How Do I Get a Shovel in Animal Crossing? Your Essential

So, you’ve landed on your own deserted island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and you’re ready to start digging up treasures, planting flowers, and transforming your island paradise. But wait – you can’t do any of that without a shovel! It’s one of the most fundamental tools in your island-building arsenal.

If you’re wondering, “how do I get a shovel in Animal Crossing?” you’re in the right place. This guide will walk you through every step, from your very first flimsy shovel to the sturdier, more reliable versions that will make your island life so much easier.

Your Island Journey: The Shovel’s Crucial Role

The shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is more than just a tool; it’s your key to unlocking so much of the game’s potential. Whether you’re looking to unearth fossils that will fill your museum, find buried bells to boost your savings, or transplant trees and flowers to perfect your island’s layout, a shovel is indispensable. Without it, your island will remain largely untouched and undeveloped.

The First Shovel: A Humble Beginning

When you first arrive on your island, Tom Nook will guide you through the initial stages of setting up your life. Part of this involves learning the basics of crafting and tool usage. You’ll be introduced to the concept of DIY recipes and the need for basic tools. Here’s how you’ll get your very first shovel:

1. Progress Through the Tutorial: As you play through the early days of your island life, you’ll be given a series of tasks by Tom Nook. These tasks are designed to teach you the core mechanics of the game.
2. Learn the Flimsy Shovel Recipe: One of the early DIY recipes you’ll acquire is for the Flimsy Shovel. This is your starter shovel, and it’s essential for beginning your excavation endeavors. You’ll typically learn this recipe shortly after unlocking the crafting bench.
3. Gather Materials: To craft the Flimsy Shovel, you’ll need specific materials. The primary ingredient is Iron Nuggets. You’ll find these by hitting rocks on your island with a stone axe or a regular axe. You’ll need 3 Iron Nuggets in total.
4. Craft the Flimsy Shovel: Once you have the 3 Iron Nuggets, head over to a crafting bench (which you’ll find in your tent, and later in Resident Services). Select the Flimsy Shovel DIY recipe and craft your first tool!

The Flimsy Shovel is a great starting point, but it has a limited number of uses. It will break after a while, so you’ll need to be prepared to craft more or upgrade to sturdier versions.

Upgrading Your Digging Power: The Shovel and Shovelhead Diy

Once you’ve mastered the Flimsy Shovel and perhaps experienced the frustration of it breaking at a crucial moment, you’ll want to get your hands on more durable tools. The next step in your shovel journey involves learning the recipes for the standard Shovel and the more robust Shovelhead. (See Also: how do you spell shovel)

Obtaining the Shovel Diy Recipe

The DIY recipe for the standard Shovel is typically purchased from Nook’s Cranny, the island’s general store once it’s established. Here’s the process:

1. Build Nook’s Cranny: First, you need to have Nook’s Cranny built on your island. This requires contributing 30 of each type of wood (Softwood, Hardwood, and Wood) to Tom Nook. He’ll then arrange for the store to be built.
2. Purchase the DIY Book: Once Nook’s Cranny is open, you can visit Timmy and Tommy. They sell various items, including a DIY recipe book that contains recipes for more advanced tools. The Shovel recipe is usually found within this book.
3. Gather Materials: The standard Shovel requires 3 Iron Nuggets and 1 Hardwood.
4. Craft the Shovel: With the materials and recipe in hand, craft your improved Shovel at a crafting bench.

The standard Shovel has significantly more durability than its flimsy counterpart, meaning it will last much longer before breaking.

The Shovelhead Diy: A Specialist Tool

The Shovelhead is a slightly different type of shovel. It’s not used for digging holes in the ground for planting or unearthing fossils. Instead, its primary purpose is for moving trees and shrubs around your island. This is incredibly useful for landscaping and rearranging your island’s terrain.

To obtain the Shovelhead DIY recipe:

1. Reach a Certain Point in Gameplay: The Shovelhead DIY recipe is usually unlocked after you’ve made some progress in the game, often after upgrading your Resident Services building to a Town Hall.
2. Purchase from Nook’s Cranny: Similar to the standard Shovel, the Shovelhead DIY recipe is typically available for purchase at Nook’s Cranny. Keep an eye on the shelves for the DIY recipe book that contains it.
3. Gather Materials: The Shovelhead requires 1 Iron Nugget and 5 Wood.
4. Craft the Shovelhead: Craft this specialized tool at a crafting bench.

