If you are just starting out in Shells or you are trying to figure out what tools are actually worth grinding for, this guide is going to help a lot. There are so many different Tide Claws and progression paths in the game that it can get confusing pretty quickly, especially for beginners.
So in this guide, I’m going over everything from working codes, beginner progression, best Tide Claws, Sun Shard farming, important locations, and some really useful tips that will help you progress much faster.
Redeem Codes First
If you are brand new to Shells, the very first thing you should do is go into Settings and redeem codes.
Keep in mind that you need to be at least Level 10 before you can redeem them, and you also need to be inside the game’s group.
One of the working codes right now is:
- lotusblossom
There were older codes as well like the feelingnice1kpulls code, but the currently working one mentioned is lotusblossom.
Codes help a lot early on because they give you useful consumables and boosts that make progression much easier for beginners.
Starter Island Progression
At Starter Island, there are multiple different tools you can buy, but the main one you should focus on getting early is the Gold Sifter.
That is basically your first important progression goal because it is much stronger than the weaker beginner tools.
Once you have worked your way up and earned enough Shellings, there is another important tool located at the back of the island.
Haunted Tide Claw Location
At the back of Starter Island, you will find a Ghost NPC.
This is where you can buy the Haunted Tide Claw.
It costs a lot, so you will need to save up for it, but it is one of the important progression tools before entering late game.
Even though it is not the best Tide Claw in the game, it is still a major upgrade during progression.
Save Your Trait Rerolls
This is something a lot of players mess up early.
Do not waste all your Trait Rerolls on weaker tools you are going to replace later.
You should only use Trait Rerolls on tools that you actually plan on keeping long term. Otherwise, you are just wasting resources.
Crescent Shore Progression
After Starter Island, the next island you should grind at is Crescent Shore.
This is the second major progression island and it has multiple Tide Claws available.
The main one recommended here is the RGB Tide Claw.
If you are progressing properly through the game, this should be your next major farming location after Starter Island.
Unlock Waystones
Every island has a teleporter that you can interact with by holding E.
This unlocks a Waystone.
Waystones are extremely important because they allow you to teleport between islands quickly instead of manually traveling every time.
Always unlock them whenever you arrive at a new island.
Sea Stack Island Secret Area
After Crescent Shore, the next important island is Sea Stack Island.
There are multiple Tide Claws here, including some hidden ones inside a secret area.
Inside the secret location, you can get:
- Frosted Tide Claw
- Crystal Tide Claw
A lot of players completely miss this area, so it is definitely worth checking out.
The Frosted Tide Claw is especially useful before moving toward the Haunted Tide Claw progression.
Best Tide Claw in Shells
The strongest Tide Claw currently in the game is the Brine Blossom.
You can get it at Soulmer Island.
Brine Blossom Stats
- 360 Luck
- 360 Collection Speed
- 360 Mutation Amplifier
- 560 Max Weight
The Brine Blossom costs 10 million Shellings, so it is definitely an endgame tool.
To unlock access to this area, you need to defeat Permisses.
How the Permisses Battle Works
In the battle against Permisses, you only have one minute to collect shells with a higher value than your opponent.
This can actually be pretty difficult if your Tide Claw is weak.
That is why it is very important to get strong tools before attempting the challenge for Brine Blossom.
Solar Tide Claw Location
At Calder Key Island, there is a cave containing another extremely strong Tide Claw called the Solar Tide Claw.
Inside the cave, there is a maze you need to complete before reaching it.
The Solar Tide Claw is considered the second best Tide Claw in the game and is incredibly useful before obtaining Brine Blossom.
Solar Tide Claw Stats
- 260 Luck
- 320 Collection Speed
- 260 Mutation Amplifier
- 450 Max Weight
It costs 2.5 million Shellings.
How to Get Sun Shard
To buy the Solar Tide Claw, you also need a Sun Shard.
The Sun Shard drops from Cow Direct with a very low chance.
You can farm it on the same island, but be prepared because the drop rate is pretty rare.
Once you finally get the Sun Shard, you can use it to unlock the Solar Tide Claw.
Eclipse Event Explained
A lot of players ask what the Eclipse event actually does.
The Eclipse happens every 3 hours depending on when the server started.
During the Eclipse:
- Sun Shard drop luck is doubled
- Scorched Mutation chance increases
The Scorched Mutation gives a 1.7x multiplier, making it really useful for farming better shells during the event.
Best Mutation in Shells
The rarest and best mutation currently is the “?” mutation.
It only has around a 0.01% chance of appearing and gives a massive Shellings multiplier.
Getting this mutation is extremely rare, but it is one of the best possible outcomes in the game.
Upgrade Your Hermit Crab
If you want faster progression, upgrading your Hermit Crab is extremely important.
You can increase:
- Luck
- Speed
- Space
- Weight
You should also equip the best Conch possible because it boosts your Hermit Crab’s online bonuses.
A lot of players ignore this system early on, but it actually helps progression a ton.
Claim Your Hermit Crab Inventory
Inside your inventory menu, you can claim all the shells collected by your Hermit Crab.
A lot of people forget to do this, so make sure you check it regularly for extra Shellings and materials.
Complete Every Quest
Every island has multiple quests available.
If you want fast money and progression, you should complete quests at every single island while progressing through the game.
The quests help a lot with:
- Shellings
- Faster progression
- Unlocks
- General grinding efficiency
Skipping them honestly slows your progression down quite a bit.
Equip Charms and Consumables
Inside the equipment menu, you can equip Charms that give useful boosts.
Some charms increase shell size and other useful bonuses that help farming efficiency.
Consumables are also really important and many of them can be obtained through codes.
Using these boosts properly makes progression much faster overall.
That is basically the full progression path from beginner tools all the way to the best Tide Claws in Shells.
The main progression route is:
- Gold Sifter
- RGB Tide Claw
- Frosted Tide Claw
- Haunted Tide Claw
- Solar Tide Claw
- Brine Blossom
As long as you keep upgrading properly, completing quests, using Waystones, and saving your Trait Rerolls for late game tools, progression becomes way easier.
And if you are farming for Sun Shards, definitely try doing it during Eclipse events because the boosted luck helps a lot.