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Villagers and Relationships

Building relationships with the residents of Pelican Town unlocks new recipes, gifts in your mailbox, and access to new areas. Mastering the friendship system is a key pillar of Stardew Valley.

The Friendship System​

Friendship is measured in "hearts." Each villager has a 10-heart meter (expandable to 14 for spouses). You gain friendship points through several actions:

  • Talking: Speaking to a villager once per day grants a small amount of friendship.
  • Gifting: You can give a villager two gifts per week, and one extra gift on their birthday.
  • Quests: Completing delivery requests posted outside Pierre's shop awards a significant friendship boost.
  • Events: Making favorable choices during heart events or festivals increases friendship.

Friendship decays slightly every day you do not interact with a villager. Speak to them regularly to prevent losing hearts.

Mastering Gifts​

Gifting is the fastest way to build friendship. Every villager has specific preferences categorized as Loved, Liked, Neutral, Disliked, and Hated.

  • Loved Gifts: Provide a massive friendship boost (80 points). These are usually specific, hard-to-find items unique to the villager.
  • Liked Gifts: Provide a solid friendship boost (45 points). These are often Artisan Goods, cooked meals, or gems.
  • Disliked/Hated Gifts: Reduce friendship points. Never give villagers trash, bait, or monster loot.

Universal Likes​

Memorize these "Universal Likes" to build friendship when you do not have a specific loved gift:

  • Tree Fruits (Apples, Pomegranates, etc.)
  • Artisan Goods (Mayonnaise, Cheese, Jelly) Note: Sebastian hates Artisan Goods.
  • Cooked Meals (except Fried Egg, Bread, and Strange Bun)
  • Gems (Topaz, Amethyst, etc.)
  • Foraged Flowers (Sweet Pea, Crocus, etc.)

The Birthday Multiplier​

A gift given on a villager's birthday is worth 8 times the normal amount of friendship points. Never miss a birthday. Check the calendar outside Pierre's shop daily. Giving a Loved quality gift (like an Iridium-quality item) on a birthday can increase a villager's meter by up to three full hearts instantly.

Marriage Candidates​

You can romance and marry specific villagers. They are marked as "Single" in your social tab.

To marry a villager, you must complete the following steps:

  1. Reach 8 hearts with the candidate.
  2. Buy a Bouquet from Pierre's shop and give it to them to unlock hearts 9 and 10.
  3. Reach 10 hearts.
  4. Purchase a Mermaid's Pendant from the Old Mariner on the beach during a rainy day.
  5. Propose using the Mermaid's Pendant.

Your spouse moves into your farmhouse, occasionally helps with chores like watering crops or feeding animals, and unlocks a unique 14-heart event.

Heart Events​

As you reach specific heart thresholds (usually 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 hearts), you trigger unique cutscenes called "Heart Events." These events often require you to enter a specific area at a specific time. During these events, you may be presented with dialogue choices. Choose the option that aligns with the villager's personality to earn bonus friendship points.