Remember, the Shovelhead is specifically for moving existing trees and shrubs, not for digging up fossils or planting new ones in the ground. (See Also: how to edge with a shovel)

The Golden Shovel: The Ultimate Digging Tool

For the dedicated islander, the ultimate shovel is the Golden Shovel. This tool boasts incredible durability, meaning it will rarely, if ever, break. It’s the perfect companion for extensive digging projects.

How to Get the Golden Shovel Diy Recipe

The Golden Shovel DIY recipe is an achievement reward. You earn it by completing a specific, albeit time-consuming, task:

1. Craft 100 Tools: The prerequisite for obtaining the Golden Shovel DIY recipe is to have crafted a total of 100 tools. This includes all types of tools: axes, fishing rods, nets, shovels, and watering cans.
2. Receive the DIY: Once you have crafted your 100th tool, the DIY recipe for the Golden Shovel will automatically be sent to you via your NookPhone’s DIY app.
3. Gather Materials: The Golden Shovel requires a significant amount of resources: 1 Golden Nugget and 1 Shovel.
4. Craft the Golden Shovel: Craft this legendary tool at a crafting bench.

The Golden Shovel is the last shovel you’ll ever need if you want a tool that lasts. It’s a testament to your dedication to crafting and island development.

Other Ways to Obtain Shovels

While crafting is the primary method for acquiring shovels, there are a few other ways you might get your hands on one, especially early in the game:

• Gifts from Villagers: Sometimes, your island villagers might gift you a shovel, especially if you’ve built a good relationship with them. This is more common with flimsy versions.
• Nook’s Cranny Inventory: While you buy the DIY recipes at Nook’s Cranny, sometimes the shop will have pre-made shovels available for purchase as part of its daily rotating stock. This is less reliable than crafting but can be a quick fix if you desperately need one.
• Mystery Island Tours: When you visit mystery islands using Nook Miles Tickets, you might find a shovel already present in the inventory of the island’s crafting bench, or you might find materials to craft one.

Tips for Shovel Management

Managing your tools, especially your shovels, is key to efficient island living. Here are a few tips: (See Also: how long does it take to shovel a driveway)

• Always Carry Materials: Keep a small stack of Iron Nuggets and Wood in your inventory. This way, if your shovel breaks, you can immediately craft a new one without having to run back to your storage.
• Prioritize Upgrades: As soon as you can, aim to craft the standard Shovel. The increased durability will save you time and frustration in the long run.
• Use the Golden Shovel Wisely: Once you obtain the Golden Shovel, use it for all your major digging needs. Its durability makes it the most cost-effective shovel in the game.
• Understand Tool Durability: Each tool has a set number of uses before it breaks. Keep this in mind, especially when tackling large projects. You can often see a visual indicator of wear on the tool itself.
• Store Spare Shovels: Consider keeping a few spare shovels (especially flimsy ones) in your home storage. This way, you always have a backup readily available.

Troubleshooting Common Shovel Issues

Even with the best intentions, you might run into a few hiccups:

• Can’t Find Iron Nuggets: Make sure you’re hitting all the rocks on your island daily. Each rock can yield up to 8 items (including Iron Nuggets, Stone, and Clay) when hit in succession. Use a shovel to dig up the rock first, then hit it with an axe or hammer. This resets the rock’s item drops to maximize your yield.
• Shovel Broke Mid-Dig: This is where having backup materials or spare tools comes in handy. If you don’t have them, you’ll need to visit Nook’s Cranny or your inventory to craft a new one.
• Don’t See Golden Shovel Recipe: Double-check that you’ve crafted at least 100 tools in total. It’s a cumulative count across all tool types.

By understanding how to acquire and manage your shovels, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a master island decorator and treasure hunter in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Conclusion

Getting a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a straightforward process that begins with crafting a Flimsy Shovel using early-game materials. As you progress, you’ll unlock recipes for more durable shovels from Nook’s Cranny, culminating in the coveted Golden Shovel, which boasts near-infinite durability after crafting 100 tools. Mastering shovel acquisition is crucial for unlocking the full potential of your island paradise, from unearthing fossils to landscaping your dream getaway.

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