In Stardew Valley, you’re equipped with five essential skills — farming, mining, foraging, fishing, and combat. All of these are necessary to help you to be a successful farmer. Under every skill are Professions that are gained at certain levels, and they all come with benefits that will make key changes to the way you play the game.
In this in-depth guide, we’ve noted down all the perks you’ll earn from improving your skills. We’re also going to help you pick out the Professions that will be most useful to you, depending on the playthrough you would like to aim for.
Farming
Farming is a skill that involves agricultural work like crops and animals. To gain experience in farming, you’ll need to constantly harvest crops, take care of your animals, and gather animal products. Watering and planting crops will not earn you any farming experience points. Since you will spend most of your time working in the Farmhouse, this skill is most likely the easiest one to max out.
Perks and Recipes
Each time your level increases, your Hoe and Watering Can proficiency also improves. You will also receive these recipes every time you level up.
Level 1: Scarecrow and Basic Fertilizer
Level 2: Stone Fence, Mayonnaise Machine, and Sprinkler
Level 3: Bee House, Speed-Gro, and Farmer’s Lunch
Level 4: Iron Fence, Preserves Jar, and Basic Retaining Soil
Level 6: Hardwood Fence, Cheese Press, and Quality Sprinkler
Level 7: Loom and Quality Retaining Soil
Level 8: Keg, Oil Maker, and Deluxe Speed-Gro
Level 9: Seed Maker, Iridium Sprinkler, and Quality Fertilizer
Professions
At level 5, you must choose between the Rancher and the Tiller Professions. If you choose the Rancher profession, the animal products you ship out (except Dinosaur eggs) are worth 20% more. Meanwhile, all crops sell 10% more in the Tiller profession.
When you reach level 10 with the Rancher profession, you may choose Coopmaster or Shepherd. Coopmaster allows animals that live in a Coop to become more friendly towards you, while animals that live in a Barn develop affection faster towards you in the Shepherd profession.
The Tiller Profession will let you select between Agriculturist and Artisan. The Agriculturist profession makes your crops grow 10% faster. Artisan products such as wine, cheese, oil, loom, etc., get a 40% increase in price if you choose the Artisan profession.
Conclusion
Choosing the Rancher profession works best with breeders who want to build a farm chock-full of different animals.
Agriculturist is great for crops that take time to grow, like the Ancient Fruit or Sweet Gem Berry, but Artisan is by far the fan-favorite. Most players who would like to get rich faster in this game usually opt for the Tiller and Artisan combination.
Mining
Mining and selling gems and ores might not be financially rewarding, but it’s a useful skill for collecting resources for crafting money-making devices like kegs and casks.Destroying a mound of rock using a pickaxe or a bomb will improve this skill.
Perks and Recipes
At every level you reach, you gain one point in Pickaxe proficiency along with these recipes:
Level 1: Cherry Bomb
Level 2: Staircase
Level 3: Miner’s Treat
Level 4: Transmute (Fe) and Glowstone Ring
Level 6: Bomb
Level 7: Transmute (Au)
Level 8: Megabomb
Level 9: Crystalarium
Professions
When you reach level 5, you will be prompted to choose either the Miner or Geologist profession.The Miner profession gives you an extra ore in every rock you break. Alternatively, the Geologist profession grants you a 50% chance to acquire two gems in one node (geodes obtained from breaking rocks included).
At level 10, if you chose the Miner profession, you must choose between Blacksmith and Prospector. The Prospector profession doubles your chances of finding coal. Selling ores like Copper, Iron, Gold, and Iridium bars earns you 50% more money in the Blacksmith profession.
If you choose Geologist, you’ll have the Excavator and Gemologist professions as your two options. The Excavator profession gives you a higher chance to attain geodes, while the Gemologist profession increases your gem profits by up to 30%.
