Digging Deeper: A Complete Guide to the More Shovels Mod for Minecraft
Minecraft shovels have always been the unsung heroes of your toolbar. They clear gravel, scoop up soul sand, and turn dirt into pristine paths. But vanilla options feel limited after you have crafted your hundredth iron spade. The More Shovels Mod steps in to shake up your digging routine by adding a whole toolbox of quirky, specialized shovels and one secret weapon that redefines what a shovel can do. Created by a first-time modder with a passion for excavation, this lightweight add-on injects fresh variety into the game without overwhelming your world.
What Does the More Shovels Mod Add?
At its core, the mod introduces ten new shovels and a single rare item that upgrades your digging power dramatically. Each shovel is themed around a specific Minecraft material, giving you playful alternatives to the standard wooden, stone, iron, gold, and diamond tools. The collection feels like a celebration of overlooked blocks and mob drops, turning them into functional gear. Whether you want to dig with cactus spines or a slab of wool, there is a shovel here for every strange situation.
Complete List of New Shovels
- Obsidian Shovel – A durable, blast-resistant tool that lasts significantly longer than diamond, though it mines at a moderate pace.
- Netherrack Shovel – Perfect for the Nether, this shovel instantly mines netherrack and soul sand, but crumbles quickly in the Overworld.
- Dirt Shovel – A comically fragile shovel made of compressed dirt; it breaks after a few uses but can be crafted anywhere without a workbench.
- Slime Shovel – Bouncy and slightly sticky, it has a chance to knock back mobs when you accidentally hit them while digging.
- Cactus Shovel – Deals a tiny bit of damage to anything that touches it, including yourself if you are not careful, but it clears sand and gravel swiftly.
- Sugar Shovel – Extremely fast but has the durability of a cookie; it is ideal for quick landscaping jobs before it dissolves.
- Glowing Diamond Shovel – The star of the show, crafted with the special glowing diamond, this shovel mines at lightning speed and never breaks.
- Wool Shovel – Silently scoops up blocks without making a sound, great for stealthy builds near sleeping friends or skittish mobs.
- Coal Shovel – Functions as both a tool and a fuel source; you can smelt it in a furnace after it wears down.
- Gunpowder Shovel – Has a small chance to create a harmless explosion when digging, flinging blocks around for chaotic terraforming fun.
The Glowing Diamond: A Shovel Game-Changer
Beyond the themed tools, the mod introduces a new item called the glowing diamond. This rare resource is not found naturally; you must craft it by surrounding a regular diamond with glowstone dust in a crafting grid. Once you obtain a glowing diamond, you can combine it with a stick to create the Glowing Diamond Shovel. This tool is intentionally overpowered — it mines any shovel-compatible block almost instantly and has infinite durability. The catch? The glowing diamond itself is expensive to produce, so you will need to invest time gathering glowstone from the Nether before you can enjoy its endless digging potential. Many players treat it as a late-game reward that makes large excavation projects effortless.
How to Install and Play with the Mod
Since the More Shovels Mod is a community creation, you will need a mod loader like Forge to run it. After installing the correct version of Forge for your Minecraft release, you simply drop the mod file into your mods folder. For those who prefer a more streamlined approach, the mod can be easily installed via the foxygame.net launcher — a convenient, flexible, and modern Minecraft launcher where you can download mods right from the menu. This launcher automatically handles version compatibility and dependency checks, so you can jump straight into crafting your new shovels without fiddling with file directories.
The mod is lightweight and should work well alongside most other content mods, though it is always wise to back up your worlds before adding anything new. Since it only adds items and simple crafting recipes, it rarely causes conflicts. The author designed it as a first project, so the code is straightforward and easy on performance.
Crafting Recipes and Survival Tips
All shovels follow the classic shovel recipe pattern: one material of the appropriate type in the top-middle slot, and two sticks below it. For example, an Obsidian Shovel requires one obsidian block and two sticks. The Dirt Shovel uses a dirt block, the Slime Shovel uses a slimeball, and so on. The Glowing Diamond Shovel uses the glowing diamond item instead of a standard diamond. This consistency makes the mod intuitive to pick up, even if you are new to modded Minecraft.
In survival mode, these shovels shine in specific scenarios. Carry a Netherrack Shovel when you are gathering ancient debris, because it clears the surrounding netherrack rapidly. Use the Wool Shovel near your villager trading hall to avoid attracting iron golems. The Coal Shovel doubles as emergency furnace fuel during long mining trips. Experimenting with each tool reveals small niches that vanilla shovels never covered.
Why This Mod Deserves a Spot in Your Modpack
The More Shovels Mod might sound simple, but that simplicity is its strength. It does not overhaul progression or add complicated machines; it just gives you more ways to interact with the world beneath your feet. The playful material choices encourage you to use resources that often pile up in chests unused. Wool from your sheep farm, slime from your swamp biome, and even cactus from your desert base finally get a practical purpose beyond decoration.
Additionally, the glowing diamond introduces a satisfying mini-goal: venture into the Nether, harvest enough glowstone, and craft an unbreakable tool that symbolizes your mastery over the underground. It is a small but meaningful achievement that fits naturally into the vanilla advancement system.
Final Thoughts
The More Shovels Mod proves that even a first-time modder can deliver a delightful expansion to Minecraft’s toolset. With ten unique shovels and a powerful new crafting component, it adds layers of strategy and humor to the simple act of digging. Whether you are a builder who needs silent wool tools or an explorer craving an indestructible diamond spade, this mod has something for you. Give it a try the next time you feel your shovel collection needs a creative upgrade — you might just discover your new favorite way to move dirt.