Every good spacer in The Outer Worlds 2 knows that the best loot is often locked away. One of the first valuable caches you’ll encounter is Kaur’s War Chest, a container filled with early-game gear that can give you a significant boost. However, getting it open requires some effort. You can either steal the keycard from Kaur herself or use advanced lockpicking skills to crack it open. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about finding the chest, the two main methods to unlock it, and the valuable rewards waiting inside.
Key Takeaways
- Kaur’s War Chest is located in a shack west of Fairfield on Paradise Island
- You can open it by either pickpocketing Kaur’s War Chest Keycard or using Lockpick Level 5 + Mag-Pick
- The chest contains Kaur’s Korroder (unique pistol), Designator Triple Barrel Shotgun, and Bits
- If you complete the “Above and Beyond Repair” mission for Kaur, the Korroder won’t be in the chest
- The Pickpocket Perk requires Lockpick Level 1 and one Perk Point to unlock
Where to Find Kaur’s War Chest on Paradise Island
Before you can open Kaur’s War Chest, you need to find it first. The chest is located on Paradise Island, the first major planet you explore after the introductory missions. This is where you’ll spend your early hours in The Outer Worlds 2, making it the perfect time to track down this valuable loot.
To find Kaur’s War Chest, travel to the settlement of Fairfield. This is the main town on Paradise Island where you’ll meet important characters like Kaur and Minister Milverstreet. Once you’re in Fairfield, head to the western outskirts of the town. Look for a small, standalone shack that sits apart from the other buildings. This is Kaur’s personal cabin, and inside you’ll find the war chest.
The shack is easy to spot once you know where to look. It’s a modest building that doesn’t stand out much, which is why many players miss it on their first playthrough. The chest itself is located on the floor just to the right of where you enter the shack. When you approach it, you’ll see that it’s locked and requires either Kaur’s War Chest Keycard or advanced lockpicking skills to open.
Finding this chest early in your adventure is highly recommended. The loot inside can significantly boost your combat effectiveness and give you an edge in the challenging encounters that lie ahead on Paradise Island.
How to Get Kaur’s War Chest Keycard?
The most straightforward method to open Kaur’s War Chest is to get the keycard directly from Kaur herself. This requires some stealth and the right skills, but it’s often easier than leveling up your lockpicking ability.
What is the Pickpocket Perk and How to Get It?
To steal the keycard from Kaur, you must first acquire the Pickpocket Perk. This special ability allows you to steal items from NPCs without them noticing. However, you can’t just get this perk right away. There are requirements you need to meet first.
To unlock the Pickpocket Perk, you need two things:
- Lockpick Skill Level 1
- One unused Perk Point
You earn skill points each time you level up in The Outer Worlds 2. Invest one point into the Lockpick skill until it reaches Level 1. Once you have Lockpick Level 1, you can spend a Perk Point to unlock the Pickpocket ability. This perk is essential for the stealthy approach to getting Kaur’s War Chest Keycard.
The Pickpocket Perk is incredibly useful throughout the game, not just for this specific quest. It allows you to acquire valuable items, keys, and information from NPCs without having to complete quests or spend money. If you enjoy playing as a stealthy character, this perk is definitely worth investing in early.
Where to Find Kaur in Fairfield?
Once you have the Pickpocket Perk, you need to locate Kaur to steal her keycard. Kaur is an Acquisitions Officer and one of the important characters you’ll meet early in the game. She’s usually found in her office within the large Milverstreet headquarters building in Fairfield.
After your initial meeting with Kaur and the Milverstreet syndicate in the main building, you can find her in her private office. Her office is located off the side of the main meeting room where you first encounter her. It’s a separate room that offers some privacy, making it the perfect location for pickpocketing.
Kaur is often busy with her work, which works to your advantage. She’s typically focused on her duties and won’t notice you approaching if you’re careful. The office setting also provides cover and opportunities to hide if needed.
How to Pickpocket the Keycard Safely?
Now that you’ve located Kaur and have the Pickpocket Perk, it’s time to steal the Kaur’s War Chest Keycard. This requires patience and careful execution to avoid getting caught.
Follow these steps to pickpocket Kaur successfully:
- Make sure you’re crouched to enter stealth mode
- Approach Kaur from behind without being seen
- Get close enough to activate the pickpocket prompt
- Select the option to pickpocket when it appears
- Choose Kaur’s War Chest Keycard from her inventory
- Leave the area quickly to avoid suspicion
The key to successful pickpocketing is timing and positioning. Wait for Kaur to be distracted or looking away from you. If other NPCs are nearby, make sure they’re not watching you either. Getting caught pickpocketing can damage your reputation with the Milverstreet faction, so be careful.