Conclusion
For players who like crafting items, theMiner and Prospector professions will be your best pick among all the choices. While Prospector’s perk might not seem that impressive, getting a lot of coal is very beneficial in crafting. Coal is important in making several artisanal machines and all kinds of bombs. Although, you’ll also be able to craft Coal using the Charcoal Kiln if you have plenty of wood.
If you’re the type of player who wants to focus on profit, the Geologist profession is the way to go. Whichever profession falls under Geologist can aid you in raising money from selling various rocks.
Foraging
Foraging skill is improved each time you gather items from the ground, whether from the farm, the forest, the mountains, or the beach. Chopping down trees, logs, and stumps will also gain you experience in Foraging. Truffles may come from pigs, but they are also considered forage items.
Perks and Recipes
Each level will grant your Axe proficiency an increase apart from receiving these crafting recipes and perks:
Level 1: Wild Seeds (Spring) and Field Snack
Additional perk: Trees sometimes drop seeds.
Level 2: Survival Burger
Level 3: Tapper
Level 4: Charcoal Kiln and Wild Seeds (Summer)
Additional Perk: +1 Wild Berry Harvesting
Level 6: Lightning rod, Wild Seeds (Fall), and Warp Totem: Beach
Level 7: Tree Fertilizer, Wild Seeds (Winter), and Warp Totem: Mountains
Level 8: Warp Totem: Farm
Additional perk: +1 Wild Berry Harvesting
Level 9: Rain Totem and Cookout Kit
Professions
At level 5, you may pick either Forester or Gatherer as your Profession. Forester increases wood and hardwood price by up to 30%. Gatherer grants you a chance to double harvest forage items.
With the Forester profession at level 10, you’ll have either the Lumberjack or Tapper profession. You get an accelerated chance to get Hardwood from all kinds of trees in Lumberjack. On the other hand, Tapper lets you earn 20% money from selling syrups.
The Botanist and Tracker professions are your two options if you choose the Gatherer profession. The Botanist allows you to forage items with the highest quality, and the Tracker reveals the location of all the items you can forage.
Conclusion
The Forester route can be a bit lackluster because wood isn’t that profitable, and there are plenty of Mahogany trees you can chop and replant in this game. However, if you plan on adding a bunch of buildings to your farmhouse, you can settle on Forester and Lumberjack.
Most players would benefit from The Gatherer and Botanist profession because there’s nothing terrible about getting more Gold or Iridium quality forage items. However, if you want to locate more rare items like artifacts or scarce resources, like dinosaur eggs or prismatic shards, you can choose the Tracker profession.
Foraging is a skill that is often disregarded in the skill tree. But it would be very helpful for players to max out this skill to get the level 10 professions, particularly the Botanist profession considering Truffles and some mushrooms are bountiful resources that can earn you a huge amount of money.
Fishing
When you catch fish or harvest from crab pots, you earn an experience point in Fishing. You reel any marine animal, including seaweed, algae, and trash; using your fishing rod can improve your skill. The same can be applied to using crab pots.
Perks and Recipes
With the increase in Fishing Rod proficiency at each level, you will also obtain these recipes and perks:
Level 1: Perk: Casting distance increased by one tile
Level 2: Bait
Additional perk: Fiberglass Rod and Bait unlocked in Willy’s shop
Level 3: Crab pot and Dish o’ The Sea
Additional perk: Crab pot unlocked in Willy’s shop
Level 4: Recycling Machine
Level 6: Spinner and Trap Bobber
Additional perk: Iridium Rod, Lead Bobber, Spinner, and Trap Bobber unlocked in the shop.
Level 7: Cork Bobber and Treasure Hunter
Additional perks: Cork Bobber and Treasure Hunter unlocked in Willy’s Fish Shop.
Level 8: Worm Bin, Dressed Spinner, and Barbed Hook
Additional perks: Barbed Hook & Dressed Spinner unlocked in Willy’s Fish Shop. Also, the casting distance increased by one tile.
