How to Get Shovel Animal Crossing New Horizons

So, you’re ready to dig into the world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but you’re missing a crucial tool: the shovel! Whether you’re aiming to unearth buried treasures, plant your first flower, or rearrange your island’s landscape, the shovel is indispensable. Many new players find themselves wondering where this essential item is hiding. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Getting your hands on a shovel is one of the very first things you’ll want to do to truly start shaping your island paradise. It’s not just about digging up fossils; it’s about so much more. This guide will walk you through every step, from crafting your very first flimsy shovel to unlocking the more durable and versatile versions.

Unearthing the Shovel: Your First Steps in New Horizons

Welcome to your new island life! As you begin your adventure in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, one of the first things you’ll notice is the potential for digging. However, you won’t be able to do much digging without the right tool. The shovel is your key to unlocking many of the island’s secrets, from finding buried bells to planting those beautiful flowers you’ve been dreaming of.

The Flimsy Shovel: Your Island Genesis Tool

The very first shovel you’ll acquire is the Flimsy Shovel. This is your entry-level digging implement, perfect for getting started. You can’t buy this directly from Nook’s Cranny initially; it’s a tool that’s part of your early game progression. Here’s how you’ll craft it:

1. Reach the Crafting Stage: After arriving on your island and setting up your tent, Tom Nook will guide you through various introductory tasks. One of these tasks involves learning to craft.
2. Obtain the DIY Recipe: Tom Nook will provide you with the DIY recipe for the Flimsy Shovel. This usually happens shortly after you’ve gathered some materials for Tom Nook to set up your tent.
3. Gather Iron Nuggets: The Flimsy Shovel requires 3 Iron Nuggets. These are found by hitting rocks on your island with an axe or by using a shovel on rocks. Initially, you’ll only have access to a flimsy axe, which is sufficient for breaking rocks to get iron. Be sure to hit each rock multiple times!
4. Craft the Shovel: Once you have the required Iron Nuggets, head over to a DIY Workbench. You’ll find one in your Resident Services building once it’s upgraded, or you can craft a portable one. Select the Flimsy Shovel recipe from your DIY menu and craft it.

Congratulations! You now have your first shovel. This tool allows you to dig up buried items, which are often marked by a star-shaped crack on the ground. These can include fossils, bags of bells, or even saplings.

Upgrading Your Digging Arsenal: The Shovel and the Shovel

The Flimsy Shovel is great, but it has a limited durability. It will break after a certain number of uses, prompting you to craft another. To truly make the most of your island’s digging potential, you’ll want to upgrade to the more robust versions.

The Standard Shovel: Durability and Versatility

The next step up is the standard Shovel. This tool lasts significantly longer than its flimsy counterpart, meaning fewer interruptions as you’re exploring and excavating. You’ll need the DIY recipe for this as well, which you can acquire through several means: (See Also: how to get shovel knight spirit)

1. Purchasing from Nook’s Cranny: Once your Nook’s Cranny store is built and open, check the shelves regularly. The DIY recipe for the standard Shovel is often available for purchase there. Keep an eye on the ‘hot items’ or the general DIY recipe section.
2. Receiving from Villagers: Sometimes, villagers will share DIY recipes with you. If you’re friendly with your island inhabitants, they might gift you the recipe for the standard Shovel.
3. Finding Message Bottles: Check the beaches daily for message bottles washed ashore. These often contain random DIY recipes, and the Shovel recipe is a possibility.

The crafting recipe for the standard Shovel is typically 1 Iron Nugget and 1 Hardwood. Hardwood can be obtained by chopping down trees with a regular axe (not a flimsy axe). Remember, hitting trees with a flimsy axe will only yield wood, not hardwood.

The Golden Shovel: The Ultimate Digging Tool

For the dedicated islander, the Golden Shovel is the ultimate prize. This shovel boasts incredible durability, meaning it’s unlikely to break during your gameplay. It also has a special property: if you plant a bag of 10,000 bells in a glowing spot on the ground and use the Golden Shovel to bury it, the resulting money tree will grow three bags of 10,000 bells (or more, depending on the amount buried, up to 30,000). This is a fantastic way to earn bells quickly!

