Should I Save Scallops in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?

The short answer is no – you should not save scallops in ACNH. While trading scallops with Pascal can earn you rare mermaid items, he will only accept one per day. With their high regular spawn rates, you can easily find scallops daily without needing to stockpile them. Instead, sell extra scallops for profits!

However, learning how to maximize your daily scallop trades with Pascal will give you the best chance at mermaid gear, so read on for an expert guide.

Why You Should Not Save Excess Scallops

Let‘s take a closer look at why saving scallops is unnecessary:

• Pascal only takes one a day – He won‘t accept multiple scallops in a single trade. Hoarding them does nothing.

• Spawn rates are generous – Scallops frequently spawn all day, year-round. With some effort, you can find at least one daily.

• Rewards are randomized – Pascal‘s gifts of pearls, DIYs, and clothing are randomly determined. Saving scallops does not let you pick rewards.

• You still need pearls for DIYs – Getting more DIY recipes without pearls to craft them is pointless. Better to earn Bells selling extras.

The table below summarizes why scallop saving is ill-advised:

With this in mind, you‘re better off selling extra scallops for 1,200 bells each at Nook‘s Cranny. The income will aid you in buying other items for your island.

Maximizing Your Daily Scallop Trades

Simply because you shouldn‘t save scallops doesn‘t mean you should ignore them! Trading your daily scallop finds with Pascal is very lucrative.

Follow these tips from a veteran player to maximize your daily scallop trades:

• Check your beach for washed-up scallops – Storms and nighttime tides can deposit them onshore, saving you diving time.

• Swim early – Scallop spawn rates peak from 6:00am to 12:00pm. Prioritize morning dives.

• Use fish bait – Craft and use fish bait to spawn sea creatures faster while diving.

• Equip a Wetsuit – Wetsuits let you swim and dive for longer without breaks. Check Nook‘s Cranny for stock.

• Don‘t scare Pascal – Once he appears, stay close so he doesn‘t vanish before trading with you.

• Build pearls first – Stock up on at least 5-10 pearls before redeeming too many DIYs from Pascal.

• Buy pearls on HHP island – Check the Paradise Planning café each day for spare pearls for sale.

As you can see, a little preparation goes a long way. You‘ll be able to summon Pascal and collect his rewards consistently without needing to hoard scallops.

Where and When Do Scallops Spawn?

To find scallops easily every day, it helps to understand exactly where and when they spawn on your island:

• Locations:
  • Ocean waters around your entire island
  • Very occasionally washed up on beach after storms
• Months Available:
  • Year-round, January through December
• Time of Day:
  • All day
  • Peak spawn rates from 6:00am to 12:00pm
• Shadow Size:
  • Small
• Speed:
  • Stationary
• Spawn Rates Per Hour (Northern Hemisphere):
  • 6am: 25%
  • 9am: 35%
  • 12pm: 30%
  • 3pm: 25%
  • 6pm: 20%
  • 9pm: 15%

As you can see, swimming and diving in the mornings from 6am to 12pm will yield the most scallop spawns. But you can find them all day long if needed.

With spawn rates ranging from 15% to 35% per hour, collecting at least one scallop daily is very achievable if you spend 30-60 minutes sea diving around your island.

Pascal‘s Reward Items and Rates

Trading scallops with Pascal nets you three types of rare, mermaid-themed rewards. But which rewards are most common?

Here is the approximate breakdown of Pascal‘s reward rates:

• Pearls – 70% chance
• Mermaid DIY Recipes – 25% chance
• Mermaid Clothing – 5% chance

As you can see, the majority of the time Pascal will reward you with pearls, which are very valuable crafting materials.

There are 14 total mermaid DIY recipes and 22 pieces of mermaid clothing he can offer. Due to the lower rates for these items, it takes longer to acquire all the recipes and clothing from Pascal.

Be sure to redeem at least 10-20 pearls from Pascal before collecting too many clothing pieces or recipes. This gives you the materials needed to actually craft your newly acquired mermaid furniture!

Should You Keep Extra Mermaid Furniture?

When you eventually learn all 14 mermaid DIY recipes from Pascal, is it worth keeping extras of the furniture pieces themselves?

Here is my advice:

• Keep 1-2 of each – Having an example on hand lets you order more later from Nook Shopping if desired.

• Sell duplicates – You can‘t reorder mermaid furniture from Nook Shopping without having previously bought it. Fetch high prices from other players by selling extras on online trading forums once you craft spares.

• Display rarest pieces – Show off rare finds like the mermaid bed, chair, and sofa inside your home.

As long as you catalog the full mermaid furniture set by buying them all at least once, you can let go of duplicate crafted pieces to earn Bells from selling or trading online. Keep your daily crafting focused on items you don‘t own yet.

Creative Ways To Use Mermaid Furniture

Once you unlock the full range of mermaid goodies from Pascal, get creative with how you use them on your island!

Here are some of my favorite mermaid furniture ideas:

• Build an underwater-themed home interior combining mermaid pieces with shell furniture and ocean flooring.

• Construct an enchanting hidden grotto using mermaid furniture and pearls as decoration.

• Design a mermaid costume room with all the dresses, shoes, and tiaras on display.

• Place the mermaid screen and sofa together to create a relaxing spa area.

• Use the chairs and tables to decorate an underwater café.

• Combine pieces like the lamp, stool, shelf, and bed for a cohesive bedroom set.

With 14 unique items to work with, you can design some truly magical spaces. Trading scallops with Pascal is the only way to unlock this beautiful furniture, so be sure to take advantage of it!

What To Do With Extra Pearls

Thanks to Pascal, you may end up with spare pearls even after crafting all the mermaid furniture available. Here are some smart ways to use your surplus pearls:

• Sell for 10,000 Bells each – Pearls have high value at Nook‘s Cranny. Cash in extras for profits.

• Use as fancy yard decor – Place spare pearls along garden paths or next to furniture for an expensive look.

• Craft mermaid fence DIYs – Learn fence recipes from Nook Stop kiosk and make dazzling fences from extra pearls.

• Trade online – Pearls are highly coveted by other players. Trade online forums offer rare items.

• Save for future updates – Nintendo may add more pearl-themed furniture in future patches. Stockpiling ensures you‘re prepared.

No matter what you choose, always keep at least 5 spare pearls before selling off your overflow. Having a buffer in case new recipes appear requiring pearls is smart future-proofing!

In Conclusion

Trading scallops with Pascal is the highlight of summertime sea diving in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. His mermaid rewards lend a touch of magic to your island.

While the allure of Pascal makes scallop hoarding tempting, it is ultimately unnecessary. Sell extras for Bells, and use my spawn location tips to easily obtain a new scallop each day for trading. With smart planning, you can acquire all of Pascal‘s gifts without storage stress!

I hope this detailed guide helps you make the most of your scallop trades. Let me know if you have any other scallop tips for your fellow New Horizons players!