DOORS items solve different problems: light the next room, patch up a bad hit, control an entity, open a lock, or make a risky route safer. The best pickup depends on where you are and what the run is asking you to survive.
Item function
Light and battery support
Start here when darkness or low charge is the problem. Small lights trade reach or fuel for convenience, while rechargeable options need better battery planning.
Candle
A small light source that becomes more useful when paired with a Lighter or a Rift.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- Multiple released floors
- Effect
- Lights the nearby area after it is lit.
- Where to find
- Tables, desks, and containers during a run.
- Uses or duration
- Limited fuel
- Requirement
- A Lighter is needed to ignite it.
- Useful for
- Dark rooms and entity warnings after its Rift transformation.
- Limitation
- It is weak until lit and uses an inventory slot.
- Also known as
- Possessed Candle after a Rift transformation
Flashlight
The dependable long-range light. Keep batteries nearby and switch it off when the room is bright.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel, The Mines, The Rooms, and The Outdoors
- Effect
- Provides rechargeable directional light for dark rooms.
- Where to find
- Containers and shops during released floor runs.
- Uses or duration
- About 2 minutes per full charge
- Requirement
- Batteries are needed to recharge it.
- Useful for
- Dark rooms and spotting the route during chases.
- Limitation
- The charge drains while it is on and its flicker can attract Figure.
Lighter
A common backup light that also turns a plain Candle into a working light source.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel and other released floors
- Effect
- Provides a small temporary light and can ignite Candles.
- Where to find
- Containers, the Pre-Run Shop, and Jeff's Shop.
- Uses or duration
- About 60 seconds of fuel
- Useful for
- Dark rooms and lighting Candles.
- Limitation
- Its light radius and fuel are smaller than a Flashlight's.
Straplight
A hands-free light for players who do not want to swap away from their useful item.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and other released floors
- Effect
- Provides a small directional light while another item is held.
- Where to find
- Containers and shops during runs.
- Uses or duration
- About 2 minutes of fuel
- Requirement
- Batteries are needed to recharge it.
- Useful for
- Dark rooms when you need to keep a key, tool, or consumable equipped.
- Limitation
- It has a short range and uses batteries.
Shakelight
A rechargeable light that trades range and fuel for a battery-free refill.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and other released floors
- Effect
- Provides directional light and can be recharged by shaking it.
- Where to find
- Containers and Jeff's Shop.
- Uses or duration
- Short charge that refills when shaken
- Useful for
- Dark rooms when batteries are scarce.
- Limitation
- It loses charge quickly and has a small light cone.
Glowstick
A throwable light that also doubles as a handy answer to a Giggle on your back.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and other released floors
- Effect
- Creates light where it is thrown and can hit Giggles.
- Where to find
- Lockers, drawers, and other containers.
- Uses or duration
- Infinite until its light is extinguished
- Useful for
- Small dark spaces and stunning Giggles.
- Limitation
- You must throw it to light an area, and Gloombats can put it out.
Bulklight
A stronger Flashlight with a bigger cone, built for the wide spaces in The Mines.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and The Hotel after being carried through a Rift
- Effect
- Provides a wide directional light and can stun Giggles.
- Where to find
- Containers in The Mines, the Pre-Run Shop, and Jeff's Shop.
- Uses or duration
- About 2 minutes per full charge
- Requirement
- Batteries are needed to recharge it.
- Useful for
- Large dark rooms and Giggles.
- Limitation
- It takes an inventory slot and is mainly found in The Mines.
- Also known as
- Spotlight
Laser Pointer
A low-drain pointer light that is surprisingly useful when a broad beam would wake up trouble.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and other released floors
- Effect
- Creates a small light at the player's crosshair.
- Where to find
- Lockers, toolboxes, and drawers.
- Uses or duration
- About 1 minute 20 seconds of fuel
- Requirement
- Batteries are needed to recharge it.
