Beginner's Guide
Day 1-3 Survival

Your The Spotter: Dig or Die beginner's guide. From first shovel swing to first turret firing. Complete Day 1-3 roadmap on thespotterdigordie.wiki.

Start Day 1 →

Day 1: Survival Priority

The Spotter: Dig or Die — early mining

Resource Priority

  1. Iron Ore (50% time): Surface caves, craft first pickaxe upgrade
  2. Copper (30% time): Layer 2, turret blueprint essential
  3. Coal (15% time): Fuel drill, extend dig time
  4. Food (5% time): Berries only, fatigue killer

First Milestone

Tech Unlock: Basic Turret Blueprint (100 Iron + 50 Copper)
Dig Goal: Reach Layer 3 before sunset
Fatigue Limit: Never exceed 80% (jetpack emergency)
"Iron first, always. Copper second. Copper turret saves Day 2 night."

On Day 1, treat every minute before dusk as borrowed time. Mine in loops: surface iron → short copper dip → resurface for food. Craft the basic turret blueprint as soon as the recipe unlocks, then place two guns in a shallow V so your main cannon can finish stragglers. This beginner loop is the backbone of every successful run in The Spotter: Dig or Die.

Controls Reference

DIG

WASD + Left Click

Master this first

SHOOT

Mouse Aim + Right Click (Main Cannon)

Master this first

JETPACK

Space (short bursts only)

Master this first

Day 2-3 Roadmap

Day 2 Goals

✅ Titanium Layer 4 (drill upgrade)
✅ Tesla Coil turret unlock
⚠️ First elite mutant (headshot priority)

Day 3 Goals

✅ First artifact (random drop)
✅ Weapon specialization choice
🎯 Hunter tracking shots recommended
What if I die on Day 1 night?
Respawn at surface with 50% resources retained. First death tutorial: build 2× basic turrets in V formation, kite with main cannon.