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What Are Tools in Stardew Valley?
Stardew Valley is a game packed with missions and quests. Confronting them barehanded would put you in a tight spot, or worse, hinder you from completing tasks–especially the difficult ones. But, you don’t have to worry because, there are tools in Stardew Valley that you can use to help you get things done inside the game.
Tools available and craftable inside the game range from farming tools to foraging tools. There are hoes, pickaxes, watering cans, fishing poles, and so much more. Upon playing Stardew Valley, you start off with 5 tools in your possession, all of the normal quality. Considering how the equipment could be your ultimate ally in fulfilling some quests.
Also, it is needless to say that you need to make sure they are properly maintained. Since as you progress in the game you’re bound to till more land, water more crops, and encounter more obstacles to break. Also, you would need to upgrade your tools to increase their efficiency. With that, we proceed to the question, “How so?”.
How to Upgrade Tools in Stardew Valley?
Among the several tools in Stardew Valley, some tools such as the fishing rod and scythe with higher qualities are either obtained or brought. But do not get too dismayed because you can always ask the town Blacksmith to upgrade some tools for you.
Visiting the Blacksmith
To upgrade your tools, you would need to visit Clint–the village’s one and only Blacksmith. His shop, which is actually his house also, is found across the river from Pelican Town, in the southeast part of the map. He will be available from 9 am to 4 pm.
Specifically, he can improve the quality of your hoe, axe, pickaxe, watering can, and trash can. However, going to his shop does not necessarily get the job done–you need to have some things prepared.
Upgrades
For your information, the tool’s quality could be upgraded chronologically from normal to copper, to steel, to gold, then to iridium quality. In order to enhance them to such qualities, you need to pay Clint 2000, 5000, 10000, and 25000 gold, respectively. Also, you need to provide 5 of the mineral bar of the quality you’re upgrading it into. For instance, you need 5 copper bars to evolve your axe into a copper axe.
You should also be mindful that it takes two days for Clint to upgrade tools. This would mean that he would be, more or less, unavailable to provide any service during the upgrade; you can’t buy ores from his store or ask him to break open geodes. Technically, since Clint has your tool to work on, you would be left without your tool for two days.
Once Clint is done preparing your tool, a message will appear as you wake up for the day. This would mean that you can drop by his shop and pick up your newly-upgraded tool.
When to Upgrade Tools?
You might have a lot on your mind already. But, it is crucial to set a schedule for when would be the best time to upgrade your tools. Planning when to improve their quality could help you maximize time, energy, and even the weather and seasons.
On that note, the best days to enhance your tools in Stardew Valley would be when you won’t need them. And, when you are about to use them.
Upgrading tools when you won’t be needing them means simply just as stated. So, doing it when you think that you would not be using them. As an example, during rainy days, you may not need your watering can as much. Since the rainwater would be the one watering the crops for you. It would also be economical in terms of stamina because you won’t be spending energy.
On the other hand, the latter implies that upgrading is called for when you are eyeing to do some leveling up and quest completion journey. Exploring and foraging also require some grueling use of your tools and therefore, it would be wise to promote your tools’ quality before departing for such activities.
Taking a great deal of consideration when to upgrade tools could be very impactful. Especially in keeping you from too much downtime and delays in completing some tasks. That being said, the timing should not be taken too lightly and should be not on a whim.
Perks of Upgrading Tools
Efficiency
Actions performed in Stardew Valley require energy. Tilling a tile of soil consumes energy, and so does watering a tile of the crop. One of the benefits delivered by upgrading tools is the increase in the amount of work done without having to spend too much energy.
An Axe which is used to chop trees and remove wood stumps normally takes 15 hits to break small logs and upon upgrading it, the number of hits required is decreased by 3. Improving the Pickaxe’s quality also decreases the number of hits necessary to break rocks and ore veins.
On the other hand, enhancing the Hoe and Watering Can increases the area. Affected by the action performed–more tiles of soil tilled, and more crops watered as upgraded.
Special Abilities
Further revamps on tools in Stardew Valley also grants special abilities which would be very advantageous in taking on some tasks and exploring new locations.
Aside from being able to chop larger stumps and logs. Obtaining a Steel Axe would enable you to chop the wood blocking the passage to the Secret Woods Area. Upon reaching a Gold Hoe quality, the area of effect would be in a 3×3 area, instead of a straight line. Leveling it up to iridium quality would then expand it to a 6×3 area.
Moving on to the Pickaxe, the steel-quality one could help you get through the rock that hinders you from interacting with the Dwarf. A Gold Pickaxe would be able to break meteorites and the Iridium Pickaxe would enable destroying rocks in the Quarry Mine and Skull Cavern with just one hit.
As mentioned earlier, upgrading the watering can expand the area affected by the action in the same way with the Hoe. As you reach the gold quality, it will become a 3×3 area and move up to a 6×3 area by acquiring an Iridium Watering Can.
Also, the capacity of the watering can also improve along with the quality. From a normal quality with 40 charges of water, it increases to 55 charges, to 70 charges, 85 charges, and lastly 100 charges before the can is emptied.
