A new mechanic in Palworld is the ability to pick locks on treasure chests, which requires the use of Lockpicking Tools. However, the Lockpicking Tools aren’t readily available to you and they require some finesse to use.
How to Unlock Lockpicking Tools in Palworld
For starters, you can unlock all three versions of the Lockpicking Tools through the Ancient Technology Menu in Palworld. This menu is directly beside the normal Technology Menu but only takes Ancient Technology Points, which are acquired through defeating Syndicate Tower bosses and Alpha Pals.
You unlock the three Lockpicking Tools, which are labeled as V1, V2, and V3, at different levels in the Ancient Technology Menu. You can see what level each is unlocked at below:
- Lockpicking Tool V1: Level16
- Lockpicking Tool V2: Level 28
- Lockpicking Tool V3: Level 51
In order to unlock each subsequent Lockpicking Tool, you need to unlock its predecessor first. For example, you can’t unlock the Lockpicking Tool V2 without first unlocking the V1. Once all three Lockpicking Tools are unlocked, which require varying amounts of Ancient Technology Points, you then need to craft them at a Production Assembly Line.
How to Make and Use Lockpicking Tools in Palworld
The three versions of Lockpicking Tools require different resources to make. If you visit a Production Assembly Line in your base, you can see the requirements for each one. Or, you can look below:
- Lockpicking Tool V1: 10 Ingots, 10 Paldium Fragments, 5 Nails
- Lockpicking Tool V2: 20 Ingots, 20 Paldium Fragments, 10 Nails
- Lockpicking Tool V3: 30 Pal Metal Ingots, 30 Paldium Fragments, 20 Nails
Once you make a Lockpicking Tool, it goes into the “Key Items” tab of your inventory. These items don’t take up any weight or space in your regular inventory and can be used an infinite number of times. This means you don’t need to continually craft Lockpicking Tools to keep opening treasure chests. The Lockpicking Tools can’t break and can be used as many times as you need.
With your Lockpicking Tools crafted, head out into the world in Palworld and find a locked treasure chest that normally requires a key. There are three different kinds of treasure chests in Palworld, and they require three separate keys: Copper, Silver, and Gold. The three different Lockpicking Tools open chests that correlate to the key required to open them.
The Lockpicking Tool V1 opens chests requiring Copper Keys, the V2 opens chests requiring Silver Keys, and the V3 opens chests requiring Gold Keys. You can’t open a chest that requires a specific key with just any Lockpicking Tool; it needs to be the right one. So, for example, if you only have the Lockpicking Tool V3 in your inventory, you won’t be able to open a chest that requires a Silver Key.
You’re able to lockpick chests when you approach one and press the “Lockpicking” option. When you go to lockpick a chest, a screen appears that shows a key being inserted into a lock. To open the chest, you need to use your mouse/joystick to move the key around. Once you think it’s in the right spot, press A on keyboard/Left on controller to turn the key. You need to keep moving the key until it’s in the right spot, which is indicated by how much the key turns. If it doesn’t turn at all, move the key to the other side of the lock and then try turning it again. If it turns nearly all the way, then move it slightly and you should be able to unlock the chest. You have an unlimited number of attempts, so feel free to try as many key movements as possible.
It might take a few minutes to get the hang of the system, but once you do, you’ll be unlocking chests left and right in Palworld. Be sure to search up The Escapist for more tips and information on the game, including how to catch Sootseer and Selyne.
