return to moria black diamonds

Image source: North Beach Games

Hack and loot.

Black Diamonds are a resource that play a pretty important role in your journey through The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. You’ll need them for a few crucial things throughout your journey, and more or less right away too. Here we’ll go over more information on how to get Black Diamonds and what they’re useful for.

Black Diamonds are first required to repair the Mapstone in the first camp. It’s one of the first activities you’ll be doing having just started the game. This action unlocks the ability to fast travel, streamlining your exploration and enhancing your overall gameplay experience. Additionally, Black Diamonds are essential for crafting top-tier pickaxes, making them an invaluable resource.

How to Get Black Diamonds in Return to Moria

Black Diamonds can be obtained through various means, but the most consistent method involves hunting down Orcs and Goblins. These enemies have a slim chance of dropping them during horde events, which occur randomly but typically after having achieved a milestone such as repairing the great forge to acquire the Steel Pickaxe.

However, if you’re after a more reliable way to gather Black Diamonds, focus on looting Orkish Chests found in the Mines of Moria and subsequent areas. It’s important to note that Orkish Chests in the Elven Quarter do not seem to contain them, so prioritize the ones you find in the Mines of Moria and beyond.

To open these chests, you’ll first need to obtain an Orc Key, which can be acquired by smashing the totems located in the center of enemy encampments. One efficient strategy is to destroy the totem, which causes the surrounding enemies to vanish when you return to the area. This means you don’t necessarily have to engage in combat with them. Instead, focus on smashing the totem, collecting the key, and then return to open the chests once the enemies have dispersed.

If you’re looking to accumulate a substantial number of Black Diamonds early in the game, head to Orc Town from the Mines of Moria area. There, you’ll find several totems and Orkish Chests that contain multiple. This is an ideal method for farming them to meet your various needs throughout your adventure.

To summarize:

  • Hunt Orcs and Goblins during horde events for a chance to obtain Black Diamonds.
  • Focus on looting Orkish Chests in the Mines of Moria and beyond to reliably collect more.
  • Obtain Orc Keys by smashing totems at enemy encampments, then use them to open Orkish Chests.
  • For a significant early supply, visit Orc Town in the Mines of Moria area, where you’ll find multiple in Orkish Chests.

So, Black Diamonds might not be the most common resource in Return to Moria, but you can secure a steady supply by defeating Orcs and Goblins or by targeting Orkish Chests in the Mines of Moria area and beyond.