Shovel
The Shovel is a common melee weapon and utility tool in DayZ. It can dig worms, create farming plots, build or dismantle player-made structures, bury or dig up containers, bury bodies or ashes, fill containers using a Wire Mesh Barrier, open cans with food loss, and disarm bear traps.
Quick item summary
Quick answer
The Shovel is a multi-purpose tool in DayZ that also works as a blunt melee weapon. It overlaps with the Field Shovel for many survival tasks, but is larger, common in farm and industrial areas, and has strong shock damage in melee combat.
In-game description
“Ordinary shovel. Strong, steel blade easily splits both soil and skulls.”
Main Uses
- Create farming plots for fruits and vegetables
- Build base structures like fences and watchtowers
- Dismantle certain player-built fortifications
- Open canned food with 30% to 60% food loss
- Dig up worms for fishing bait
- Bury and dig up containers for hidden storage
- Bury fireplace ashes
- Bury dead bodies
- Fill containers using a Wire Mesh Barrier
- Disarm activated bear traps
- Use as a blunt melee weapon
How to use this item
Dig worms for fishing
Use the Shovel on suitable ground to dig up worms for fishing bait.
- Equip the Shovel.
- Look at dirt or suitable ground.
- Use the dig worms action.
- Collect the worms and combine them with a fishing hook.
Create a farming plot
Use the Shovel to create a plot for planting fruits and vegetables.
- Equip the Shovel.
- Find a suitable flat area.
- Use the create plot action.
- Plant seeds and water the plot as needed.
Use in base building
The Shovel can be used during base construction and dismantling.
- Equip the Shovel near a valid base-building object.
- Use it to build compatible structures like fences or watchtowers.
- Use it to dismantle compatible player-built fortifications when needed.
Bury or dig up containers
Use the Shovel to bury containers for hidden storage or dig them back up later.
- Place a compatible container on the ground.
- Use the Shovel to bury it.
- Return later with a digging tool to recover it.
Fill containers
The Shovel can be used to fill containers using a Wire Mesh Barrier.
- Have the needed container and Wire Mesh Barrier setup.
- Equip the Shovel.
- Use the fill container action when available.
Open canned food
The Shovel can open canned food, but a large amount of food may be spilled.
- Hold the canned food or the Shovel.
- Combine the Shovel with the can.
- Open the can and expect 30% to 60% food loss.
Disarm a bear trap
The Shovel can be used to disarm an activated Bear Trap.
- Approach the Bear Trap carefully.
- Equip the Shovel.
- Use the disarm action on the trap.
How to get Shovel
- Search farm areas.
- Search industrial areas.
- Check barns, sheds, warehouses, garages, and work buildings.
- Loot bases or players that store farming and base-building tools.
Spawn info
- • The Shovel is listed as a common item found in farm and industrial locations.
- • It is useful as both a survival tool and a blunt melee weapon.
Important notes
- The Shovel is both a tool and a blunt melee weapon.
- It has high shock damage and can knock a player out in a few hits.
- It can create farming plots.
- It can dig worms for fishing bait.
- It can be used in base building for fences and watchtowers.
- It can dismantle certain player-built fortifications.
- It can open canned food, but spills 30% to 60% of the food.
- It can bury and dig up containers for hidden storage.
- It can bury bodies and fireplace ashes.
- It can fill containers using a Wire Mesh Barrier.
- It can disarm an activated Bear Trap.
- The wiki lists the Shovel as irreparable.