- Useful for
- Dark rooms with Gloombats and precise close-range lighting.
- Limitation
- The lit area is very small.
Moonlight Candle
The Rift version of Candle, with a brighter glow and an entity-warning effect.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel and The Mines after Rift creation
- Effect
- Provides a large blue light and detects certain entities.
- Where to find
- Create it by placing a normal Candle in a Guiding Light Rift.
- Uses or duration
- Infinite fuel
- Requirement
- A Candle and a Guiding Light Rift.
- Useful for
- Dark rooms and warnings for approaching entities.
- Limitation
- It stops working in subfloors because it relies on Guiding Light.
- Also known as
- Rift Candle; Possessed Candle
Lantern
The Outdoors' wide-angle light. Grab one before the chase if your Flashlight is looking gloomy.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Outdoors
- Effect
- Provides 360-degree light with more fuel than a Lighter.
- Where to find
- The ground, tables, and vine-covered chests in The Outdoors. One is guaranteed before the Eyestalk chase.
- Uses or duration
- About 5 minutes or 8 uses
- Useful for
- The Outdoors maze and the Eyestalk chase.
- Limitation
- It stops working in water and can cause problems in Firedamp rooms.
Batteries
The small pickup that keeps electronic lights alive. Store extras in a Battery Pack when possible.
- Item type
- Resource
- Areas
- Multiple released floors
- Effect
- Recharge compatible electronic light sources.
- Where to find
- Containers, drawers, tables, and other run loot.
- Uses or duration
- One recharge per battery
- Requirement
- A compatible light source or Battery Pack.
- Useful for
- Flashlight, Bulklight, Straplight, and Laser Pointer charge.
- Limitation
- They are consumed on use and cannot replace a missing light source.
- Also known as
- Battery
Battery Pack
A compact battery pouch that turns loose batteries into a much easier carry.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and later released floors
- Effect
- Stores batteries so they can be used later in the run.
- Where to find
- Containers and Jeff's Shop.
- Uses or duration
- Holds up to 4 batteries
- Requirement
- Batteries to fill it.
- Useful for
- Saving inventory space and keeping electronic lights charged.
- Limitation
- It stores batteries but does not create them.
Item function
Healing, food, and boosts
These items help recover from mistakes or improve a run before the next dangerous section. Their effects and limits vary, so save the stronger option for a moment that actually needs it.
Starlight Bottle
A compact heal and speed boost from The Backdoor that can also create a temporary extra Rift.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Backdoor and main-floor Rifts
- Effect
- Heals 50% of maximum health, grants speed, and creates a short area of light.
- Where to find
- The final room of The Backdoor and its shop.
- Uses or duration
- About 10 seconds of light and speed
- Price
- 100 Gold in The Backdoor
- Useful for
- Recovering health and gaining time during The Backdoor.
- Limitation
- It is consumed after one use and the bonus health fades quickly.
- Also known as
- Bottle of Starlight
Starlight Jug
The big Starlight reward from A-1000. It is slow to earn but keeps helping long after one drink.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Rooms and later floors
- Effect
- Heals 100 HP, grants a long speed boost and Star Shield, and lights the area.
- Where to find
- Room A-1000 in The Rooms.
- Uses or duration
- 4 uses; boost and glow last about 135 seconds
- Requirement
- Reach A-1000.
- Useful for
- Large health recovery, long chases, and carrying a strong run-saving item forward.
- Limitation
- It cannot solve instant-death encounters by itself and has a finite number of uses.
- Also known as
- Barrel of Starlight; Jug of Starlight
Starlight Vial
A quick Backdoor recovery drink that trades lasting power for a fast emergency boost.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Backdoor
- Effect
- Provides a short speed boost, light, and extra health.
- Where to find
- Containers and loot in The Backdoor.
- Uses or duration
- About 5 seconds per use
- Useful for
- Recovering from Blitz and Lookman damage and moving quickly through The Backdoor.
