From Zero to Completionist: Conquering All 49 Stardew Valley Achievements
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From Zero to Completionist: Conquering All 49 Stardew Valley Achievements
 or hunting down every book for the new Well-Read achievement, this guide maps your path to 100% completion. Jump directly to the hardest achievements section for immediate help with Prairie King, or start with our comprehensive achievement list to plan your conquest.
Getting Started with Achievements
Achievements in Stardew Valley aren’t just digital badges-they’re integrated into the game itself, often unlocking special hats and other rewards. Before diving into specific strategies, you need to understand how the achievement system works across different platforms.
Where to Find Your Achievements In-Game
Unlike many games that relegate achievements to a separate platform overlay, Stardew Valley displays most achievements directly in the game menu:
- Open your game menu (E on PC, X/Y on consoles)
- Navigate to the Collections tab
- Click the Achievements button at the bottom left
- Browse through the list of achievements you’ve earned and those still locked
Not all achievements display here initially-some remain hidden until you’ve made significant progress or completed prerequisite achievements. Additionally, platform-specific achievements (Steam, PlayStation, Xbox) can be viewed through their respective achievement interfaces.
Quick Tip: If you’ve been playing offline, Stardew Valley 1.6.15 now retroactively unlocks missed Steam achievements when you load your save while connected.
Achievement Rewards and Benefits
Stardew Valley uniquely rewards achievement hunters with in-game items, primarily decorative hats purchased from the Abandoned House in Cindersap Forest (aka the Mouse’s house). Additionally, some achievements trigger special mail rewards:
| Achievement | Reward | How to Claim |
|---|---|---|
| Gofer (Complete 10 Help Wanted requests) | 500g | Mail from Mayor Lewis the next day |
| A Big Help (Complete 40 Help Wanted requests) | 2,500g | Mail from Mayor Lewis the next day |
| Master Angler (Catch every fish) | Stardrop | Mail from Willy the next day |
| Most other achievements | Unique hat | Available for purchase at the Abandoned House |
 and collection achievements (Fisherman, Ol’ Mariner, Master Angler, Full Shipment) require systematic hunting of items throughout the game.
Museum Donation Strategy
For A Complete Collection (complete the museum):
-
Mining Approach
- Mine on lucky days for better geode and mineral drops
- Break every geode you find at Clint’s
- Use Magnet and Treasure Hunter tackle when fishing for artifacts
-
Artifact Spots
- Hoe artifact spots (worm/stem spots) that appear on the ground
- Different regions have different artifact tables
- Winter has more visible artifact spots since there’s no grass
-
Difficult Artifacts
- The Prehistoric Scapula, Ancient Sword, and Elvish Jewelry are among the rarest
- Use Artifact Troves purchased from the Desert Trader
- Fish treasure chests have a chance to contain artifacts
Master Angler Strategy
For Master Angler (catch every fish):
-
Seasonal Planning
- Some fish are only available in specific seasons
- Create a fishing calendar marking when rare fish appear
- Use rainy days strategically for weather-specific fish
-
Location-Specific Fish
- Mountain lake, ocean, river, and secret woods pond have different fish
- Specific spots like the submarine ride during the Night Market have unique fish
- The Witch’s Swamp, Sewers, and Desert have exclusive fish
-
Legendary Fish
- There are five main legendary fish (one per season plus The Legend)
- Use trap bobbers for difficult legendary fish
- Eat fishing buff food like Dish O’ The Sea
- Fish on lucky days with high fishing skill
-
1.6 Update Note: There are new fish added in the 1.6 update, but these are not required for the Master Angler achievement if you already earned it prior to the update.
Combat and Mining Achievements
The mining and combat-related achievements (The Bottom, Prairie King, Fector’s Challenge, Protector Of The Valley) are among the more challenging ones in the game.
