The method for opening boxes (strongboxes, boxes, chests, trunks, skippets, caddies)
is a now complicated one with several things worth noting.
Disarming
Typing disarm help will show the following options:
disarm <box>
disarm <box> quick
disarm <box> careful
disarm <box> blind
disarm <box> identify
disarm <box> analyze (Required for harvesting)
disarm <box> harvest (Harvesting boxes is no longer a thief-only ability.)
The only required step to disable a trap from a box is
to disarm <box> but this will not yield
maximal experience. In order to get the most out of it, you should
first identify the trap in the box, by disarm
<box> identify - this will tell you not only the trap
type but what your relative chance of disarming it is. If you see
no trap and a message telling you that you should be jumping off a
cliff, you may with to consider trying other boxes. You can
then disarm <box> in order to disarm the
trap. If you're feeling particularly lucky and skilled, you can make
that disarm <box> quick in order to try and
quickly disarm it and give you more experience at the cost of a
higher probability of tripping the trap. Conversely if you're
feeling a little timid about the box, you can disarm
<box> careful which gives a longer RT than normal,
teaches less, but is more safe.
Many boxes,
particularly ones of higher level, seem to have more than one trap
(up to three traps) in them and you can just repeat the above steps
for each trap you find. When you're of a high enough circle and the
boxes of a certain type are no longer teaching disarm to any
noticeable degree, it is possible to simply pick
<box> right past the traps. This will teach disarm
(though not beyond the cap of the box) and lockpicking, but it's
suggested you not do this except on boxes which are noticeably below
your skill level.
You can now analyze and harvest boxes for additional disarming
experience. In order to harvest parts from each trap on a box, you
must analyze and harvest before disarming the next trap.
Notes: Not specifying an item will attempt to disarm whatever is in
your right hand. Not specifying a qualifier (as well as mistyping
qualifiers) for disarming will default to simply disarming the box
normally.
Lockpicking
Typing pick help will show the following options:
pick <box>
pick <box> quick
pick <box> careful
pick <box> blind
pick <box> identify
pick <box> analyze (indicates what type of lockpick may be best)
Under the new system, lockpicking is more complex and now mirrors disarming in difficulty messaging
as well as in commands used. Additionally, boxes may now have up to three locks. As with disarming,
identifying locks both makes picking a lock easier and teaches better than not identifying.
Note: It is no longer necessary to type pick <box> with my lockpick.
Typing pick <box> will default to using your lockpick if you are holding one.
| Disarm | Lockpicking |
|---|---|
| This trap is a laughable matter, you could do it blindfolded! | This lock is a laughable matter, you could do it blindfolded! |
| An aged grandmother could defeat this trap in her sleep. | An aged grandmother could open this in her sleep. |
| The BOX's trap is a trivially constructed gadget barely worth your time. | The lock is a trivially constructed piece of junk barely worth your time. |
| The BOX will be a simple matter for you to disarm. | The BOX will be a simple matter for you to unlock. |
| The BOX should not take long with your skills. | The BOX should not take long with your skills. |
| You think this trap is precisely at your skill level. | You think this lock is precisely at your skill level. |
| You can disarm the BOX with only minor troubles. | You can unlock the BOX with only minor troubles. |
| The trap has the edge on you, but you've got a good shot at disarming the BOX. | The lock has the edge on you, but you've got a good shot at picking open the BOX. |
| You have some chance of being able to disarm the mahogany chest. | You have some chance of being able to pick open the BOX. |
| The odds are against you, but with persistence you believe you could disarm the BOX. | The odds are against you, but with persistence you believe you could pick open the BOX. |
| Disarming the BOX would be a longshot. | Opening the BOX would be a longshot. |
| You have an amazingly minimal chance at picking open the BOX. | |
| You really don't have any chance at disarming this BOX. | You really don't have any chance at picking open this BOX. |
| Prayer would be a good start for any attempt of yours at disarming the BOX. | Prayer would be a good start for any attempt of yours at picking open the BOX. |
| You could just jump off a cliff and save yourself the frustration of attempting this BOX. | You could just jump off a cliff and save yourself the frustration of attempting this BOX. |
| You probably have the same shot as a snowball does crossing the desert. | You probably have the same shot as a snowball does crossing the desert. |
| A pitiful snowball encased in the Flames of Ushnish would fare better than you. | A pitiful snowball encased in the Flames of Ushnish would fare better than you. |
| Trap Type | Identification | Mark | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acid | As you look closely, you notice a tiny hole right next to the lock which looks to be a trap of some kind. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the lock's surface with a stylized picture of something spraying out of a small hole. | Acid causes external wounds on a random body part. Either take the right herb or seek an empath to watch your vitality and take the wound. Remember, empaths can't actually take the acid itself. |
| Bolts | You find a series of openings on the front of the skippet concealing the points of several wickedly barbed crossbow bolts. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with the form of a stylized crossbow. | Shoots one or more bolts into you. Drains vitality and causes some minor wounds. Can be deadly with enough bolts. |
| Bouncer/Jumper | Looking into the keyhole you see what seems to be a pin lodged against the tumblers of the lock. Connected to the pin is a small shaft that runs downward into a shadow. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with the stylized image of a box that, based on the lines around it, appears to have just leapt off the ground on its own. | Jumps around from room to room, spilling its treasure out as it hops. Eventually the box stops and falls apart on its own. |
| Boomer | A glistening black square, surrounded by a tight ring of fibrous cord, catches your eye. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the crude form of a stylized explosion on the front of the lock assembly. | Blows up, generally resulting in eye and hand injuries, often bleeders, strictly for the disarmer. |
