How to Get Vault Shards in Dragonwilds: Every Vault and Drop
Vault Shards only come from the 10 dragonkin vaults: 69 chests that hold 4 to 6, plus guardian drops. Every vault, every source and what shards build.
Vault Shards only come from the dragonkin vaults. The game’s own item text says they’re “found only in dragonkin vaults”, and the data agrees: the only sources are vault chests and the vault guardians and minibosses inside.
You need them early. The Furnace costs 8, and every metal bar from bronze to iron is smelted in a Furnace.
Quick answer
| Source | Vault Shards |
|---|---|
| Vault chest (69 across the 10 vaults) | 4 to 6, 40% roll |
| Vault Guardian Hulk | 25% for 2, 15% for 3 |
| Vault Guardian Sentinel | 25% for 2, 15% for 3 |
| Vault miniboss (6 vaults have one) | 25% for 6, 15% for 9 |
No trader sells Vault Shard, no recipe makes them and no pack contains them.
Every vault, easiest first
Ten vaults have shard chests. Sorted by the power level of the region at the entrance:
| Vault | Entrance | Power level | Chests | Guardians | Miniboss | Core plinths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crasorak Kara | Temple Woods | 1 | 6 | 8 | Vault Overlord | 3 |
| Thishepen Kara | Bramblemead Valley | 2 | 7 | 15 | Vault Archon | 3 |
| Vertentis Kara | Whispering Swamp | 2 | 6 | 13 | none | 3 |
| Kletterbuja Kara | Bloodblight Swamp | 3 | 5 | 14 | none | 3 |
| Skeklac Kara | Fractured Plains | 3 | 5 | 11 | Vault Corruptor | 3 |
| Takla Kara | Fractured Plains | 3 | 6 | 11 | Vault Incinerator | 3 |
| Chaktan Kara | Stormtouched Highlands | 4 | 7 | 11 | Vault Pyroclast | 3 |
| Kalistrakthen Kara | Emberwood | 5 | 8 | 20 | Vault Striker | 1 |
| Skekven Kara | Lake of Lost Souls | 5 | 9 | 10 | Vault Overlord | 3 |
| Vekchenven Kara | Hope’s Fall | 5 | 10 | 2 | none | 2 |
“Guardians” counts Vault Guardian Hulks and Sentinels together. Each vault page has a floor plan with every chest, guardian, lever and plinth.
Crasorak Kara is the place to start: a power level 1 region near the start of the game, a miniboss worth up to 15 shards and three Vault Core plinths. Thishepen Kara has the most guardians of the early vaults. Kalistrakthen Kara has the most guardians overall, 20.
Vault chests
All 69 chests in these vaults carry Vault Shards in their loot, 4 to 6 at a 40% roll. In the three power level 5 vaults (Kalistrakthen, Skekven and Vekchenven Kara) the shards are in each chest’s guaranteed item set. In the other seven they’re in an extra set, so the higher vaults are more reliable per chest.
Vault chests also hold rune essence and runes. Law runes, for example, are in the chests of all ten.
Vault guardians and minibosses
The Vault Guardian Hulk (120 health) and Vault Guardian Sentinel (100 health) share one drop table: stone, rune essence and two separate shard rolls, 25% for 2 and 15% for 3. Both are weak to Crush.
The six vault minibosses have 650 health each and triple everything: a 25% roll for 6 shards and a 15% roll for 9.
| Miniboss | Vault | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Vault Overlord | Crasorak Kara, Skekven Kara | none listed |
| Vault Archon | Thishepen Kara | none listed |
| Vault Corruptor | Skeklac Kara | none listed |
| Vault Incinerator | Takla Kara | Water (resists Fire) |
| Vault Pyroclast | Chaktan Kara | Water (resists Fire) |
| Vault Striker | Kalistrakthen Kara | none listed |
Vault Cores
Vault Core is the other vault-only material. Cores sit on plinths: 34 in the world files, 27 of them in the ten vaults above. A core weighs 50, so plan to carry one at a time.
Five crafting stations need a core to build: the Armour Bench, Blacksmith's Bench, Fletching Bench, Mystic Forge and Jeweller's Bench. The Blast Furnace needs 2.
What Vault Shards are for
Shards go into 120 recipes and 9 build pieces. The ones most players hit first:
| What | Shards |
|---|---|
| Furnace | 8 |
| Full iron armour (Iron Platebody, Iron Platelegs, Iron Helmet) | 6 |
| Full steel armour (Steel Platebody, Steel Platelegs, Steel Full Helm) | 12 |
| Iron weapons such as Iron Sword and Iron Shield | 4 each |
| Steel weapons such as Steel Sword and Steel Shield | 6 each |
| Amulets at the Jeweller’s Bench | 6 each |
| Rings at the Jeweller’s Bench | 3 each (Abraxus Ring 6) |
| Anti-dragon Shield and Crystal Bow | 8, plus a Vault Core |
| Dragonfire Shield and Staff of Light | 12, plus a Vault Core |
Shards stop at power level 5 gear. Mithril, adamant and rune equipment doesn’t use them. The one exception is the Dragonfire Shield from Icthlarin's Little Helper. The eight Dragonkin Gargoyle, Obelisk and Statue decorations cost 5 shards each.
Vault Shards weigh 5 each and stack to 99.
Further reading
FAQ
Where do you get Vault Shards in Dragonwilds?
Only inside the dragonkin vaults. Every vault chest can hold 4 to 6 shards, and vault guardians and vault minibosses drop them. No creature outside the vaults, trader or recipe gives them.
Do vault guardians drop Vault Shards?
Yes. Vault Guardian Hulks and Sentinels have a 25% chance of 2 shards and a 15% chance of 3. The six vault minibosses have a 25% chance of 6 and a 15% chance of 9.
How many Vault Shards do you need?
8 for the Furnace, 6 for a full iron set (3 platebody, 2 platelegs, 1 helmet) and 12 for a full steel set. Iron weapons take 4 each and steel weapons 6. They go into 120 recipes in total.
How do you get a Vault Core?
Vault Cores sit on plinths inside the vaults: 34 plinths in the world files, 27 of them in the ten named vaults. Each core weighs 50, and the Armour Bench, Blacksmith's Bench, Fletching Bench and Mystic Forge each need one.
Which vault should I do first for Vault Shards?
Crasorak Kara in Temple Woods. It's in a power level 1 region and has 6 chests, 8 vault guardians, the Vault Overlord miniboss and 3 Vault Core plinths.
