In a typical RPG, players assemble a group of lively adventurers who face overwhelming odds as they explore a hostile world. Oftentimes, the helpful items the protagonists require to survive their journey lie hidden within locked treasure chests. That can be a bummer in the absence of a key, but in Baldur’s Gate 3 there’s a clever trick to open chests without lockpicking.
Baldur’s Gate 3 has no shortage of loot. Sometimes, it rests on the ground (usually on a corpse). Sometimes, it’s stashed away behind a locked door. It may even wait within a crate, barrel, or backpack. And then there are those times when it’s secured in a locked treasure chest. Once players know how to open locked doors and chests, they can use the proper tools to break through that meager but confounding defense. However, lockpicking isn’t always an option. In such cases, it’s time to get creative.
On Reddit, rotating_tusk has shared a technique to open chests without lockpicking in Baldur’s Gate 3. Players can simply move a chest to an available cliff, then push it over the edge. Fall damage kills humans. It also breaks open chests, provided the drop distance is sufficient. The damage inflicted must meet or exceed 20. That way, a single impact pops open the chest. Some chests contain Potions and similarly fragile items that may break during the fall. Otherwise, a good drop works wonders with no harm done. A bunch of gold coins come through just fine, for instance. So do many vegetables and armor and weapons typically found in such chests.
While the above trick opens chests without lockpicking, it’s never a bad idea to carry around Thieves’ Tools. They’re available from most merchants. Players can use them multiple times to open chests and doors without breaking them, provided the lockpicking attempt doesn’t fail. Characters such as Astarion have a high enough DEX rating that they rarely have trouble, especially on lower difficulties. It’s a matter of finding the right approach for the situation on hand.
