What Is the Dam Testing Annex Key?
The Dam Testing Annex Key is a rare key item used on the Dam Battlegrounds map. Its only function is to unlock doors inside the Testing Annex building.
The key has no other use. It does not open containers elsewhere on the map, and it cannot be repurposed for other locked areas. If you bring it into a raid, you are committing inventory space and weight for one very specific location.
Where Exactly Do You Use the Dam Testing Annex Key?
You use the key at the Testing Annex building on Dam Battlegrounds. The building is part of the dam complex and is easy to recognize once you have been there once, but easy to miss if you are new to the map.
Inside the Testing Annex, there are two locked doors on the ground level:
One door is on the south side of the building
One door is on the east side of the building
Each door requires one Dam Testing Annex Key. If you bring only one key, you can open only one door. The key is consumed on use.
This is an important detail that new players often miss. One key does not give access to the entire annex. You must choose which door to open, or bring two keys if you want full access.
What’s Actually Behind the Locked Doors?
Behind each locked door, you will usually find standard high-value loot containers rather than a single guaranteed rare item. Typical containers include:
Lockers
Drawers
Filing cabinets
The loot pool is consistent with other mid-risk interior areas on Dam Battlegrounds. You are not guaranteed blueprints or top-tier items. Instead, you are paying for a higher concentration of loot in a relatively small space.
In practice, this means the value of the key depends heavily on what you are currently looking for. If you are farming materials, coins, or quest items that spawn in containers, the rooms can be useful. If you are hunting something very specific, the annex is not a shortcut.
Can You Loot Both Doors in One Raid?
Yes, but only if you bring two keys.
Each door consumes one key, and there is no way to open the second door after using the first unless you already have another key in your inventory. You cannot find another key inside the annex itself.
Because of this, most solo players only open one door per raid. Squads sometimes coordinate so one player carries both keys, but this increases risk if that player goes down.
Is the Dam Testing Annex a High-Risk Area?
The risk comes less from the loot and more from the location.
The Testing Annex sits in a part of the dam that often sees traffic from:
Players rotating between objectives
Players passing through during quests
Late-raid scavengers checking remaining buildings
The building itself has limited exits, and the locked doors can slow you down while opening them. In real gameplay, most deaths near the annex happen after looting, not during the initial entry.
If you open a door, assume someone may hear you and investigate.
Should You Carry the Key Every Raid?
For most players, the answer is no.
The Dam Testing Annex Key is situational. Carrying it every raid adds weight and occupies a slot that could be used for healing items, ammo, or quest gear. If you spawn far from the dam or plan to extract early, the key often never gets used.
Experienced players usually bring the key only when:
They spawn close to Dam Battlegrounds
They have a quest that sends them there
They are doing a dedicated loot run
Treat it like a planned tool, not a general utility item.
How Do Most Players Get the Dam Testing Annex Key?
Most keys come from normal scavenging rather than targeted farming.
You can find the key in common container types such as lockers, drawers, and filing cabinets across different maps. It can also be rewarded from certain quests, such as early progression tasks tied to map exploration.
Because it is rare but not extremely rare, many players end up with one in storage without actively looking for it. Over time, players tend to stockpile a few and only bring them when needed.
Some players who focus on progression planning also look outside the game for information on crafting paths and unlocks, including discussions around the best website to buy arc raiders blueprints, but that is separate from how the key itself is obtained or used in raids.
Is It Worth Selling the Key Instead?
The sell price of the Dam Testing Annex Key is low compared to the potential loot inside the annex. Selling it is usually only worth considering if:
You are early in the game and need coins immediately
You do not plan to play Dam Battlegrounds anytime soon
You already have multiple keys stored
For most players, keeping at least one key in storage makes sense. Even if you only use it occasionally, the opportunity cost of selling it is small.
Which Door Should You Open If You Only Have One Key?
In practice, there is no major difference in loot quality between the two doors. However, player behavior can make one choice safer than the other depending on the raid.
Some players prefer opening the door that is closer to their planned exit route, reducing time spent backtracking. Others choose based on which side of the building seems quieter at the moment.
The key point is to decide before you unlock. Opening one door commits you, and switching sides afterward often exposes you to more risk than the loot is worth.
Common Mistakes Players Make With This Key
New and mid-level players often repeat the same errors:
Assuming one key opens both doors
Carrying the key every raid without a plan
Unlocking a door late in the raid when player traffic is highest
Looting slowly and getting trapped inside
Avoiding these mistakes is more important than optimizing which door you open.
When the Dam Testing Annex Key Makes Sense
The Dam Testing Annex Key is not a must-have item, but it is a useful one when used deliberately.
Think of it as a small, controlled loot opportunity tied to a specific area. If your route, timing, and inventory all line up, it can be worth the risk. If not, it is usually better left in storage for another raid.