- Limitation
- Its boost is brief and repeated uses cannot be stacked immediately.
- Also known as
- Vial of Starlight
Smoothie
A reliable basement heal and the ingredient for a stronger Moonlight Float.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel
- Effect
- Immediately restores 35 health.
- Where to find
- Tables in Hotel basements, excluding the Courtyard basement.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Useful for
- Recovering small amounts of health during The Hotel.
- Limitation
- It does not need to be used at full health and takes an inventory slot.
Moonlight Float
A Rift-made Smoothie that turns item hunting into a much less blurry scavenger hunt.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel and The Mines
- Effect
- Restores 100 HP, gives a short glow, and highlights important items and entities.
- Where to find
- Create it by placing a Smoothie in a Guiding Light Rift.
- Uses or duration
- About 1 minute of glow and 5 minutes of highlights
- Requirement
- A Smoothie and a Guiding Light Rift.
- Useful for
- Finding Keys, Books, Fuses, Breaker Poles, Generators, and nearby entities.
- Limitation
- It stops working in subfloors and is consumed when used.
- Also known as
- Rift Smoothie
Gween Soda
A slow but generous Mine heal that also gives you a little extra running room.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines
- Effect
- Regenerates 100 health and gives a fading speed boost.
- Where to find
- Trade with or use a Crucifix on Louie.
- Uses or duration
- About 34 seconds of healing and about 28 seconds of speed
- Requirement
- A Louie trade or Crucifix interaction.
- Useful for
- Recovering from damage while moving through The Mines.
- Limitation
- It takes time to heal and is not found as ordinary container loot.
Bread
A small heal with one extra trick: Bread can be fed to Caws in The Outdoors.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and The Outdoors
- Effect
- Immediately restores 45 health.
- Where to find
- Louie trades in The Mines and rare vine-covered chests in The Outdoors.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Useful for
- Healing and feeding Caws to improve Lotus Petal chances.
- Limitation
- Mine access usually requires giving up another item or using a Crucifix.
Cheese
Bread's Mine-only cousin: same heal, different snack, same slightly odd trade route.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines
- Effect
- Immediately restores 45 health.
- Where to find
- Trade with or use a Crucifix on Louie.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Requirement
- A Louie trade or Crucifix interaction.
- Useful for
- Recovering health during The Mines.
- Limitation
- It has no benefit beyond healing and is not ordinary container loot.
Donut
A rare Café find that heals a big chunk of health when the Hotel decides to be generous.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel
- Effect
- Immediately restores 80 health.
- Where to find
- The Café room in a Mid-Run Rift, opened with a Skeleton Key.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Requirement
- A Skeleton Key to enter the Café Rift room.
- Useful for
- Large emergency healing and certain Louie trades.
- Limitation
- The Café room is rare, so it is not a routine source of healing.
Vitamins
A pure speed item for chases and tight escapes. Save one when the hallway starts moving faster than you.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- Multiple released floors
- Effect
- Gives the player a temporary speed boost.
- Where to find
- Containers, the Pre-Run Shop, and Jeff's Shop.
- Uses or duration
- About 10 seconds per use
- Price
- 100 Knobs for a full Pre-Run Shop stack
- Useful for
- Seek chases, Figure, Grumbles, and fast room transitions.
- Limitation
- It no longer heals and repeated uses need a short wait between them.
Aloe
A full heal hidden around The Outdoors. Useful after damage, less useful against anything that skips the health bar.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Outdoors
- Effect
- Regenerates 100 health over a short period.
- Where to find
- Rarely inside or on top of containers in The Outdoors.
- Uses or duration
- 10 healing ticks over about 3 seconds
- Useful for
- Recovering from damage in The Outdoors.
- Limitation
- It is rare, cannot be stacked, and most Outdoors threats can still kill instantly.
- Also known as
- Aloe Vera
Bandages
A quick 15-HP pickup that is most valuable when you have already taken a hit.
