Exploring Abyssus means running into locked chests and sealed Vaults, each hiding powerful rewards. To unlock them, you’ll need Keys which are rare and don’t come easy. Whether it’s extra loot, hidden Merchants, or rare Artifacts, having Keys on hand can change the outcome of your run. This guide covers where to find Keys, how to get them faster, and the best ways to use them.
Getting Your Hands on Keys
In Abyssus, locked doors and chests are everywhere, leaving players wondering how to open them. Keys are deliberately scarce, requiring effort and luck to find. Still, they’re always valuable—unlocking Vaults filled with loot, rare Artifacts, Boons, and even the chance to meet a Merchant with powerful upgrades. There are only a couple of ways to add Keys to your inventory:
- Merchant Purchase – Keys can also be bought outright, if you’re willing to part with your Gold. Since Gold flows steadily from enemies, destructible objects, and loot drops, trading some of it for Keys is usually a smart call.
- Chest RNG – Every time you crack open a chest, there’s a slim chance it’ll spit out a Key. The odds aren’t high, but once in a while you’ll get bonus loot like Gold or Charms along with it.
Running the game with friends makes farming much easier. Loot from chests isn’t shared—each player gets their own roll—so with more people on your team, you multiply the chances of Keys appearing during a run.
For a guaranteed head start, you can unlock the Starting Funds perk in the Soul Wheel. At Tier 2, this perk spawns you with a Key and some extra Gold, and upgrading it further can give you two Keys right from the beginning.
What Keys Do
Keys aren’t permanent collectibles; they only last until your present delve ends. Whenever you see a locked chest or a Vault Door, the seal can be broken by interacting with it (default E). Keys have no reason to be hoarded, for they disappear if you die or finish your run.
Multiplayer shines here: If a teammate opens something with a Key, the contents are then available to everyone else. The only exception is Merchant stock inside Vaults, which each player must purchase themselves. But things like Forge Altars, Boon Altars, or chests inside Vaults that give rewards go to the entire party.
Note: If you want to maximize your chances at rare loot and extra perks, Keys are your ticket and co-op play is hands-down the most efficient way to gather them. More players means more loot rolls, and every Vault or chest opened benefits the whole squad.
