Clear Orc camps and open their chests: this is the dependable way to get Black Diamonds in The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria. In Orctown, an Orkish Chest contains two and a Warchief’s Chest contains three, according to the community-maintained game wiki. Destroy the camp banner to get the Orkish Chest key and stop enemies at that camp from respawning. Trolls and Orc Warchiefs can also drop Black Diamonds; mining is possible but extremely rare.
Where to find Black Diamonds
Prioritize chests over enemy drops or mining. The game wiki describes most Orkish and Warchief’s Chests throughout Khazad-dûm as containing two or more Black Diamonds. The exact total you can collect depends on the camps and chests you encounter, so do not assume every playthrough has the same fixed supply. The Black Diamond item page and the Orctown page are community-maintained; their revision dates and any patch-related changes to contents or drop rates are not established.
Orkish and Warchief’s Chests
In Orctown, the wiki lists two Black Diamonds in an Orkish Chest and three in a Warchief’s Chest. Camps are guarded, so clear the enemies before searching for their chests.
Enemy drops
Trolls and Orc Warchiefs, including Bolgakh, can drop Black Diamonds. Ordinary Orcs can drop them too, but the item page describes those drops as rare. Treat drops as a bonus rather than a farming plan.
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Mining
Black Diamond gem nodes are described as extremely rare, and a listed location does not guarantee a find. The wiki’s resource table associates possible finds with Dark Mine Shafts in Desolation and Gundabad Encampment in Dwarrowdelf. Mining is therefore a lucky extra, not a dependable route. See the resource table.
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How to get the Orctown chest key
- Find an Orc camp in Orctown and defeat the enemies guarding it.
- Destroy the camp banner. The Orctown page says this provides the key for that camp’s Orkish Chest and prevents its enemies from respawning.
- Use the key to open the Orkish Chest, then check for a Warchief’s Chest as well. The wiki lists two Black Diamonds in the former and three in the latter in Orctown.
How many Black Diamonds to save for progression
Black Diamonds are used for progression as well as crafting. Which unlock they serve depends on mode: the item page lists the First Age Pickaxe in campaign and the Map Stone in sandbox. It also lists these repair costs:
| Repair or use | Black Diamonds needed |
|---|---|
| Mine Hoist | 15 |
| Eastern Stairs | 20 |
| Bridge of Khazad-dûm | 50 |
| Ruined Map Stone at several listed points of interest | 1 |
If your immediate goal is reaching the Lower Deeps, the Mine Hoist is the relevant large expense: the objective page says you may need to defeat Bolgakh in Orctown to obtain the 15 Black Diamonds needed to repair it. See the Lower Deeps objective page. For other repair details and the mode-specific unlocks, consult the item page.
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Black Diamond is not the same as Diamond
Black Diamond is its own gem item, not the separate in-game item named Diamond. Its item description reads, “An exceedingly hard black jewel hoarded by Orcs.” Use the Black Diamond item name when checking recipes, repairs, or inventory requirements.
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