Excavation
Dowse for buried finds and dig them up quickly or carefully.
Excavation digs in the ruins of Midgard: sunken tombs, the Sphinx, fallen halls, the lost works of Juperos and the shrines of the north. It turns up bones, nails and fragments of relics, the map scraps a Scribe turns into treasure maps, and relics that fill pages of your Collection.
It is a searching trade. Nothing is marked; you feel your way to what is buried.
Getting started
Find the Excavation Guildmaster in Juno and ask to join. Your first gathering trade is free. The guildmaster hands you a Trowel and puts it straight into your profession equipment, so you can start the moment you walk out.
Open the Professions window from the Character menu to see your level, your skill points and your guild business. Your trade also shows as a tab in your Skills window and in your Equipment window.
The Excavation Guildmaster stands in Juno
How the work goes
With a trowel worn, the ground under you warms as you near something buried: grey, then silver, then brass, and gold when you are standing on it. Walk towards the warmth.
When the ground is gold, Dig with the Shovel or work the spot with the Brush. The Shovel is quick, but a relic it finds usually comes out as a fragment. The Brush takes three times as long and uses two of the spot's digs, but pays twice the EXP and always brings a relic out whole.
Fragments are not wasted: the guildmaster pieces a relic together from several of them. Whole relics fill pages of your Collection.
The deeper ruins also hold Sealed Caches, which take more digs and give better finds.
Lore of the Lost Sites
Every two hours, for ten minutes, a rich dig site stands somewhere in each tier. Only those who have read the Lore of the Lost Sites see it, and a Scribe writes the book. Working it may give a Complete Relic Set.
Grounds and finds
Five grounds, each opening at a higher level and paying more EXP a swing. Pick one to see its maps, the nodes that stand there and what each gives.
Dig Spot 100% of nodes, 2 to 3 swings
Tomb Fragment 60%
Skel-Bone 22%
Rotten Bandage 14%
Garnet 4% rare
Its rare window stands at one of: Inside Pyramid F1, Inside Pyramid F3 (Lost Tomb Cache).
moc_pryd01 Inside Pyramid F2 moc_pryd02 Inside Pyramid F3 moc_pryd03
Dig Spot 100% of nodes, 2 to 3 swings
Sphinx Fragment 60%
Memento 20%
Yellow Gemstone 16%
Topaz 4% rare
Its rare window stands at one of: Morocc Sphinx B2, Morocc Sphinx B4 (Sphinx Vault).
in_sphinx1 Morocc Sphinx B2 in_sphinx2 Morocc Sphinx B3 in_sphinx3 Morocc Sphinx B4 in_sphinx4 Morocc Sphinx B5 in_sphinx5 Inside Pyramid F4 moc_pryd04 Inside Pyramid B1 moc_pryd05 Inside Pyramid B2 moc_pryd06
Dig Spot 72% of nodes, 2 to 3 swings
Glast Heim Fragment 60%
Decayed Nail 24%
Skel-Bone 12%
Sapphire 4% rare
Sealed Cache 28% of nodes, 3 to 4 swings
Glast Heim Fragment 70%
Sapphire 15% rare
Ruby 15% rare
Its rare window stands at one of: Glastheim Monastery, Inside Glastheim Chivalry F1, Turtle Island Dungeon (Fallen Knight's Hoard).
glast_01 Glastheim Monastery gl_church Glastheim Underground Churchyard gl_chyard Inside Glastheim Chivalry F1 gl_knt01 Inside Glastheim Chivalry F2 gl_knt02 Glastheim Castle F1 gl_cas01 Turtle Island Dungeon tur_dun02 Turtle Village tur_dun03
Dig Spot 72% of nodes, 2 to 3 swings
Juperos Fragment 60%
Cogwheel 18%
Fragment 18%
Emerald 4% rare
Sealed Cache 28% of nodes, 3 to 4 swings
Juperos Fragment 70%
Metal Fragment 15%
Emerald 15% rare
Its rare window stands at one of: Inside the Juperos Ruins, Outside of the Juperos Ruins (Juperos Works).