Mining Tips
For The Bottom (reach the bottom of the mines):
-
Preparation
- Bring food for energy and health restoration
- Craft staircases for difficult levels
- Upgrade your pickaxe to at least steel quality
- Bring good weapons as you progress deeper
-
Efficient Descent
- Focus on finding ladders/holes, not clearing floors
- Break all rock clusters for potential ladder spawns
- Use bombs to clear large rock groupings quickly
- Monster floors are often followed by resource-rich floors
-
Combat Strategy
- Use the Galaxy Sword if available (obtained by using Prismatic Shard in the desert)
- Learn monster attack patterns and keep distance when possible
- Bring defensive rings like the Immunity Band
Adventure Guild Monster Slaying
For Protector Of The Valley (complete all Adventure Guild Monster Slayer goals):
-
Monster Targets
- Slimes (1,000): Found throughout mines, craft a Slime Charmer Ring to avoid damage
- Void Spirits (150): Floors 81+ in the regular mines
- Skeletons (50): Found on specific mine floors
- Bats (200) and Dust Sprites (500): Found on specific mine floors
-
Tracking Progress
- Check your progress at the Adventure Guild building
- Focus on one monster type at a time
- Dust Sprites (level 41-79) also drop the Cherry Bomb recipe, making them valuable to farm
-
Monster Respawning
- Leave and re-enter mine floors to respawn monsters
- Use elevator to efficiently farm specific floor ranges
- Monster Musk (from Krobus) increases monster spawn rates
Community Center vs. Joja Route
Two achievements are mutually exclusive: Local Legend (restore the Community Center) and Joja Co. Member Of The Year (complete the Joja route). You’ll need at least two playthroughs to earn both.
Community Center Strategy (Local Legend)
-
Bundle Planning
- Plan your crops and activities around bundle requirements
- Prioritize the pantry bundles to unlock the Greenhouse
- Use the bulletin board in the Community Center to track needed items
- Focus on season-specific items before they become unavailable
-
Year 1 Completion Possibility
- With careful planning, you can complete the Community Center in Year 1
- The most challenging year 1 items are:
- Red Cabbage (Summer, Year 2 normally, but may appear at Traveling Cart)
- Truffle (requires pig, which requires Deluxe Barn)
- Rabbit’s Foot (requires Rabbit in Deluxe Coop)
-
Bundle Rewards
- Each bundle completion gives a reward
- Area completions give major rewards like minecarts and bridge repairs
- Full completion gives a Stardrop and unlocks the movie theater
Joja Route (Member Of The Year)
-
Requirements
- 5,000g to purchase Joja Membership
- 135,000g total to purchase all community developments
- Focus purely on profit-generating activities
-
Pros and Cons
- Pros: Faster to complete if focused on money generation; no seasonal limitations
- Cons: More expensive overall; less satisfying for many players; misses out on bundle rewards
-
Money Focus
- Prioritize high-profit crops over bundle items
- Expand farm and processing capabilities aggressively
- Mine for resources rather than specific minerals
Achievement Tip: If you want both achievements, complete the Community Center first in one save, then start a new farm for the Joja route. The Community Center route generally provides a more engaging gameplay experience for your primary farm.
The 9 New Achievements in 1.6 Update
The 1.6 update added nine new achievements, ranging from simple tasks to significant challenges. Let’s explore each one.
Easy Wins: Movies, Fair, and Soup
Three of the new achievements are relatively straightforward and can be completed without much special preparation.
Two Thumbs Up (See a movie)
This achievement requires you to watch a movie at the movie theater, which becomes available after:
- Completing the Community Center, OR
- Purchasing the Abandoned JojaMart development through the Joja route
Steps to complete:
- Wait for the movie theater to open (sent via mail notification)
- Purchase a movie ticket from the booth outside (500g)
- Select any available movie and watch it
- Achievement unlocks immediately after the movie sequence
Blue Ribbon (Get 1st place in the Stardew Valley Fair competition)
The Stardew Valley Fair occurs on the 16th of Fall every year, featuring the Grange Display competition.
