Opened my first 10 crates expecting at least one rare skin. Got 10 commons. Classic Roblox RNG. After burning through probably 50+ crates and tracking every single drop, I finally understand how the crate system actually works in Knife Arena.
This guide covers everything about crates: what’s in them, the actual drop rates (not the advertised ones), and which crates are worth your coins. Spoiler: most aren’t.
Before spending coins on crates, grab the free cases from codes. The freecase code gives you a Release Case for literally nothing.
How Crates Work
Crates contain knife skins. Not new knives with different stats, just cosmetic skins for your existing knives. This is important because a lot of players (including me at first) think crates give you better weapons. They don’t.
What crates give you:
- Knife skins (cosmetic only)
- Different rarity tiers
- Bragging rights
What crates don’t give you:
- New knife types
- Stat boosts
- Gameplay advantages
The skin you get is random within the crate’s pool. Higher rarity skins have lower drop rates. Standard gacha mechanics.
All Crate Types
Knife Arena currently has several crate types, including the new Series Skin Case from the December 19 HUGE UPDATE.
Series Skin Case (New - Dec 19 Update)
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Cost | 400 Coins |
| Skin Pool | December Series collection |
| Best Skin | Chrome Phantom (Epic) |
| Worth It? | Yes, if you want the new skins |
The newest crate added in the HUGE UPDATE. Contains exclusive skins that match the new knives (Pixel Blade and Chrome Edge). The skin pool is fresh, so you’re less likely to get duplicates if you’ve been playing a while.
I’ve opened 5 of these so far. Got 3 commons, 1 uncommon, and 1 rare. Better luck than Standard Cases, but small sample size. The December-exclusive skins look clean though.
Pro tip: If you’re going to spend coins on crates, this is currently the best value since the skins are new and exclusive.
Release Case
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free (from code) or 100 Coins |
| Skin Pool | Launch collection |
| Best Skin | Neon Edge (Rare) |
| Worth It? | Yes, especially free |
The Release Case is your starter crate. The skin pool is smaller than premium crates, but the cost is low. I opened about 15 of these before moving on. Got 2 uncommons and 13 commons. Not great, but free is free.
The Neon Edge skin from this crate actually looks decent. Bright green glow effect that’s visible in dark map areas. Purely cosmetic but it does make tracking your knife easier.
Standard Case
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Cost | 250 Coins |
| Skin Pool | Base collection |
| Best Skin | Shadow Blade (Epic) |
| Worth It? | Only if you’re grinding |
The Standard Case is the workhorse crate. Bigger skin pool than Release, but the drop rates for anything good are brutal. I tracked 20 opens:
- Common: 14 (70%)
- Uncommon: 5 (25%)
- Rare: 1 (5%)
- Epic: 0 (0%)
That one rare took 5,000 coins to get. Could have bought a decent knife upgrade instead. Learn from my mistakes.
Premium Case
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Cost | 500 Coins |
| Skin Pool | Exclusive collection |
| Best Skin | Phantom Glow (Legendary) |
| Worth It? | Only for collectors |
Premium Cases have the best skins but the worst value. The legendary drop rate is somewhere around 1-2% based on community tracking. That means you’re looking at 25,000-50,000 coins on average for one legendary.
I’ve opened exactly 3 Premium Cases. Got 2 commons and 1 uncommon. Never again.
Event Cases
Event cases drop during special occasions. They usually have exclusive skins that don’t appear in regular crates. The game just launched so we haven’t seen many events yet, but expect holiday-themed cases soon.
Pro tip: Save your coins for event cases. Limited-time skins are the only ones worth flexing because they prove you were playing during that period.
Drop Rate Breakdown
Based on my tracking and community data, here are the approximate drop rates:
| Rarity | Release Case | Standard Case | Premium Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | 75% | 70% | 60% |
| Uncommon | 20% | 22% | 25% |
| Rare | 5% | 7% | 12% |
| Epic | 0% | 1% | 2% |
| Legendary | 0% | 0% | 1% |
These aren’t official numbers. The devs don’t publish exact rates (which is annoying but standard for Roblox games). These are estimates from tracking opens.
