Setting up a solid deepwoken chest farm is the best way to stop being a "perma-freshie" and actually get some decent equipment for your build. If you've spent any time in the Etrean Sea, you know that the struggle for loot is real. You can spend hours wandering around just to get ganked by a Voidwalker or smashed by a random Enforcer, leaving you with nothing but a trip to the Depths. But once you figure out a rhythm and know where the chests actually spawn in clusters, the game changes completely.
Let's be honest: Deepwoken isn't exactly generous. It wants you to suffer. However, if you're smart about how you spend your time, you can fill your inventory with high-tier gear, rare ores, and enough Notes to buy whatever you need. Whether you're solo or running with a small guild, having a dedicated route makes the grind feel a lot less like a chore and more like a steady progression.
Why Farming Bosses is the Meta
When most people talk about a deepwoken chest farm, they're usually talking about bosses. Why? Because the loot table for a boss chest is significantly better than those random brown crates you find sitting in a bandit camp. If you want the good stuff—legendary weapons, rare enchants, or high-end armor—you have to go where the big threats are.
Duke Erisia is arguably the king of the farmable bosses. Once you get his mechanics down, he's basically a walking loot bag. The run to his manor is short, the fight is predictable once you learn to parry his wind attacks, and the rewards are consistently solid. Most players I know will park an alt or even their main account at Duke and just cycle through servers. It's efficient, it's fast, and the chests he drops are packed with items that can either boost your build or be sold for a decent profit.
Then there's the Ferryman. If you have a build with decent range or high mobility, the Ferryman is a fantastic alternative. He's arguably easier than Duke for some people because his attacks are so telegraphed. Plus, the campfire mechanic makes it easy to stay healthy between rounds. If you're looking for a low-stress deepwoken chest farm, spending an hour at the Ferryman is a great way to stock up on gear without feeling like you're constantly on the verge of a wipe.
The Starswept Valley and Hive Loops
If bosses aren't your thing, or if you're just tired of looking at Duke's face, the Starswept Valley (The Hive) is the place to be. This area is a goldmine for anyone looking for a more traditional mob-clearing deepwoken chest farm. The density of enemies here is high, and the chests they drop are actually worth your time.
The trick with the Hive is to find a route that hits the most mob spawns in the shortest amount of time. You start at the bottom, clear your way up through the insects and mechanical enemies, and hit every chest spawn along the way. It's great for leveling up your attributes while also hunting for gear. Just watch out for the Mechogourmets; they can ruin your day if you aren't paying attention. The best part about the Hive is that you aren't just getting gear; you're also getting a ton of crafting materials and ingredients that are super useful for late-game cooking and alchemy.
Braving the Depths for High-Tier Loot
Eventually, every player realizes that the best loot is hidden in the scariest place. A Depths-based deepwoken chest farm is high-risk, high-reward. I wouldn't recommend this if you're still learning the basics, but for veteran players, the Depths are where the real money is made.
Farming the Diluvian Mechanism or just running laps around the City of the Drowned can yield some insane rewards. The chests down here have a higher chance of containing those rare enchants that everyone is looking for. However, you're always one bad lag spike or one unexpected monster spawn away from losing it all. It's the kind of farming that keeps your heart racing. Most people who do this seriously will bring a specific "PVE build" designed to shredded monsters quickly so they spend as little time as possible in danger.
Layer 2 is another beast entirely. If you can handle the Chaser or Scion of Ethiron, you're looking at some of the best loot in the game. It's more of an "endgame" deepwoken chest farm, but the Medallions and specialized gear you get from these runs are essential for top-tier builds. It takes a lot of practice to get the movements down, but once you do, you can clear Layer 1 and Layer 2 back-to-back for a massive payout.
Maximizing Your Efficiency
If you want to be serious about your deepwoken chest farm, you need to think about efficiency. This isn't just about where you farm, but how you do it. First off, server hopping is your best friend. If a boss is on cooldown or the chests in an area haven't respawned, don't just sit there. Swap servers and go again. It sounds simple, but it's the difference between getting five chests an hour and twenty.
Another big tip is to manage your inventory. There's nothing worse than finishing a tough fight, opening a chest, and realizing you have no space for that one rare sword you've been hunting for. Keep your inventory clean, sell the junk regularly, and know which items are actually worth keeping. Most of the stuff you find in a deepwoken chest farm is going to be "trash" gear that you should just sell for Notes or break down for materials.
Also, consider your build. A build meant for PVP is often terrible for a deepwoken chest farm. You want something with high PVE damage, maybe some lifesteal or health-on-kill cards, and enough posture to tank a few hits from a boss. The faster you kill the mobs, the faster you get the chests, and the less likely you are to get interrupted by a wandering player looking for a fight.
Dealing with the Risks
We can't talk about a deepwoken chest farm without mentioning the other players. Deepwoken is a cutthroat game, and people will absolutely try to steal your loot or kill you just for the fun of it. When you're farming, you are a target. You're likely distracted, your health might be lower from fighting mobs, and you're carrying a bunch of loot.
Always keep an eye on the horizon. If you see a nameplate or hear the sound of a player nearby, get ready to fight or run. Some players like to hang out near popular farm spots specifically to prey on people doing a deepwoken chest farm. It's annoying, but it's part of the game. If you're farming in a group, you're much safer, but if you're solo, you have to be twice as careful. Use your ears—Deepwoken has great sound design, and you can usually hear someone approaching long before you see them.
At the end of the day, a successful deepwoken chest farm is about consistency. Some days you'll get lucky and pull three enchants in an hour. Other days, you'll get nothing but common daggers and iron ore. The key is to keep the cycle going. Eventually, the RNG gods will smile on you, and you'll get that one piece of gear that makes your entire build click. Just stay patient, keep your guard up, and happy hunting.