Revision 11

Overview

The Dowsing Machine is one of the most important tools in Pokemon Pokopia, used to locate buried items hidden beneath the surface throughout all five regions. It requires a Pokemon with the Search specialty to operate. When activated, the Dowsing Machine emits an audio signal that grows faster and louder as you approach buried treasure, helping you track down fossils, Lost Relics, CDs, Mysterious Slates, and other rare items. There are two versions of the tool: the standard Dowsing Machine obtained early in the game, and the Neo Dowsing Machine, an upgraded version awarded for completing the Pokedex.

How to Obtain the Dowsing Machine

The standard Dowsing Machine is obtained by completing Hitmonchan's "Check What's Up There" request in the Withered Wasteland. To unlock Hitmonchan, build the Exercise Resting Spot habitat using 1 Punching Bag and 1 Seat. After completing Hitmonchan's request, a glowing Poke Ball appears on the ground nearby. Press A to pick it up and the Dowsing Machine is added to your inventory. This is available relatively early in the game, making it one of the first key tools players can acquire.

How to Use the Dowsing Machine

1. Get a Search-specialty Pokemon: You need a Pokemon with the Search specialty following you as your companion. Early options include Pidgey (available in the Withered Wasteland via the Elevated Tall Grass habitat) and Drilbur (also in the Withered Wasteland).

2. Equip the Dowsing Machine: Open your inventory and select the Dowsing Machine to equip it as your active tool.

3. Press and hold A: While the Dowsing Machine is equipped and a Search Pokemon is following you, press and hold A to activate the scanning mode. You will hear a beeping noise begin.

4. Follow the signal: The beeping gets faster and louder as you approach a buried item. Your follower Pokemon also gives directional hints such as "below here," "above here," and "getting warmer" to help you triangulate the spot.

5. Dig it up: When you locate the Buried Treasure block (recognizable by its golden light glow), use Rock Smash to break it open and collect the item inside.

What You Can Find

The Dowsing Machine can detect a wide range of buried items across all five regions. The items available depend on which region you are searching in:

Search-Specialty Pokemon

There are 29 Pokemon in Pokopia with the Search specialty. Any of them can activate the Dowsing Machine when following you as a companion. Here is the complete list:

For the best early-game experience, Pidgey is the easiest Search Pokemon to obtain since it only requires the Elevated Tall Grass habitat (1 Tall Grass + 1 Elevated Platform). Stoutland is a popular mid-game choice due to its durability and the fact that it can also serve as a mount.

Neo Dowsing Machine

The Neo Dowsing Machine is the upgraded version of the standard Dowsing Machine. It is awarded as a recipe upon completing all 300 entries in the Pokedex. Unlike the standard version which is picked up as a finished item, the Neo Dowsing Machine is a craftable recipe that must be built at a workbench.

The Neo Dowsing Machine has a wider detection radius and clearer directional feedback, making it easier to pinpoint buried items without as much back-and-forth walking. It still requires a Search-specialty Pokemon to function. The Neo Dowsing Machine is used in Sparkling Skylands to access the developer room: on the northwestern island in Sparkling Skylands, there is a scanner that requires a completed Pokedex. Using the Neo Dowsing Machine near this scanner reveals a hidden entrance to the developer room, which contains a printer that produces a diploma certifying your Pokedex completion.

Developer Room

The developer room is a secret area in Sparkling Skylands accessible only after obtaining the Neo Dowsing Machine. To find it:

1. Complete all 300 Pokedex entries to receive the Neo Dowsing Machine recipe.

2. Craft the Neo Dowsing Machine at a workbench.

3. Travel to the northwestern island in Sparkling Skylands.

4. Locate the scanner device on the island and interact with it while holding the Neo Dowsing Machine.

5. The scanner reads your completed Pokedex and opens the hidden entrance to the developer room.

Inside the developer room, you can find a printer that produces a diploma commemorating your Pokedex completion. The room also contains messages from the development team at Game Freak and some Easter eggs referencing the original Pokemon games. This is a purely cosmetic reward with no gameplay impact, but it serves as the ultimate achievement for completionists.

Tips

• Buried Treasure blocks respawn daily after the 5:00 AM reset. Visit fossil-rich areas once per day for consistent progress toward completing the Museum.

• The Dowsing Machine works in all regions, including Dream Islands. Bring a Search Pokemon to Dream Islands for extra finds like Stardust and rare materials.

• Some buried spots contain Lost Relics that need Water Gun before Rock Smash. Spraying the block with Water Gun first prevents the relic from cracking during extraction.

• The audio signal is the primary indicator. Turn up your volume or use headphones for the best treasure-hunting experience.

• In areas with dense buried items (like the fossil fields in Rocky Ridges), walk in a systematic grid pattern to avoid missing spots.

• If your Search Pokemon has high friendship, it will give more specific directional hints like "right here!" when you are very close to a buried item.

• The Neo Dowsing Machine's extended range makes it significantly faster to sweep large areas. Prioritize completing the Pokedex to unlock it if you are still hunting for the last few fossils or slates.