So, you’ve landed on your new island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and you’re eager to start digging up buried treasures, planting flowers, and maybe even relocating a stubborn tree. But wait, there’s a problem: you need a shovel! Without this essential tool, your island dreams are on hold. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Getting your first shovel is a straightforward process, and once you have it, a whole new world of island customization opens up.
This guide will walk you through exactly how to obtain your very first shovel, and then how to upgrade it for even more digging power. We’ll cover the initial steps with Tom Nook, the crafting process, and what to do once you’ve got your trusty digging companion. Let’s get digging!
Your First Shovel: The Flimsy Shovel
The journey to getting your first shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is tied to your early island progression. It’s not something you can buy right away; it’s a tool you’ll learn to craft. This initial shovel is known as the Flimsy Shovel, and while it’s not the most durable, it’s absolutely crucial for unlocking many of the game’s core mechanics.
The Early Days: Meeting Tom Nook and Unlocking Crafting
When you first arrive on your deserted island, Tom Nook will guide you through the initial setup. He’ll give you your first set of tools, including a fishing rod and a net. However, the shovel isn’t handed out directly. You need to reach a certain point in the game’s tutorial to unlock the ability to craft it.
The key to unlocking crafting, and thus your first shovel, is to pay off your initial Nook Miles debt. This debt is the 5,000 Nook Miles you’re given at the start. Once you’ve accumulated and paid off these 5,000 Nook Miles (which you can earn by completing various tasks in your NookPhone’s Nook Miles app), Tom Nook will offer you a special DIY workshop.
The Diy Workshop and Your First Recipe
After paying off your initial debt, Tom Nook will be impressed with your progress. He’ll then present you with a special opportunity: to learn the DIY Workbench recipe. This workbench is the heart of your crafting endeavors on the island. You’ll need to gather some materials to build it.
The materials required for the first DIY Workbench are:
- 30 pieces of Wood
- 20 pieces of Softwood
- 20 pieces of Hardwood
- 10 pieces of Iron Nugget
Gathering these materials is part of the early game’s exploration. You’ll chop down trees for wood (using your axe, which you’ll also craft or receive), and you’ll need to break rocks to find iron nuggets. Once you have the materials, you can craft the DIY Workbench at your tent or house. Place it somewhere accessible, as you’ll be using it constantly.
Learning the Flimsy Shovel Recipe
Once you have your DIY Workbench set up, Tom Nook will teach you the recipe for the Flimsy Shovel. This is usually one of the very first DIY recipes you learn after getting the workbench. The ingredients are quite simple:
- 1 piece of Iron Nugget
- 5 pieces of Wood
Again, you’ll need to gather these materials. Iron Nuggets are found by hitting rocks with a stone axe or a regular axe, and Wood comes from chopping down trees. Once you have the required items, head to your DIY Workbench, select the Flimsy Shovel recipe, and craft your very first shovel!
Using Your Flimsy Shovel
Congratulations! You now have a Flimsy Shovel. This tool allows you to: (See Also: how to get flimsy shovel animal crossing)
- Dig up buried items: Look for the tell-tale ‘X’ marks on the ground.
- Dig up fossils: These are crucial for completing your museum.
- Dig up weeds and flowers: Easily clear your island or transplant plants.
- Dig up saplings: For planting new trees.
- Dig up tree stumps: To clear areas.
The Flimsy Shovel has a limited durability, meaning it will break after a certain number of uses. Don’t get too attached, as you’ll soon want to upgrade.
Upgrading Your Digging Power: The Shovel
While the Flimsy Shovel is essential for getting started, its limited durability can be frustrating. Thankfully, you can craft a much more durable and reliable shovel: the standard Shovel.
Unlocking the Shovel Recipe
The recipe for the standard Shovel isn’t given to you immediately. You need to progress further in the game and expand your crafting knowledge. The key to unlocking this recipe is through the Nook’s Cranny shop.
After you’ve established your island and paid off your initial tent loan, Tom Nook will encourage you to build a store. You’ll need to gather 30 of each type of wood (regular, softwood, hardwood) and 30 Iron Nuggets. Once you’ve gathered these, you can construct Nook’s Cranny. This will take a couple of in-game days to build.
Once Nook’s Cranny is open, you’ll find that the shopkeepers, Timmy and Tommy, sell various items, including DIY recipes. The recipe for the standard Shovel is usually one of the first advanced tool recipes they offer.
Crafting the Standard Shovel
The materials needed for the standard Shovel are:
- 3 pieces of Iron Nugget
That’s it! Just three Iron Nuggets are needed to craft a shovel that is significantly more durable than the flimsy version. Head back to your DIY Workbench, craft the Shovel, and enjoy the extended lifespan of this essential tool.
