Dead Island 2 Fool’s Gold: How to Actually Find the Buried Blood Money

You're wandering around the Santa Monica Pier, probably covered in more zombie viscera than you’d like, and you stumble upon a "Crusher" named Dante. You kill him. Because that's what you do in Hell-A. But then he drops a note about some legendary stash, and suddenly you're on a scavenger hunt called Dead Island 2 Fool's Gold. It sounds simple. It’s not. Most people end up running in circles around the Ferris wheel because the game doesn't hold your hand through this one.

Honestly, it’s one of the best Lost & Found quests in the game because the reward isn't just some junk—it's a legendary weapon that actually shreds. But if you don't know exactly where Randy and Dante hid their lockers, you’re just wasting your stamina.

Starting Dead Island 2 Fool's Gold without losing your mind

The quest kicks off at the Lifeguard HQ in the Pier district. You’ve likely been here during the main story, but you can only trigger this specific hunt after you've dealt with the main questline "Boardwalking Dead." Dante is the trigger. He’s a named Crusher zombie hanging out in the garage area of the HQ.

Kill him. Loot him. You’ll find a note titled "A Letter to Randy." This is where the Dead Island 2 Fool's Gold quest officially hits your journal. The note is a bit rambling, talking about a locker and a secret meeting spot. It’s flavor text, sure, but it’s also your only roadmap.

Tracking down the first locker

The game tells you to find Randy’s locker. It doesn't give you a waypoint. That’s the "old school" charm Dambuster Studios went for here. You need to head to the back of the Lifeguard HQ. Look for the outdoor gym area—it’s got that classic Venice Beach vibe with weights and pull-up bars.

Randy’s locker is tucked away in the corner of this fenced-in area. When you open it, you aren't getting the prize yet. Instead, you get another note. This one mentions a meeting point at a frozen yogurt shop and something about the "deep end" of the pier. This is where most players get annoyed because the Pier is a vertical nightmare of boardwalks and sand.

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The Two Burner Phones

To unlock the final chest, you need two halves of a code. These are held by two burner phones located at opposite ends of the search area.

1. The First Phone: Head toward the "Luigi’s" pizza joint near the entrance of the pier. You’re looking for a small alleyway nearby where trash is piled up. There's a bench. The phone is sitting right there.
2. The Second Phone: This one is further out. You need to go to the very end of the pier, past the arcade and the Ferris wheel. There’s a section that looks like a dead end with some stairs leading down toward the water. The phone is resting on a ledge near the railing.

Grab both. Now you have the full code. You’ve basically done the hard part of Dead Island 2 Fool's Gold, but the game has one last middle finger waiting for you back at the Lifeguard HQ.

The Final Stand at the HQ

Go back to the Lifeguard HQ. You’re looking for a specific spot on the side of the building, near the fence line buried in the sand. There’s a chest. It’s partially submerged.

As soon as you interact with it, the game decides you haven't bled enough. A massive wave of zombies will spawn. We aren't just talking walkers. You’ll get Runners, Shamblers, and usually a couple of Apex variants like Slobbers or more Crushers depending on your current level.

Pro Tip: Don't just stand by the chest. The sand makes you slow. Use the environment. There are fuel canisters and water pipes nearby. If you have the Chem Bomb or anything with electricity, use it. The zombies come from the fence line and the open beach, so keep your back to the HQ wall.

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What do you actually get?

Once the dust settles and you’ve decapitated the last of the horde, you can finally open the chest. You get the Blood Rage.

This is a Legendary dagger, and it is arguably the fastest weapon in the game. It’s a returning favorite from the original Dead Island. It comes with the "Puncturator" mod pre-installed, meaning it deals heavy bleed damage.

• Speed: Insane. You can land four stabs in the time it takes a sledgehammer to swing once.
• Perk: It has a unique perk where successive hits increase your critical hit chance and deal even more bleed damage.
• Synergy: If you’re playing as Bruno or Amy, this weapon is basically a cheat code because of their agility and backstab bonuses.

Why people struggle with this quest

The biggest hurdle in Dead Island 2 Fool's Gold is the lack of map markers. In a modern RPG, we’re used to glowing lines or icons. Here, you actually have to read the notes. If you accidentally pick up a note and don't read it immediately, it gets buried in your "Collectibles" menu under "Life in Hell-A."

Also, the pier is a "Hot Zone." This means the enemies respawn fast. If you take too long looking for the burner phones, you’ll find yourself burning through your medkits before you even get to the final fight.

Common Pitfalls

• The Level Gap: If you trigger this quest at level 15 but don't finish it until level 25, the zombies at the end will scale to you. However, the Blood Rage will drop at your current level. It's actually better to wait until you're higher level so you don't have to spend a fortune at the workbench "leveling up" the dagger later.
• Missing Dante: Sometimes Dante doesn't spawn immediately. If he's not in the HQ garage, leave the district and come back. The game sometimes glitches the named spawns if there's an active story beat nearby.
• Ignoring the Sand: The chest is literally in the dirt. Look for the "Dig" prompt. It’s on the north side of the Lifeguard building, tucked between the wall and the perimeter fence.

Getting the most out of Blood Rage

Once you have the reward from Dead Island 2 Fool's Gold, take it to a workbench. Even though it’s legendary, you can swap out some of the perks.

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I personally recommend adding the "Vengeful" perk. Since you're going to be in close quarters with a dagger, you’re going to get hit. Vengeful gives you a damage boost after you block or dodge. Pair this with a character build focused on "Critical Hits" and you can take down a Mutator in seconds just by spamming the light attack.

It’s also worth noting that the bleed damage stacks. You’ll see the health bars of even the toughest bosses just melt away while you're backing off to heal. It’s a "hit and run" weapon that rewards aggression.

Actionable Steps for Completion

To finish this today, follow this exact sequence:

1. Fast travel to The Pier.
2. Enter the Lifeguard HQ and kill Dante in the side garage/alley.
3. Read the note and go to the outdoor gym (southwest corner of the HQ) to open Randy’s Locker.
4. Run to Luigi’s Pizza at the pier entrance; find the phone on the bench in the side alley.
5. Run to the far end of the pier; find the second phone on the railing near the stairs.
6. Return to the North side of the Lifeguard HQ (outside the fence).
7. Look for the Buried Safe in the sand.
8. Kill the wave of zombies (focus on the Slobbers first).
9. Collect your Blood Rage Legendary Dagger.

This quest is a bit of a trek, but for a guaranteed Legendary in a game where RNG can be cruel, it's a mandatory stop for any serious player. Just make sure your weapons are repaired before you go back to that beach for the final fight. The sand is a graveyard for players who run out of durability at the wrong time.