In Harvest Moon: Back to Nature, your tools are essential for everything from farming and mining to animal care and resource gathering. You start with basic tools, but upgrading them is key to efficiency and unlocking new possibilities within the game. Beyond the standard upgrades, there’s a set of even more powerful, albeit risky, tools to acquire: the cursed tools. This guide will walk you through all the tools in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature, focusing on how to obtain the coveted cursed tools and maximize your gameplay.
Tool Basics and Upgrading
You begin your farming adventure with a set of fundamental tools. These tools can be upgraded multiple times at the blacksmith, Saibara’s Shop, to become more effective and cover larger areas. Upgrading your tools involves increasing their usage percentage and providing the corresponding ore and upgrade fee.
To level up your tools, you simply need to use them. As you use a tool, its power level increases, displayed as a percentage in the start menu. Each 100% accumulated allows for one level upgrade, provided you have the necessary ore and gold.
The standard upgrade path for your main tools follows these tiers:
- Normal (Starting tool)
- Copper
- Silver
- Gold
- Mystrile
Once a tool reaches 100% power level at its current tier, you can visit the blacksmith with the required ore and payment to upgrade it. For example, a normal hammer at 100% can be upgraded to a copper hammer with copper ore and 1,000G.
You can also skip upgrade levels. If you raise a normal tool’s power level to 400%, you can directly upgrade it to Mystrile by giving the blacksmith a Mystrile ore and the 5,000G fee, bypassing the Copper, Silver, and Gold upgrades. This is a cost-effective strategy for players looking to quickly obtain the best versions of their basic tools.
Remember, the percentage shown reflects progress beyond the current level. A Copper tool at 200% means it’s ready to be upgraded to the Gold level (two levels up from Copper). The game also provides visual cues in the pause menu, indicating available upgrades for each tool.
Using tools for their intended purpose yields significantly more experience. Chopping a tree stump with an axe will increase its experience much faster than simply swinging it at the ground. However, any use will contribute to leveling up your tools.
| Tool Level | Ore Required | Upgrade Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Copper Tool | Copper | 1,000g |
| Silver Tool | Silver | 2,000g |
| Gold Tool | Gold | 3,000g |
| Mystrile Tool | Mystrile | 5,000g |
A basic hammer used for breaking small rocks on your farm in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Hammer
The hammer is crucial for clearing your farm of rocks and accessing the mine. Each upgrade level increases its efficiency in breaking larger rocks.
- Normal Hammer: Breaks small rocks.
- Copper Hammer: Breaks large rocks in 4 fully charged strikes.
- Silver Hammer: Breaks large rocks in 2.5 fully charged strikes and misshapen rocks in 4.5 fully charged strikes.
- Gold Hammer: Breaks large rocks in 1 fully charged strike and misshapen rocks in 2.5 fully charged strikes.
- Mystrile Hammer: Breaks large and misshapen rocks with 1 fully charged strike.
A standard hoe for tilling the soil and preparing fields for planting crops in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Hoe
The hoe is essential for tilling your fields before planting seeds. Upgrading the hoe allows you to till larger areas more quickly.
- Normal Hoe: Plows one square directly in front of you.
- Copper Hoe: Plows two squares in a line ahead with a fully charged strike.
- Silver Hoe: Plows three squares in a line ahead with a fully charged strike.
- Gold Hoe: Plows four squares in a line ahead with a fully charged strike.
- Mystrile Hoe: Plows six squares in a line ahead with a fully charged strike.
Note: Even with upgraded hoes, mining areas still restrict tilling to one square at a time.
A normal axe used to chop branches and eventually tree stumps after upgrades in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Axe
The axe is used for clearing branches and stumps from your farm, providing lumber and clearing space.
- Normal Axe: Cuts tree branches.
- Copper Axe: Cuts a tree stump in 6 fully charged strikes.
- Silver Axe: Cuts a tree stump in 3 fully charged strikes.
- Gold Axe: Cuts a tree stump in 2 fully charged strikes.
- Mystrile Axe: Cuts a tree stump in 1 fully charged strike.
The basic watering can to hydrate your crops, upgradeable for larger coverage in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Watering Can
The watering can is vital for keeping your crops hydrated. Upgrades increase the area you can water at once, saving significant time and stamina.
- Normal Watering Can: Waters one square directly in front.
- Copper Watering Can: Waters a 1×3 area in front with a fully charged use.
- Silver Watering Can: Waters a 2×3 area in front with a fully charged use.
- Gold Watering Can: Waters a 3×3 area in front with a fully charged use.
- Mystrile Watering Can: Waters a 5×3 area in front with a fully charged use.
All watering cans hold 100 units of water. Water is only consumed when watering tilled soil; watering untilled ground or other areas does not deplete your water supply.
The starting sickle for cutting grass and weeds, with upgraded versions covering larger areas in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Sickle
The sickle is used for cutting grass for fodder, weeding, and harvesting certain crops. Upgraded sickles clear larger areas efficiently.
- Normal Sickle: Cuts one square of grass, weeds, or plants in front.
- Copper Sickle: Cuts a 1×3 area in front with a fully charged strike.