Why Upgrade? Durability and Efficiency
The standard Shovel has far more uses than the Flimsy Shovel. This means you can dig, plant, and excavate to your heart’s content without worrying about it breaking every few minutes. It’s a significant quality-of-life improvement and allows for more focused island development.
The Golden Shovel: The Ultimate Digging Tool
For the truly dedicated island developer, there’s the Golden Shovel. This is the most durable shovel in the game and comes with a special perk: it can be used to plant money trees.
Unlocking the Golden Shovel Recipe
The Golden Shovel recipe is unlocked by achieving a specific milestone related to digging: you need to bury and dig up 100 items. This includes burying fossils, burying bells, burying items to bury and then dig up again, and digging up items that were buried. (See Also: how much to shovel a driveway)
Essentially, you need to consistently use your shovel to bury things and then dig them up again. The easiest way to track this is to keep a mental note or even a physical one of how many times you’ve used your shovel for digging up buried items or planting things that you then later dig up.
Once you’ve hit the 100-item mark, the next time you interact with your DIY Workbench, you’ll automatically learn the recipe for the Golden Shovel.
Crafting the Golden Shovel
The materials for the Golden Shovel are:
- 1 Shovel (the standard one you crafted earlier)
- 5 pieces of Gold Nugget
Gold Nuggets are rarer than Iron Nuggets and are obtained by hitting rocks with a stone axe or iron axe, or through specific island tours. Once you have the materials, you can craft the Golden Shovel at your DIY Workbench.
The Power of the Golden Shovel
The Golden Shovel is incredibly durable, lasting for a very long time. Its most unique ability is related to money trees. If you bury a bag of bells (any amount) in a glowing spot on the ground, a sapling will grow into a tree that will eventually bear three bags of bells. However, if you bury 10,000 bells or more, the Golden Shovel allows that money tree to grow three bags of 10,000 bells, effectively tripling your investment!
This makes the Golden Shovel an incredibly valuable tool for wealth generation on your island.
Common Questions About Getting a Shovel
Can I Buy a Shovel From Nook’s Cranny?
You can buy DIY recipes for shovels from Nook’s Cranny, but you cannot buy a pre-made shovel directly off the shelf. You’ll always need to craft it yourself using the DIY Workbench.
How Do I Get Iron Nuggets?
Iron Nuggets are obtained by hitting the eight rocks that spawn on your island each day. You’ll need a stone axe or a better axe to break them. Each rock can yield up to eight items, including Iron Nuggets, Stone, and Clay.
My Shovel Broke, What Do I Do?
If your Flimsy Shovel breaks, you’ll simply need to craft another one using the same recipe. If your standard Shovel breaks, you’ll need to gather three more Iron Nuggets to craft another. If your Golden Shovel breaks, you’ll need to gather five Gold Nuggets and another standard Shovel to craft a new one.
What Can I Dig Up with a Shovel?
You can dig up buried items (marked by an ‘X’), fossils, weeds, flowers (if you dig them up carefully), saplings, and tree stumps. The shovel is also used to plant trees and flowers into the ground. (See Also: how to keep snow from sticking to your shovel)
Can I Move Trees with a Shovel?
Yes, you can move trees using a shovel. First, eat a piece of fruit or a turnip to gain energy. Then, dig up the tree with your shovel. You can then replant it anywhere you wish.
How Many Times Does the Flimsy Shovel Break?
The Flimsy Shovel has a limited durability. It can be used approximately 20 times before it breaks.
How Many Times Does the Standard Shovel Break?
The standard Shovel is much more durable and can be used approximately 100 times before it breaks.
How Many Times Does the Golden Shovel Break?
The Golden Shovel is the most durable tool in the game, lasting for an exceptionally long time. It has a durability of approximately 200 times.
Is There a Shovel That Doesn’t Break?
No, all tools in Animal Crossing: New Horizons have a limited durability and will eventually break. However, the Golden Shovel lasts the longest.
When Do I Get the Recipe for the Shovel?
You get the recipe for the Flimsy Shovel from Tom Nook after you’ve paid off your initial 5,000 Nook Miles debt and learned to craft the DIY Workbench. The recipe for the standard Shovel is typically purchased from Nook’s Cranny once it’s built.
How Do I Get the Diy Workbench?
Tom Nook will give you the DIY Workbench recipe after you pay off your initial 5,000 Nook Miles debt. You’ll need to gather 30 Wood, 20 Softwood, 20 Hardwood, and 10 Iron Nuggets to craft it.
Conclusion
Obtaining your first shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a fundamental step in your island journey. It begins with Tom Nook’s guidance, leading you to craft the essential DIY Workbench, and then the Flimsy Shovel itself. From there, upgrading to the standard Shovel via Nook’s Cranny and finally striving for the coveted Golden Shovel with its money tree capabilities marks your progression. Each shovel unlocks new possibilities for customization and resource management, so happy digging!
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