To craft the Golden Shovel, you need the DIY recipe. This recipe is tied to a specific achievement:

1. Achieve the ‘Excellent’ Rating for Your Island: This is the primary requirement. Your island needs to be recognized by Isabelle and Tom Nook as having achieved an ‘Excellent’ rating. This means you’ve done a good job with decoration, resident satisfaction, and overall island development. You’ll know you’ve reached this when Isabelle announces it during her daily announcements.
2. Obtain the DIY Recipe: Once your island has an ‘Excellent’ rating, Tom Nook will eventually give you the DIY recipe for the Golden Shovel. He usually hands it out shortly after the announcement.
3. Craft the Golden Shovel: The recipe for the Golden Shovel requires 1 Golden Nugget and 1 Shovel (the standard, non-flimsy one).

Golden Nuggets are much rarer than Iron Nuggets. You can find them by hitting rocks with a better axe, or by occasionally finding them on Kapp’n’s mystery island tours. They are also a potential reward from Gulliver or Gullivarrr when they wash ashore.

Where to Find Shovels If You Don’t Want to Craft

While crafting is the primary way to obtain shovels in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there are a couple of other scenarios where you might acquire one without immediately reaching for your crafting bench.

1. Buying From Nook’s Cranny (limited Availability)

Nook’s Cranny does sell tools, but they typically stock a rotating selection. You might find a Flimsy Shovel or a standard Shovel available for purchase on any given day. However, this is not a reliable method for obtaining a shovel when you first start, as the recipe is intended to be learned early through crafting. Once you have the DIY recipe, crafting is usually more efficient. (See Also: how do you spell shovel)

2. Trading with Friends

If a friend has a spare shovel they’ve crafted or found, they can give it to you directly. This is a great way to get a tool quickly if you’re in a pinch and don’t have the materials for crafting. You can also trade DIY recipes this way!

Using Your Shovel Effectively

Now that you know how to get your shovel, let’s talk about how to use it to its full potential:

• Digging Up Fossils: Look for two star-shaped cracks on the ground. Equip your shovel and dig in that spot to unearth fossils. These are crucial for filling out your island’s museum.
• Finding Buried Bells: Similar to fossils, you’ll sometimes see a glowing spot on the ground with a star-shaped crack. Digging here will yield a bag of bells. If you use a shovel to bury bells in this glowing spot, you’ll grow a money tree!
• Planting Trees and Flowers: You can dig up saplings, fully grown trees, and flowers with your shovel. This is essential for landscaping and decorating your island. You can then replant them elsewhere.
• Moving Trees: To dig up a full-grown tree, you need to eat a piece of fruit first. This will give you the strength to dig up and move the tree.
• Clearing Stumps: After chopping down a tree, a stump remains. You can use your shovel to dig up and remove these stumps.
• Creating Ponds and Rivers: Once you unlock the Island Designer app (after paying off your home loan and speaking with Tom Nook), you can use the shovel to dig out ponds and even change the course of rivers, transforming your island’s terrain.

Troubleshooting Common Shovel Issues

You might run into a few snags while trying to get or use your shovel. Here’s how to deal with them:

My Shovel Broke! What Now?

Don’t panic! If your shovel breaks, you simply need to craft another one using the DIY recipe and the required materials. If you’re out of materials, you’ll need to gather them (Iron Nuggets for flimsy/standard, Hardwood for standard, Golden Nuggets for Golden). If you’re far from a workbench, you can craft a Portable Workbench using 3 Iron Nuggets and 3 Wood.

I Can’t Find Iron Nuggets!

Iron Nuggets are found by hitting rocks on your island. You have about 6-8 chances per rock before it stops producing resources for the day. Make sure you’re hitting the rocks repeatedly with a tool (like an axe). You can also visit Nook Miles Ticket islands to find more rocks.

I Don’t Have the Diy Recipe for the Shovel.

The Flimsy Shovel recipe is given by Tom Nook early on. For the standard Shovel, keep checking Nook’s Cranny, talk to villagers, and check message bottles on the beach. The Golden Shovel recipe is a reward for achieving an ‘Excellent’ island rating. (See Also: how to shovel car out of snow)

Table: Shovel Types and Their Properties

Here’s a quick comparison of the different shovels you can obtain:

Remember, the journey to a fully developed island is a marathon, not a sprint. Enjoy the process of gathering materials, crafting your tools, and gradually unlocking all the wonderful features Animal Crossing: New Horizons has to offer. The shovel is your trusty companion in this endeavor, so treat it well and make the most of its digging capabilities!

Conclusion

Getting a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a fundamental step in your island-shaping journey. You’ll start with the Flimsy Shovel, crafted early with Iron Nuggets. As you progress, you’ll aim to craft the more durable standard Shovel from Nook’s Cranny or through villager gifts. For the ultimate digging experience and bell-farming potential, the coveted Golden Shovel awaits those who achieve an ‘Excellent’ island rating.

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