Best Crate Strategy
Here’s what I wish someone told me before I wasted coins:
For New Players
- Redeem all codes first. The freecase code gives you a Release Case for free.
- Don’t buy crates yet. Save coins for knife upgrades instead.
- Skins don’t help you win. A cool-looking knife that you can’t aim with is useless.
For Intermediate Players
- Open Release Cases only. Best coin-to-skin ratio.
- Set a budget. Decide how many coins you’ll spend before opening.
- Stop when you hit budget. Chasing losses is how you go broke.
For Collectors
- Wait for events. Limited skins are the only ones worth grinding for.
- Premium Cases are traps. The legendary rate is too low.
- Trade if possible. Some skins can be traded. Check the Discord.
Skin Rarity Explained
Not all skins are created equal. Here’s what each rarity actually means:
Common (Gray)
Basic recolors of the default knife skin. Nothing special. You’ll get hundreds of these.
Uncommon (Green)
Slight visual upgrades. Maybe a pattern or texture change. Still not exciting.
Rare (Blue)
Noticeable effects. Glow, particles, or unique models. These are the first skins worth keeping.
Epic (Purple)
Significant visual changes. Custom models, animated effects, distinct sounds. Actually impressive.
Legendary (Gold)
The flex skins. Full custom models, unique animations, particle effects. Everyone notices these.
Duplicate System
When you get a duplicate skin, it converts to coins. The conversion rate is terrible:
| Rarity | Duplicate Value |
|---|---|
| Common | 5 Coins |
| Uncommon | 15 Coins |
| Rare | 50 Coins |
| Epic | 150 Coins |
| Legendary | 500 Coins |
Getting a duplicate common from a 250-coin crate and receiving 5 coins back hurts. This is why I stopped opening Standard Cases.
Coins vs Crates Math
Let’s do the math on whether crates are worth it:
Scenario: You have 1,000 coins
Option A: Buy 4 Standard Cases
- Expected result: 3 commons, 1 uncommon
- Value: Cosmetic only
Option B: Save for knife upgrade
- Result: Better knife stats
- Value: Actual gameplay improvement
Option B wins every time for competitive players. Crates are for collectors and people who’ve already maxed their knife collection.
My Crate Opening Results
Full transparency on my crate history:
Release Cases (20 opened):
- Commons: 15
- Uncommons: 4
- Rares: 1
- Total spent: 2,000 coins (some were free from codes)
Standard Cases (20 opened):
- Commons: 14
- Uncommons: 5
- Rares: 1
- Epics: 0
- Total spent: 5,000 coins
Premium Cases (3 opened):
- Commons: 2
- Uncommons: 1
- Total spent: 1,500 coins
Grand total: 8,500 coins for 1 rare skin I actually use. Not great ROI.
When to Open Crates
The best time to open crates:
- After you have a good knife. Gameplay first, cosmetics second.
- When you have excess coins. Don’t open crates if you’re saving for upgrades.
- During events. Limited skins are worth more than standard ones.
- Never when tilted. Lost 3 matches in a row? Don’t rage-open crates. You’ll regret it.
Common Mistakes
Opening crates before buying knives. Skins don’t make you better. Good knives do.
Chasing legendaries. The drop rate is too low. Accept that you probably won’t get one.
Ignoring duplicates. Track what you have. Opening the same common 10 times is painful.
Spending Robux on coins for crates. The value is terrible. If you’re going to spend Robux, buy knives directly.
Opening all crates immediately. Save some for when new skins are added to the pool.
Related Content
- Knife Arena Codes for free cases
- Knife Arena Knife Tier List for what to spend coins on instead
- Knife Arena Beginner Guide for gameplay tips
- Knife Arena Controls Guide for optimal settings