Level 9: Magnet and Seafoam Pudding
Additional perk: Magnet unlocked in Willy’s Fish Shop
Professions
Upon reaching level 5, you must choose between Fisher or Trapper. The Fisher profession increases the price of fish by 20%, while the Trapper profession reduces the required materials to make crab pots.
At level 10, if you chose Fisher, you may settle on either Angler or Pirate. Any fish you sell will have 50% more in the Angler profession. The Pirate profession gives you twice the chance to get treasure chests from fishing.
With the Trapper profession, you can decide on either Mariner or Luremaster. If you choose the Mariner profession, you no longer have to deal with junk from crab pots. The Luremaster profession no longer requires you to put bait in crab pots daily.
Conclusion
As usual, if you would like to go by any means necessary to get rich quickly, you can choose the Fisher and then Angler profession. If you hope to haul out a bunch of treasure chests to get rare artifacts like the prismatic shard, opt for the Pirate profession instead.
Since the fishing mini-game isn’t everyone’s favorite, players who would rather focus on trapping creatures in a crab pot could go for the Trapper profession.
Combat
Slaying monsters with a sword, a slingshot, a hammer, or a weapon will give you experience points in Combat. Where these monsters dwell doesn’t matter as long as they incessantly attack you; fighting and killing them off will improve your combat skill.
Perks and Recipes
You will not gain proficiency points in any weapon that you wield. Instead, you will gain +5 hit points, along with these crafting and cooking recipes:
Level 1: Sturdy Ring and Bug Steak
Level 2: Life Elixir
Level 3: Roots Platter
Level 4: Warrior Ring
Level 6: Slime Egg Press and Oil of Garlic
Level 7: Ring of Yobaand Thorns Ring
Level 8: Slime Incubator and Explosive Ammo
Level 10: Iridium Band and Squid Ink Ravioli
Professions
You can choose between the Fighter and Scout professions when you get to level 5. The Fighter profession enhances your attack damage by 10%. Your chance to get a critical attack increases by up to 50% in the Scout profession.
If you chose the Fighter profession at level 5, you must select either Brute or Defender when you reach level 10. Brute allows you to deal 15% more damage to enemies, while in Defender, you get an increase of 25 hit points.
Having the Scout profession at level 10 will give you the option to choose either the Acrobat or Desperado profession. If you choose Acrobat, your cooldown on special actions is reduced by half. Desperado gives you massive critical damage.
Conclusion
Fighting off monsters in dungeons can inconvenience some, but it is necessary to get some mining and foraging done. Some important quests also require you to slay several enemies.
The Fighter and Brute professions can help you survive the surge of monsters in The Mines and Skull Cavern. The Defender profession can shield you from the endless swooping of bats if you chance upon a bat invasion on one of the floors. Equipping the Galaxy Sword with these professions will especially be useful for tough monsters like Serpents or Pepper Rexes.
If you want to make things more challenging, you can go for the Scout and Desperado combination. The Acrobat professional will only be advantageous if you frequently use special moves to finish off enemies. You will have to rely on chances; that’s why it’s recommended to go hunting for monsters on an auspicious day.
Again, what you ultimately decide on will be up to your play style. There are many things to watch out for when you’re in the dungeons, so most players would rather pick the most useful Combat professions. But if you find the combat in this game a little too easy, you can set more hurdles and have fun with your random critical rate.
The Statue of Uncertainty
You cannot change your profession any time you like, but there is one way to modify a skill’s profession by offering money to a statute, and here are the following steps on how to do it:
1. Find at least 60 artifacts and donate them to the Archeology Center or Gunther’s Museum. Gunther will give you the Rusky Key afterward.
2. Enter the Sewer using the key and head to the Statue of Uncertainty. Offer 10,000 gold to change a skill’s professions that you want. Note that you can only change one skill per 10,000 gold.
3. Go to sleep, and by the next morning, you can change your level 5 and level 10 professions.
FAQs
What should I choose level 5 mining? ›
Mining Level 5
The better choice here depends on how far into the game you are. In terms of profit, the best choice is Geologist. Gems sell for a lot of gold, while increasing the ore drops by one doesn't make a huge difference, especially in the late-game.
