Tucked inside a shack in the depths of the Old Mine, Santino's Chest is one of Gothic 1 Remake's more satisfying early puzzles. There's no quest marker pointing you toward it, no NPC handing you the combination, and no lockpick skill that bypasses the mechanism. You either know the plate sequence or you don't. Here's everything you need to find the chest, crack it open, and walk away with 33 Ore Nuggets.
Where is Santino's Chest?
The chest sits inside a small shack in the Old Mine, east of Santino himself. Work your way through the mine until you spot a guard posted at the bridge that connects the main mine shafts to Santino's personal area. That bridge guard is your landmark.
Once you're at the bridge, look for the shack just to the right. The door is already open, so you won't miss it. Step inside and the chest is on your left against the wall. Interact with it and the plate mechanism interface opens.
Shack east of Santino
What is the correct plate combination for Santino's Chest?
The puzzle uses five numbered plates. You move specific plates left or right a set number of times across two sequences. The reward is fixed at 33 Ore Nuggets every time, so there's no randomness here.
Sequence breakdown
Once the fifth input lands, the chest clicks open automatically. No confirmation prompt, no additional step.
Five-plate puzzle interface
Controller inputs (PS5 and Xbox Series X/S)
- 2nd Plate:D-pad Left x6
- 3rd Plate:D-pad Right x6
- 4th Plate:D-pad Right x3
- 2nd Plate:D-pad Left x3
- 5th Plate:D-pad Right x3
PC inputs
- 2nd Plate:Left Arrow x6
- 3rd Plate:Right Arrow x6
- 4th Plate:Right Arrow x3
- 2nd Plate:Left Arrow x3
- 5th Plate:Right Arrow x3
Why 33 Ore Nuggets actually matters here
Thirty-three Ore Nuggets won't make you wealthy in the late game, but in the early hours around the Old Mine, that sum carries real weight. It can cover a piece of improved armor or bridge the gap toward a weapon upgrade you'd otherwise grind for. The chest is static loot with no respawn, so this is a one-time grab worth making as early as possible.
The plate puzzles in Gothic 1 Remake don't offer a skill-based bypass. Unlike traditional RPG games where a high lockpicking stat opens most doors, these mechanisms require the correct sequence regardless of your character build. That design choice forces you to either find the combination through exploration or look it up.
Save before you start
Make a manual save before interacting with the chest. This takes ten seconds and eliminates all risk. If something goes wrong, reload and try again with a fresh count. Gothic 1 Remake's save system is forgiving enough that there's no reason to attempt a puzzle sequence without a safety net.
For more puzzles and secrets across the colony, the full Gothic 1 Remake guides collection covers everything from completing Snaf's Recipe quest for a steady food supply to joining the Old Camp and finishing Casting Shadows if you're working toward faction progression.