Stardew Valley, ConcernedApe’s retro-style farming simulator, is a game that doesn’t give players much guidance or instructions. Although a little confusing at first, this is rather fitting. As the new farmer in town, the player is tasked with getting their grandfather’s derelict farm back to its former glory.
As the game’s heartwarming narrative unfolds, players learn more about how to expand their farming endeavors with the support of a selection of helpful NPCs. This ultimately helps the small community of Pelican Town thrive, ousting the dreaded Morris and his Joja Mart from the countryside.
Players will start the game with a selection of standard tools, including a Pickaxe, Watering Can, and Hoe. Once farmers have explored The Mines, they’ll start obtaining important ores like Copper and Iron. Players can smelt these into bars and give them to the local blacksmith, Clint.
For a fee, Clint will upgrade players’ tools to improve their efficiency and strength. Players will probably want to upgrade their Hoe and Watering Can first, as this can improve the speed of farming tasks like laying out fields and daily watering. Without Clint, farmers would be stuck using subpar tools, wasting precious in-game hours.
9 Befriending The Wizard Brings Magic To The Farm
M. Rasmodius is an especially helpful character in Pelican Town. Completing the Community Center Bundles will trigger a series of quests involving the local Wizard, taking the farmer to new areas to meet novel characters. Not only is this particularly fun after grinding to complete the Community Center, but it also allows players to unlock new builds.
Once farmers have completed the “Goblin Problem” quest, they’ll be able to place warp Obelisks on their farm, a Gold Clock which prevents debris build-up and fence decay, and last but certainly not least, the Junimo Hut. This houses a troop of Junimos who will happily harvest nearby crops.
8 Robin Can Be Hired For A Reasonable Cost
The local carpenter Robin is one of the first characters players will meet when they move to Pelican Town. If players want farm animals, they’ll need to hire Robin to build everything from Silos, Barns, and Fish Ponds. Once hired, Robin will work tirelessly throughout the night until the build is finished.
Considering her work ethic, Robin’s prices are incredibly reasonable. Players will need to acquire the materials for builds, which often entails Wood and Stone predominately. However, if farmers are running short, Robin sells those materials for 10g and 20g respectively within the first in-game year.
7 Pierre’s Shop Stocks Everything A Farmer Could Ever Need
Most players will want to avoid supporting the Joja Corporation unless they’re trying out a Joja run of the game. Pierre’s General Store is the best alternative, despite having slightly higher prices. Pierre stocks a variety of seasonal seeds, fruit tree saplings, fertilizers, and cooking ingredients, and much more.
Here, gamers can find everything they need to kick-start their new farming career. Thankfully, Pierre’s General Store stays open every day apart from Wednesdays, allowing players to rush on into town whenever they need to make an all-important purchase.
6 The Dwarf Is Always Right Where You Need Them
Once players have upgraded their Pickaxe with Clint’s help, they can remove a boulder to the right of The Mines and gain access to a secret area. Alternatively, they can use any kind of bomb to gain access. Here, farmers will find a Dwarf, whose dialogue players can only understand once they’ve found all the Dwarvish Scrolls.
The Dwarf is one of the few Stardew Valley characters who doesn’t follow a schedule, meaning they’re always located to the right of The Mines, selling useful items for mining from their small shop. This includes bombs, Life Elixir, Oil of Garlic, and even some decorative items just for fun.
5 Sandy Sells New Seeds In The Desert
Most players meet Sandy a little later in their playthrough, after completing the Vault Bundle and repairing the rundown bus. From here on it runs a service to Calico Desert, where players will find a fishing pond, new mines, and a new shop called Oasis where Sandy works.
Here, players can buy new seeds for crops like Rhubarb and Cactus. However, the best money-maker is Starfruit, taking 13 days to grow in Summer and selling for 200g. The best way to get the most out of Starfruit, however, is to use a Keg to ferment them into wines, selling for a base price of 2,250g.
4 Emily Gifts The Player Their Very Own Sewing Machine
Not only is Emily one of the kindest townsfolk in Pelican Town, but she’s also rather helpful. If players complete her special order at the board just outside Mayor Lewis’s house, they’ll receive their very own Sewing Machine and 1000g. All players will need to do is provide Emily with Amethyst, Emerald, Topaz, Jade, and Ruby.
This is usually one of the easier special orders because players often have a stash of gems from their mining escapades. The Sewing Machine can make clothing. All players need is some Cloth, which can be made from Sheep and Rabbit’s Wool. They’ll also need objects that can become dyes, like Cranberries and Fire Quartz.
3 Players Should Give Gus All Their Eggs
Gus is the foodie owner of The Stardrop Saloon, providing the townsfolk and the player with an area to socialize and play games. His special order is relatively easy and brings a big payout. All players will need to do is provide Gus with 24 Eggs over 14 days.
With at least two Chickens, this is highly obtainable. Gus uses the Eggs to make his famous and delicious omelet. Given the sheer amount, it’s absolutely huge. Gus gives players 3,000g and gifts them a Mini-Fridge, which helps farmers to store more ingredients for home cooking.
2 For Mysterious Items, Go To Krobus
The only friendly monster players encounter in Stardew Valley is the one and only Krobus. Once players have found the Rusty Key, they’ll gain access to the town Sewers where Krobus spends all his time. He even runs a twenty-four-hour shop down there, stocked with mysterious goods.
One of the many Stardrops that can be found in the game can be purchased from Krobus, with decorative items and useful monster drops also on sale. Not only that, but if players aren’t interested in the romantic elements of the game, they can always invite Krobus to live on the farm as a roommate instead.
1 Players Benefit From Demetrius’s Research
Once farmers have made 25,000g at their new farm, Demetrius will drop by to tell players he needs some help with his research. Players can then decide whether they’d like to turn the empty farm cave into a small Mushroom farm or a Fruit Bat cave.
Both are incredibly useful, supplementing income while also helping players complete the Community Center Bundles. Moreover, Demetrius’ special order requires players to catch ten of a specific fish. In return, Demetrius gifts the player the recipe for a Farm Computer, helping farmers keep track of their stats.