- Item type
- Resource
- Areas
- Multiple released floors except The Backdoor
- Effect
- Instantly restores 15 health.
- Where to find
- Commonly inside containers.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Useful for
- Small emergency heals after entity damage.
- Limitation
- They cannot be carried for later unless stored in a Bandage Pack.
- Also known as
- Bandage
Bandage Pack
A team-friendly health pouch that keeps loose Bandages from disappearing the moment you find them.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and later released floors
- Effect
- Stores bandages that can be thrown out for later healing.
- Where to find
- Containers and Jeff's Shop in The Mines.
- Uses or duration
- Holds up to 10 bandages
- Requirement
- Bandages to fill it.
- Useful for
- Saving healing for later and sharing it with teammates.
- Limitation
- The pack itself does not heal until it has bandages inside.
Green Herb
The quiet sustain option. Find it once and let every opened door do a little healing.
- Item type
- Resource
- Areas
- The Hotel
- Effect
- Regenerates 5 health each time a door is opened.
- Where to find
- The Infirmary behind the Skeleton Key door.
- Uses or duration
- Lasts until the run ends or an entity kills the player
- Requirement
- A Skeleton Key to open the Infirmary.
- Useful for
- Recovering from chip damage across a long run.
- Limitation
- It is a passive effect and does not prevent instant-death attacks.
- Also known as
- Herb of Viridis
Item function
Entity control and survival
Crucifix and Alarm Clock are about creating breathing room when an entity becomes the main problem. Keep them for a threat you can identify instead of spending them on a vague feeling that something is wrong.
Crucifix
The emergency entity tool. Keep it for the encounter that would otherwise end the run.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- Multiple released floors
- Effect
- Banishes and immobilizes one entity before breaking.
- Where to find
- Rare loot, Jeff's Shop, and certain trades.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Useful for
- Rush, Ambush, Figure, Seek, Eyes, Halt, Screech, Dupe, Giggle, Dread, Gloombats, and Grumble.
- Limitation
- It does not solve every entity encounter and is consumed after use.
Alarm Clock
A noisy little decoy for the Library. Wind it, place it, and let Figure investigate the wrong problem.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel
- Effect
- Distracts Figure when wound and placed nearby.
- Where to find
- Guaranteed in the Door 49 reception area and another spot in the Door 50 Library.
- Uses or duration
- Activates after about 10 seconds
- Requirement
- Wind it before placing it.
- Useful for
- The Library puzzle and Figure's patrol route.
- Limitation
- It distracts Figure rather than defeating it.
Item function
Keys and puzzle progress
Keys and puzzle tools move you through locked routes and room challenges. Carrying the right progress item can matter more than adding another temporary boost to your pack.
Hotel Key
The basic progression key. Check its number, then check the door before opening it.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Hotel
- Effect
- Unlocks the next numbered Hotel door.
- Where to find
- Containers and room surfaces near locked doors.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Requirement
- Match the key's number to the locked door.
- Useful for
- Normal Hotel progression.
- Limitation
- A wrong numbered door or Dupe can punish a rushed choice.
- Also known as
- Room Key; Key
Lockpick
The flexible key substitute. It saves searches, opens loot, and can sometimes stand in for a Fuse.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- Multiple released floors
- Effect
- Opens most locked doors and chests and can replace a Fuse in a generator.
- Where to find
- Containers, the Pre-Run Shop, Jeff's Shop, and some trades.
- Uses or duration
- One use per lock or generator
- Useful for
- Locked rooms, chests, The Electrical Room, and Mines generators.
- Limitation
- It does not open every special door and disappears after use.
- Also known as
- Lockpicks
Skeleton Key
A rare multi-use key that opens the doors most normal keys cannot.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel and access routes to The Rooms and The Outdoors
- Effect
- Opens Skull Locks, the Infirmary, The Rooms entrance, and The Outdoors entrance.
