Toolboxes are crucial in The Last of Us as they allow players to upgrade their weapons, and here are all the locations where you can find these tools.
Looking to upgrade your weapons in The Last of Us Part 1? For that, you’ll need toolboxes and spare parts. You’ll come across many spare parts just by looking in the nooks and crannies of the areas you explore. You discover them pretty much the same way you find most resources.
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The red toolboxes are rare, as there are only five of them in the game. They’re necessary if you want to upgrade your weapons to their fullest potential. There’s also an achievement for finding all five. Since you can’t go back to levels or areas in The Last of Us, it's best not to miss these items once you see them. Follow this guide and be sure to pick up every one of the toolboxes, so you can take down clickers with devastating firepower.
When you first enter Bill’s church hideout, there’s a small open area (not quite a room) to the left with the red toolbox tucked into a corner. Grab this and unlock the ability for Joel to use level 1 upgrades at the nearby workbench. Make sure you spend parts after getting the toolkit upgrade to make the most of your options.
Upon entering Pittsburgh, Joel and Ellie are ambushed by a group of hunters. Once the two manage to get away (for the moment), they open a garage door where the hunters are keeping the belongings of their victims. In this garage is a red toolbox; claim it, and Joel will open up a new set of upgrades to utilize. The upgrades are incredibly useful here, as Pittsburgh is one of the most dangerous areas in the game.
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After entering the sewers with Sam and Henry, you’ll come to a platform where the group needs to cross some deep water. With Ellie unable to swim, Joel and the crew need to find their way across. Once you’ve solved the brief problem, you’ll open up a new tunnel the group can explore. On the left-hand side of this path is a door, and it’s the very first door you'll encounter. Inside is a room with a lawn chair and a red toolbox. Use this toolbox, and Joel will unlock his third level of upgrades for weaponry.
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You’ll find this at the university level after you smash a gate with a dumpster and crawl into the science building’s window. Deep into the university, you’ll come across a locked lecture room that requires a shiv to open. While this toolbox comes with the cost of a shiv, you also gain a good amount of resources from the room, including a new training manual. Be sure to grab this toolbox and claim the ability to upgrade your weapons to level four.
Directly after Joel and Ellie’s heartwarming moment with the giraffes, they leave the building to find an open lot with triage tents set up. One of the triage tents (the largest one) has the red toolbox sitting out in the middle of the room, while another triage tent has a workbench for you to use. Make sure Joel grabs this last toolbox first, so you can unlock those level five upgrades for your weapons. Since you’re in the final levels of the game, you’ll want to make sure Joel is packing as much heat as possible.
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Matthew (he/him) is an Evergreen Article Staff Writer at DualShockers. He has been an avid gamer all his life, starting with his original NES. He has spent his life eagerly recommending games of all sorts to his friends and anyone else who would listen. After graduating from Stetson University with a degree in English and Creative Writing, he went on to receive an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. When he isn't playing games on his PS5, Series X, or Nintendo Switch, you can find him here at DualShockers writing about games.