How to upgrade axe in Dreamlight Valley?

In Disney Dreamlight Valley, your Royal Pickaxe (the game’s equivalent of an axe) is one of the most essential tools for exploring and restoring the valley to its former glory. While this magical tool starts with the ability to break regular rocks and mine for minerals, you’ll soon discover many areas blocked by obstacles that your basic pickaxe can’t break through. From colorful coral clusters on Dazzle Beach to imposing ice formations in the Frosted Heights, upgrading your pickaxe is crucial for accessing new areas and resources.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through how to upgrade axe Dreamlight Valley with step-by-step instructions, required materials, and helpful tips to make your journey through this magical world more efficient and enjoyable.

Understanding the Royal Pickaxe in Dreamlight Valley

Before diving into the upgrade process, let’s understand what the Royal Pickaxe is and its importance in your Disney Dreamlight Valley adventure.

The Royal Pickaxe is one of the four main Royal Tools you acquire early in the game, along with the Watering Can, Shovel, and Fishing Rod. You obtain it during the introductory quest “The Royal Tools” from a large stone located in the bottom-right corner of the Plaza.

Base Functionality of the Royal Pickaxe

In its basic form, your Royal Pickaxe allows you to:

Break standard rocks and boulders
Mine mineral deposits for resources like stone, coal, and iron ore
Mine gem deposits for valuable gems like garnets, aquamarines, and diamonds

However, your adventures will soon lead you to special obstacles that require an upgraded pickaxe:

Sea Debris (small and large coral formations on Dazzle Beach)
Ice Blocks (small and large ice crystals in the Forest of Valor and Frosted Heights)
Various expansion-related obstacles (in A Rift in Time and The Storybook Vale)

Each swing of the pickaxe uses 40 energy, so efficient mining is important for managing your daily activities.

How to Upgrade Axe Dreamlight Valley: The Maui Upgrades

The first set of Royal Pickaxe upgrades comes from Maui, the demigod from Moana. These upgrades will allow you to break through the sea debris blocking parts of Dazzle Beach.

First Coral Upgrade: Completing Moana’s Realm

To obtain the first pickaxe upgrade for breaking small sea debris:

Unlock the Dream Castle by clearing the Night Thorns in the Plaza
Inside the Dream Castle, unlock Moana’s Realm for 3,000 Dreamlight
Complete Moana’s quest sequence to find her boat
During the quest “The Great Maui,” you’ll need to answer Maui’s questions about himself
After correctly answering his questions, Maui will upgrade your pickaxe, allowing you to break small sea debris

This first upgrade will let you break the smaller coral pieces on Dazzle Beach, which drop sand when broken. This is crucial for accessing certain areas of the beach and for crafting items that require sand.

Second Coral Upgrade: A Tale of Stone and Fire

For the second pickaxe upgrade that will allow you to break the larger coral formations:

Bring Maui to your valley by placing his house on Dazzle Beach
Build friendship with Maui until you reach level 4
Accept the quest “A Tale of Stone and Fire”
Retrieve scraping stones from a basket in Moana’s Realm
Prepare a five-star meal for Maui

Recommended Five-Star Meal: Bouillabaisse

The easiest five-star meal to make for Maui is Bouillabaisse, which requires:

Ingredient	Where to Find
Shrimp	Fishing in Dazzle Beach (orange fishing spots)
Tomato	Grow from seeds purchased at Goofy’s Stall in the Plaza
Lettuce	Grow from seeds purchased at Goofy’s Stall in the Peaceful Meadow
Seashell	Collect from the shore of Dazzle Beach
Clam	Collect from the shore of Dazzle Beach

Once you’ve completed this quest, Maui will upgrade your pickaxe a second time, allowing you to break the larger coral formations on Dazzle Beach. This will unlock the rest of the area, including access to a bridge and hidden chests.

How to Upgrade Axe Dreamlight Valley: The Elsa Upgrades

The second set of Royal Pickaxe upgrades comes from Elsa, which will allow you to break through the ice formations in the Forest of Valor and Frosted Heights.

