Mining

A waja encountering a Strange Beetle in the older version of the mining cave.

The new mining cave layout in the Cave of Shadows.

The mining game is a unique daily game found in its' own separate area under Explore, that requires you to dig (click) repeatedly, with each dig giving you the opportunity to find items or WC in the Mining Cave. To play you must train one waja in mining and have at least 300 WC on hand. The game gives you an allotted number "digs" per day which recharge at a rate of 1 every 30 minutes.

The mining game was released on March 16 of 2010, got an overhaul on October 16 of 2014 and again on May 12 of 2015.

Mining Cave Basics

If you don't already have a mining waja, you will need to select one to play with and pay 10,000 WC to teach it to mine, giving it a mining level of 1. After a waja has been trained once, it does not have to be trained ever again. Once you've trained a waja you will be taken to the mining entrances, where you eventually can select different cave entrances. But at first only the Cave of Shadows will be open for you (the entrance to the far left side). Once you've clicked on the Cave of Shadows, you will be taken to the mining screen. This screen features your waja's picture to the left, the scenario at the left top, the cave image at the right and four directional buttons on the image of the cave setting. To mine you simply click the direction in which you want to dig and you will encounter a random scenario. One of several possible effects (but not limited to) will occur per dig:

1. Nothing Happens - Your waja got distracted/scared/sat down/just plain didn't find anything.
2. Gain one dig - A Gentle Breeze will refresh your waja and grant them an extra dig.
3. Gain two digs -
4. Lose one dig - A Mean Bat will hit your waja, causing it to take a break. You lose one dig.
5. Lose two digs - Your waja either tripped in a hole or got stuck in some yucky goo, and you lose two digs.
6. Gain WC - Encountering a Lucky Butterfly will give you between 10,000 and 30,000 WC. Tricky Raccoons will give you between 1 and 300 WC.
7. Lose WC - Annoying Rats steal between 1 and 300 WC.
8. Common Item - Your waja will find a common item that is deposited automatically into your inventory.
9. Uncommon Item - A popup will appear on your screen giving you the option to attempt to 'catch' the creature. If you choose "Ok", the game will calculate whether or not you succeeded. If you failed or clicked "Cancel", the game will tell you the item escaped. If you succeed, you will get a "congratulations" message and the item will be placed in your inventory.
10. Level Gained - Encountering a "Strange Beetle" will increase your waja's mining level by 1. Encountering another waja in the caves might increase your wajas mining level by 2, or it might do nothing at all.
11. Level Lost - Encountering a "Cave-in" will decrease your waja's mining level by 1.
12. Injured Bird - If you encounter the Injured Bird, you can choose to start the Raccoon King Plot or not, by either replying to the bird or by ignoring it.

Mining Levels

Levels are gained during certain encounters while digging. There is no way to increase your chances of encountering the events and gaining a level; some people can go months without getting a level, then gain three in one day. It's completely random. Just keep mining every day and eventually your waja will find one. Levels can also be increased by 1 or 2 points per level up event encounter.

Levels are lost when a mining waja encounters a "Cave In" or another unfortunate event. Getting caught in a lost level event will decrease the waja's level by 1 or 2.

Wajas retain their mining levels when they are sold or transferred.

Mining Digs

The basic amount of digs are 40 and upgraded accounts get 80 digs per day. However, by buying a Mining Candle, a Mining Torch or a Mining Lantern you can add more digs to your account. These items are single use only, and only apply the digs to the day used. Any unused digs will NOT be roll over to your digs for the next day.

Digs regenerate throughout the day if you have already used them, and you will regain 1 dig every half hour.

• Note: Even if you are upgraded, your mining digs will not recharge over 40 digs.

Mining Cave Entrances

When you first start out the only entrance you are limited to the Cave of Shadows. But by gaining Mining Levels other entrances will be available. By level 25 will The Glowworm Cave open up and by level 45 will The Sparkling Groto be available.

By doing the Raccoon King Plot you will also gain access to Raccoon Forest and eventually Murky Forest.

Mining Cave Items

The mining cave is a method to receive plenty of free items and often gets new items during monthly updates. Occasionally the mining cave stock is reset and items are retired. The types of items you can get are the following:

• Unusables
• Nicola the Genius requested items
• Accessories
• Foregrounds
• Wallpapers
• Dyes
• Pets as catchables
• Critters
• Raccoon King Plot crown items

For a full list of all items released via the mining cave, please see Mining Cave Items

Changing Your Mining Waja

You can change your mining waja at any point by clicking the button "Change Mining Waja" that is underneath the image of your current mining waja below the Cave Entrance menu. If the waja you switch to has not been trained in mining yet you will have to pay 10,000 WC to train it.

Mining Game Misconceptions

Some players claim that mining in a certain way, at a certain time of day, in certain directions, with a certain breed, being a certain level, etc etc. will increase your chances of finding/catching something good or gaining a level. This is false, as finding items, leveling up, and catching rares are all completely random chance. Having a higher level does not directly affect your chances of finding things, however it will determine which caves you have access to.