juperos_01 Inside the Juperos Ruins juperos_02 Glastheim Castle F2 gl_cas02 Glastheim Underground Prison B1 gl_prison Glastheim Underground Prison B2 gl_prison1
Dig Spot 72% of nodes, 2 to 3 swings
Shrine Fragment 60%
Soft Feather 22%
Valhalla's Flower 14%
Cracked Diamond 4% rare
Sealed Cache 28% of nodes, 3 to 4 swings
Shrine Fragment 70%
Cracked Diamond 15% rare
Valhalla's Flower 10%
1carat Diamond 5% rare
Its rare window stands at one of: Odin's Temple South Area, Cursed Abbey Dungeon B2 (Valkyrie's Reliquary).
odin_tem01 Odin's Temple South Area odin_tem02 Odin's Temple North Area odin_tem03 Cursed Abbey Dungeon B1 abbey01 Cursed Abbey Dungeon B2 abbey02 Cursed Abbey Dungeon B3 abbey03
Skill tree
Every level gives one skill point for this tree, 39 by Apprentice 40 and 88 by Master 50. The Apprentice skills are open to everyone; the two masteries each have their own four. Click a skill to read it, and use the plus and minus to plan your points.
Apprentice skills
| Skill | Levels | What it does | At its top level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dowse | 1 | With a trowel worn, the ground under you warms as you near something buried: grey, then silver, then brass, and gold when you are standing on it. | The ground warms within 40 cells of a dig spot. |
| Excavation Guide | 1 | Open your Excavation Guide: every ruin, the Excavation level it needs, the maps it covers and what is dug up there, and the relics you have had from each. A find is named in the guide once you have dug it up. | Opens the Excavation Guide. |
| Dig | 1 | Dig where you stand with the Shovel. Use it when the ground under you has turned gold. The first dig uncovers the spot. The Shovel is quick, and a relic it finds most often comes out as a fragment. Needs a Trowel worn in your profession equipment. | Digs the spot you are standing at, quickly. |
| Brush | 1 | Work the spot you stand at with the Brush. It takes three times as long as the Shovel and uses two of the spot's digs, pays twice the EXP, and a relic it finds always comes out whole. | Digs the spot you are standing at, carefully. |
| Excavation Mastery | 10 | Digs take less time and rare finds are a little more likely. | Digs 20% faster, rare finds +20% |
| Strong Back | 10 | The Shovel works faster. | Shovel 30% faster |
| Light Touch | 10 | The Brush works faster. | Brush 30% faster |
| Careful Hands | 5 | The Shovel brings a relic out whole more often. | The Shovel finds a relic whole 30% of the time |
| Deep Sense | 5 | You feel what is buried from further off. | The ground warms within 80 cells of a dig spot |
| Sifting | 5 | The spoil of a dig may hold a second find. | 25% chance of a second find |
| Lay of the Land | 10 | After a find, the ground shows for a moment which way the next spot lies. | Shows the way for 12 s |
Tomb Delver (Master)
| Skill | Levels | What it does | At its top level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relic Hunter | 10 | Rare finds are more likely in Juperos and the other Master ruins. | Rare finds +40% in Master ruins |
| Vault Breaker | 10 | A dig at a Sealed Cache may turn up a second find. | 60% chance of a second find from a Sealed Cache |
| Restorer | 10 | The guildmaster pieces a relic together from fewer of your fragments: four at level 5, three at level 10. | A relic from 3 fragments |
| Scholar's Eye | 10 | More Excavation EXP for a relic brought out whole. | Excavation EXP +30% for a whole relic |
Surveyor (Master)
| Skill | Levels | What it does | At its top level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site Worker | 10 | A dig may not use up the spot, so it holds one more. | 30% chance a dig does not use up the spot |
| Grave Goods | 10 | A fragment may come with a Memento. | 40% chance of a Memento with a fragment |
| Map Reader | 10 | A dig may turn up a scrap of a map: a Sealed Cache close by that only you can find, for a minute and a half. | 10% chance of a map from a dig |
| Market Sense | 10 | Excavation guild orders pay more Guild Marks. | Guild Marks +20% |
Equipment
Each trade has four slots of its own in the Equipment window's Professions tab, beside your normal gear: a tool, an outfit, a charm and a supply. Better pieces come from tasks, the Mark shop and other trades.
