Pokémon Sword and Shield Expansion Pass: Digging Pa and the secret to tons of Watts

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa
Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa (Image credit: iMore)

Pokémon Sword and Shield introduced the Digging Duo, a pair of NPCs who dig up treasure for you in exchange for Watts. Now that the DLC Expansion Pass: Isle of Armor is here, two more digging NPCs have been introduced: Digging Pa and Digging Ma. Digging Ma can help you get more Armorite Ore, but Digging Pa is the real MVP.

Who is Digging Pa?

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa (Image credit: iMore)

The father of the Digging Duo and Digging Ma's partner, Digging Pa is another NPC who will dig for you in the Galar region of Pokémon Sword and Shield. While the Digging Duo will dig up items, including the fossils needed to make Dracozolt, Arctozolt, Dracovish, and Arctovish, and Digging Ma will dig up Armorite, Digging Pa will dig up Watts. Digging Pa operates more like his sons than Digging Ma, in that he will dig until he is tired and whatever he digs up is yours to keep. However, like Digging Ma, you need Armorite Ore to get him to dig for you.

How do you get Watts from Digging Pa?

Getting lots of Watts from Digging Pa is super easy and the first time is free. Subsequent digs cost seven Armorite Ore each - which you can easily earn participating in Max Raid Battles, exploring the Isle of Armor, or having Digging Ma dig for you. Once you have enough Armorite Ore, just follow these easy steps:

  1. Go to the entrance of the Warm Up Tunnel in the Training Lowlands.
  2. Press A to interact with Digging Pa.

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa Steps (Image credit: iMore)
  1. Press A to select "Dig me up some Watts".

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa Steps (Image credit: iMore)
  1. Press A to select "Yes" to save your progress.

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa Steps (Image credit: iMore)
  1. Digging Pa will ask you if he should continue after each dig. Unlike with Digging Ma, there is no benefit to stopping early so continue to press A to select "Yes" until Digging Pa gets tired.

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa Steps (Image credit: iMore)
  1. Once Digging Pa is tired, collect your Watts.

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa Steps (Image credit: iMore)
  1. Repeat until you have as many Watts as your need or you've run out of Armorite Ore.

Even after he is tired out, Digging Pa will continue digging as long as you keep supplying him with Armorite Ore, so you can easily afford those expensive Dojo upgrades, not to mention tons of Wishing Pieces for all the new Max Raid Battle Dens.

How many Watts will you get?

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa Steps (Image credit: iMore)

The total amount that Digging Pa digs up seems to be random. For each spot he digs up, he will find between 800 and 8,000 Watts, and he will sometimes enter a digging frenzy where he will rapidly dig spots of 5,000 Watts each several times. Most of the times I've had Digging Pa dig for me, he's given me between 25,000 and 35,000 Watts, however, when he does enter his digging frenzy, I've earned as many as 537,300 Watts. Other players have reported well over a million Watts in one go.

Pokemon Sword Shield Isle Armor Digging Pa (Image credit: iMore)

Questions?

Do you have any questions about Digging Pa? What's your record for most Watts in one go? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out our Complete Pokédex, as well as our many Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield guides so you can be the very best like no one ever was!

Casian Holly

Casian Holly has been writing about gaming at iMore since 2019, but their real passion is Pokémon. From the games to the anime, cards and toys, they eat, sleep, and breathe all things Pokémon. You can check out their many Pokémon Go and Pokémon Sword and Shield guides and coverage here on iMore.