So, you’ve just landed on your very own deserted island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and you’re eager to start digging! But wait… where’s the shovel? It’s one of the most fundamental tools for terraforming, collecting resources, and unearthing buried treasures. Without it, your island exploration and customization dreams might feel a bit… grounded.
Don’t worry, fellow Islander! Getting your hands on a shovel is a key early-game milestone. We’ll guide you through the simple steps to acquire this essential item, from your very first tools to the more advanced versions that will truly empower your island-building journey.
The Essential Tool: How to Get Your First Shovel in Animal Crossing
The journey to getting your first shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is directly tied to Tom Nook’s early island development quests. He’s not just going to hand it over; you’ll need to progress through a few introductory tasks to unlock this vital tool. It’s a rite of passage for any new island resident!
Step 1: Arriving on the Island and Setting Up Camp
Upon arriving on your deserted island, Tom Nook will give you a few basic crafting recipes and tools to get you started. This initial set usually includes a Flimsy Net and a Flimsy Fishing Rod. These are great for catching bugs and fish, but they won’t help you with digging.
Step 2: Gathering Resources for Tom Nook
Tom Nook’s first major request after you’ve settled in a bit is usually to gather some resources. He’ll ask you to collect 30 pieces of wood. This means you’ll need to use your Flimsy Axe (which you’ll craft or receive shortly after your initial tools) to chop down trees. Don’t worry about breaking the trees at this stage; you’re just collecting materials.
Once you’ve gathered the 30 pieces of wood, you’ll need to hand them over to Tom Nook. This is a crucial step in his ‘Nook’s Cranny’ development plan. He’ll then ask you to craft a piece of furniture using these materials.
Step 3: Crafting Your First Piece of Furniture
Tom Nook will provide you with the recipe for a piece of furniture, often a Campfire Bed or similar item. You’ll need to use your Workbench (usually found at Resident Services) and the wood you collected to craft this item. This demonstrates your ability to gather and utilize resources, a key skill for island life.
Step 4: The Grand Unveiling – the Shovel Recipe!
After you’ve successfully crafted the requested furniture and handed it over to Tom Nook, he’ll be impressed with your industriousness. It’s at this point, as part of his ongoing efforts to help you establish your island, that he will finally give you the recipe for the Shovel!
You’ll need to craft this initial shovel yourself. The recipe typically requires 5 pieces of Iron Nugget. You can find Iron Nuggets by hitting rocks with your Stone Axe or Flimsy Axe. Remember, each rock can yield up to 8 items (including Iron Nuggets, Clay, Stone, and sometimes even Bells) before it resets or becomes unusable for the day.
So, the immediate path to your first shovel is: gather wood -> craft furniture -> receive shovel recipe -> gather iron nuggets -> craft shovel. (See Also: how to get shovel knight spirit)
Upgrading Your Digging Power: The Shovelhead Diy
The basic shovel is fantastic for getting started, but it has limited durability. Eventually, it will break, and you’ll need a more robust tool. Fortunately, you can upgrade your digging capabilities by crafting a Shovelhead DIY, which is essentially a sturdier shovel.
How to Obtain the Shovelhead Diy Recipe
The recipe for the Shovelhead DIY is typically obtained from one of the following sources:
- Message Bottles on the Beach: Keep an eye on your island’s beaches every day. You’ll often find a message bottle washed ashore. These bottles contain random DIY recipes, and sometimes, the Shovelhead DIY can be found within them.
- Villager’s Homes: Occasionally, if you visit a villager’s house while they are at their crafting bench, they might be working on a DIY recipe and offer to teach it to you if you express interest.
- Shooting Stars: During meteor shower events, if you make a wish on a shooting star, you have a chance of receiving a DIY recipe the next day from Celeste or a washed-up bottle.
Crafting the Shovelhead Diy
Once you have the Shovelhead DIY recipe, you’ll need the following materials to craft it:
- 1 x Iron Nugget
- 1 x Wood
This upgraded shovel has significantly more durability than the basic shovel, meaning it will last much longer before breaking. This is crucial for more intensive tasks like digging up fossils, planting trees, and eventually, terraforming your island.
The Golden Shovel: The Ultimate Digging Tool
For the truly dedicated islander, the Golden Shovel is the holy grail of digging tools. It boasts incredible durability and, more importantly, allows you to plant money trees!
How to Get the Golden Shovel Diy Recipe
The Golden Shovel DIY recipe is a reward for achieving a significant milestone: breaking 100 shovels. Yes, you read that right! You need to craft and use up the durability of 100 shovels (including Flimsy Shovels and Shovelheads) for the recipe to appear.