- Where to find
- Jeff's Shop, rare loot, and certain trades.
- Uses or duration
- Up to 5 uses
- Useful for
- Green Herb, Mid-Run Rifts, The Rooms, The Outdoors, and locked treasure.
- Limitation
- It is rare, so spending it on a normal lock can waste a route-opening tool.
Electrical Room Key
The last key hunt in the Hotel. Find it upstairs, then get ready for the breaker room.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Hotel Door 100
- Effect
- Opens the Electrical Room door at the end of The Hotel.
- Where to find
- A shelf on the upper floor of The Electrical Room.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Useful for
- Accessing the Circuit Breaker puzzle and the Mines elevator.
- Limitation
- Lockpicks or a Skeleton Key can replace it, and it cannot be stored in a Rift.
Book
Find the marked books, record their numbers, and let the Paper tell you the order.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Hotel Library at Door 50
- Effect
- Provides a number and shape clue for the Library lock code.
- Where to find
- Shelves throughout The Library.
- Uses or duration
- Single puzzle use
- Requirement
- Collect it during the Library puzzle.
- Useful for
- Decoding the Door 51 padlock.
- Limitation
- Only some books contain useful digits and the book leaves the inventory after reading.
- Also known as
- Library Book
Paper
The Library's cheat sheet, minus the cheating. Match its shapes to the numbers in the Books.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Hotel Library at Door 50
- Effect
- Shows the shape order needed for the Library lock code.
- Where to find
- The large desk in The Library.
- Uses or duration
- Single puzzle use
- Requirement
- Use it together with the numbered Books.
- Useful for
- Solving the Door 51 padlock.
- Limitation
- It disappears when the Library exit is opened.
- Also known as
- Solution Paper; Library Paper
Breaker Pole
Ten small switches stand between the Hotel and the Mines. The room is the dangerous part.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Hotel Electrical Room at Door 100
- Effect
- Activates the Circuit Breaker mini-game.
- Where to find
- Labyrinth halls, storage rooms, and areas near the elevator.
- Uses or duration
- 10 poles are required for the puzzle
- Requirement
- The Electrical Room must be opened first.
- Useful for
- Powering the elevator to The Mines.
- Limitation
- Each pole is single-use and Figure appears while the room is being searched.
Fuse
The Mines' version of a key: find the right number of Fuses, power the generator, and open the gate.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Mines
- Effect
- Powers generators that open gated rooms in The Mines.
- Where to find
- Lockers, tables, drawers, toolboxes, and sometimes the floor near a generator.
- Uses or duration
- Usually 1 to 3 per generator room
- Requirement
- Insert the needed number into the room's generator.
- Useful for
- Mines gate and generator progression.
- Limitation
- Only the room's required fuses spawn, and inserted fuses leave every player's inventory.
- Also known as
- Generator Fuse
Backdoor Room Key
The Backdoor's numbered key. Keep moving before Haste makes the route even less forgiving.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Backdoor
- Effect
- Unlocks the next Backdoor door.
- Where to find
- Rooms and containers during The Backdoor.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Requirement
- Match it to the next Backdoor door.
- Useful for
- Backdoor progression and reaching its final reward room.
- Limitation
- It only works for the Backdoor route.
- Also known as
- Backdoor Key
Iron Key
The brown key for Outdoors crypts. If you find a locked grave, check nearby containers.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Outdoors
- Effect
- Opens locked crypts containing Lotus Petals.
- Where to find
- Inside or on top of containers near locked crypts.
- Uses or duration
- Up to 5 carried
- Useful for
- Opening crypts and collecting Lotus Petals.
- Limitation
- It does not use an inventory slot and is removed when The Outdoors ends.
Item function
Outdoors and run utility
These tools help with terrain, navigation, item storage, and unusual route problems. Tip Jar is a rare Mid-Run Rift or Louie find, not a normal container pickup, so treat it as a lucky extra.
