You're running low on tin. Or copper. Maybe you just spent three hours swinging a pickaxe and realized you’d rather be doing literally anything else in the Stardust-polluted wasteland of Nalcott. That’s usually when players start obsessing over the Once Human Digby Boy. He’s not just a cute little robot with a construction hat; he is arguably the most important early-game Deviant you can snag if you want to automate the boring stuff.
Mining is a chore. We all know it. But Digby Boy loves it.
He’s a Territory Deviant, which means he lives in your base, hangs out in an Independent Securement Unit, and waits for his mood to strike so he can go outside and hit rocks for you. If you’ve played other survival games, you know that automation is the difference between "I'm having fun" and "this is a second job." Digby Boy is your first real employee.
Where to Find Your First Once Human Digby Boy
Finding him is weirdly simple but also involves a bit of luck. You don’t find him in a chest or as a quest reward from a random NPC. You literally have to mine him out of the earth.
Specifically, you’re looking for Silver or Copper ore nodes.
Most players stumble upon their first Digby Boy while clearing out the starting areas around Deadsville. When you shatter a node, there’s a low-percentage chance—it’s not guaranteed, so don't get frustrated—that a red, glowing light will pop out. That’s your guy. You’ll see him floating there, looking slightly confused, and you just have to interact with him to "secure" him.
The Best Farming Spots
Don't just wander aimlessly. If you really want to force a Digby Boy spawn, head to the Dayton Wetlands. The concentration of Copper nodes there is high enough that you can do a lap, break twenty rocks, and usually see one pop up.
Some players swear by the hills just west of the Monolith of Greed. There’s a decent cluster of Silver there. Silver nodes seem to have a slightly higher "vibe" for dropping Digby, though that might just be player superstition. Honestly? Just hit every rock you see while you're traveling between quests. It’ll happen.
Why Digby Boy is Better Than a Pickaxe
Once you’ve got him back at base and tucked into his glass box, he starts working. But he doesn't just grab "ore." He grabs the specific stuff you need for the tier of area your base is located in.
He’s smart. Sorta.
He operates based on Deviant Power and Mood. If his power is high, he flies out, finds a nearby node, and starts hacking away. The best part? He brings back the materials directly to his Securement Unit. You just walk up, open the inventory, and take your loot.
- He gathers Copper and Tin in the early zones.
- He can occasionally snag Iron if you’re positioned correctly.
- He saves you hundreds of points of Durability on your own tools.
Think about the math. Every swing he takes is a swing you didn't have to take. In a game like Once Human, where your gear breaks and needs constant repair, having a little guy who doesn't care about tool durability is a godsend. It’s pure efficiency.
Keeping Your Digby Boy Happy (The Securement Setup)
If you leave him in a dark corner, he’s going to slack off. Deviants in Once Human are picky. Digby Boy has specific "environmental preferences" that dictate how fast he recovers his energy.
If you want him working 24/7, you need to cater to his needs.
First, Green Light. He loves it. Stick a wall lamp near his unit and change the color to green. It sounds trivial, but it boosts his mood recovery significantly. Second, he likes Music. Specifically, he likes the radio. Putting a radio nearby and letting it play those weird post-apocalyptic tunes keeps him in the mining spirit.
Third, and this is the one people forget: Electricity.
Once you move past the very first stage of the game and get a Copper Wire setup going, hook his Securement Unit up to power. It increases the rate at which he regenerates Deviant Power. A powered-up, happy Digby Boy can clear out the surrounding nodes twice as fast as a depressed one sitting in the dark.
The "Higher Level" Digby Mystery
Not all Digby Boys are created equal. When you catch one, pay attention to his Level and Activity Rating.
A Level 1 Digby is fine. He’s a starter. But as you progress into higher-level zones like Iron River or Red Sands, keep mining. You can find Level 3 or Level 5 versions. These high-tier variants have more "stamina" and can carry more ore per trip. If you find a better one, don't be sentimental. Replace the old one. Or better yet, build a second Securement Unit.
✨ Don't miss: Why Your One Piece Connections Game Strategy Is Probably Failing You
There is no rule saying you can’t have a literal army of these guys. Imagine four or five Digby Boys all flying out at once. Your base will basically become a self-sustaining resource factory.
Common Misconceptions About Once Human Digby Boy
I see this a lot in the world chat: "My Digby Boy isn't moving!"
Usually, it’s one of two things. Either your base is in a spot where there are no ore nodes within his "search radius," or his Securement Unit is blocked. He needs a clear path to fly out. If you’ve tucked him into a tiny basement with no windows or doors, he might bug out. Give the little guy some space.
Also, he doesn't mine Sulfur.
Don’t expect him to help you with your gunpowder farm. He’s a metal guy. He wants Copper, Tin, Iron, and the occasional Silver. If you want Sulfur, you’re still doing that the old-fashioned way, or looking for a different Deviant entirely.
Advanced Strategies for Automation
If you’re serious about using the Once Human Digby Boy to skip the grind, you need to think about base placement.
A lot of people build their base near water for the irrigation, which is smart. But if you want to maximize your mining, look for "transition zones." These are spots on the map where two biomes meet. Often, you’ll find Copper nodes on one side of a hill and Tin on the other. If you plant your base right in the middle, your Digby Boy will bring back a variety of materials instead of just 500 stacks of Copper you don't need anymore.
The Mood Swing Problem
Sometimes, he just stops. You’ll look at the UI and see his mood is at 0. This happens if you’re pushing him too hard without the proper environmental buffs.
Check your:
- Temperature: Is it too hot? He likes it cool.
- Noise: Paradoxically, while he likes music, he hates the "noise" of too many industrial machines too close to his box.
- Light: Again, if it's pitch black, he’s not going to work.
Honestly, just give him a radio and a green light. That fixes 90% of the issues.
Actionable Steps to Optimize Your Mining
To get the most out of your Digby Boy starting today, follow this workflow. It’s what the top-tier players are doing to ensure they never have to touch a Copper node again.
- Farm the Wetlands: Spend 15 minutes hitting every Copper node you see near the starting area until you have at least two Digby Boys. Having a backup is huge for when one is resting.
- Build the "Mining Hub": Create a dedicated room in your base for Deviant units. Keep it clean, well-lit with green lamps, and ensure a radio is playing constantly.
- Sync with Power: As soon as you unlock the basic generator, prioritize hooking up the Securement Units. The 10W or 20W of power they draw is worth the 50% increase in work speed.
- Upgrade Frequently: Every time you enter a new region (like moving from Dayton Wetlands to Broken Delta), spend some time mining the local nodes. The "local" Digby Boys that spawn there often have better traits or higher base stats than the ones from the "noob" zones.
- Check the Log: Periodically check the Securement Unit's internal storage. If it fills up, he stops working. It doesn't automatically go into your large crates unless you have very specific end-game territory buffs.
Digby Boy is essentially your entry-point into the automation meta of Once Human. He’s reliable, he’s relatively easy to find, and he scales surprisingly well if you take care of him. Stop wasting your stamina on rocks. Let the little robot do it while you're out hunting Great Ones or clearing Silos.