How to Get a New Shovel in Prehistoric Farm: Shovel Progression & Upgrades

Understanding Shovel Progression in Prehistoric Farm

If you want to advance your dinosaur ranch and dig up rarer fossils, upgrading your tool is one of the most important goals. Your digging device determines which geological periods you can access, how many coins you earn, and your overall efficiency.

Community reports and game guides emphasize that you should not waste currency randomly on premature unlocks. Instead, follow a structured upgrade path based on your current collection needs and available resources.

1. Complete the opening tutorial: Finish the introductory steps to secure your baseline starter funds and learn fundamental digging mechanics.
2. Check your excavation requirements: Identify which geological period your target fossil set belongs to before attempting an upgrade.
3. Verify costs and stats: Compare the price, coin multiplier, and Fossil Luck of the next available tool against your current coin reserve.
4. Perform the upgrade: Purchase the tool to expand your supported periods and improve your digging yield.

The Complete Shovel Tier List and Requirements

To make informed decisions about your in-game economy, you must understand what each tool offers. Higher-tier options provide wider geological coverage and stronger multipliers, but they require careful budgeting so you do not run out of funds for dinosaur food or incubation slots.

Titanium Shovel

Supports all five major periods including Cretaceous. Offers a 1.40x Fossil Luck multiplier and a 1.30x coin multiplier. Ideal for late-game players tackling advanced Cretaceous dig sites, provided your coin reserve can support the purchase.

Iron Shovel

Expands your digging reach through the Jurassic period. Features a 1.20x Fossil Luck multiplier and a 1.15x coin multiplier. According to community guides, this tier carries a listed base price of 50,000 coins alongside specific material checks.

Silver Shovel

Adds support for Triassic fossil excavation. Provides a balanced 1.10x multiplier for both luck and coins. Always check the live in-game price at the vendor before committing, as community-recorded costs can vary.

Bronze Shovel

Unlocks Devonian digging alongside the starter Cambrian period. Features a 1.05x multiplier for luck and coins. Choose this tool when Devonian fossils are your immediate collection target.

Wooden Shovel

Your reliable starting tool supporting the opening Cambrian fossil destination with a baseline 1.00x multiplier. Keep this equipped while finishing your very first set of Cambrian creatures rather than rushing an early replacement.

How Shovels Connect to Fossil Hunting and Dinosaurs

Your digging tool does not exist in a vacuum; it is directly tied to your dinosaur ranch progression. When you spawn into the experience, equipping your shovel and finding a glowing dig site allows you to harvest fossils.

Player experience shows that early-game players should focus heavily on gathering complete fossil sets rather than wandering aimlessly. Once you collect the required pieces for a creature—such as five pieces for a Cambrian set—you bring them back to Dr. Ivy's DNA Lab on Home Island.

Dr. Ivy exchanges your completed set for an egg. You then place that egg into an unlocked incubator and wait for the hatch timer to complete. Better shovels grant higher Fossil Luck, which helps you secure the specific pieces you need much faster.

Tip

Balance Your Expenses: Do not spend every single coin on tool upgrades immediately. You must always keep a financial reserve to purchase dinosaur food, bait for fishing, and potential incubator slots.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Upgrading

Many beginners run into progression blocks because they misunderstand how tool tiers and inventories work. Keeping these common pitfalls in mind will save you hours of wasted grinding.

• Do not skip intermediate tools if funds are tight: Only buy an upgrade when your current task actually requires the new geological period.
• Do not confuse collection totals with set requirements: The collection menu tracks numerous entries across periods, but an individual egg exchange requires its own specific creature count (such as five fossils per Cambrian creature).
• Do not neglect dinosaur care while grinding: Once your creature hatches from the incubator, you must keep its Belly meter above half full by feeding it compatible food (such as purchased meat/vegetables or player-caught fish for meat-eaters) to ensure proper growth through its life stages.
• Do not assume surplus pieces carry over neatly: Always check your inventory count after an exchange before planning your next hatch.

FAQ

Do higher-tier shovels guarantee instant fossil finds?

No. While increased Fossil Luck multipliers improve your overall efficiency and yield, wider period coverage does not eliminate the randomness of digging results. You still need to target active dig sites correctly.

Can I use player-caught fish to feed all dinosaurs?

No. Fish compatibility is documented specifically for meat-eaters. Always inspect your dinosaur's specific diet requirements at Bramble's Feed or through its info panel before attempting to feed it.

Should I buy extra incubator slots right away?

Check your available slots first. The game starts with two unlocked slots, which are usually enough for early-game progression. Only purchase expansions like slot three (listed at 30,000 coins) when you have an active waiting egg and a stable coin reserve.