At level 5, the best Profession to pick is Tiller. Players will often find themselves selling extra crops for some money in Stardew Valley, and only a handful will be turned into recipes or used in artisanal goods. As such, it's always a good idea to have a bonus that increases the selling price of them.
What should I pick for level 5 mining Stardew Valley? ›In the later game, Geologist slightly ekes out Miner at Level 5. There will come a point when the average player isn't hard-pressed for ore or Coal, but they'll still earn a hefty bit of cash for any extra gems they sell, so they should increase those profits by switching to Geologist.
What should I choose forester or gatherer Stardew Valley? ›Although the question itself really boils down to playstyle, on paper, it's generally a better choice to choose Gatherer. Both perks provide great boons to players just starting their adventure but there's a clear-cut difference once players hit level 10 in Foraging and are able to take the next perk in their tree.
Should I be a Miner or Geologist at LVL 5 mining? ›The topic of this article — Miner or Geologist? You're presented with this choice at level 5 Mining. In short, the Miner is better because you can upgrade your tools quickly. But the choice also comes down to your preferred playstyle.
Which profession is better Miner or Geologist? ›What is this? If you find yourself running out of cash in the early game, Geologist is the way to go. The profession you choose should depend on your objective. Extra ore is always going to be valuable no matter where you are in the game, and if you want immediate results, you should choose Miner.
What is the most profitable thing to grow in Stardew Valley? ›Starfruit is, in many ways, both the most iconic and most profitable crop in Stardew Valley. It sells for a massive 750g, twice its buying price of 400g from the Oasis Shop, which must be unlocked by completing the Vault Community Center bundle.
Is an auto grabber worth it Stardew? ›Is the Stardew Valley Auto-Grabber worth it? The Auto-Grabber is absolutely worth the Gold if you have a fairly large barnyard to harvest. However, if you have just begun your farming life, it is a good idea to save your Gold until you need it and work on establishing good friendships with your animals.
What is the best profession at level 5 farming Stardew Valley? ›Best Farming Professions in Stardew Valley
Generally speaking, the combination of Tiller (Level 5) and Artisan (Level 10) will be the best path.
By unlocking the Sewers, the player will gain access to the Statue of Uncertainty. This strange shrine allows them to change Professions as often as they'd like, for a price, of course. It can be beneficial to change Professions often.
What's the best level to mine at? ›
If you want the smoothest and fastest mine possible, you should be digging at Y=-57. Since -59 to -64 have a lot of bedrock, this way you can avoid those layers completely and still get info on -58 below you. If you don't know what level you're at, hit F3 to display your current information and look for the XYZ values.
What is the best level to mine everything? ›Y level -58 and -59 are good levels. Many players strip mine at -58 and that works well. However, -59 might be a bit of a better choice since the player's feet will be on -59 and the eye level will be -58. This is a good way to check both levels at the same time, both of which should have diamonds every now and again.
What should I prioritize buying in Stardew Valley? ›1 Prioritize The Backpack Upgrade
A bigger inventory means getting more tasks done for the day. Upgrading the backpack should be one of the first things every player should aim to save up for! Inventory upgrades should almost always take priority.
- 16 Self-Sufficient Farm.
- 15 Animal Haven.
- 14 Tropical Crops.
- 13 Industrial Stone.
- 12 Deep Forest Farm.
- 11 Crops Central.
- 10 Flowery Forest.
- 9 Lush, Wealthy Beach Home.
1. Abigail Is the Best Wife In Stardew Valley. When it comes to Stardew Valley, Abigail is undeniably the best potential marriage partner.
What happens when you reach level 120 in the mines? ›Final Level: Lava Earth, Purple
The last floor or Level 120 of the Mines will revert back to a lava-earth with a purple hue of Levels 80 to 109. There won't be any enemies here as well, and no more threats appear in this floor.
