TL;DR
- Prioritize shovels with balanced stats and special abilities for optimal progression
- Always compare price-to-performance ratios before purchasing expensive upgrades
- Master boss fights for free high-tier shovels like Abyssal and Candlelight variants
- Consider your minigame skill level when choosing between control-focused and speed-focused shovels
- Plan your shovel upgrades around key level milestones and content requirements
Your choice of shovel in Dig fundamentally shapes your entire gameplay experience, serving as the primary tool for resource gathering, combat encounters, and economic advancement. This essential equipment directly influences your earning potential, boss battle effectiveness, and overall progression speed through the game’s various stages.
To maximize your investment, thoroughly analyze each shovel’s statistical profile—focusing on strength, haste, luck, and control attributes—then weigh these benefits against the purchase cost to determine true value. This comprehensive shovel progression guide helps newcomers navigate the complex upgrade system while avoiding costly purchasing mistakes that can significantly slow your advancement.
Important: This guide reflects the latest balance changes implemented in patch 1.01, including significant adjustments to several popular shovel options.
Below you’ll find the complete Dig shovel progression table for reference. Bolded entries represent our top recommendations for each progression stage based on extensive testing and community feedback.

Every player begins their journey with the basic Wooden Shovel, which adequately serves tutorial purposes but quickly becomes obsolete. Upon completing introductory content, immediately visit the merchant to acquire either the Toy Shovel or Training Shovel based on your minigame proficiency. Players excelling at timing-based mechanics should select the Toy Shovel for its speed advantages, while those struggling with precision will benefit greatly from the Training Shovel’s enhanced control mechanics.

Your next destination should be Cinder Shores, located directly west of Fox Town on your map. Here at Cindy’s shop, you’ll encounter two new options: the standard Bell Shovel and the superior Ruby Shovel. Prioritize saving for the Ruby Shovel, as it delivers exceptional control and strength improvements that will significantly accelerate your early-game progression.

The Ruby Shovel represents your first major investment, but its performance justifies the cost by dramatically improving money-making efficiency and progression speed. For budget-conscious players, defeating the King Crab boss rewards the Abyssal Shovel at no monetary cost. However, this free option carries the game’s worst haste stat, making it suitable only for players who have mastered strong hit mechanics and can compensate for its sluggish performance with proper charm combinations.
| Level 1-7 | Level 7-15 | Level 15-25 | Level 25-40 | Level 40-50 | Level 50+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden Shovel | Bejeweled Shovel | Spore Spade Shovel | Slayers Shovel | Gold Digger Shovel | Solstice Shovel |
| Toy Shovel | Bell Shovel | Candlelight Shovel | Pizza Roller | Venomous Shovel | Prismatic Shovel |
| Rock Shovel | Ruby Shovel | Shortcake Shovel | Archaic Shovel | Obsidian Shovel | Starfire Shovel |
| Training Shovel | Abyssal Shovel | Magnet Shovel | Frigid Shovel | Monstrous Shovel | Glinted Shovel |
| Copper Shovel | Jam Shovel | – | – | Draconic Shovel | – |
| Lucky Shovel | – | – | – | – | – |
Following recent balance adjustments that significantly reduced the Jam Shovel’s effectiveness, players need reliable alternatives for the mid-game phase. The Spore Spade Shovel emerges as an outstanding choice during this progression stage, generating luck totems that substantially improve loot quality with each successful dig attempt.

This shovel delivers well-balanced statistics across all important categories, but its true advantage lies in dual-material compatibility—efficiently digging through both rock and dirt formations, making it exceptionally versatile during this critical game phase where environmental diversity increases significantly.
For players preferring free shovel acquisition during mid-game progression, defeating the Candlelight Phantom boss becomes necessary. This challenging encounter rewards players with valuable shovel options.

While the Abyssal Shovel offers easier acquisition through King Crab defeat, its severely limited haste stat creates significant disadvantages for players with average minigame skills. We strongly recommend pursuing the Candlelight Shovel instead, as it provides excellent luck and strength characteristics without monetary investment, making it one of the most cost-effective mid-game options available.
As you approach the endgame content, shovel selection becomes increasingly specialized and investment-heavy. The Gold Digger Shovel represents a premium choice for players focused on maximum economic returns, featuring specialized mechanics that dramatically increase high-value item discovery rates.

For ultimate endgame performance, the Prismatic Shovel stands as the pinnacle of digging technology, offering unparalleled statistical performance and unique multi-element compatibility that prepares players for the most challenging post-game content and special events.

Advanced players should carefully consider their specific endgame goals when selecting between these premium options. The Gold Digger Shovel excels in pure economic optimization, while the Prismatic Shovel provides the versatility needed for completionist playstyles and maximum achievement hunting efficiency.
Action Checklist
- Complete tutorial with Wooden Shovel, then immediately visit merchant for Toy or Training Shovel based on minigame skill level
- Travel to Cinder Shores west of Fox Town and purchase Ruby Shovel for balanced early-game performance
- Defeat King Crab boss for free Abyssal Shovel (if you’ve mastered strong hit timing)
- Acquire Spore Spade Shovel for mid-game versatility and luck totem benefits
- Defeat Candlelight Phantom boss to obtain the superior Candlelight Shovel for free
- Invest in Gold Digger Shovel for economic optimization or Prismatic Shovel for endgame versatility
No reproduction without permission:Tsp Game Club » Dig Shovel Progression Guide Master Dig shovel progression with expert tips, boss strategies, and optimal upgrade paths for maximum efficiency
