Breakable Boxes with Chaos Physics in UE5

I created destructible boxes in UE5 that can be broken by sword attacks or vehicles and can optionally drop loot. Each box is a self-contained actor with its own destruction logic, FX, and reset options.

The box is built as a Chaos Geometry Collection with a fracture pattern set for the right scale. A small collision volume detects impacts. When struck, the box applies Chaos damage at the hit point, plays VFX and audio, and spawns shards. Sword swings use an AnimNotify trace to trigger the break, while vehicles use a collision on the bumper that applies a radial impulse based on speed.

Both interaction types feed into a single “Handle Impact” event so the logic isn’t duplicated. Loot drops, respawn timers, or chain reactions can be added per instance for training rooms, puzzles, or arcade-style destruction.

The system is modular. You can place the box in any level, assign fracture settings, swap in different FX, or even use the actor as a template for barrels or walls.