Early in your journey through The Outer Worlds 2, you’ll stumble upon one of the game’s more intriguing locked containers—Kaur’s War Chest. While it’s tempting to simply walk past another locked box, this particular chest deserves your attention. It contains some genuinely useful gear that can give you a solid advantage during the early hours of your playthrough, especially if you’re playing on higher difficulties.
The catch? You’ll need either some light skill investment or a bit of sneaky finger work to crack it open. Let me walk you through both methods so you can grab that loot without wasting time.
Finding Kaur’s War Chest: Fairfield Quarter Units
Location Details:
- Region: Paradise Island (your first major area)
- Nearest Settlement: Fairfield
- Direction: West of town, near the large Auntie’s Choice shuttle / dropships
- Landmark: Kaur’s personal quarter unit (the same area where you meet Officer Cardosa)
After you complete the opening mission and land The Incognito on Paradise Island, Fairfield becomes your hub. Kaur’s War Chest sits inside her personal quarter unit on the west side of Fairfield, near the large Auntie’s Choice shuttle—the same area where you’ll find Officer Cardosa. It’s one of those early-game discoveries that rewards players who take the scenic route instead of fast-traveling everywhere.
Pro tip: The chest is close enough to Fairfield that you’ll likely spot the area during your first few side quests. Once you enter the unit, the chest is immediately visible on the floor to your right.
Two Ways to Open the War Chest
Here’s where things get interesting. The Outer Worlds 2 gives you options, which is always appreciated in an RPG.
Method 1: The Lockpicking Route (No Keycard Needed)
If you’re building a stealth or tech-focused character, this is your path:
Requirements:
- Lockpick Skill: Level 5
- Consumable: 1 Mag-Pick
Why This Works: You gain 2 skill points per level-up, so reaching Lockpick 5 happens naturally if you’re investing in that tree. Mag-Picks are craftable, purchasable from vendors, or scattered throughout the world in toolboxes and supply crates. Thoroughly exploring the buildings around Fairfield is your best early-game source.
My take: This is actually the cleaner method if you’re planning a lockpicking build anyway. You’ll need those skills for countless other containers throughout the game, and learning where to find Mag-Picks and Bypass Shunts becomes essential knowledge.
Method 2: The Pickpocketing Route (Get Kaur’s Keycard)
For those who want the “intended” solution or just enjoy a bit of larceny:
Step-by-Step Process:
- Unlock the Pickpocket Perk
- Requires: Lockpick skill at Level 1
- Cost: 1 perk point
- This is a permanent ability that opens up theft opportunities across the game
- Find Kaur’s Office
- Location: Inside the large building across from Fairfield Commissary, to the right of Fairfield Clinic—the same building where you met Kaur and Milverstreet
- Her private office is a side room off the main meeting hall
- Execute the Pickpocket
- Approach Kaur from behind while crouched in stealth mode
- When the pickpocket prompt appears, hold the button to execute the theft
- You’ll snag the Kaur’s War Chest Keycard
- Return to the Chest and Unlock It
- Head back to Kaur’s quarter unit west of Fairfield and use the keycard to open the chest directly
Important note: Make sure you’re in stealth mode (crouched) and that Kaur isn’t looking in your direction before attempting the pickpocket. There is no third method to open the chest—it’s strictly keycard or Lockpick 5 + Mag-Pick.
What’s Actually Inside Kaur’s War Chest?
Let’s talk about whether this is even worth your time. Here’s the full loot breakdown:
Standard Contents:
- Bit Cartridge (888 Bits) — A solid chunk of early-game currency
- Designator Triple Barrel Shotgun — A reliable non-unique weapon for close-quarters combat
- Kaur’s Korroder — A unique pistol that deals Corrosion damage; highly effective against armored enemies
- Kaur’s Cuirass — A unique armor piece providing solid early-game protection
Bonus Loot (with Treasure Hunter Perk):
- Additional Bits
- Extra crafting materials
- Potentially rare components
The Quest Conflict: Important Warning
Here’s something the game doesn’t make obvious: If you’ve already completed the “Above and Beyond Repair” quest and sided with Kaur, the chest won’t contain Kaur’s Korroder. That’s because you receive it as a direct quest reward instead—the game prevents you from getting duplicate unique weapons, which is smart design but can catch you off guard if you were expecting the full haul.
The good news is that you can still get Kaur’s Korroder either way—it’s just a question of which path delivers it. If you want both the theft experience AND to loot the full chest before the quest removes the Korroder from the loot pool, grab the chest first.
Is Opening Kaur’s War Chest Worth It?
Short answer: Yes, especially if you’re in the first 3–5 hours of gameplay.
Kaur’s Korroder is the real star here—a unique Corrosion pistol that shreds through armored enemies and stays useful well into the mid-game. The Designator Triple Barrel Shotgun is a reliable secondary, and Kaur’s Cuirass gives you a meaningful armor boost at a point where every point of protection matters.
The Bits are helpful too—early-game economy can be tight, and every vendor purchase counts when you’re still figuring out your optimal starting build.
Additional Tips for New Players
Since you’re dealing with locks and loot, here are some related mechanics worth understanding:
- Invest in Lockpicking early if you’re playing a solo character. The number of locked containers in this game is staggering, and you’ll miss significant loot without it.
- Pickpocket thoughtfully. The Pickpocket perk is incredibly useful throughout the entire game, not just for Kaur. You can steal keycards, access cards, and valuable items from NPCs across multiple planets. Just be smart about when and where you do it.
- Consider the Treasure Hunter perk if you’re playing a loot-focused character. It adds bonus items to containers you open, which compounds over dozens of hours. For completionists and those who want to maximize their resources, it’s a solid investment.
- Don’t stress over the keycard. Seriously. Unless you’re roleplaying a master thief, the lockpicking route is perfectly viable and probably faster depending on where you are in the skill tree.
Related Resources You’ll Find Helpful
As you continue your journey through The Outer Worlds 2, these guides will help you tackle other challenges:
- Complete Achievement/Trophy Guide – All 48 Unlocks
- Best Traits Ranked – Complete Tier List
- All Companions Recruitment Guide
- Beginners Guide – Tips & Tricks
- All Backgrounds & Traits Guide
- What to Do First Guide
- How Long to Beat – Main Missions & Playtime
- Flaws System Complete Guide
Final Thoughts
Kaur’s War Chest represents one of those small but meaningful early-game decisions that makes The Outer Worlds 2 engaging. Do you invest in skills? Do you become a thief? Do you just grab a Mag-Pick and move on with your life?
Whatever route you choose, the loot inside is worth the minor effort. Kaur’s Korroder and Cuirass will serve you well through the early Paradise Island content, and cracking your first significant locked container sets the tone for the exploration and problem-solving that defines the rest of the game.
Plus, if you’re anything like me, leaving a locked chest unopened feels wrong on a fundamental level. The completionist in me won’t allow it.
Now get out there and claim your loot—Kaur probably won’t even notice it’s missing.
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