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What Do I Do With Grandpa’s Shrine in Stardew Valley?

Grandpa’s Shrine in Stardew Valley serves as a central mechanic for evaluating your progress throughout the game. Its primary function is to grant you a score based on your accomplishments and then reward you accordingly. You interact with the Shrine at the beginning of Year 3 where Grandpa will appear and judge your performance. However, you can re-evaluate yourself at any time after that point. Placing a Diamond on the Shrine re-triggers the evaluation process. This re-evaluation is crucial if you didn’t initially achieve the maximum score or want to improve your reward.

Understanding Grandpa’s Evaluation

Grandpa’s evaluation is based on several factors that contribute to a cumulative score. This score determines the quality of the Grandpa’s Shrine Reward, which directly impacts your character’s progression and earning potential. Here’s a breakdown of the key factors:

Total Earnings: The amount of gold you’ve earned throughout your playthrough is a major factor. The higher your earnings, the better.
Skill Levels: Achieving high levels in various skills such as farming, foraging, mining, fishing, and combat contributes significantly to your score.
Friendship Levels: Building strong relationships with the villagers of Pelican Town is rewarded. Reaching maximum friendship (10 hearts) with multiple villagers will boost your score.
Community Center Bundles: Completing bundles in the Community Center or, alternatively, finishing the JojaMart development project demonstrates your dedication to the town and impacts your score positively.
Pet Affection: Having a pet and maintaining high affection with it also counts towards your evaluation.
Monster Slaying Goals: Progressing through the Adventurer’s Guild and completing monster slaying goals contributes to the overall score.
Finding Stardrops: Each Stardrop you find (and consume!) boosts your character’s maximum energy, and finding them all grants a substantial score increase.
Marriage and Children: Getting married and having children signifies you are building a life in Stardew Valley, contributing positively to your score.
House Upgrades: Upgrading your farmhouse demonstrates your investment in the farm and contributes to your score.

Receiving the Grandpa’s Shrine Reward

Based on your cumulative score, Grandpa will grant you a reward upon evaluation. The possible rewards are:

One Candle Lit: This indicates a low score. You receive a small reward, which is mainly encouragement to keep playing and improve your farm. This reward typically involves a few helpful tips and a small gesture of support.
Two Candles Lit: This indicates a moderate score. The reward will be slightly more substantial, potentially offering some useful resources or a small passive benefit.
Three Candles Lit: This indicates a good score. The reward is significant, such as valuable items, increased resource generation, or access to new areas or mechanics.
Four Candles Lit: This is the highest possible score and the best reward. The most valuable reward is the Statue of Perfection, which produces 2-8 Iridium Ore every day. This statue is incredibly valuable for acquiring Iridium, a crucial resource for late-game crafting and upgrades.

How to Trigger Re-evaluation

If you don’t achieve the desired reward during the initial Year 3 evaluation, don’t worry! You can place a Diamond on Grandpa’s Shrine at any time after the initial evaluation to trigger a re-evaluation. This allows you to improve your score and potentially earn a better reward. Keep in mind that this resets the shrine, and Grandpa will revisit on the following morning to re-evaluate your progress.

Maximizing Your Score for the Statue of Perfection

The ultimate goal for many players is to achieve four lit candles and obtain the Statue of Perfection. Here’s how to maximize your score and increase your chances:

Focus on Earnings: Prioritize activities that generate income, such as farming, fishing, and selling valuable items.
Level Up Your Skills: Dedicate time to leveling up each of your skills to at least level 10. This can be achieved by focusing on each activity.
Build Friendships: Interact with villagers daily and give them gifts they love to increase friendship levels.
Complete Community Center Bundles (or JojaMart): Make significant progress or complete the Community Center bundles. If you choose the JojaMart route, complete the JojaMart development forms.
Maintain Pet Affection: Ensure your pet has full affection by petting it daily and keeping its water bowl filled.
Slay Monsters: Complete monster slaying goals at the Adventurer’s Guild.
Find Stardrops: Collect as many Stardrops as possible to maximize your energy.
Get Married and Have Children: Focus on building a family in Stardew Valley.
Upgrade Your Farmhouse: Upgrade your farmhouse as much as possible.

