This guide delves into the intricacies of friendship in Stardew Valley, explaining how to maximize your relationships with the townsfolk. Building strong bonds is key, whether your goal is friendship or romance. While conversation and gifting are fundamental, not all interactions carry equal weight.
Understanding the Heart Scale
The in-game heart meter, accessible via the menu, displays your relationship level with each NPC. Each heart represents 250 friendship points. Positive actions increase points, while negative actions decrease them.
Boosting Friendship Gains
The "Friendship 101" book, obtainable from the Prize Machine (9th prize) or the traveling Bookseller (Year 3, 9% chance), provides a permanent 10% boost to friendship gains.
Point Values for Interactions
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Daily Interactions: Talking to an NPC yields +20 points (or +10 if they're busy). Ignoring them results in a -2 point penalty (-10 with a bouquet given, -20 for a spouse). Completing bulletin board deliveries grants +150 points with the recipient.
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Gifting:
- Loved gifts: +80 points
- Liked gifts: +45 points
- Neutral gifts: +20 points
- Disliked gifts: -20 points
- Hated gifts: -40 points
- Winter Star Festival gifts: 5x points
- Birthday gifts: 8x points
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Stardrop Tea: This universally loved gift grants +250 points (one heart), tripled on birthdays and the Winter Star Festival. It can be obtained from the Prize Machine, Golden Fishing Chests, the Helper's Bundle, or from the raccoon for completing requests.
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Movie Theater: Inviting an NPC to the movies with a movie ticket (1000g) and concessions impacts friendship based on their preferences. Loved movies grant +200 points, liked movies +100, and disliked movies 0 points. Concessions follow a similar point system.
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Conversations and Dialogue: Choosing appropriate dialogue options during conversations can yield +10 to +50 points, while negative responses can decrease friendship. Heart events offer similar opportunities for significant point gains or losses.
Festivals and Events
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Flower Dance: Dancing with an NPC (4 hearts or higher) grants +250 points (one heart).
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Luau: Contributing to the community soup affects friendship with all villagers. Best soup: +120 points; good soup: +60 points; neutral: 0 points; bad soup: -50 points; worst soup: -100 points.
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Community Center (Bulletin Board Bundles): Completing all Bulletin Board bundles awards +500 points (two hearts) with each non-dateable villager.
This comprehensive guide empowers you to cultivate thriving relationships in Pelican Town, unlocking the full potential of Stardew Valley's social dynamics.
