Terraria’s 1.4.5 update introduced an unexpected but useful crossover feature — Digtoise, a living drill inspired by Palworld. Instead of swinging your pickaxe endlessly through sand and stone, you can deploy Digtoise to carve controlled tunnels automatically.
Digtoise works best in early and mid-game exploration, helping players dig shafts, expand underground bases, and navigate the Underground Desert faster. If you want to unlock this mining companion quickly and use it efficiently, here’s everything you need to know.
What is Digtoise in Terraria?
Digtoise is a deployable mining companion, not a combat pet or summon weapon. When you place it, Digtoise spins forward and digs blocks in the direction you aim. You control where it moves, how long it digs, and when to recall it.
Unlike traditional mining tools, Digtoise:
- Digs automatically once deployed
- Creates narrow but controlled tunnels
- Works best before Hardmode
- Cannot break Hardmode ores
Think of it as a utility helper rather than a replacement for your best pickaxe.
Where to Find Digtoise
You can only find Digtoise in one biome: Underground Desert
The Underground Desert sits beneath surface desert biomes and contains sandstone tunnels, antlion nests, and pyramid-like structures. Digtoise does not spawn as a creature. It appears as a fossil-shaped block embedded in the sand or sandstone walls.
How to Reach the Underground Desert
- Travel to a surface desert biome.
- Dig straight down using a pickaxe or bombs.
- Enter the cavernous sandstone area below the surface.
- Search the walls and floors carefully for a round, spiked fossil block.
Mining this fossil block drops Digtoise directly into your inventory.
Important: Digtoise Only Spawns in New Worlds
Digtoise generates only in worlds created after the 1.4.5 update. Older worlds do not receive Digtoise retroactively.
If you updated Terraria but kept an old world, you will not find Digtoise there. Create a fresh world to guarantee its generation inside the Underground Desert.
How to Spot Digtoise Faster
Since Digtoise blends into sandstone textures, visibility matters more than combat strength. These tools speed up your search significantly:
1. Use a Spelunker Potion
Spelunker Potion highlights rare objects underground, making Digtoise glow through walls.
Crafting ingredients:
- Bottled Water
- Blinkroot
- Moonglow
- Gold Ore
Drink it before entering the Underground Desert to avoid missing the fossil block.
2. Use a Treasure Finder or Metal Detector
Treasure detection accessories display nearby rare objects with on-screen text alerts. They help narrow your digging path instead of clearing massive tunnels blindly.
3. Move Slowly Through Walls
Avoid drilling straight through the desert. Scan exposed walls carefully so you don’t destroy Digtoise accidentally without noticing it.
How to Summon Digtoise in Terraria and Control Its Mining Direction
Once you mine the fossil block, Digtoise enters your inventory as a usable item.
Deploy Digtoise
- Select Digtoise in your hotbar.
- Left-click to deploy it.
- Aim your cursor toward the direction you want it to dig.
Digtoise immediately starts spinning and drilling forward.
Recall Digtoise
- Right-click away from Digtoise to recall it back into your inventory.
- You can stop it mid-tunnel if needed.
Direct Digging Behavior
Digtoise changes its tunnel shape based on direction:
- Downward direction: Creates a wide horizontal strip downward for vertical shafts.
- Left or right direction: Creates a tall vertical tunnel ideal for side paths and room shaping.
This gives you precise control over how your tunnels form.
What Digtoise Can and Cannot Mine
Digtoise works best during early progression and exploration.
| Can Mine | Cannot Mine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sand | Hardmode ores (Cobalt, Mythril, Adamantite) | Designed for pre-Hardmode terrain |
| Sandstone | Late-game reinforced blocks | Cannot penetrate hardened materials |
| Dirt | High-tier underground materials | Works best for shaping tunnels |
| Soft underground blocks | Dungeon and biome-locked blocks | Limited by mining power |
| Basic terrain materials | Endgame block variants | Slower than advanced pickaxes |
Its digging speed also remains slower than endgame pickaxes, so use it for shaping tunnels rather than fast resource farming.
Best Ways to Use Digtoise Efficiently
Digtoise shines in specific situations:
Creating Vertical Shafts
- Use downward digging to build clean access shafts between surface bases and underground layers.
Expanding Underground Bases
- Digtoise helps carve rooms and hallways without constant manual mining.
Early Exploration
- Use Digtoise to open safe tunnels through desert caverns without triggering enemy swarms too quickly.
Controlled Mining Paths
- Instead of messy bomb craters, Digtoise creates predictable tunnel layouts.
Is Digtoise Worth Using?
Yes — especially if you enjoy structured underground builds and early-game exploration. Digtoise saves time, improves tunnel accuracy, and adds a fun utility mechanic without replacing traditional mining tools entirely.
However, once you enter Hardmode and unlock stronger pickaxes or drills, Digtoise becomes more of a novelty helper rather than a primary mining tool. Play Now!