- Silver Sickle: Cuts a 2×3 area around you with a fully charged strike.
- Gold Sickle: Cuts a 3×3 area around you with a fully charged strike.
- Mystrile Sickle: Cuts a 5×5 area around you with a fully charged strike.
Obtaining Additional Tools
Beyond the five basic tools, Harvest Moon: Back to Nature offers additional tools that can be acquired to enhance specific aspects of your farm life.
Greg offering the fishing rod, the first step to fishing in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Fishing Rod and Fishing Pole
Fishing is a relaxing and profitable activity. To start fishing, you first need the Fishing Rod.
- Fishing Rod: Talk to Greg at the end of the pier between 7:00 am to 10:00 am or 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. He will give you the Fishing Rod.
- Fishing Pole: Once you have caught at least 50 fish and have them in your pond, Greg will visit your farm and give you the Fishing Pole, an upgraded version. Ensure you have an empty inventory slot and speak to him on your farm to receive it.
For more detailed fishing information, refer to the fishing guide.
A brush from Saibara’s shop, essential for increasing horse affection in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Brush
The brush is available for purchase and is specifically for your horse.
- Brush: Buy it from Saibara’s Shop for 800G. Brushing your horse increases its affection by +2. While you can brush cows and sheep, it does not affect their affection levels.
The bell from Yodel Ranch, used to gather cows and sheep in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Bell
The bell is useful for managing your livestock.
- Bell: Purchase from Yodel Ranch for 500G. Ringing the bell calls all your cows and sheep towards you, aiding in herding.
Using the milker to collect milk from cows, a necessary tool for animal husbandry in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Milker
The milker is essential for harvesting milk from your cows.
- Milker: Buy from Saibara’s Shop for 2,000G. Allows you to milk your cows. It does not influence cow affection.
Clippers for shearing wool from sheep, another tool available at Saibara’s shop in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Clippers
Clippers are necessary for shearing wool from your sheep.
- Clippers: Purchase from Saibara’s Shop for 1,800G. Used to shear wool from sheep. Clipping does not affect sheep affection.
Maker Machines
Maker Machines transform raw farm products into higher-value goods, increasing your profits. Saibara will construct these for you after meeting specific farm upgrade requirements.
The Mayonnaise Maker, turning eggs into mayonnaise for higher profits in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Mayonnaise Maker
- Mayonnaise Maker: Converts eggs into mayonnaise. Mayonnaise quality depends on chicken affection. Requires a chicken coop upgrade, 20,000G, and 1 Adamantite ore. Construction takes 5 days.
The Cheese Maker, processing milk into cheese to increase product value in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Cheese Maker
- Cheese Maker: Processes milk into cheese. Cheese quality is determined by milk quality. Requires a barn upgrade, 20,000G, and 1 Adamantite ore. Construction takes 5 days.
The Yarn Maker, converting wool into yarn for improved sales in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Yarn Maker
- Yarn Maker: Transforms wool into yarn. Yarn quality depends on wool quality. Requires a barn upgrade, 20,000G, and 1 Adamantite ore. Construction takes 5 days.
Unlocking Cursed Tools
For players seeking the ultimate power, Harvest Moon: Back to Nature features cursed tools. These tools are significantly more powerful than Mystrile tools but come with drawbacks.
How to Get Cursed Tools:
- Upgrade all your basic tools (Hoe, Axe, Hammer, Watering Can, Sickle) to Mystrile level.
- Access the Lake Mine: This mine becomes accessible during Winter.
- Reach specific floors in the Lake Mine: Cursed tools are found on specific floors within the Lake Mine. You will need to use the Mystrile versions of your tools to break the cursed tool barrier to reach these floors.
- Cursed Hoe: Floor 29
- Cursed Watering Can: Floor 39
- Cursed Sickle: Floor 49
- Cursed Axe: Floor 59
- Cursed Hammer: Floor 69
- Cursed Fishing Rod: Floor 79
Using Cursed Tools:
Cursed tools are incredibly efficient but have significant drawbacks. For example, the cursed hoe might till a massive area but severely deplete your stamina. It’s crucial to understand these drawbacks before using them extensively.
Blessing Cursed Tools:
Cursed tools can be “blessed” to remove their negative effects, making them the most powerful tools in the game without the downsides. To bless a cursed tool:
- Have a cursed tool.
- Have the tool equipped and use it a certain number of times. (This number varies per tool, usually around 255 times).
- Go to the Church on a day when Carter is present (not Sunday).
- Talk to Carter with the cursed tool equipped. He will offer to bless the tool for 1,000G, turning it into a blessed tool.
Blessed tools retain the immense power of cursed tools without stamina drain or other negative effects, making them the ultimate tools for maximizing efficiency in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.
Conclusion
Tools are the backbone of your success in Harvest Moon: Back to Nature. From the basic set you receive at the start to the incredibly powerful blessed tools, upgrading and acquiring the right tools will dramatically improve your farming, mining, and overall gameplay experience. Whether you aim for the efficient Mystrile tools or seek the ultimate power of blessed tools, understanding how to obtain and utilize each tool type is crucial for thriving in Mineral Town.