Tool
-
Trowel
A plain trowel.
Given by the guildmaster when you join.
-
Fine Trowel
Digs 4% faster. Rare finds +3%.
Reward for the Apprentice 20 task. Mark shop, 250 Marks at 1 heart.
-
Guild Trowel
Digs 8% faster. Rare finds +6%.
Mark shop, 700 Marks at 3 hearts.
Outfit
-
Digger's Coat
Work 6% faster.
Reward for the Apprentice 30 task. Mark shop, 500 Marks at 2 hearts.
Charm
-
Digger's Charm
4% chance of one more piece.
Mark shop, 600 Marks at 3 hearts.
Levels and tasks
Every ground pays more EXP a swing than the one before it, so move up as soon as your level lets you in. The first of any find pays three times the EXP.
Your guildmaster sets a task at Apprentice 10, 20 and 30, and a masterpiece at 40. The task at 20 gives you a better tool and the task at 30 your guild's outfit.
-
Apprentice 10
Excavation: a first task
16 Guild Skel-Bone5 Guild Tomb Fragment
Pays 40 Guild Marks and 1,500 EXP.
-
Apprentice 20
Excavation: a journeyman's task
18 Guild Memento10 Guild Sphinx Fragment
Pays 60 Guild Marks and a Fine Trowel.
-
Apprentice 30
Excavation: the guild's order
32 Guild Decayed Nail10 Guild Glast Heim Fragment
Pays 80 Guild Marks and a Digger's Coat.
-
Apprentice 40
Excavation: the masterpiece
40 Guild Decayed Nail15 Guild Glast Heim Fragment
Pays 150 Guild Marks. Delivering it opens the way to Master.
Guild orders
The five guild clients order goods from every trade. These are what they ask a Excavation hand for, and the level at which each order starts to appear. A delivery pays Guild Marks and trade EXP and wins the client's regard. You can deliver 12 orders a week, and each guildmaster has one request a day on top.
5 Guild Tomb Fragment
8 Guild Skel-Bone
5 Guild Sphinx Fragment
6 Guild Memento
5 Guild Glast Heim Fragment
8 Guild Decayed Nail
5 Guild Juperos Fragment
6 Guild Cogwheel
8 Guild Juperos Fragment
6 Guild Fragment
Questions
Tips
- Use the Brush on spots in Master ruins, where the relics are worth the time.
- Lay of the Land points to the next spot for a moment after each find, which saves a lot of walking.
- Map scraps go to a Scribe, who joins three into a treasure map that leads to a guarded chest.
- Every two hours a rich dig site opens in one of the listed places for ten minutes. Read the Lore of the Lost Sites to see it.
Why is nothing marked on my minimap?
Excavation works by the warmth of the ground instead. Watch the colour under your feet.
Shovel or Brush?
The Shovel for speed and common finds, the Brush when you want relics whole and twice the EXP.
Can I hold two trades?
You hold one gathering trade and one making trade at the same time. Excavation takes your gathering place.
What happens if I change trade?
Your first trade of each kind is free. Changing later costs 100,000 zeny, and the trade you leave keeps its level, skills and log, so you can come back to it.
How do I become a Master?
Reach Apprentice 40 and deliver your guildmaster's masterpiece. You then choose Tomb Delver or Surveyor, and your levels start again from Master 1 with your skill points kept. A guildmaster changes your mastery later for 300 Guild Marks and 300,000 zeny.
Can I reset my skills?
Yes. Your guildmaster resets every skill in their trade for 200,000 zeny and gives all the points back to spend, Apprentice and mastery skills alike. Your level and mastery stay. Changing mastery also refunds that mastery's skills.
Why do shops only pay 1 zeny?
What a trade gathers or makes is guild goods. It works in every recipe and quest and trades freely between players, but shops pay 1 zeny for it, so professions never print zeny. Sell to other players or deliver it to the guild clients for Marks.
Can Hardcore characters take a trade?
Yes. Their goods and Marks stay inside the Hardcore economy.
Is there a reward at the top?
The Professions achievements are kept on the account, and reaching Master 50 earns this trade's title.