Once you have the keycard, you can head back to Kaur’s cabin west of Fairfield and open the war chest. Simply interact with the chest while having the keycard in your inventory, and it will unlock automatically.
Can You Open Kaur’s War Chest Without the Keycard?
If you don’t want to risk stealing or prefer a more direct approach, you can open Kaur’s War Chest without the keycard. This method requires different skills and resources but can be just as effective.
What Lockpick Level Do You Need?
The alternative method to open Kaur’s War Chest requires a high level of lockpicking skill. Specifically, you need Lockpick Skill Level 5 to attempt opening this chest without the keycard. This is significantly higher than the Level 1 required for the Pickpocket Perk, so it will take more time and investment.
You earn skill points each time you level up in The Outer Worlds 2. To reach Lockpick Level 5, you’ll need to invest multiple skill points into this ability. This might seem like a lot, but lockpicking is a valuable skill throughout the game, allowing you to access many other locked containers and areas.
Leveling up your lockpicking skill also improves your chances of successfully picking locks and reduces the time it takes. At Level 5, you’ll be able to attempt opening very hard locks like the one on Kaur’s War Chest.
Where to Find Mag-Picks Early Game?
Having Lockpick Level 5 isn’t enough to open Kaur’s War Chest. You also need a special tool called a Mag-Pick. This consumable item is used for picking high-level locks in The Outer Worlds 2, and it’s essential for this alternative method.
Mag-Picks can be found in several ways:
- Scattered throughout the world as loot
- Inside containers, drawers, and cabinets
- On shelves or desks in buildings
- Purchased from various vendors
- On the corpses of defeated enemies
For early game Mag-Picks, thoroughly explore the starting areas and buildings around Fairfield. Check every container, drawer, and shelf you come across. Mag-Picks are often found in places where you’d expect to find lockpicking tools, such as security offices or maintenance areas.
Vendors in Fairfield and other settlements sometimes sell Mag-Picks. Make sure to check their inventories regularly, as stock can change. If you have extra Bits, buying Mag-Picks can save you time searching for them.
Once you have both Lockpick Level 5 and at least one Mag-Pick, you can attempt to open Kaur’s War Chest. Interact with the chest and choose the lockpicking option. The game will consume one Mag-Pick and test your lockpicking skill. If successful, the chest will open and you can claim your rewards.
What’s Inside Kaur’s War Chest?
So what makes Kaur’s War Chest worth all this effort? The contents are excellent for starting your journey in The Outer Worlds 2. Inside, you will typically find several valuable items that can give you a significant advantage in early game combat.
The main rewards include:
- A substantial amount of Bits (the game’s currency)
- The Designator Triple Barrel Shotgun, a powerful early-game weapon
- Kaur’s Korroder, a unique pistol with special properties
The Designator Triple Barrel Shotgun is a formidable weapon that deals significant damage at close range. It’s perfect for the early game when you’re facing tougher enemies and need extra firepower. This shotgun can help you survive challenging encounters and progress through the game more easily.
Kaur’s Korroder is perhaps the most valuable item in the chest. This unique pistol deals Corrosion damage, which is especially effective against armored enemies and mechanical targets. Corrosion damage continues to harm enemies over time, making it incredibly useful for prolonged fights. This weapon can carry you through a significant portion of the game if properly maintained.
Important Loot Note
There’s one crucial thing to know about Kaur’s Korroder: if you completed the side mission “Above and Beyond Repair” and helped Kaur, the Kaur’s Korroder will not be in the chest. This is because she gives it to you directly as a mission reward. The game removes it from the chest’s loot pool to prevent duplication, which is actually a smart design choice to maintain game balance.
If you have the Treasure Hunter Perk, you can also score additional Bits and crafting materials from the chest. This perk is great for players who enjoy exploring and looting every container they find. It increases the quantity and quality of items found in containers, making it especially useful for treasure hunters.
Should You Side With Kaur or Milverstreet?
Early in your time on Paradise Island, you’ll need to make an important choice: side with Kaur or Minister Milverstreet. This decision affects the quests you receive, your reputation with different factions, and even the contents of Kaur’s War Chest.
Kaur represents a more direct, aggressive approach to problem-solving. She believes in taking action and dealing with threats head-on. Siding with her will lead to quests that involve combat and confrontation. If you prefer a more straightforward, action-oriented playstyle, Kaur might be the better choice.
