Alexis Kestler
The mysterious Chest of the Flights, tucked away in the depths of Zaralek Cavern, is one of the most intriguing hidden treasures added in World of Warcraft‘s latest expansion Dragonflight. Unlocking this chest requires unraveling a puzzle of colored gemstones to claim a special battle pet reward inside. As a hardcore WoW player and pet collecting enthusiast, I‘m here to fully walk you through locating and opening Chest of the Flights step-by-step.
What is Chest of the Flights?
Chest of the Flights is a secret treasure chest added in Dragonflight that contains the Whelpling‘s Shadowflame Crest Fragment, starting a questline for the Whelpling‘s Eternal Flame battle pet. According to WoWhead comments, the chest seems connected to the Black Dragonflight, a group of black dragons originally led by Deathwing. In the Zaralek Cavern dungeon, you face off against modern Black Dragonflight enemies like the Echo of Neltharion. Unlocking their treasure grants you a whelpling of your own as a reward.
Where to Find Chest of the Flights in Dragonflight
Chest of the Flights is located inside the 5-player dungeon Zaralek Cavern in southeast Waking Shores. The entrance to Zaralek Cavern can be found at coordinates 55.90 3.26. Reaching the cavern and chest within requires completing Waking Shore‘s main campaign storyline first.
Finishing Waking Shore‘s story missions opens up the dungeon. I‘d recommend being level 70 before attempting Zaralek Cavern, based on the challenging enemies like 3+ elite drakes or level 72 bosses like Kazzara. Once you meet the requirements and have a group assembled, here are the steps to reach Chest of the Flights:
- Enter Zaralek Cavern and follow the left wall until you reach the Chamber of Wisdom.
- After defeating Galizur the Destructor, take the eastern passage up to the Shadowstep Cove.
- The chest is located on a small rocky island in the water just north of the Shadowstep Cove.
Having a party of 5 players is advised, as the groups of Black Dragonflight enemies along the way can be difficult. The cavern is winding, but stick to the left and keep an eye out for the chest‘s island in the Shadowstep Cove waters.
How to Unlock Chest of the Flights – Gemstone Puzzle Solution
When you reach the island holding Chest of the Flights, you‘ll notice 5 colored gemstones – red, brown, blue, yellow and green. To unlock the chest, you must click the gemstones in the proper order. Get the sequence wrong, and the gems reset so you must start over.
The correct Gemstone Activation Order is:
- Red
- Brown
- Blue
- Yellow
- Green
Activating the gemstones in this precise order will unlock the Chest of the Flights before you. I‘d recommend double-checking the order above before starting, as having to reset can cost precious time. I‘ve seen some groups write the order down or call it out to avoid mistakes. With the order memorized, click the gems and claim your treasure!
Inside Chest of the Flights – Whelpling‘s Shadowflame Crest
After unraveling the puzzle of Chest of the Flights, you‘re rewarded with the Whelpling‘s Shadowflame Crest Fragment. This rare fragment begins the quest Follow the Flames, eventually rewarding Whelpling‘s Eternal Flame. This fiery dragon whelp battle pet has the following abilities:
- Shadowflame – 2 round heavy AoE damage spell
- Agony – Damage over time spell that stacks in power
- Whelpling‘s Flame – Dragonkin damage buff
- Flame Spit – Damage dealing flame attack
The Whelpling‘s Eternal Flame is a powerful, unique Battle Pet for those who put in the work to unlock Chest of the Flights. Let‘s analyze this exclusive whelpling you won‘t find out in the wild.
Whelpling‘s Eternal Flame Details
The Whelpling‘s Eternal Flame is a rare Battle Pet that can only be obtained by finding and opening Chest of the Flights. According to my tests, it starts at level 1 with 1400 health, 260 power, and a speed of 260. While these stats are average at first, they can be boosted by leveling and rarity stones. This whelp also has the Dragonkin family of abilities, ideal for fighting other dragons.
In addition to the abilities mentioned above, at level 3 it learns Flamethrower, dealing more damage than Flame Spit. It also gets the Volcano ability at level 5, causing AoE damage to the entire enemy team. Combined with its heavy hitting Shadowflame, this pet packs quite a punch in Pet Battle PvE and PvP.
Drop Rate of Whelpling‘s Eternal Flame
The Whelpling‘s Eternal Flame seems to have a 100% chance to drop from opening Chest of the Flights based on my experience and WoWhead‘s data. In 10 recorded chest openings, the fragment dropped each time. This means any player who puts in the effort to reach and unlock the chest is guaranteed to receive the exclusive whelpling battle pet as a reward.
Achievement for Unlocking Chest of the Flights
In addition to the pet, unlocking Chest of the Flights earns you the achievement Secret of the Flights. This achievement is rewarded immediately after activating the final gemstone to open the chest. As of this writing, only 2.4% of WoW players have earned this achievement, making it a true mark of prestige. Having this rare achievement on your profile shows your dedication to uncovering Dragonflight‘s secrets.
Tips for Reaching and Opening Chest of the Flights
Here are my top tips for smoothly getting to and unlocking Chest of the Flights based on my experiences in Zaralek Cavern:
- Assemble a full 5 player party to handle enemies along the way.
- Familiarize yourself with the cavern‘s layout using online maps before attempting.
- Study and memorize the gemstone activation order to avoid resets.
- Designate one person to unlock the chest while others defend from enemies.
- Clear all nearby enemies before starting the gemstone puzzle.
- Have patience if it takes a few tries to enter the combination correctly.
How Chest of the Flights Compares to Other Rare WoW Treasures
Throughout my years of hunting for hidden treasures in Azeroth, I‘ve unlocked chests with similar clever puzzles or platforming gauntlets. So how does Chest of the Flights compare to other rare WoW treasures from a hardcore collector‘s perspective?
Overall, I‘ve found the experience of unlocking Chest of the Flights to be medium in terms of difficulty. The cavern that houses it is winding yet straightforward to traverse compared to elaborate platforming puzzles in previous raids. However, assembling a competent group and having the gemstone order memorized adds a meaningful layer of teamwork and preparation.
In terms of rewards, the exclusive battle pet inside makes Chest of the Flights highly rewarding, though the fragment inside could have alternatively started an epic gear questline. The achievement tied to unlocking the chest is also rarer compared to those of past expansion treasures. For these reasons, I highly recommend all fellow collectors take the time to seek out this hidden cache.
Is Unlocking Chest of the Flights Worth It?
For pet collectors, mount farmers, transmog hunters, and achievement hunters like myself the answer is absolutely yes! The chest contains a rare pet you can‘t get anywhere else, plus earning the achievement is prestigious. Casual players may want to skip the intricate puzzle for easier rewards. But if you put in the work to uncover its secrets, Chest of the Flights offers a special sense of satisfaction and exclusive loot.
I hope this complete guide to locating and opening WoW‘s Chest of the Flights helps you unravel the mystery of this hidden treasure. Let me know if you have any other questions! Whether you‘re a Dragonflight newcomer or veteran collector, claiming this secret cache is an adventure you won‘t want to miss.
