"NOTE You must enter the Quicksand Caves entrance from Western Altepa Desert at J-9 to reach the beasts that drop the key. "
Are you sure that you don't mean Eastern Altepa Desert? Because while partying there recently I have seen many keys from Sand Spiders and Helm Beetles. (--Seriin 22:20, 20 March 2008 (UTC))
- Yes, the keys aren't restricted to that entrance. --Melios 22:27, 20 March 2008 (UTC)
Key Drop Rate
Ok, so I farmed for 8 hours in Eastern part before reading this discussion page. I switched to Western part and got drop in 5 min. You can use that as a guideline. XP Aquis 16:53, 6 August 2009 (UTC)
I have been farming for a long time now, I entered the caves from the closest point to the outpost, I'm gonna go try the above mentioned idea, and see if it works. Although, I have been killing the enemies that, at least, share the same name as the enemies that drop the key. Kiflaam
Like Aquis, i went farm key as usual in eastside for couple hour and multiple kill of all susceptible mobs, (3 kinds of ants, beetles, worms) and no drops after like 60+ kills. Than i read this discussion page and switched to westside, key dropped from first beetle I kill. than went in NM's room, than kill PH and got an other one after 3-4 kills, than went check nm lizzy and killed one lizard bamm an other key. so i got 3 keys in less 20 min. Oh and those mobs west side look EP for lv75 and eastside were rated TooWeak. Alistaire: Unicorn October 22, 2009
I can't say that I farmed for 8 hours... but I did farm for a 5. Finally decided to click that little Discussion box up top and came across this bit of info. 15 minutes later I had a coffer key. As DNC/NIN. J-9 West Altepa is where it's at! --Misterfan 06:16, November 13, 2009 (UTC)
Did not even try Eastern entrances. Took about ten mobs to get one on J-9 Western entrance to get drop. Good Hunting. <Asura>
To be honest, when I first heard about this J-9 stuff I thought it was just people being superstitious. I fought a few dozen key mobs in the Eastern entrance area, and got nothing. Then I tried the Western J-9 entrance, and although the mobs were a lot tougher for me at level 55, the key dropped from the second Helm Beetle that I fought. Make of that what you will! -- Calem 5th April 2010
Had a 75thf with me, we killed a beetle and an antican, got the drop on the ant. Belldandie 23:23, April 9, 2010 (UTC)
Adding another testimony to this. It took me about 6 hours of killing with TH1 to get the coffer key for Drachen Greaves a long time ago, in the Eastern Altepa zone area. Came back today to work on Trial 487, used Western entrance, and got 12 keys in 100 mobs. Only one was actually kept of course, but 11 were dropped and "lost". I had no TH this time. --Almost Unsane 22:21, April 27, 2010 (UTC)
Same thing, hundreds on the east side until i read this. Went to the west, got it in 5 kills......hours wasted!Robfire 16:22, May 5, 2010 (UTC)
Yet another confirmation of this; got the drop within 6 kills after switching to Western Altepa Desert Entrance, after over an hour from Eastern side. --KaiserCrab 14:00, May 13 2010 (UTC)
I too thought this east/west thing to be a superstition, went in with TH3 at the est, killed 21 ants and 34 beetles, no key. Went west after reading this page, 1/1 on the first beetle I killed. This also means the key drop rates on each individual mob is misrepresentative, but I'm unsure how it should be fixed. --Khundes 18:05, June 3, 2010 (UTC)
Spent the better part of two days trying to farm a key from the eastern side, no luck even with /thf (37). Then I found this page and tried from the western side: two keys in five minutes. ~Zazhi, sylph
After reading this page went straight to the Western Altep desert to farm for a key. Took a little under 30 minutes for one to drop. Happy hunting! Raini of Shiva