you are forced to waste pickaxes on the completed tiles
You aren't required to use your daily tools from muster. Once pickaxes stop being worth using on the current plot (when the ratio goes above five to one on tiles you don't want to tiles you want), stop using them. Save them for the next digsite.
At first I was mad, too, at how little control the plot resetting gives, but I understand now and appreciate a bit how it gives a long-term resource strategy game to reward those patient enough to NOT use magnifying glasses on a brand new digsite (pickaxes are better on new digsites when you'd be happy to uncover any tile) and accumulate them for when plots start being cleared and pickaxes stop being worth it. Then, once a new digsite is added (probably going to be a new one every several months/year judging by how often Baldwin content updates get added), you can go ham with your hoarded pickaxes. If you're patient, you'll come out ahead of players who use all of their tools up immediately.
Re: Arlo's Ancient Artifacts
You aren't required to use your daily tools from muster. Once pickaxes stop being worth using on the current plot (when the ratio goes above five to one on tiles you don't want to tiles you want), stop using them. Save them for the next digsite.
At first I was mad, too, at how little control the plot resetting gives, but I understand now and appreciate a bit how it gives a long-term resource strategy game to reward those patient enough to NOT use magnifying glasses on a brand new digsite (pickaxes are better on new digsites when you'd be happy to uncover any tile) and accumulate them for when plots start being cleared and pickaxes stop being worth it. Then, once a new digsite is added (probably going to be a new one every several months/year judging by how often Baldwin content updates get added), you can go ham with your hoarded pickaxes. If you're patient, you'll come out ahead of players who use all of their tools up immediately.