Shears
A simple tool with excellent mileage: cut vines, open better loot, and do not waste the last snip.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel, The Mines, and The Outdoors
- Effect
- Cuts vines from chests and shortcuts.
- Where to find
- Vine-covered areas, closets, containers, and Jeff's Shop.
- Uses or duration
- About 5 cuts
- Price
- 300 Gold at Jeff's Shop
- Useful for
- Vine-covered loot, secret routes, and Outdoors chests.
- Limitation
- They break after their available cuts are used.
Compass
The Outdoors navigation shortcut. Follow the arrow when the forest starts offering too many wrong turns.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Outdoors
- Effect
- Points toward the next progressive door.
- Where to find
- Containers and cabins in The Outdoors.
- Uses or duration
- Reusable during the run
- Useful for
- The Outdoors route and Hedge Maze navigation.
- Limitation
- It is not useful during the Eyestalk chase and only naturally appears in The Outdoors.
Multitool
A two-tools-in-one upgrade for players who would rather carry one useful gadget than two.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Mines and later floors
- Effect
- Combines the functions of a Lockpick and Shears.
- Where to find
- Jeff's Shop in The Mines and Louie trades.
- Uses or duration
- 20 collective uses
- Price
- 500 Gold at Jeff's Shop in The Mines
- Useful for
- Locked doors, locked chests, vine-covered chests, and Outdoors crypts.
- Limitation
- It cannot replace a Fuse in a generator and may arrive with some durability already spent.
Lotus Petal
Collect eight glowing petals in The Outdoors and Grampy turns them into a second chance.
- Item type
- Minor
- Areas
- The Outdoors
- Effect
- Combines into a Lotus when enough petals are brought to Grampy.
- Where to find
- Containers, the ground, and locked crypts.
- Uses or duration
- 8 needed for a Lotus; up to 20 carried
- Requirement
- Collect 8 and speak with Grampy.
- Useful for
- Creating the Lotus and its revival route.
- Limitation
- It is not a normal inventory-slot item and cannot be dropped.
Lotus
The Outdoors reward that lets a run bend instead of completely breaking after a death.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Outdoors and floors reached after it is created
- Effect
- Creates a revival point near where it is planted in a floor.
- Where to find
- Grampy creates it after 8 Lotus Petals are collected.
- Uses or duration
- One planted revival point
- Requirement
- 8 Lotus Petals and Grampy's interaction.
- Useful for
- Recovering from death and replaying a difficult floor section.
- Limitation
- It must be planted before death and does not make every encounter safe.
- Also known as
- Lotus Flower
Rift Jar
A throwable emergency Rift for players who do not want to carry a rare item through danger.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- Main floors and subfloors
- Effect
- Breaks on impact and opens a Rift where it lands.
- Where to find
- Create it by placing a Tip Jar in a Guiding Light Rift or receive it from Louie.
- Uses or duration
- Single use
- Requirement
- A Tip Jar and Guiding Light Rift, or a successful Louie trade.
- Useful for
- Saving a rare item during a dangerous middle section of a run.
- Limitation
- It is hard to obtain and only one can be carried.
Tip Jar
A released but rare jar from the Abandoned Shop or Louie. Its real job is becoming a Rift Jar.
- Item type
- Major
- Areas
- The Hotel Mid-Run Rifts
- Effect
- Transforms into a Rift Jar when placed in a Guiding Light Rift.
- Where to find
- The Abandoned Shop room in a Mid-Run Rift or a trade with Louie.
- Uses or duration
- Single transformation
- Requirement
- A Guiding Light Rift to turn it into a Rift Jar.
- Useful for
- Creating a portable Rift during a run.
- Limitation
- It is rare and is not normal drawer loot.
Glitch Fragment
A risky mystery pickup: use it only after you have a hiding spot and a plan for the glitchy visitor.
- Item type
- Resource
- Areas
- Most released floors
- Effect
- Triggers a Glitched Entity encounter that can grant a random positive buff.