The best place to find Gold Ore is through mining. To mine it, you'll need an Iron Pickaxe or something more durable than that. Gold Ore can be found from levels 32-80, so you'll want to set up a mine between those levels.
Can you switch professions in Stardew Valley? ›If you have a second Profession unlocked by reaching Level 10, you'll also need to select that after choosing your desired Level 5 Profession. You can theoretically change back and forth between Professions every single day without real penalty (except 10,000g).
Why miner is an extreme job? ›Miners typically work in challenging and physically demanding environments, often in remote locations and in extreme temperatures. They are exposed to potential hazards such as falling objects, cave-ins, dust exposure, chemical risks, and heavy machinery accidents.
Which mining specialization is best? ›While Metallurgy and Mastering the Elements are great, the best Mining specialization in Dragonflight is Mining Process—at least in the beginning. Not only will you be able to mine more ore and increase your mining speed, but you can save time by mining while you're mounted.
Does mining pay good? ›
$48,000 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $77,500 is the 75th percentile.
What is the fastest way to get rich in Stardew Valley? ›- 12 Fishing.
- 11 Foraging.
- 10 Farming Mixed Seeds.
- 9 Tree Tapping.
- 8 Crops That Keep Producing.
- 7 Artisanal Goods.
- 6 Raising Chickens.
- 5 Gems And Crystalariums.
- Duck Feather — Spring 5.
- Large Goat Milk — Spring 21.
- Nautilus Shell and Truffle Oil — Summer 12.
- Sturgeon, Rabbits Foot, and Tiger Trout — Summer 21.
- Red Cabbage — Fall 12.
- Crab and Large Egg — Fall 14.
- Large Mix, Truffle, and Rabbit's Foot — Winter 14.
The highest-ranking club-type weapon is the Infinity Gavel. It is made from a Galaxy Hammer and three Galaxy Souls in the forge (plus the 60 Cinder Shards), so it's a little bit of work. But, it's absolutely worth it. Its damage is 100-120, making it the most powerful melee weapon in Stardew Valley.
Is it worth having cows Stardew? ›But in the world of Stardew Valley, they're equally dependable, and no farm is complete without them. Cows will produce milk daily; once they are matured. If they feel loved and sufficient happiness has been reached, players will even receive large milk. These sell for more gold and can be used to produce large Cheese.
What is the point of slime farming Stardew? ›The Slime Hutch allows players to breed, raise, and harvest materials from Slimes that are normally found in the Mines and Skull Cavern. Though they may seem like monsters, players can actually make some money from these cute little blobs, and have fun doing it.
What happens if you change professions in Stardew Valley? ›As soon as the player chooses a profession to change, the bonuses for existing professions disappear.
Should I pick a shepherd or a Coopmaster? ›Is It Better To Choose Coopmaster Or Shepherd? Without taking into consideration case-specific factors, Shepherd is the more powerful profession of the two. It allows you to befriend barn animals more effectively, which is a more substantial buff as compared to befriending coop animals quickly.
Is it better to be an artisan or Agriculturist? ›In a general context, Artisan is the better profession by far. The 40% increase in the sale price for all Artisan goods is more than enough to counter the buff provided by the Agriculturist profession. Artisan is especially useful during your late game, as it enables you to generate tons of profits relatively quickly.
What is the point of Grandpa's shrine Stardew? ›There are four candles around Grandpa's Shrine, and lighting all four will give you the Statue Of Perfection, which grants 2-8 Iridium Ore per day. You must interact with the Shrine to get this statue.
Why do you put a diamond in Grandpa's shrine? ›
The player can be re-evaluated at any time, if they place a diamond in the Shrine. This will cause Grandpa to show up again the first day after a game load, or the first day of the next season. Grandpa's evaluation is based on a point system, based on various milestones reached during the gameplay.
What happens if you don't feed your dog Stardew Valley? ›If the animal was not fed, it will not produce.
