[SixOfSpades]

The Thieving skills wrap around once they hit 255 (or thereabouts), so a Pick Locks score of 283% is actually more like -220%, ensuring failure every time, not just on that lock but on ANY lock. Then again, I believe that the main reason that these locks are bugged in the first place is because BioWare accidentally gave them a negative difficulty, so the only way to open them would be to either wear the Bracers of Binding or Gauntlets of Fumbling, or to drink enough Potions to make your Pick Locks score somewhere in the negative range. Beats me. Of course, I'm not going to break my head over opening a container that more than likely just holds a Silver Necklace and a scroll of Grease anyway.

The most powerful STR poition is Storm Giant: 24. Cloud Giant Strength is 23. The only way to get 25 in BG1 is to cast Draw Upon Holy Might after drinking a powerful STR potion.