Strategy for winning:
-
Prepare 9 high-quality, diverse items from different categories:
- Animal products (milk, eggs, wool)
- Artisan goods (wine, cheese, honey)
- Cooking (any high-quality cooked dish)
- Fish (iridium-quality rare fish work best)
- Fruits (iridium-quality fruit)
- Vegetables (iridium-quality vegetables)
- Minerals/gems (prismatic shard, diamonds)
- Foraged items (iridium-quality seasonal forage)
-
For maximum points:
- Include at least one item from each category (diversity bonus)
- Use highest quality items (iridium/purple star) when possible
- Rare items score higher than common ones
- Large milk/eggs score better than regular ones
-
Talk to Mayor Lewis after setting up your display to be judged
This achievement is earned during the Luau festival, which occurs on the 11th of Summer annually.
Steps to complete:
-
Bring a high-quality ingredient to add to the community soup
- Gold or Iridium quality items work best
- Top choices: Gold/Iridium Ancient Fruit, Gold/Iridium Starfruit, Gold Ancient Fruit Wine
- Avoid trash, inedible items, or low-quality produce
-
When prompted during the festival, add your item to the soup
-
The Governor will taste the soup and be delighted, triggering the achievement
Quick Tip: If you’ve already participated in the Luau in previous years with a good ingredient, you may need to do it again after the 1.6 update for the achievement to register.
Mid-Difficulty: Ginger Island and Forest Neighbors
These achievements require more game progression but aren’t particularly challenging once you understand the requirements.
A Distant Shore (Reach Ginger Island)
Ginger Island is a major location added in the 1.5 update, requiring specific steps to access.
Requirements:
- Complete the Community Center (or Joja Route)
- Visit Willy’s shop and receive mail about his back room
- Enter the back room and see the boat he’s repairing
- Gather the required materials:
- 200 Hardwood
- 5 Battery Packs
- 5 Iridium Bars
- Give these materials to Willy to repair the boat
- Pay the 1,000g ticket fee and sail to Ginger Island
The achievement unlocks immediately upon reaching the island. If you’ve already visited Ginger Island before the 1.6 update, simply visiting again should trigger the achievement retroactively.
Good Neighbors (Help your forest neighbors grow their family)
This achievement refers to helping the Junimos in the forest expand their community.
Steps to complete:
- Complete the Community Center to befriend the Junimos
- Wait for a random overnight event where you’ll see Junimos in the forest
- Find the Junimo hut that appears in Cindersap Forest (near the Secret Woods entrance)
- Interact with the hut and follow the quest it provides
- Provide the requested items (typically various fruits, vegetables, and foraged items)
- After completing several delivery requests, the Junimo family will grow, unlocking the achievement
This achievement may require multiple in-game days of deliveries before completion.
Danger in the Deep (Reach the bottom of the ‘dangerous’ mines)
This refers to the hard mode version of the mines, a feature added in a previous update but now with an achievement attached.
Steps to complete:
- First reach the bottom of the regular mines (level 120)
- Visit the shrine at floor 120 of the mines or the statue in the Adventurer’s Guild
- Activate “dangerous mines” (or “hard mode”) at the shrine
- Descend through the mines again, now with harder monsters and better rewards
- Reach floor 120 of the dangerous mines to unlock the achievement
Tips for dangerous mines:
- Bring plenty of healing items
- Use the best weapons available (Galaxy/Infinity weapons recommended)
- Consider bringing staircases for emergencies
- Don’t try this until you have combat level 10 and good equipment
Challenging Ones: Well-Read and The Summit
These achievements require more dedicated effort and planning.
Well-Read (Read every book)
This achievement requires finding and reading all 19 books added throughout the game.
Book locations:
-
Purchase from the Bookseller:
- Visit the Bookseller in the library’s writing room (various days)
- Different books become available as you progress through the years
- Some books only appear in Year 2 or 3
-
Island Locations:
- Various locations on Ginger Island (requires exploration)
- The volcano shop sells some books
-
World Locations:
- Various buildings and locations throughout the valley
- Some require high friendship with villagers to access
-
Special Sources:
- Some books come from quests or special events
- Secret notes may lead to book locations
The best approach is to check the library writing room regularly, explore all buildings thoroughly, and build relationships with villagers to access their spaces.
