It’s a testament to Stardew that Professions exist so naturally within the game. Other titles tend to overtly signal their undertaking and requirements, whereas here they comfortably form a part of almost every action that you complete, from farming to fighting. Manual intervention is occasionally required however, because each of the main professions has skill choices available at level 5 & 10, which significantly change the way you play. It’s this subject that we’re looking to tackle with our article today, by detailing which of these skill choices we believe are best, for all 5 of the progressions on offer.
Farming Skill
Level 5 Profession: Tiller
- Crops sell for 10% more gold.
Should you be a player that is new to the joys of Stardew Valley, then you may not be aware that a great deal of the early game is about money. Community Centre and Backpack upgrades, various working tools and even animals require some form of down payment. That said, you’d do well to pick Tiller, at least on your first play through. Crops will form one of the main ways to generate funds in the early game and with the right setup, they’ll continue to do so throughout it’s entirety.
Level 10 Profession: Artisan
- Artisan goods sell for 40% more gold.
Speaking of generating more money, next up we have the Artisan choice, which generates 40% more gold when selling Artisan goods. These include goods like Cheese, Wine, Jams & Juices, all of which can make you a good amount of money. As Stardew Valley progresses, more and more ways to spend money arise, and having the Artisan profession will really take the weight off. After all, someone has to repair that Bus, right?
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Foraging Skill
Level Profession 5: Gatherer
- 20% chance to get double the items when Foraging.
This one is rather self explanatory, after all who doesn’t like getting double loot? The best thing about this profession choice too, is that it continues to pay dividends no matter your stage of progression. Early on you’ll be grateful for some extra mushrooms and onions, but as you progress you’ll start to grab doubles of rare shells, Crystal Fruit and more. Many of these are required for the various bundles in Stardew too, so you’ll have an easier time completing these too.
Level 10 Profession: Botanist
- Foraged items are always the highest quality (Iridium Quality).
We can certainly see the argument for taking Lumberjack, which is part of the Forester tree rather than Gatherer, however the Botanist option absolutely takes the prize for us. Not only will this perk ensure that you’re always selling items for more gold, thanks to their quality, but the items that you gather can be given as gifts to raise friendship, and higher quality will equal more friendship points. The best example of this is Truffles, which can be turned into a good amount of cash or, in a few cases, high amounts of friendship.
Fishing Skill
Level 5 Profession: Fisher
- Fish sell for 25% more gold.
The profession choices for Fishing are probably the most cut and dry of all skills in Stardew Valley. The initial decision, for which we opt for Fisher, is dependant on how much you will rely on Crab Pots. For us, and this is an argument supported by numerous spreadsheets, being a Fisher is much better. Not only do you get your hands on 25% increased gold from their sale, but you’ll be avoiding the arduous task of Crab Pot creation and usage that it would take to break even with Fishing alone.
Level 10 Profession: Pirate
- Double the chance to find treasure.
You could, should you want to, opt to bring your fish profits up to 50% through the Angler skill, and whilst this is certainly a justifiable option, who doesn’t like a bit of treasure hunting? Besides the obvious possibilities of finding random weapons or such that might make the mine a breeze, you can also find items required for the Museum, or just for profit! By all means switch back to Angler when you’re done collecting, or if you’re committing to a big fishing profit drive, but for the majority of the game we prefer the little bit of added tension that treasure hunting provides.
Combat Skill
Level 5 Profession: Fighter
- Deal 10% more damage with all attacks, plus a bonus +15 HP.
Yet another self explanatory choice here, and not only because of the benefits it conveys. Yes, having 10% more damage and some additional health is a good thing, however the alternative is the real problem. Scout offers you 50% more critical chance, and whilst that sounds like a lot, it actually means it increases your current critical chance by 50%. Should you have 2% critical chance, then it increases it by 1% to a total of 3%. This being the case, aside from niche equipment in the very late game, Fighter is always better.
Level 10 Profession: Brute
- Deal 15% more damage.
Given that the secondary choice in the Fighter tree is to increase your Defence rating by +25 via Defender, you’re much more likely to opt for Brute, which increases your damage by 25%. Not only does this make a difference that you can actually see, but it’s also more in keeping with a game where you’re attempting to take no damage at all. If you’ve happened upon a great tanking build then let us know, but in the meantime we’ll opt for more damage thanks!
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Mining Skill
Level 5 Profession: Geologist
- Gems have a 50% chance to appear in pairs.
There is a very valid train of thought that you should opt for the increased Ore gathering of Miner, which grants one additional Ore per vein, but we’d counter that with the following point: You’ll always be mining. Whether you’re delving into the Mines, Skull Caverns or even the Volcano, you’re likely to be doing a little mining. This being the case, you’ll soon find that Ore is not something that you’re likely to want for. Gems on the other hand, are much harder to come by, and come with countless benefits, like more gold or acting as excellent gifts!
Level 10 Profession: Gemologist
- Gems & Minerals sell for 30% more gold.
This is an obvious extension of our first choice, so we’re not going to beat it into you. Suffice to say that gems, later versions especially, can be worth a great deal of cash. You may not want to sell them all of course, but once you reach the point where money isn’t a strict limiting factor, happening upon extra gems can make a huge difference. Minerals too, which include things like Quartz and Frozen Tears, can make a little extra profit, though less so than the full blown gems.
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Categories: Stardew Valley