Halloween 2018 How-To: Old Ruins Dig Site

Hey Howdy Hey Tappers!

Halloween is back in Springfield!  Yes, the water is murky, the screen is slightly darker, monsters and minions are roaming our towns…is there anything better than Halloween in our pocket-sized towns?  (of course I would say Christmas, but Halloween is a close second to me lol)

We’re seeing a blast from the past in this event, with the return of the Dig Sites!  For Time Travel Toaster it was the excavation site, this time around it’s the Old Ruins Site.

As with the Excavation Game during TTT, the Old Ruins Dig Site has Tappers everywhere talking…about the best strategy, how many moves they can find the Relic in and apparently it’s very addictive.

So let’s breakdown the how-tos of this site & explore just what is the best dig strategy….

As we always do, let’s start with the basics…

How Do I Get Started With the Old Ruins Site?

To get the Ruins Site you’ll have to work on the main questline, Biting Back. Biting Back Pt. 3 is what triggers you to build the Ruins Site

Note: You’ll see that there are two layers to the Site once you start digging.  The stone level (as shown above) and the dirt layer, which appears after you’ve cleared the top Grid (i.e. found the Relic).

Once you’ve cleared the dirt layer it resets back to Stone.

I Have a Task to Discover a Relic, but I Ran Out of Axes.  How do I Get More?!  I’m Stuck!!!  It won’t let me move!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!

If this happens…DO NOT PANIC!  Just breath.  Seriously, it’s going to be ok.  Since this is a task associated with the questline (Biting Back Pt 3) if you run out of Pickaxes you will magically be given more!

You’ll see a popup appear and it’ll say “here are some more”.  So relax, it’s going to be ok.

What’s the Object of the Ruins Site?

So the object of the Site is to find the Relic in as few moves as possible.  You’ll need the Relics for the Ruins Site prize track (more on that in a moment).  In doing so you’ll earn more Prize Track and crafting currency.

How Do I Dig?

Well the in game tutorial will show you, but basically you just Tap the Squares in the grid…

But like real life, unless you really want to get your hands dirty, you’ll need PickAxes to dig.  No digging with your hands, it really messes up your screen.

You can earn Pick Axes at the Holy Forge.

How do you get Holy Forge?  Glad you asked.  You follow the questline.

The very next task, Biting Back Pt. 4 will trigger you to build Holy Forge (4hr build time).

Via Holy Forge you’ll be able to send characters on tasks to EARN Pickaxes to dig.

How Long Are the Tasks to Earn Axes? Who Can Earn Them? 

The Axe Tasks are FOUR hrs, you knew it’d be in there somewhere.  For Act 1 you can send….

• Nosferatu (Premium)
• Homer
• Ned
• Bart
• Lisa
• Grampa
• Marge
• Willie
• Burns
• Milhouse
• Wiggum

The payout is:  120 and 2 f0r Freemium and 180  and 3 for premium.

And before you ask, to send them you just tap on Holy Forge and the list will appear…(although first you’ll have to tap the purple acquire pickaxes icon.  This is because the Holy Forge doubles as the crafting hub)

What Does Each Character Earn at Holy Forge?  How Many Axes, How Much Prize Track Currency?

The payout for Act 1 is:  120 and 2 f0r Freemium and 180  and 3 for premium.

The Store Shows That I Can Buy Axes For Donuts, Should I Spend Donuts On Them?

NO.

The Ruins Site is meant to be addicting.  The Axes in the store are meant to be there to tempt you and feed your Addiction.  They want you to part with donuts over something silly like the Axes.  DO NOT DO IT!

The only time it may be acceptable, is if you’re way behind and need to catch up.  In which cause go with the biggest pack and play very smart to maximize your Relic total.

What Does the Ruins Site Pay Out?

So for every square you dig up you’ll earn 10   (Act 1) and when you find the relic you’ll earn 15  (crafting).

FYI  is the icon for the relic.

Note: Upgrading Flanders Tomb will (at points) increase your payouts from the Ruins Site.  When this happens your prize track rate per square tapped will increase.  10 is the base number, and the min you’d get per square.
Also, increasing your bonus % via Arrangement bonus (placing craftable items) will increase your payout as well.

What Are These Ruins Site Prizes?

In your event hub you’ll see that there are 5 Old Ruin Relic Site Prizes to be earned.  You earn these as you collect Relics. You’ll need 90 Gems to unlock the Count Grampa

I’ll cover more on prizes below.

Ok So Now I Know How To Dig, What’s the Best Way TO Dig?  Is There Strategy Involved?  Should I Just Tap Blindly? HELP!

For this I refer to Safi’s strategy post for the excavation site.  In his post Safi referenced a diagram from Declan. The goal is to use your shovels to unearth the hidden relic. The four adjacent tiles that share a border with the relic are tiles that contains rocks. Once you find a rock, you can assure yourself that the relic is adjacent to the rock.

Now That I Know The Strategy, What Are the Prizes?

This prizes are just for Act 1 and they will reset when the next Act hits…

There are 5 total prizes….

Spooky Shrub Bundle– Find 2 Relics

Stone Arch- Find 10 Relics, also unlocks Stone Arches in crafting

Ornate Ruin Wall- Find 25 Relics

Summoning Circle- Find 50 Relics

Count Grampa- Find 90 Relics

We’ll have a separate post quickly breaking down each prize and giving the tasks/questline for Count Grampa.  I was planning on including it here but it’s late, I’m exhausted and this post is long enough.  

And that’s it my friends!  The details behind the Old Ruin Dig site!  Complete with the best strategy to find the Relics in the Shortest number of turns!

What are your thoughts on the Old Ruin Dig Site?  How many Relics have you earned?  Are you using Strategy or just tapping blindly? Which Strategy do you find works?  Thoughts on the Ruins Prizes?  Sound off in the comments below, you know we love hearing from you!