The Perils and Pleasures of Dating Everyone in Stardew Valley
So, you’ve set your sights on conquering hearts in Stardew Valley, aiming for that coveted ten-heart status with every eligible bachelor and bachelorette? You’re not alone. Many players are curious about the consequences, or lack thereof, of playing the field. The short answer is: you absolutely can date all the eligible characters in Stardew Valley simultaneously, and for the most part, it’s a relatively consequence-free endeavor – with a few key caveats.
The Lowdown on Dating Multiple Villagers
Stardew Valley allows you to romance any of the twelve available marriage candidates. You initiate dating by giving them a bouquet after achieving eight hearts of friendship. Once you’ve handed out a bouquet, you’re officially dating them. You can continue to give gifts and raise your friendship levels with all your sweethearts. In essence, you can have twelve boyfriends and girlfriends at the same time, all happily vying for your affections. There’s no limit imposed by the game. However, things get a little more complicated once you get married or if your spouse is same gender as a date.
The Downsides: Jealousy and the Group Heartbreak
The primary “downside” of dating everyone is the potential for jealousy. If you are dating multiple people of the same gender as your spouse, giving a gift to your date can trigger a jealousy reaction from your spouse. This manifests as a negative dialogue or a temporary mood penalty. However, it’s not permanent and doesn’t negatively impact your relationship long-term. Keep in mind, if you are dating someone with the opposite gender of your spouse, it will not trigger jealousy.
There’s also the event known as the Group Heartbreak. If you reach 10 hearts with all eligible bachelors or bachelorettes before marriage and trigger a certain cutscene at the saloon, they will confront you about your multiple relationships. This leads to a period where all those you were dating drop to 8 hearts. But, even this isn’t permanent, and they will eventually forgive you if you work to repair their hearts by giving them gifts again.
The Upsides: Max Heart Events and the Rabbit’s Foot
On the positive side, dating everyone allows you to experience all the unique heart events for each character, gaining insight into their stories, struggles, and aspirations. Furthermore, this opens the door to more gifts from your partners. Also, there’s a little loophole: If you carry a Rabbit’s Foot in your inventory during the group heart break cutscene, the consequences will be avoided.
Dating is also an excellent way to collect all unique dialogue for all characters in the game.
The Marriage Consideration
While you can date everyone, you can only marry one NPC in Stardew Valley. Once you’re married, your other romantic relationships will still be in place, but you’ll be officially “off the market,” as far as the game is concerned. You can still give gifts to your ex’s, but they’ll be classified as “single”.
Additionally, your spouse might express jealousy if you give gifts to same-gender partners.
Beyond Romance: Roommates and Krobus
For players seeking an alternative to traditional marriage, there is the option of having Krobus as a roommate. Krobus is not a marriage candidate, but he offers unique dialogue and serves a similar function to a spouse. If you do decide to have Krobus move in, you won’t be able to marry another NPC, and he will act as a spouse would.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I date everyone at the same time in Stardew Valley?
Yes, you can absolutely date all twelve eligible bachelors and bachelorettes simultaneously. There are no limits imposed by the game on the number of relationships you can have.
2. What is the bouquet used for in Stardew Valley?
The bouquet is an item used to initiate dating in Stardew Valley. You must reach 8 hearts of friendship with a character before you can give them a bouquet. Giving them the bouquet will start the relationship.
3. Does dating multiple people affect my friendship with other villagers?
No, dating multiple people doesn’t affect your friendship with villagers who are not eligible marriage candidates. You can still maintain friendships and increase heart levels with all other residents of Stardew Valley.
4. What is the “Group Heartbreak” event in Stardew Valley?
The Group Heartbreak is a cutscene that triggers if you reach 10 hearts with all bachelors or bachelorettes before marriage. They will confront you about your multiple relationships, resulting in temporary heart level loss. This can be avoided by carrying a Rabbit’s Foot.
5. How does jealousy work in Stardew Valley?
Spouse jealousy is triggered when you give a gift to a person who is the same gender as your spouse. This results in negative dialogue or a mood penalty. This penalty is not permanent, and will eventually go back to normal.
6. Can I marry someone even if I’m dating other characters?
Yes, you can still get married if you are dating other characters. Once you are married, the other romantic relationships will be in place, however, they will be considered “single” and your spouse may become jealous when you give them gifts if they are of the same gender as your spouse.
7. Can my boyfriend or girlfriend break up with me in Stardew Valley?
Technically, no, your boyfriend or girlfriend won’t “break up” with you. However, if you consistently give them gifts they hate, they will lose hearts and like you less.
8. Can I get divorced in Stardew Valley?
Yes, you can get divorced. You can initiate this process by going to the Mayor’s house and paying a sum of 50,000g. All relationship progress will be removed from the ex-spouse.
9. Can I remarry an ex-spouse in Stardew Valley?
Yes, you can remarry an ex-spouse. After the divorce, they will have no memory of the previous marriage, allowing you to date them again.
10. Who is Krobus and can I marry him?
Krobus is a shadow monster who resides in the sewer. You cannot marry Krobus, but you can have him move in with you as a roommate. This is an alternative to marriage.
11. Does Krobus act like a spouse if he moves in?
Yes, Krobus will act similarly to a spouse. However, he does not have a 14-heart event or give gifts like a spouse would.
12. Is it possible to have multiple spouses using mods?
Yes, there are mods that allow for polygamy. However, this is not part of the vanilla game, and use at your own discretion.
13. What is the best gift to give when dating someone?
Each bachelor and bachelorette has unique likes and dislikes. However, giving loved gifts can increase hearts faster, such as diamonds or special food dishes.
14. Does the friendship level with my spouse decay over time?
Yes, while your friendship level with other villagers decays over time if you do not interact with them, the friendship level with your spouse also decays if you do not talk to them everyday.
15. Who is the most popular character to romance?
While popularity can vary by player, Abigail is widely considered one of the most popular characters to romance in Stardew Valley, due to her adventurous spirit and unique personality.
In conclusion, while pursuing romantic relationships with all the eligible villagers in Stardew Valley might seem chaotic, it’s a viable, fun, and relatively consequence-free path. It allows for a deeper exploration of each character’s story and maximizes the unique dialogue within the game. While jealousy may surface and the group heartbreak event can sting, these are temporary setbacks on the path to achieving romantic mastery in Stardew Valley. Just remember to always carry a Rabbit’s Foot!