Important Note: The Golden Shovel DIY recipe is typically given to you by Isabelle at Resident Services once you meet the criteria. It doesn’t come from a bottle or a villager.
Crafting the Golden Shovel
To craft the Golden Shovel, you will need:
- 1 x Golden Nugget
- 1 x Shovelhead (This means you need to have already crafted a Shovelhead DIY)
How to get Golden Nuggets: Golden Nuggets are rarer than Iron Nuggets and are primarily obtained by hitting rocks. You have a chance of finding them, but it’s much less frequent than Iron Nuggets. They can also sometimes be found from the mysterious Gulliver/Gullivarrr events, or as rewards for certain achievements. (See Also: how do you spell shovel)
The Power of the Golden Shovel: Money Trees
The most exciting feature of the Golden Shovel is its ability to plant money trees. Here’s how it works:
- Find a glowing spot: Every day, a spot on your island will glow with a golden light. Digging this spot will yield 1,000 Bells and leave behind a glowing hole.
- Plant Bells: Bury any amount of Bells (from 100 to 99,000) into this glowing hole using your Golden Shovel.
- Wait and Harvest: In a few days, a tree will grow from the spot. When it matures, it will bear three bags of Bells, equal to three times the amount you buried (up to a maximum of 99,000 Bells per tree).
Caution: If you bury more than 10,000 Bells, the tree will always yield three bags of 10,000 Bells (total 30,000 Bells). Burying 10,000 Bells is the most efficient way to guarantee a return of 30,000 Bells. Burying more than 10,000 Bells does not increase the yield beyond three times the initial 10,000.
Other Ways to Obtain Shovels (and When They’re Useful)
While crafting is the primary method for obtaining shovels, there are a few other scenarios where you might get one, though they are less reliable for consistent acquisition.
Buying From Nook’s Cranny
Once Nook’s Cranny has been upgraded and is fully operational, you can purchase tools, including shovels, from Timmy and Tommy. However, the basic flimsy versions are often available, and the more durable ones might not always be in stock. It’s a good backup if you’ve broken yours and can’t craft a new one immediately, but it’s generally more cost-effective to craft them yourself, especially once you have the DIY recipes.
Receiving From Villagers
Occasionally, a villager might gift you a shovel if you have a good relationship with them. This is rare and not something you can rely on for obtaining tools. It’s more of a pleasant surprise!
Special Events and Characters
While not directly for shovels, characters like Pascal (the sea otter) might offer rare items or DIYs in exchange for scallops. These are usually unique furniture or tools, but not typically standard shovels.
Tips for Maximizing Your Shovel’s Lifespan
Shovels, especially the flimsy versions, break quickly. Here are some tips to make them last longer:
- Use the right tool for the job: Don’t try to dig up fossils or plant trees with a flimsy shovel if you have a sturdier one available.
- Craft in bulk: When you have the materials, craft several shovels at once so you always have a spare.
- Stockpile Iron Nuggets and Wood: These are the most common crafting materials for shovels, so always be on the lookout for them.
- Prioritize Upgrades: Aim to get the Shovelhead DIY as soon as possible, and then work towards the Golden Shovel for its incredible durability and money-making potential.
Troubleshooting Common Shovel Issues
Q: I can’t find the shovel recipe anywhere!
A: Ensure you have completed Tom Nook’s initial requests. You need to gather wood, craft furniture, and hand it over. The shovel recipe is a reward for this progression. (See Also: how to shovel car out of snow)
Q: My shovel broke, and I don’t have the recipe to craft another.
A: You can buy a basic shovel from Nook’s Cranny once it’s open. To get the recipe again, you might need to wait for a message bottle or hope a villager teaches it to you, though this is less common for the basic shovel.
Q: How many times do I need to break shovels for the Golden Shovel?
A: You need to break a total of 100 shovels (Flimsy Shovel and Shovelhead combined). Keep track, and the DIY will be awarded by Isabelle.
Q: Can I use the Golden Shovel to dig up fossils?
A: Yes! The Golden Shovel can be used for all digging purposes, including fossils, clams, and planting. It’s the ultimate multi-tool.
Q: I buried 50,000 Bells in the glowing spot. How much will I get back?
A: You will get back 30,000 Bells. The money tree yield caps at three times 10,000 Bells when you bury more than 10,000 Bells.
Conclusion
Acquiring a shovel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a fundamental step towards shaping your island paradise. From the initial Flimsy Shovel provided by Tom Nook to the durable Shovelhead and the coveted Golden Shovel, each tool unlocks new possibilities for resource gathering, decoration, and wealth generation. Keep those rocks handy and those trees chopped!
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