Occupied by the Goblins, these caverns can be mined for resources and items. Goblin Caverns can be found by searching from the "Search" tab at your Watch Tower. How far your tower will search is based on the level of your Watch Tower. In order to mine a Goblin Cavern, you must have an available Dwarf Pick, and enough troops to defeat the goblins inhabiting the cavern. During the process of mining the caverns your troops are exposed to enemy attacks, even if you are under a Rune of Protection (aka bubbled).
There are two types of caverns: Common and Extraordinary. Common caverns are much more easy to find, but produce lesser rewards. Extraordinary caverns are much more rare, but produce more rewards.
The primary reason for mining a cavern is to get Artamir Gem Shards for making Artamir Gems to embed in gear. Researching Gem pouch raising the amount of gems shards you get by 2 each level to a maximum of 40, up from 30 base. Mining takes 1 minute per shard. If a mine has less than your maximum shards, you can mine it. It'll take a pick still, but will mine faster (say, 27 minutes for 27 shards).
If you're attacked at a cavern, you'll lose some of the shards you've mined, but still have a chance of getting gear.
If you reinforce a mine, you get no shards but still must use a pick.
Picks can be purchased for Mithril, restore on their own to a maximum of 5, and can be found in the Along the Shores campaign chests.
Researching Gem Pouch in the academy increases the maximum number of Artamir Gem Shards you can bring back from a cavern.
Potential Drops[]
All types of Goblin Caverns can have items. Level 6-10 appear to have more items and better chances, regardless of of they're Common or Extraordinary.
| Available Rewards: (Work in progress) |
|---|
| Amber and Topaz Stone of Vala |
| Forge, Ascension, and Master Runes |
| Combat and Shield Runes, including Major |
| Orc Ear |
| Bilbo's, Gollum's, Galadriel's, Radagast's Hourglasses |
| Second City Relics, Third City Relics |
| Naming Rights |
| Common, Rare, and Epic Valto Runes |
| Crimson Crystal |
| 10,000, 40,000, and 250,000 Gold |
| Tauriel's Token |
| Galadriel's Token |
| Goblin Cavern Gear Chest (Cursed Watcher's is common) |
| Armor Scraps I and II |
| Radagast's Gift and Gandalf's Gift |