At what level do diamonds spawn? ›In the past, Diamond blocks would generally spawn from Y:12 in underground caves and mines. However, they now spawn more frequently and are distributed between Y levels 14 to -63. This massive change allows Minecraft players to find many more Diamond nodes than before.
What is the best level to strip mine for diamonds? ›The best method for mining Diamonds in Minecraft 1.19 is to dig down to level -57 and dig a long 2-block-tall tunnel in any direction. Then start to mine out to either side in more 2x1 tunnels, leaving a 2-block-wide gap between each new tunnel.
What level is best for diamonds? ›Following the Cave Update in Minecraft, the best level for Diamonds is approximately anywhere below Y:-58. The reason -59 is mentioned is that the player character stands two blocks tall, meaning the block level from the "waistline" and below would be Y:-58.
What level should you mine for Ancient Debris? ›The most common location for Ancient Debris is on Y-level 14 in the Nether. It spawns at the edge of loaded chunks in the nether. Here, the players can use a few methods to find the most ancient debris as much as possible, even though it's the rarest block and rarely spawns in more than one vein.
What is the best Y level for coal? ›There are two different sections of coal. One is a triangle shape, between Y=0 and Y=192, becoming more common as you approach Y=96 and less common as you reach those outer extremities. Because of this Y=96 is the best place to mine for coal in most areas.
What is the best Y level for Iron? ›The center of this triangular distribution for Iron Ore in Minecraft 1.19 is Y: 15, the best level for finding Iron.
What is the best mining level for mining? ›Due to being the safest layers to mine where all ores exist in reasonable quantities (especially diamond), layer 10 to 15 are usually considered the best area in which to start mining.
What level should I be mining at? ›Y level -58 and -59 are good levels. Many players strip mine at -58 and that works well. However, -59 might be a bit of a better choice since the player's feet will be on -59 and the eye level will be -58. This is a good way to check both levels at the same time, both of which should have diamonds every now and again.
What is the recommended mining level? ›
Ultimately, that makes Y levels -58 and -59 the best overall level to mine at. Plus, staircase mining down there will yield plenty of other resources, too. All in all, players will come out very well when mining there.
What level should you mine on? ›We recommend digging one level above the lowest bedrock. After all, even if the bedrock is part of your floor, that's one less block that could have been useful. If you want the smoothest and fastest mine possible, you should be digging at Y=-57.
Which mining is most profitable? ›Monero (XMR), which has a market cap close to $3 billion, is still one of the most lucrative coins you can seek to mine. Mining The present payout for mining Monero is 2.15 XMR per block, and 2,272,762 blocks are anticipated to be produced.
What level should I strip mine for iron? ›There's a decent chance of getting iron between levels 72 and -64, but there are extra factors now. Iron ore becomes increasingly more likely to spawn between Y=-24 and Y=56 as you approach Y=16. As a result, for many biomes, iron has the highest odds of spawning at Y=16.
Does smelting increase mining? ›Smelting. It is a skill Miners can use when they are near a Forge to melt the minerals into usable metal bars for crafting. The good part is, smelting minerals also increases your skill in mining too and it can be used to level your mining quicker and we will get into how to do that next.
Is a good level to mine for diamonds? ›In the past, Diamond blocks would generally spawn from Y:12 in underground caves and mines. However, they now spawn more frequently and are distributed between Y levels 14 to -63. This massive change allows Minecraft players to find many more Diamond nodes than before.
What mining level is diamond pickaxe? ›To find diamonds in Minecraft, you'll need to dig down to at least layer 15 with an iron pickaxe or better.
Where do I learn mining past 300? ›To train past 300 skill level, you need to speak with a Master Mining trainer in either Outland or Northrend. This will allow you to train up to level 375 Mining.
Is mining at y 11 still good? ›In most versions of Minecraft, diamonds were generated at a depth from Y=16 to Y=0, and Y=11-12 was considered the best level for diamond mining. Zero height has ceased to be the lowest level in the game, and the generation of most resources has also changed levels.