- Where to find
- Rarely inside or on top of containers, with better odds after Glitch encounters.
- Uses or duration
- One activation
- Requirement
- Interact with the Fragment and survive the encounter.
- Useful for
- Rare buffs, item refills, and unusual run recovery.
- Limitation
- It is extremely rare, disappears on interaction, and is not available in every special mode.
Pick for the problem in front of you
Light is usually the first decision. A Flashlight gives you reach when a dark route keeps going, while a Lighter, Candle, or Glowstick can cover a short gap without asking for the same kind of battery plan. Bigger lights are not automatically better: keep fuel and charge for the rooms where seeing the route matters most.
Healing, food, and boosts are easier to waste than to replace. Use a small recovery item when it solves the immediate problem, but keep a stronger option for a chase, a long dark section, or a floor transition. Starlight items, food, drinks, Vitamins, Aloe, and bandages do not all serve the same job, so compare the effect and limitation before grabbing the first thing that fits your inventory.
Keep progress items ready
Keys, Books, Paper, Fuses, and the Breaker Pole are route items as much as they are inventory items. When a room gives you a puzzle clue, leave yourself enough space to carry the item that opens the next step. A useful light or healing pickup can still be the wrong choice if dropping a needed key sends you back through danger.
Crucifix and Alarm Clock are for moments when buying time matters more than dealing damage. Save entity-control tools for a threat you can identify, and do not spend one early just because a room feels tense. The room usually gives you a better clue than your nerves do.
Treat rare utility as a bonus
Outdoors items change how you read the route. Shears, Compass, and Multitool help with practical obstacles, while Lotus items and Rift tools reward careful timing. The Tip Jar is a special case: it can come from the Abandoned Shop in a Mid-Run Rift or from Louie, then become a Rift Jar when used in a Guiding Light Rift. It is rare and not normal drawer loot, so build a run around the tools you actually have.
Normal runs are the focus here. Event-only, cosmetic, upcoming, and modifier-only entries are outside the everyday item plan, even if they appear in older discussions or special modes.
Avoid the common inventory traps
- Carrying several weak lights while leaving no room for a key, healing item, or puzzle tool.
- Using a limited-use item before checking whether a simpler tool handles the room.
- Spending a battery or boost just before a floor transition without checking what the next route needs.
- Treating an item name as a full description: read its effect, area, requirement, and limitation together.
- Waiting for a rare Tip Jar instead of using the light, healing, or route tool already in your pack.
A good inventory is not the one with the fanciest gear. It is the one that still has the right answer when the next room stops being polite.
FAQ
Which light should I carry in DOORS?
Use a Flashlight when you need directional reach through a longer dark route and can support it with Batteries. A Lighter, Candle, or Glowstick works better as a compact backup when you only need short-term light.
How should I choose between healing items and boosts?
Compare the item's effect, area, and limitation before using it. Small recovery items can solve a minor mistake, while stronger food, drinks, Vitamins, Aloe, or Starlight options are better saved for a dangerous route or a low-health run.
What is the Tip Jar used for?
The Tip Jar can appear in the Abandoned Shop room inside a Mid-Run Rift or come from a trade with Louie. Place it in a Guiding Light Rift to turn it into a Rift Jar, and do not expect to find it as normal drawer loot.
When should I use a Crucifix or Alarm Clock?
Keep entity-control tools for a clear threat that would otherwise cost the run. Identify the danger first, then use the item when it creates a real opening to hide, move, or finish the route.
Why do some DOORS items have different names?
Some names are aliases used for the same released item. Starlight Jug may also be called Barrel of Starlight, Green Herb may be called Herb of Viridis, and Hotel Key or Backdoor Room Key can appear under shorter key names.
Are event and modifier items part of a normal run?
No. The normal-run focus is released permanent gear, so event-only, cosmetic, upcoming, and modifier-only entries are left outside the everyday item plan.