| Cyanide | The glint of silver from the tip of a dart and a slight smell of almonds catches your attention as you go over the casket. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a simple drawing of a dart. | Fast acting cyanide. Causes heavy vitality loss and can leave you prone. This one is often a sure killer. |
| Electricity | You notice two silver studs right below the keyhole which look dangerously out of place there. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with the form of a stylized bolt of lightning. | Causes nerve and skin damage along with vitality loss. Can be fatal. |
| Fireball | A tiny striker is cleverly concealed under the lid, set to ignite a frighteningly large vial of naphtha. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with the stylized form of a fireball. | Explodes causing vitality loss, wounds on the entire body and loss of the box. Additionally, others in the room may get caught in the blast. |
| Fleas | Imbedded in the front of the ironwood casket is a small glass tube of milky-white opacity. Small black dots bounce inside, though the lack of transparency makes it impossible to be certain what they are. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a drawing of a flea wearing a big goofy smile. Who knew fleas had teeth? | Causes annoying RTs and some vitality loss. Tends to take quite a while to remove them all without a source of water such as a lake or stream. |
| Frog | While checking the strongbox with a careful eye, you notice a lumpy green rune hidden inside the box near the lock. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a crude drawing of a warty frog. | Results in the disarmer being turned into a frog. Needs to be kissed in order to return to normal form. Good way to get the babes. |
| Gasser | You notice a vial of lime green liquid just under the coffer's lid. The stopper is attached so that the vial will open when the top is lifted. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a stylized vaporous cloud. | Causes internal poison which can cause internal wounds. Works on everyone in the room. |
| Laugher | Examining the box for traps reveals a tiny glass tube filled with a black gaseous substance of some sort and a tiny hammer at the ready to do what it was designed for. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a drawing of several very happy looking stick figures. | Causes stun and the telling of bad jokes. |
| Lightning | Looking closely into the keyhole, you spy what appears to be a pulsating ball with some sort of metal lacing around it. The lacing runs to meet a coin sized piece of metal near the keyhole itself. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with the form of a stylized bolt of lightning. | Causes nasty skin wounds and vitality loss along with nerve damage. Generally only found on relatively high level boxes. |
| Mana | While checking the coffer for traps, you notice a bronze seal over the coffer's lock. The seal is covered in strange runes and a glass sphere is embedded within it. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with the stylized form of a pointed hat. | Reduces your mana to nothing and keeps it there for a while. Mostly irritating, but could be fatal for an empath. |
| Mime | A tiny bronze face, Fae in appearance, grins ridiculously from its place on the wooden caddy. Some sort of fatty bladder sticks out from the edges of this miniature metallic visage. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a picture of a somewhat less than happy looking mime. | Turns you into a mime, leaving you more or less completely useless and unable to move, disarm, etc. without a lot of difficulty and RT. It tends to last quite a while, but will wear off or you can be uncursed by a cleric. |
| Naptha | Searching the wooden chest carefully, you notice a small notch beside a tiny metal lever on the front. Though it's hard to see, there also appears to be a liquid-filled bladder inside the notch. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a stylized drawing of a flame. | Douses you in naptha. Subsequent disarms may ignite you. |
| Nerve Poison | You notice a tiny needle with a rust colored discoloration on its tip hidden next to the keyhole. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with the form of a stylized short needle with a diagonal mark through its base | Causes nerve damage and internal eye wounds, often resulting in bleeders. Seek empathic help. |
| Poison | You notice a tiny needle with a greenish discoloration on its tip hidden next to the keyhole. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the lock's surface with a straight line ending in a point that is outlined. | Causes internal hand wounds through poison. Either keep eating yelith or seek an empath to take the poison. |
| Poison Bolt | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with the form of a stylized crossbow that has what appears to be a viper coiled around it. | Causes internal wounds and nerve damage. | |
| Razor | Out of the corner of your eye, you notice a glint of razor sharp steel hidden within a suspicious looking seam on the caddy. | Some thoughtful soul has scratched a stylized curved blade into the surface of the lock. | Chops off one or both hands. |
| Scarab | A crust-covered black scarab of some unidentifiable substance clings to the iron trunk by six tiny legs, all of which are firmly imbedded into the metal and don't look very easy to remove. | Generally summons three vykathi reaver critters that will attack you. | |
| Shadowling | While scanning the trunk with a careful eye, you notice a small black crystal deep in the shadows of the steel trunk. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a drawing of a bat-winged kitten. | Causes you to speak like a shadowling (gibberish) for an extended period of time. Mostly annoying because most major forms of communication are cut off. |
| Shockwave | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a drawing of a box with several stick figures flying through the air away from it. Underneath, the word "BOOM!" is scratched. | Causes a stun and internal injuries. May give internal head bleeders to others in the room. | |
| Shrapnel | Squinting slightly to see better, you notice the skippet's keyhole is packed tightly with a powder around the insides of the lock. | ||
| Sleeper | Two sets of six pinholes on either side of the oaken caddy's lock indicate that something is awry. | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a drawing of a stick figure lying on a bed. | Puts you to sleep for a while. Can be dangerous if you're in an area with critters, but otherwise harmless. |
| Teleporter | Some thoughtful soul has marked the surface of the lock with a stylized crescent moon that has a large K carved next to it.* | Causes a stun and teleports you into another room. |
*Teleporter boxes also appear with Y and X crescent moons.