![Book collection map showingf various books needed for the Well-Read achievement.*
Infinite Power (Obtain the most powerful weapon)
This achievement requires obtaining the Galaxy Sword’s ultimate upgrade-the Infinity Blade.
Steps to obtain:
- Get the Galaxy Sword (use Prismatic Shard in the desert pillars)
- Reach the Forge on Ginger Island (in the volcano)
- Gather the materials for forging:
- 3 Galaxy Souls (rare drops from dangerous mine enemies or purchased from Qi’s Walnut Room)
- 1 Iridium Bar
- 20 Cinder Shards (from the volcano)
- Forge the Galaxy Sword into the Infinity Blade
If you already have the Infinity Blade before the 1.6 update, you may need to forge a new one for the achievement to trigger. Some players report that simply removing and re-equipping it can sometimes work.
Perfection (Reach the summit)
This is tied to achieving “Perfection” in Stardew Valley, a comprehensive endgame challenge.
Requirements for Perfection:
-
Complete all of these at 100%:
- Ship every item
- Catch every fish
- Cook every recipe
- Craft every item
- Find all Stardrops
- Complete the museum
- Complete all monster slaying goals
- Fully upgrade your house
- Max friendship with all NPCs
- Find all Golden Walnuts
-
After achieving 100% perfection:
- Visit Mr. Qi’s Walnut Room on Ginger Island
- Take the path behind his room to climb to the summit
- View the special cutscene at the summit
Important 1.6 Update Note: If you had 100% perfection before the 1.6 update, your percentage may have decreased because new items were added. You’ll need to complete any new requirements to reach 100% again.
Conquering the Hardest Achievements
Some achievements in Stardew Valley present a significant challenge even for veteran players. Let’s tackle strategies for the most difficult ones.
Fector’s Challenge: Strategies from ConcernedApe Himself
Fector’s Challenge (beating Journey of the Prairie King without dying) is widely considered the hardest achievement in Stardew Valley. Even the game’s creator, ConcernedApe, only managed to complete it in October 2024-more than eight years after the game’s release!
Understanding the Challenge
Journey of the Prairie King is a twin-stick shooter arcade game found in the Stardrop Saloon. The normal achievement just requires beating it, but Fector’s Challenge requires completion without a single death.
The game consists of:
- 3 stages with multiple areas each
- Increasingly difficult enemies that attack from all sides
- A boss at the end of each stage
- Power-ups and coins to purchase upgrades
ConcernedApe’s Official Strategy
When the developer finally earned this achievement, he shared his strategy:
-
Resource Management:
- “You need money, so don’t use the ‘nukes’ because the enemies don’t drop anything from that.”
- “Purchase the best item you can afford in this order: ammo > revolver > boots.”
-
Boss Strategy:
- “Save a machine gun powerup for fighting Fector. You can take him down before he even has a chance to attack you.”
-
Legitimate Approach:
- ConcernedApe noted he achieved it through “a legitimate no-death run” without using the save/reload technique.
Detailed Prairie King Strategy
For the best chance at success:
-
Stage 1 (Forest):
- Focus on collecting coins early
- Buy ammo first (increases your shooting rate)
- Maintain distance from enemies
- Use sheriff stars (screen-clearing power-up) only when overwhelmed
-
Stage 2 (Bridge):
- Prioritize the revolver upgrade
- Look for boots to increase movement speed
- Save at least one machine gun power-up for the boss
- Try to stay in corners to limit enemy approach angles
-
Stage 3 (Graveyard):
- Move constantly to avoid being surrounded
- Use remaining power-ups strategically
- For Fector (final boss), use your saved machine gun power-up immediately
-
Alternative “Save Scumming” Method:
- Though ConcernedApe earned it legitimately, many players use this approach:
- Exit to title after completing each area if you haven’t died
- If you die, immediately quit and reload your save
- This preserves your progress without registering deaths
![Journey of the Prairie King gameplayy spawn points for Journey of the Prairie King.*
Achievement Rarity: Only 1.2% of Steam players have managed to unlock Fector’s Challenge, making it one of the rarest achievements in the game.
