Trial Key
Trial Key is the mob drop from Trial Spawners, used to unlock Vaults and collect per-player loot in Trial Chambers.
Description
The key has a single purpose: inserting it into a Vault block. When a player interacts with a Vault while holding the key, the block opens and ejects a loot bundle directly at the player's feet. The event is irreversible and tied to the player's account — the key is consumed and the same Vault never awards the same player twice. Keys cannot be crafted and have no other use, so each one earned represents exactly one reward claim. Players seeking the Heavy Core for Mace crafting need enough keys to open multiple Vaults before locating the Ominous Vault that holds it.
Java & Bedrock Guide
How to get and use a Trial Key in Minecraft
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1
Locate a Trial Chamber
Dig into the deepslate layer between Y=-40 and Y=0 and explore until you find a Trial Chamber, the copper-and-tuff structure that houses Trial Spawners and Vaults.
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2
Clear the Trial Spawner
Stand near an active Trial Spawner and defeat every mob it summons. Once the wave is finished, killed mobs have a chance to drop a Trial Key.
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3
Pick up the key
Collect the Trial Key that pops out. Keys are per-player, so each member of your group earns their own from the same spawner wave.
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4
Open a Vault
Hold the key and interact with a Vault block. It ejects a personal loot bundle to your feet and consumes the key; that Vault never rewards you again.
Activating a Trial Spawner while under Bad Omen turns it into an Ominous Trial Spawner, which drops an Ominous Trial Key instead. That key opens Ominous Vaults for stronger loot, including the Heavy Core used to craft the Mace.
How to craft this block
Smithing Template
x2
Frequently asked questions
Can you craft a Trial Key?
No. The Trial Key cannot be crafted. It only drops from Trial Spawners after you defeat the mob waves inside a Trial Chamber.
What do you do with a Trial Key?
Hold it and interact with a Vault block. The Vault opens, ejects a one-time loot bundle, and the key is consumed.
What version added the Trial Key?
It was added in Minecraft 1.21, the Tricky Trials update, and is available in both Java and Bedrock editions.
What is the difference between a Trial Key and an Ominous Trial Key?
A regular Trial Key opens normal Vaults, while an Ominous Trial Key opens Ominous Vaults with better loot, including the Heavy Core.
Can a Trial Key be reused?
No. Each key is consumed when used, and any single Vault rewards a given player only once.
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