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IV. Survival Skills D. Disarm and Lockpicking 1. As a newcomer to Elanthia, you may find a treasure box when you kill and search some of the more intelligent beasts, such as the goblins found out the west gate of Crossing, or wood trolls or grendels, found in the vineyard just past the northeast gate of Crossing. As you progress in your hunting skills, taking on stronger creatures, you'll notice the difficulty of the boxes will also increase. All you truly need to do to become proficient at opening your own treasure boxes is to practice, practice, practice! All you need is the box and a lockpick. A simple lockpick can be bought from a locksmith, in the Crossing, for example, for around 250 copper Kronars. Later, as you earn more coins, you can buy master or professional lockpicks from one of the many professional locksmiths about the lands. The better a quality a lockpick, the less chance it has of breaking, and the better chance you have of picking a lock. 2. The first thing to do is to REMOVE ALL YOUR ARMOR so you does not risk damaging it, should the trap go off on you. Some folks claim it is best to kneel while opening your box and others do not find it of any added benefit. At any rate, it is best to find a quiet place with few folks around and away from beasts. This helps to keep both you and others safe as you practice. Disarm the box and then pick it to get it open and get to the coins and gems inside. The syntax for this is: DISARM my <box type> and PICK my <box type> with Lockpick. You can either hold the box while you practice or put it on the ground. Guard it if you put it down, but be aware that guarding an item is not foolproof. If it is on the ground, it could still be stolen or lost. 3. Many elder Elanthians swear by the technique of carrying "practice boxes" with them, which they check for traps now and then. This is an excellent way to improve your disarming skills. However, you still run the risk of blowing up a box and being injured each and every time you check its trap. If you should blow up a box while attempting to disarm it, your safest course of action is to head for the nearest Empath. Stamina lessons can often be a lifesaver as you get older, but while young it is best to still seek out that Empath. For example, a razor box can cut off your hands leaving you with untendable bleeding stumps. A bolt box can lodge large crossbow bolts into your flesh. And an acid box can eat away your skin both inside and out! 4. Also, always remember to keep your friends safe while attempting to disarm naphtha, cyanide, or even a laughing gas boxes for example. It is best to move to another location while practicing these types of boxes as they can affect everyone in the room with you and will certainly NOT earn you and NEW friends. If you're not sure what a trap is once you've found it, just ask around, the chances are someone will know. |