I have a map – now what do I do with it?

Once you find a map, simply double click it to decode it. Your ability to decode the map is based on your cartography skill – the higher your skill, the more likely you are to be able to decode any and all treasure maps.
(If you are unable to decode a map, you may pass it along or sell it to someone who can). These maps may be stored safely in your bank, until you decide to hunt for it; for the treasure will not begin to “decay away” until you actually dig up the chest (after which time the chest and its contents will linger for about no more than 3-4 hours).

*Approximate, varies between 27 to 30, but this isn’t a problem, as you can be trained to over 30 skill, so you can decode level 1’s as soon as you have trained. You can also gain cartography skill by attempting to decode a level one map. Eventually you will be able to read it. If you get a message in the lower left of your screen saying “this map is too difficult to attempt to decode” then it is not a level one map, and you will not gain from trying to decode it.

Finding the Treasure Chest

After decoding your treasure map, the location of the chest will be indicated with a single pin.Before heading off after the treasure, you would be well-advised to compare your treasure map against a world-map (the zoomable maps are very helpful for this).Look for any distinctive landmarks on your map, and compare it with the map, all facets are covered. Find the area that matches what is shown on your treasure map, zoom in to get rough co-ordinates to begin your search and head for that area.Images by Mapper

Once you believe that you have arrived in the right area, you can begin digging by double-clicking on your shovel, then clicking on the map you want to dig, then clicking where you want to dig on the ground or by using the context menu on the map. Digging can take several seconds to complete. Any interruption to this dig will invalidate your attempt – so stand still, stick down the shovel and keep at it ’till you’re finished

If you fail to find the treasure, move on a step and try again.

The Benefit of Mining

Mining is not a required skill, that is to say you can find and dig up any level of map with zero mining skill. However, mining does provide a few advantages. It increases your dig radius (from the treasure spot) as follows:

• 0 to 50.9 mining gives a 1 tile radius (in other words, you must dig the exact correct spot of the chest)
• 51 to 80.9 mining gives a 2 tiles radius
• 81 to 99.9 mining gives a 3 tiles radius
• 100 mining gives a 4 tiles radius

Note: These numbers refer to enhanced skill, not “real”

Screen Capture Location Method Using zoomed in screenshots of the maps and comparing it to the location on UOCartographer/UOAutomap, maps can be found easily with 0 mining skill.There is an exact point on the maps that can be found using the red pin. The treasure is not under the red pin, but on a location that is a little right of the red pin and this always holds (see: the image below). Comparing that pixel with the one in UOCartographer, you can find the location of the chest with an error of plus or minus one tile. A more detailed explanation of this method can be found hereImage by Nimuaq

After some attempts you will at one time hear the distinct sound of digging, the same sound miners hear when they mine for ore. This means you have found the treasure chest. At first you will see the ground where you are digging change into “a dirt patch” and soon thereafter the chest will pop-up. The chest’s guardians will spawn and you will have to defeat them.

Chests have an initial spawn consisting of 4 – 8 guardians which appear when the chest is dug. These are ‘tethered’ to the chest and will spring back if an attempt is made to lead them away.

The chest lock can not be picked until the guardians have been defeated. Chests are trapped and do damage equal to chests fitted with a Tinker’s trap.

Note: The chests have been said to disappear within 1-3 hours after being unearthed, whether they have been cracked open or not.

In order to safely open a chest, you need to do the following things:

• Pick the lock.
• Deal with the trap.

Picking the lock: Pretty straightforward. Double click your lockpick, and click on the chest. If your lockpicking skill is high enough, you’ll pick the chest. If lockpicking fails items can be destroyed by gas escaping from the chest or stolen by a Grubber – Item stolen by grubber can be recovered by killing it. (runs off ala vorpal bunny.). A mage of sufficient skills can open level 1, level 2 and level 3 chests, using the ‘Unlock’
spell; 50 magery is required to open level 1 chests, 100 magery is enough to open level 2 chests, 120 magery will allow you to open level 3 chests.

Dealing with the trap: You have 2 options here, an easy way, and a hard (but more impressive) way. The easy way is to cast “Telekinesis”‘ on the chest from 4 or more squares away. This triggers the trap and you can then safely open the chest. The harder way involves use of the “Detect Hidden” and “Remove Trap” skill. It is not necessary to use “Detect Hidden” on the chest to find the trap, but you do need at least 50 Detect in order to use the “Remove Trap” skill to remove the trap. (Khal’s note – there is no guarantee that the “Remove Trap” skill will be successful, and failure can mean death. Using “Telekinesis” will always work, as long as you don’t stand too close to the chest)

NB: Telekenesis does not work on Siege Perilous shard. Your choice there is “Remove Trap” skill or open the chest and take the hit from the trap.  High HP on the character and 70 fire resist on the suit will allow most characters to survive the blast. Other things that might be helpful are Greater Strength Potions, Rose of Trinsic petals,  Truly Rare Fish and Firefish Pies

Note: The player that decodes the map and digs up the chest does not have to be the same player that picks open the chest.

Inaccessible Chests
Treasure map locations are random, sometimes they may spawn in an inaccessible, or just undesireable, place. These need not be discarded. A read (blessed) treasure map, if not dug up within 30 days, will re-set becoming again ‘tattered’. When read this map will show a new, different, location on the same facet.

All chests contain gold, imbuing ingredients (major in level 2+, minor gems in all), a variety of armor pieces, jewelry and weapons and a chance of:

• high property count items – all levels
• alacrity scrolls – all levels
• creeping vines – all levels
• A coffin – level 7
• tasty treats – all levels
• recipes – all levels
• another map (the same level or, rarely, one level higher) – all levels
• a message in a bottle – all levels
• a forged pardon – level 6
• scrolls of transcendence (felucca maps only) – level 4 upwards
• special artifacts
  • Skeleton Key – all levels
  • ManaPhasing Orb – level 5 upwards
  • Surge Shield – level level 5 upwards (Gargoyle type in Ter Mur)
  • Runed Sash of Warding (2 types) – level 5 upwards (Gargoyle type in Ter Mur)
  • Master Skeleton Key – level 7