🥽 Pans & Equipment Guide
Master the equipment system in Prospecting! Learn about pan types, upgrade paths, stat optimization, and find the perfect equipment setup for your mining strategy.
⚙️ Equipment System Overview
In Prospecting!, your equipment is the foundation of your success. Each pan has unique stats that affect your mining efficiency, rare find rates, and overall profitability. Understanding the equipment system is crucial for progression.
📊 Core Stats Explained
- Speed: How quickly you prospect each spot (higher = faster mining)
- Luck: Increases chance of finding rare and valuable minerals
- Durability: How long your pan lasts before breaking (higher = longer use)
- Capacity: How many minerals you can carry before needing to sell
- Enchantment Slots: Number of enchantments you can apply
💡 Pro Tip
Balance is key! A pan with high luck but low speed might find rare minerals slowly, while high speed with low luck finds common minerals quickly. Choose based on your mining strategy.
🏆 Pan Tiers & Types
Pans are categorized into seven tiers, each offering progressively better stats and more enchantment slots:
🪨 Wooden Pan
Your starter pan. Basic stats across the board, but perfect for learning the fundamentals of prospecting.
🥉 Bronze Pan
First major upgrade. Noticeably faster mining with improved luck. Great for Mountain Peaks exploration.
🥈 Silver Pan
Solid mid-tier pan with balanced stats. Perfect for Crystal Caves and the first pan with 2 enchantment slots.
🥇 Gold Pan
High-tier pan suitable for Desert Oasis. Excellent all-around stats with 3 enchantment slots for customization.
🏅 Platinum Pan
Premium pan for Volcanic Ridge mining. Exceptional stats across the board with 4 enchantment slots.
💎 Diamond Pan
Near-perfect pan for Frozen Tundra exploration. Incredible stats with 4 enchantment slots and special abilities.
⭐ Mythical Pan
The ultimate pan. Perfect stats, 5 enchantment slots, and unique abilities. Required for Ancient Ruins exploration.
🚀 Recommended Upgrade Path
Follow this optimized progression path to maximize your efficiency and minimize wasted resources:
Wooden → Bronze
First priority upgrade. Doubles your mining efficiency for a small investment.
Bronze → Silver
Wait until level 15. Save up for this significant stat boost and enchantment slots.
Skip to Gold
Consider skipping silver if you can save up quickly. Gold offers much better value.
Gold Long-term
Use Gold pan for extended periods. Focus on enchantments and area progression.
End-game Tiers
Platinum+ are end-game investments. Only upgrade when you have excess wealth.
💰 Budget Management
Don't upgrade too quickly! It's better to have a lower-tier pan with good enchantments than a high-tier pan with no enchantments.
📊 Complete Pan Comparison
Detailed comparison of all pan tiers to help you make informed upgrade decisions:
| Pan | Cost | Speed | Luck | Durability | Capacity | Enchant Slots | Value Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden | Free | 1 | Learning | |||||
| Bronze | 500 | 1 | Early Game | |||||
| Silver | 2,500 | 2 | Mid Game | |||||
| Gold | 15,000 | 3 | Late Game | |||||
| Platinum | 75,000 | 4 | High-Tier Areas | |||||
| Diamond | 300,000 | 4 | Elite Areas | |||||
| Mythical | 1,000,000 | 5 | Ancient Ruins |
🧮 Pan Comparison Calculator
Compare any two pans to see the difference in performance and determine if an upgrade is worth it:
Select Pans to Compare
📊 Comparison Results
Current Pan
Upgrade Target
🎯 Equipment Optimization Strategies
🎮 Playstyle-Based Optimization
⚡ Speed Farmer Build
Priority: Speed > Capacity > Durability > Luck
Best Pans: Bronze, Silver, Gold
Strategy: Focus on volume over rarity. Great for common mineral farming and quick coin generation.
🍀 Lucky Hunter Build
Priority: Luck > Speed > Durability > Capacity
Best Pans: Gold, Platinum, Diamond
Strategy: Maximize rare finds. Combine with Fortune enchantments for best results.
🔋 Endurance Build
Priority: Durability > Capacity > Speed > Luck
Best Pans: Silver, Gold, Platinum
Strategy: Perfect for long mining sessions. Minimize downtime and repair costs.
💰 Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
- Bronze Pan (500 coins): Best value upgrade. 75% efficiency increase for minimal cost
- Silver Pan (2,500 coins): Good value with enchantment slots. Pays for itself in ~2 hours
- Gold Pan (15,000 coins): Excellent long-term investment. Strong all-around stats
- Platinum+ (75,000+ coins): Luxury upgrades. Only worth it for dedicated players
🎯 Situational Recommendations
- New Players: Rush to Bronze Pan immediately, then save for Gold
- Casual Players: Gold Pan is the sweet spot for cost vs. performance
- Serious Players: Platinum Pan for high-tier areas and efficiency
- Completionists: Eventually work toward Mythical for Ancient Ruins access
❌ Common Equipment Mistakes
- Upgrading Too Often: Don't upgrade every tier. Skip tiers when possible to save money
- Ignoring Enchantments: A lower-tier pan with good enchantments beats a higher-tier unenchanted pan
- Wrong Priority Stats: Match your pan choice to your mining strategy and preferred areas
- Not Planning Ahead: Save up for significant upgrades rather than making incremental ones
- Impulse Buying: Calculate the payback time before upgrading expensive pans
- Neglecting Durability: High repair costs can negate the benefits of expensive pans
💸 Expensive Mistake
Never buy a Diamond or Mythical pan unless you're already making 50,000+ coins per hour. The payback time is too long otherwise!