First Ice Upgrade: Breaking the Ice

To upgrade your pickaxe to break small ice formations:

Unlock the Frozen Realm in the Dream Castle for 4,000 Dreamlight
Complete Anna’s quest to bring her to the valley
Complete the “Spirits of the Wild” quest with Anna
Bring Elsa to the valley
Talk to Elsa to begin the “Breaking the Ice” quest
Follow Elsa to the Ice Cavern in the Forest of Valor
Craft the Warmth of Summer Potion

Crafting the Warmth of Summer Potion

This special potion requires gathering the following materials:

Ingredient	Quantity	Where to Find
Sunflower	5	Growing wild in the Plaza or Peaceful Meadow, or grow from seeds
Sugarcane	2	Buy from Goofy’s Stall in Dazzle Beach, or grow from seeds
Lemon	5	Harvest from lemon trees in the Forest of Valor
Vial of Ocean Water	1	Collect from a sparkling spot along the shore of Dazzle Beach (between Ursula’s Cave and Goofy’s Stall)
Garlic	3	Growing wild in the Forest of Valor

Once you’ve gathered all materials:

Go to a crafting station
Navigate to the “Potions & Enchantments” tab
Craft the Warmth of Summer Potion
Return to Elsa with the potion
Elsa will apply the potion to your pickaxe, upgrading it

With this upgrade, you can now break the small ice blocks around Elsa’s cave and in the Forest of Valor. Breaking these ice blocks will reward you with snow, a valuable crafting resource.

Second Ice Upgrade: The Singing Ice

For the final base-game pickaxe upgrade that allows you to break the large ice formations:

Build your friendship with Elsa to level 6
Accept her quest “The Singing Ice”
Craft an Icy Bouquet using specific flowers:
- 1 White Daisy (from Peaceful Meadow)
- 1 Red Falling Penstemon (from the Plaza)
- 1 Pink Bromeliad (from Sunlit Plateau)
Give the Icy Bouquet to Elsa
Collect additional materials for the Cold of Winter Potion

Crafting the Cold of Winter Potion

This powerful potion requires:

Ingredient	Quantity	Where to Find
Icy Bouquet	1	Received from Elsa after giving her the flowers
Vial of Freezing Water	1	Collect from a sparkling spot near the river in Frosted Heights
Snowball	3	Dig up in Frosted Heights or break small ice blocks

After crafting the Cold of Winter Potion:

Return to Elsa with the completed potion
She will apply it to your pickaxe, granting the final upgrade
With this, you can now break the large ice formations in the Frosted Heights and the Ice Cavern

This final upgrade will allow you to access the second area of the Frosted Heights and complete the remainder of Elsa’s questline.

Expansion Upgrades: A Rift in Time and The Storybook Vale

If you have the A Rift in Time expansion or The Storybook Vale expansion, there are additional pickaxe upgrades available:

A Rift in Time Upgrades

Small Copper Rock Removal: Complete Jafar’s quest “The Secrets of Eternity Isle” to break small copper rocks on Eternity Isle.
Small Glass Stalagmite Removal: Progress through Jafar’s questline until you unlock Merlin’s quest “Village Project: Timeless Trash” to break small glass stalagmites in the Glittering Dunes.

The Storybook Vale Upgrades

Petrified Wood Removal: Complete the introductory quest “Welcome to the Storybook Vale” to break petrified wood in The Bind.
Hunk of Marble Removal: Complete Hades’ friendship quest “Mythic Restoration” to break marble chunks.

Tips for Royal Pickaxe Upgrade Efficiency

To make your journey to upgrade your Royal Pickaxe smoother, here are some helpful tips:

Resource Gathering Tips

Character Bonuses: Mine with a companion who has the Mining role to increase your yield of minerals and gems.
Energy Management: Eat meals that restore energy or increase your maximum energy before mining expeditions.
Focus on Unlocking Biomes: Prioritize upgrading your pickaxe to unlock new biomes, as they provide new resources and quests.

