Official guide · Finding Needle in the Stack
Metal detector guide
The metal detector turns digging blind into following a signal. It beeps faster the closer its coil is to buried metal, and from Mk III it can tell the needle apart from everything else.
Detector levels
| Model | Price | Range | Identifies the needle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detector Mk I | $250 | 2 m | No |
| Detector Mk II | $1,400 | 4 m | No |
| Detector Mk III | $7,000 | 7 m | Yes |
| Detector Mk IV | $32,000 | 12 m | Yes |
Each upgrade replaces the previous one. You buy them in order at the Trading Post.
How to use it
- Switch to it with Q or right-click on PC, or the detector button on mobile.
- The signal comes from the coil, just in front of you and a little below eye level. Point it at the hay you want to check.
- Beeps speed up as you get closer. A slow tick means metal near the edge of the range; a rapid beep means it's right there. The on-screen meter shows the same thing.
- Turn slowly. Sweep left and right, find the direction where the beeping is fastest, then dig that way.
- Mk III and Mk IV change their tone and display when the strongest signal is the needle itself. That's your cue to stop selling junk and start digging carefully.
What it can and can't find
It picks up everything metal: rusty nails, bottle caps, coins, spoons, keys, pocket watches, rings and the needle. It does not find diamonds, because they aren't metal. They sparkle once uncovered, so keep your eyes open. The detector always reports the closest metal object, so in a spot full of junk you may need to dig out a few nails before the needle's signal becomes the strongest.
Which one is worth it?
Mk I is cheap and immediately useful for finding valuables. Mk II doubles the range. Mk III is the most important purchase in the game if your goal is the needle, because it's the first model that can identify it. Mk IV's 12-metre range covers more than half the width of the stack from a single spot.
Purist mode has no detector at all. See Classic vs Purist.
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