By consistently working on these areas, you can significantly increase your score and achieve the four-candle reward.

The Long-Term Benefits of the Statue of Perfection

The Statue of Perfection is a game-changing item that provides a consistent supply of Iridium Ore. Iridium is essential for crafting powerful tools, upgrading equipment, and creating endgame items. Having a reliable source of Iridium will greatly accelerate your progress and allow you to tackle challenging content with ease.

Grandpa’s Shrine: A Reflection of Your Journey

Grandpa’s Shrine is more than just a way to earn rewards; it’s a reflection of your progress and dedication in Stardew Valley. It encourages players to explore all aspects of the game, from farming and fishing to building relationships and exploring the mines. By striving to achieve a high score, you’re essentially embracing the core gameplay loop of Stardew Valley, making it a rewarding and fulfilling experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions related to Grandpa’s Shrine in Stardew Valley to further enhance your understanding.

1. Can I Miss the Initial Grandpa’s Evaluation?

No, you cannot miss the initial evaluation. It automatically happens at the beginning of Year 3.

2. Does the Difficulty Level Affect Grandpa’s Evaluation?

No, the difficulty level (standard or remixed) does not impact Grandpa’s evaluation or the points you earn.

3. What Happens if I Don’t Put a Diamond on the Shrine After the First Evaluation?

If you don’t place a Diamond on the Shrine, it remains in its current state, and you won’t have another evaluation. You won’t get another chance unless you place a Diamond on it.

4. How Many Diamonds Do I Need to Use?

You only need one Diamond each time you want to trigger a re-evaluation.

5. Does the Time of Year Matter When I Re-evaluate?

No, the time of year has no impact on the re-evaluation process or the score you receive.

6. Can I Destroy the Statue of Perfection?

Yes, you can destroy the Statue of Perfection using a pickaxe, but doing so is generally not recommended due to its immense value.

7. Where Can I Find Diamonds?

Diamonds can be found by:

Mining in the Mines (especially on levels 50+) and Skull Cavern.
Breaking open Gem Nodes.
Fishing in certain locations.
As a rare drop from some monsters.
As a reward for donating to the museum.

8. Does My Spouse’s Friendship Level Affect the Score?

Yes, your spouse’s friendship level contributes to the overall score.

9. Does the JojaMart Route Give a Lower Score Than the Community Center?

No, both completing the Community Center bundles and completing the JojaMart route contribute equally to the score. There is no inherent penalty for choosing one over the other.

10. Can I Improve My Score After Year 3?

Yes! You can improve your score at any time after Year 3 by placing a Diamond on the shrine to trigger a re-evaluation, giving you the opportunity to earn a better reward.

11. What are some quick ways to earn more gold?

Some quick ways to earn gold are:

Mass producing a high-value crop (like strawberries in Spring)
Fishing high value fish
Crafting and selling artisan goods like cheese, wine, and jelly.
Mining and selling valuable ores.

12. Does the Number of Children Affect the Score?

Having children contributes positively to the score, but there is no increase after having one child.

13. Can I See My Exact Score?

No, the game doesn’t show you the exact score. The number of lit candles is the only indicator of your performance.

14. What If I Only Have One Candle Lit After Year 3?

Don’t be discouraged! Focus on improving areas you’ve neglected, such as building friendships, upgrading your skills, earning more money, and exploring the mines. Placing a Diamond on the shrine after making improvements will trigger a re-evaluation.

15. Is There a Limit to How Many Times I Can Re-evaluate?

No, there is no limit to how many times you can re-evaluate. You can do it as many times as needed to achieve the desired reward.

What do I do with Grandpa’s Shrine Stardew?