Arx Fatalis Key Management

This guide will explain how to combine your keys in one inventory slot.

Introduction

You start playing Arx Fatalis. You come upon a key, and naturally you pick it up. It takes an inventory slot. You find the door it unlocks, and used it. To your surprise, the key doesn't disappear. It stays in your inventory, and you are able to re-lock the door. Then you find another key. And another. And many more others. Each taking an inventory slot. Due to the lack of description which key each is for, you start to get confused, as many of them look similar.

What should you do then? Since many keys unlock only 1 item, do you just drop the key near said item? Or store it inside a chest it unlocks? Pick a dedicated chest to store all your keys (since they won't respawn) and forget about it? Well, yes, you can do that. That's what I did, for like around half of my playthrough.

But what if I tell you, there's an easier method. Its kind of a secret in a way, since no character in-game talks about it and no objectives point you to it. I found it by reading old forums on the internet. This magical item is called: a key ring!

Location

Early in the game you will enter the human city of Arx. Nearby you will see a teleporter, your only method of fast travel in this game. Behind the teleporter is the gate to a crypt, and next to it is a house. The door is beside the little girl in the picture.

Inside is a shop run by the girl's mom, Maria. Like your usual shop, there are several racks with treasure chests on them. Go to the rack on the wall behind her, and open the top right chest. There's the key ring! It costs 115 gold. It can be easily overlooked as it looks similar to other rings you find, which can either buff your stats or simply sold for money. Drag it to your inventory.

Usage

With the key ring in your inventory, now you can combine all your keys with this item. To combine, just do like how you usually use keys, double-clicking on the key and then click it on the item you want. Despite its appearance, worry not as this key ring can fit all keys. And you don't have to manually pick which keys to use anymore, as long as the key is combined to the key ring, you'll only need to use the key ring to lock/unlock stuff. New keys won't be automatically added to the key ring though, you must combine them one by one.

Closing

That's all folks, that's how to make managing keys a lot easier in this game. I recommend buying the key ring as soon as you're able, I think its already for sale since the first time you enter the human city. Hope this guide helps you, so that you don't have to do the tedious process of guessing keys, or hoard, or dump them.

[ari]

finished my first playthrough, wanted to play again, read this, and... well.. you dropped this -> 👑

[Cedric-the-Destroyer]

This game has so many moments like this. It literally explains almost nothing in terms of what’s possible. Which is one of the things I adore about it, that said, it is worth exploring every everything in the game for interactions

[SpaceRabbi_208X]

Oh my goodness you have GOT to be kidding me. I gave up on this game years ago because I lost a key I needed to progress and there was a key ring feature THE WHOLE TIME? Old RPG design moment

[Button Eyes]

You're welcome! It's an important feature that should have been introduced properly lmao

[trnka.dal]

Had no idea I can do this, it sounds very helpful...thank you!

[Button Eyes]

Thanks! Glad to prevent new Arx Fatalis players from carrying a bunch of keys around

[Nova MacKenzie]

You're an absolute legend.