Illustrated Guide to Dungeon Chests, by Blackheath; edited by Magellan
Almost everyone who has been to a dungeon will have noticed the chests, crates and barrels stacked neatly against the walls or scattered around the floors. Most of them are what we call "static chests", meaning they are permanent fixtures. This is a guide to the other kind of chests, the spawning chests.

What is so special about the spawning chests? Well, for one thing they are very good for training lockpicking. In fact it is very difficult to GM lockpicking without them. They can also yield a nice profit, as well offering a good challenge to the fortune seeker. Imagine wading into the thick of the spawn in the Shadow Wyrm lair in Destard to steal his treasures out from under his nose! This is where the dungeon rogue is in his element, and the spawning chests are his prize.

Comparing the two chest types

Static Chests Spawning Chests
Always in the same spot, usually neatly placed against a wall. May be found in any random spot within a given area
They never move or vanish. Have a lifespan of approximately 10 minutes, after which they disappear. A new one will spawn in the same area, usually in about one minute.
Some are never locked. Others are and may have up to three traps, depending on how long ago they were last opened. The ones that are locked will re-lock and the trap reset after a certain amount of time. The time varies from chest to chest. Always spawn locked and trapped. They will not re-lock or re-trap once opened.
The skill needed to unlock and disarm the trap varies widely. Very difficult to categorize by level because there are so many variables. Can be put into four categories, or levels. Each level is determined by the skill needed in lockpicking to open, the kind of trap on the chest, and the loot inside.
Many have nothing inside. All items found in a static chest will be non-magical. Never has any gold. Always has some gold inside. Often will have other items as well.
Many areas only contain static chests. Almost always found with one or more statics in the same area.




Spawning chests, level by level
Level
Trap
LP Skill
Type of container
Gold in chest
Other items
1
 Dart
52
 Small, medium or large crate 30 to 100 gp 10 bolts, gems, non-magical weapons, armor, clothing and jewelry.
1 Hybrid
 Poison
56
 Small, medium or large crate 10 to 40 gp 5 bolts, shoes, sandals, candles, bottles of ale or liquor, jugs of cider.
2
 Lesser Explosion
72
 Small, medium or large crate. Large wooden or metal trunk. Keg or barrel. 70 to 100 gp 10 arrows, reagents, scrolls (level 1 to 6), potions, gems
3
 Poison
84
 Large wooden or metal trunk 180 to 240 gp 10 arrows, reagents, scroll (level 1 to 7), potion, gems, magic wands, magic armor, weapons, clothing and jewelry.
4
 Explosion
92
 Large wooden or metal trunk 200 to 400 gp reagents, scrolls (level 1 to 7), blank scrolls, gems, magic wands, magic armor, weapons, clothing and jewelry, crystal balls.

Where to find them

Dungeons Other Areas
Covetous Cove Fort
Deceit Daemon Temple
Despise Terathan Keep
Destard Trinsic Bank
Fire Dungeon Trinsic Passage
Hythloth Vesper Bank
Ice Dungeon Wind
Shame Yew Crypts


There are no longer any spawning chests in Wrong. There never have been any in the Orc dungeon.


Most of the research for this guide was done on Great Lakes, Trammel. There may be slight variations on different shards.

I would like to thank the following for escort duty in the more dangerous areas:
Lauren Wilory and her pets Tsunami and Turmoil, Lady Gabrielle DuNoir, Lord Clyde, Lady Red Velvet and her pets Belok and Pawn, and Lord Baragorn for his vast knowledge and expertise in Hythloth.

* Last updated: July 31, 2004

Comments? Email me.