nimble Fingers perks really help too.

For brewing stuff youll want to focus on Marigold Decoctions since theyre pretty simple to make and give decent experience. Just get your water boiling, toss in some Nettle, add a couple Marigold petals, and youre basically done after distilling it all together. Some people grind the Nettle first but honestly, its not that important when youre just starting out.

When it comes to fighting skills, youll find the best results by practicing with weapon masters or joining those non-lethal tournaments that pop up now and then. Good to know that using specific weapons during actual fights will improve those particular skills faster, so stick with whatever youre trying to level up. Combat gets way more interesting when you start landing those perfect parries and master strikes against tougher opponents, and the experience gain is pretty sweet too. Reading skill books helps with everything really, and if youre planning some nighttime lockpicking adventures, maybe grab some Schnapps to boost your chances of success.