Quest Preparation Tips

Friendship Building: Continue daily interactions with Maui and Elsa even while working on other aspects of the game to build friendship levels needed for upgrade quests.
Material Stockpiling: Start collecting common crafting materials like Sunflowers and Sugarcane early to have them ready when needed for potion crafting.
Plan Your Dreamlight Spending: Save Dreamlight for unlocking the Frozen and Moana realms as early as possible if upgrading your pickaxe is a priority.

Common Obstacles and Their Requirements

The following table shows all obstacles that require pickaxe upgrades to remove, the biomes they appear in, and the upgrade needed:

Obstacle	Biome Location	Required Upgrade	Rewards When Broken
Small Sea Debris	Dazzle Beach	First Maui Upgrade	Sand
Large Sea Debris	Dazzle Beach	Second Maui Upgrade (Level 4)	Sand
Small Ice Blocks	Forest of Valor, Frosted Heights	First Elsa Upgrade (Breaking the Ice)	Snow
Large Ice Blocks	Frosted Heights, Ice Cavern	Second Elsa Upgrade (The Singing Ice)	Snow
Small Copper Rocks	Eternity Isle	Jafar’s “The Secrets of Eternity Isle”	Copper Ingot
Small Glass Stalagmites	Glittering Dunes	Merlin’s “Village Project: Timeless Trash”	Glass Shards
Petrified Wood	The Bind	“Welcome to the Storybook Vale”	Enchanted Wood
Hunks of Marble	Various Storybook Locations	Hades’ “Mythic Restoration”	Marble

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Upgrade Axe Dreamlight Valley

Why can’t I break the coral on Dazzle Beach?

If you can’t break the coral on Dazzle Beach, you haven’t yet completed Moana’s realm and received the necessary pickaxe upgrade from Maui. Complete “The Great Maui” quest to receive the first upgrade, and “A Tale of Stone and Fire” quest to receive the second upgrade that allows you to break larger coral formations.

Where do I find the Vial of Ocean Water for the Warmth of Summer Potion?

The Vial of Ocean Water is a quest-specific item that can be found as a sparkling spot along the shore of Dazzle Beach. Look for it between Ursula’s Cave and Goofy’s Stall, walking along the shoreline. You’ll only need to collect this item once during the “Breaking the Ice” quest.

I’ve completed Elsa’s “Breaking the Ice” quest, but she won’t talk to me to progress. What should I do?

Some players have experienced a bug where Elsa doesn’t recognize that the ice has been cleared from her cave. Try these potential solutions:

Make sure the quest is your active tracked quest
Ensure no other characters are following you
Exit and restart the game
If the issue persists, report it via the in-game feedback tool, as it may require a patch fix

Do I need to complete Remy’s realm before Moana’s to upgrade my pickaxe?

No, you don’t need to complete Remy’s realm first, but it is recommended as Remy’s realm is simpler and introduces you to the realm mechanics. You can go directly to Moana’s realm if upgrading your pickaxe is your priority, but you’ll need 3,000 Dreamlight to unlock it.

What’s the fastest way to get to level 6 friendship with Elsa for the final pickaxe upgrade?

To quickly build friendship with Elsa:

Talk to her daily
Give her favorite gifts (Diamonds, Flowers, or Pickled Herring)
Hang out with her while performing activities like mining or gardening
Complete her easier daily Dreamlight Duties
Cook and gift her favorite meals, including her 5-star favorite, Arendellian Pickled Herring

Conclusion

Upgrading your Royal Pickaxe (axe) in Disney Dreamlight Valley is a crucial step in exploring the full breadth of this magical world. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be breaking through sea debris and ice formations in no time, unlocking new areas, and discovering hidden treasures throughout the valley.

Remember that the upgrade process is tied to character friendship quests, so building relationships with Maui and Elsa should be a priority if you want to access all areas of the valley quickly. Each upgrade not only allows you to break through specific obstacles but also rewards you with valuable resources like sand and snow that are essential for various crafting recipes.

Whether you’re a new resident of Dreamlight Valley or an experienced player looking to optimize your tool upgrades, this guide provides everything you need to know about how to upgrade axe Dreamlight Valley and make the most of your adventures in this enchanting Disney world.

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How to upgrade axe in Dreamlight Valley?