Minister Milverstreet, on the other hand, favors subtlety and manipulation. He prefers to work behind the scenes, using diplomacy and deception to achieve his goals. His quests involve more stealth, dialogue, and careful planning. If you enjoy playing as a cunning character who outsmarts opponents, Milverstreet might be more appealing.
In terms of rewards, helping Minister Milverstreet is generally more lucrative if you’ve decided to side with Auntie’s Choice. It’ll get you more valuable items and better equipment early in the game. However, Kaur’s rewards are also substantial and include some unique items that can’t be obtained elsewhere.
The choice also affects your relationship with both characters. If you side with one, the other will be less friendly toward you. This can affect dialogue options and quest availability later in the game. Choose carefully based on your preferred playstyle and the type of character you want to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn’t Kaur’s Korroder spawning in the chest?
If Kaur’s Korroder isn’t appearing in Kaur’s War Chest, it’s likely because you already received this weapon as a reward for completing the “Above and Beyond Repair” mission. When you help Kaur in this quest, she gives you Kaur’s Korroder directly. To prevent duplication, the game removes this weapon from the chest’s loot pool. This is intentional game design, not a bug. You can still get the other rewards from the chest, including the Designator Triple Barrel Shotgun and Bits.
Can you open Kaur’s War Chest without Pickpocket or high Lockpick?
No, there are only two ways to open Kaur’s War Chest in The Outer Worlds 2. You either need to pickpocket Kaur’s War Chest Keycard from her using the Pickpocket Perk, or you need Lockpick Skill Level 5 combined with a Mag-Pick. There is no third method or alternative way to open this chest. The developers designed it this way to give players meaningful choices about how they want to approach the game’s challenges.
Where’s the best place to find Mag-Picks early in the game?
The best places to find Mag-Picks early in The Outer Worlds 2 are in the buildings around Fairfield. Check every container, drawer, shelf, and desk you come across. Mag-Picks are often found in security offices, maintenance areas, and other locations where lockpicking tools would logically be stored. Vendors in Fairfield also sometimes sell Mag-Picks, so make sure to check their inventories. If you’re having trouble finding them, consider investing in the Treasure Hunter Perk, which increases your chances of finding valuable items like Mag-Picks.
Does pickpocketing Kaur affect faction reputation?
Yes, pickpocketing Kaur can affect your reputation with the Milverstreet faction if you get caught. If you successfully pickpocket her without being detected, there should be no reputation penalty. However, if she or other faction members catch you in the act, your reputation with Milverstreet will decrease. This can affect future quests and dialogue options. To avoid this, make sure to pickpocket Kaur when no one else is watching, and leave the area quickly afterward. The stealth approach is riskier but can be very rewarding if done correctly.
Is Kaur’s War Chest worth the effort early game?
Yes, Kaur’s War Chest is definitely worth the effort early in The Outer Worlds 2. The rewards inside, particularly Kaur’s Korroder and the Designator Triple Barrel Shotgun, are powerful weapons that can significantly improve your combat effectiveness. These weapons can carry you through a large portion of the early game, making challenging encounters much more manageable. The Bits you find in the chest are also valuable for purchasing equipment and supplies. Whether you choose to pickpocket the keycard or invest in lockpicking skills, the effort required to open this chest pays off with substantial rewards that will help you on your journey through Paradise Island and beyond.
Conclusion
Kaur’s War Chest in The Outer Worlds 2 represents everything that makes the game great: meaningful choices, valuable rewards, and multiple approaches to problem-solving. Whether you choose the stealthy path of a pickpocket or invest in your Lockpicking skills, the powerful shotgun and unique pistol inside are a fantastic prize for any budding interstellar adventurer.
The choice between getting the keycard or using lockpicking skills reflects the broader philosophy of The Outer Worlds 2 – there’s rarely just one way to accomplish your goals. Your approach depends on your preferred playstyle, the skills you’ve invested in, and the type of character you want to be. Both methods are valid and rewarding in their own ways.
As you continue your journey through the Halcyon colony, remember that exploration and curiosity are often rewarded. Kaur’s War Chest is just one of many secrets waiting to be discovered on Paradise Island and beyond. Keep exploring, talk to everyone you meet, and don’t be afraid to try different approaches to the challenges you face. The Outer Worlds 2 is a game that rewards clever thinking and thorough exploration, so make sure to check every corner and question every assumption.
Now that you know how to get Kaur’s War Chest Keycard and open this valuable container, you’re well-equipped for the adventures that await. Plan your approach, gather your tools, and claim your reward to get a strong start on your journey through one of the most engaging RPGs of recent years.
