Should I Buy Istani Keys For Chests At My Level?

I am a level 13 D/Mo and have a question. Lately I have been buying "Istani Keys" for chests when I go out to Mehanti Keys in the beginner island. Now my question is: "Should I continue buying those keys for what I get out of it?" I usually only get a purple item that is worth about 25 to 35 gold. Now I can pretty much tell that I shouldn't continue buying them at this rate as the keys cost 80 gold and I only am getting about 27% of the gold back, but I ask your opinion because maybe you have had an experience where, like me, in the future I would get an item worth 200 gold. So, could this happen or should I stop buying the keys all together?

They don't contribute to the title.

Max R9 scythe are easy as hell to find.

Now i would simple buy some lockpick and with them open all the chest i stumble upom so i can get lucky point

But that is me.

Btw, even for higher chest you almost never make the money back.

There's a question and answer forum on Guru; it's the first one in the list.

The price of keys exceeds the merchant value of items in chests that they open. Most of the time you lose money buying keys if you sell only to NPCs. One exception would be runes on armors, because of the fluctuation at the trader. Istani keys aren't worth purchasing in my opinion.

I have decided based on the fact that you do not make your money back when you sell to merchants, that I will not continue to buy the keys. And I probably could have said this myself, but, I am guessing I will not recieve any good items in the beginning of the game, so it's a no-go...

Thanks for your responses

The most money those keys will make you is if you sell the ones dropped by monsters to a merchant.

So yeah, don't waste your cash buying them.

no, its a waste.

In general, you'll make a loss with chests. You can sometimes get really really lucky and get a rare skin (though all the really expensive ones come from dungeon end chests), which will return a profit. You can also try selling the golds unidentified to people who want the Wisdom title, though you'll still probably make a loss and won't get to keep the items.

Most people prefer to use lockpicks because of increase of lucky/unlucky title and chance of retain.
You probably shouldn't open lower level chests in general unless with lockpicks because there is rarely anything of value.

You can use the extra Battle Commendations you get from Istani quests and turn them in for probably as many keys as you need for the duration of the starter island. The collector for the commendations is in Sunspear Great Hall.

Btw. when I said extra, I meant after you've got your "free" bags and runes of holding from the same collectors, as getting them with the commendations saves a lot of gold for a new player.

No, keys lower than 600g (i think its that) are a waste b/c they have no title value. However lockpicks are the best way to go, since there is a chance to retain it, can use to any chest, adds to 2 titles. Low-end chests were really meant for the time when GW first started out and there was no inscription and mods for all the weapons, so even searching for good low weapons was somewhat important.

It's all based on how high your lucky and chest titles are. If they are yielding you >50% retain rates then I'd say go all out and use a lockpick.

But that's me.... I like to gamble on chests. <_<

Generally speaking, Istani chests (or any low-end chests) are not worth opening. There is always a chance though, that you will get a better weapon or a useful mod on a weapon or armor.

In general, all chests will normally give you something that's worth less than the value of the key. But if you open enough chests and sell (or keep) the good stuff, you can come out ahead overall. And it's fun.

Always remember - it's just play money, meant to be played with. There's really no point in hording it.

I should stop buying keys since u just lose money

This sums it up very nicely.


I'll also add on that with a high enough retain rate-, when opening istani chests- you're practically getting a free 50-60g (I think the last time I've broke on an Istani chest was like a year 1/2 ago?) since you should not be breaking on them to begin with with the appropriate retain percentage. :P