The Ultimate Stardew Valley Farming Profession Guide: Tiller vs. Rancher & Artisan vs. Agriculturist
The question of which farming profession is superior in Stardew Valley is a common one among players, and for good reason. The choices you make at level 5 and level 10 of the Farming skill significantly impact your long-term profitability and gameplay style. The short answer? For most players, the Tiller profession at level 5 followed by the Artisan profession at level 10 is the superior choice for maximizing profit, especially in the mid to late game. However, the “best” choice can depend on your personal preferences and how you want to play. Let’s dive deeper into why this is the case and explore the nuances of each option.
Level 5 Farming Profession: Tiller vs. Rancher
At level 5, you are presented with two options: Tiller and Rancher.
Tiller: The Crop King
The Tiller profession provides a 10% increase in the value of all crops. This might seem straightforward, but it’s a crucial foundation for a profit-driven farm. Early on, you’ll likely be selling a significant portion of your crops directly, making this an immediate and noticeable boost to your income.
Rancher: The Animal Advocate
The Rancher profession provides a 20% increase in the value of all animal products. This includes eggs, milk, wool, and other goods derived directly from your farm animals. If your focus is on animal husbandry and you plan on selling animal products directly without processing them, Rancher might appear to be a good choice.
Why Tiller Generally Wins
While Rancher might be tempting if you adore your animals, Tiller usually proves to be the more lucrative option for a few reasons. Firstly, a significant portion of your early income often comes from selling crops directly, especially before you have extensive processing infrastructure like kegs and preserve jars. Secondly, and more importantly, animal products are often much more profitable when crafted into artisan goods. This brings us to the level 10 professions.
Level 10 Farming Profession: Artisan vs. Agriculturist
Once you reach Farming level 10, your chosen profession at level 5 determines the two new paths available to you. If you chose Tiller at level 5, you get the choice between Artisan and Agriculturist. If you chose Rancher, you get Coopmaster and Shepherd. We will focus on the first two as they are the most often compared.
Artisan: The Value Adder
The Artisan profession boosts the value of all artisan goods by a whopping 40%. This includes wine, cheese, pickles, mayonnaise, jelly, and more. If you plan on processing your crops and animal products into value-added goods, this profession is a game-changer.
Agriculturist: The Speedster
The Agriculturist profession reduces the growth time of all crops by 10%. While this seems appealing, it’s important to realize that faster growth doesn’t always translate into higher overall profits compared to the Artisan’s bonus.
Why Artisan Outshines Agriculturist
While a 10% reduction in growth time is useful for getting more harvests each season, the 40% price increase provided by the Artisan profession significantly outweighs it. Think about it: if a considerable portion of your harvested goods are going into kegs to make wine or preserve jars to create pickles, each item sells for almost half again as much. The value increase is far more impactful than the slight time reduction, making Artisan the generally better option for maximizing profits in Stardew Valley. The extra profit from the Artisan profession allows you to exponentially grow your farm and its infrastructure.
The Overall Recommendation
Combining Tiller at Level 5 and Artisan at Level 10 offers the best approach to maximizing profit potential in Stardew Valley. This path leverages the early-game benefits of increased crop value and transitions into the late-game power of boosted artisan good prices. The increased value for your wine, cheese, pickles, etc. will make you substantially more wealth on the same volume of produce. While the Rancher and Agriculturist options might seem good, their benefits are often outclassed by the Tiller and Artisan combination in the long run.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I change my professions in Stardew Valley?
Yes! Once you’ve unlocked the Sewers, you’ll gain access to the Statue of Uncertainty. This statue allows you to change your professions for a small fee of 10,000g, letting you freely experiment with different builds.
2. What if I want to focus more on animals?
If you are very dedicated to raising a lot of animals and don’t intend on making a lot of Artisan goods, Rancher/Shepherd is not a bad option. It does not offer the same level of profitability as Tiller/Artisan, but it is suitable for those who wish to focus their farm on the production and sale of raw animal products.
3. Is the 10% growth bonus of Agriculturist worth it?
In most cases, no, the 10% faster growth is not as good as the 40% extra profit from Artisan. While faster growth can result in extra harvests, the increased sell value of Artisan goods is the most direct way to generate maximum gold, especially in the late game.
4. What are the most profitable crops to grow?
The most profitable crops vary by season. Strawberries in spring, blueberries in summer, and cranberries in fall are all excellent choices. Ancient Fruit and Starfruit are the most profitable year-round and are perfect for wine production, but they come a bit later.
5. How does the Tiller profession impact early gameplay?
The Tiller profession provides a significant boost to your early income because it increases the value of every crop you sell, helping you accumulate wealth to invest in more infrastructure.
6. Is it better to sell milk or process it into cheese?
Generally, it’s better to process milk into cheese and then sell it. Cheese with the Artisan profession is worth significantly more. However, if you chose Rancher over Tiller, then selling milk directly could be a more appropriate option.
7. What are the most profitable artisan goods?
Wine made from Ancient Fruit or Starfruit is arguably the most profitable artisan good. It has a very high base value, which increases even more with the Artisan profession and by aging it in casks.
8. Does the Tiller/Artisan combo affect all crops and goods?
Yes, the Tiller profession affects all raw crops, while the Artisan profession affects all goods produced by machines, such as kegs, preserve jars, cheese presses, etc., including crops and animal products that have been converted into artisan goods.
9. How do I level up farming skill quickly?
Harvesting crops, petting animals, milking cows or goats, shearing sheep, and picking up animal products all contribute to farming experience. You can also use some farm-specific fertilizer to boost your yields and level up more quickly.
10. Should I focus on one crop per season?
It’s often advantageous to focus on one of the most profitable crops each season, which lets you streamline your workflow and maximize your profits. However, it’s also important to grow a variety for bundles, gifts, and cooking.
11. What are giant crops and how do I get them?
Giant crops are large versions of certain plants like melons, pumpkins, and cauliflower that can randomly grow in a 3×3 area. They drop 15-21 normal crops when harvested, making them quite profitable.
12. Is there an ideal farm layout for maximizing profits?
Efficient farm layouts vary depending on your playstyle, but generally, you want to maximize the available space for crops and processing equipment like kegs and preserve jars. Use the spaces around your buildings, pathways and structures to grow crops as well.
13. Is there an early-game strategy to make money?
Fishing is a great early-game strategy for making money, followed by quickly establishing a sustainable crop growing and artisan goods production system.
14. What if I accidentally chose the wrong profession?
Don’t worry. The Statue of Uncertainty in the Sewers allows you to change your professions at any time for 10,000 gold, so you are never permanently locked into any decision you make.
15. What is the highest selling item in Stardew Valley?
The Legendary fish (Legend and Legend II) are the highest-selling items in the game. With optimal quality and professions, they can be sold for up to 15,000g, although these are difficult to catch.
In conclusion, while Stardew Valley offers flexibility in play styles, the Tiller and Artisan profession combination generally provides the most efficient path to financial success in the game. By focusing on maximizing the value of your crops and processed goods, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a prosperous farmer in the valley.