Full Shipment and Master Angler
These collection achievements require thorough knowledge of the game’s items and patience to acquire everything.
Full Shipment Strategy
For Full Shipment (ship every item):
-
Systematic Approach:
- Use the Collections tab to track shipped items
- Create a spreadsheet or use a community checklist
- Focus on one category at a time (crops, fruits, forage, etc.)
-
Season Planning:
- Grow at least one of every crop in each season
- Plant all fruit trees well in advance
- Collect all forageable items throughout all seasons
-
Animal Products:
- Build all types of animal buildings
- Obtain all animal types for their products
- Process products into artisan goods (cheese, cloth, etc.)
-
Hard-to-Remember Items:
- Tree sap (tap oak trees)
- Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter seeds
- Every type of mushroom from the Mushroom Cave
- Dinosaur egg (rare, can be incubated for dinosaurs)
- Ancient fruit (grow from ancient seeds)
-
Quality Note: You only need to ship each item once; quality doesn’t matter for this achievement.
Master Angler Detailed Strategy
For Master Angler (catch every fish):
- Seasonal Fish Calendar:
| Season | Key Fish to Focus On | Location | Time | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Legend | Mountain Lake | 6am-7pm | Rainy |
| Shad | River | 9am-2am | Rainy | |
| Summer | Crimsonfish | East Pier on Beach | 6am-7pm | Any |
| Octopus | Ocean | 6am-1pm | Any | |
| Fall | Angler | North bridge at town | 6am-7pm | Any |
| Tiger Trout | River/Lake | 6am-7pm | Any | |
| Winter | Glacierfish | South of Arrowhead Island | 6am-7pm | Any |
| Ice Pip | Mines (Floor 60) | Any | N/A | |
| Any | Lava Eel | Mines (Floor 100) | Any | N/A |
| Scorpion Carp | Desert | 6am-8pm | Any |
-
Special Location Fish:
- Midnight Carp: Any water, 10pm-2am
- Sturgeon: Mountain Lake, 6am-7pm, Summer and Winter
- Submarine Fish: During Night Market (Winter 15-17)
- Mutant Carp: Sewers (requires rusty key)
- Sandfish and Scorpion Carp: Desert (requires bus repair)
-
Fishing Level and Equipment:
- Reach level 10 in Fishing
- Use Iridium Rod with trap bobber for legendaries
- Eat dish o’ the sea or other fishing buff foods
- Fish on lucky days for better chances
-
Legendary Fish Tips:
- They require significant patience and practice
- The bar movement is erratic and difficult to track
- Save before attempting, reload if you fail
- Some players find it easier with a controller than mouse
Craft Master and Gourmet Chef
These completion achievements require tracking numerous recipes and gathering diverse ingredients.
Craft Master Checklist
For Craft Master (craft every item):
-
Recipe Sources:
- Leveling skills: Each skill unlocks recipes at levels 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9
- Friendship: Some recipes come from mail at certain friendship levels
- Shops: Robin, Marnie, Krobus, and Dwarf sell recipes
- Special events: Some recipes only appear during festivals
- TV: Check “Queen of Sauce” and “The Living Off The Land” regularly
-
Hard-to-Miss Recipes:
- Tea Set (received randomly during Winter Star festival)
- Garden Pot (becomes available after Greenhouse is unlocked)
- Mini-Jukebox (carpenter’s shop after having a regular jukebox)
- Wedding Ring (traveling merchant in Calico Desert)
- Warp Totems (various farming levels)
- Oil Maker (requires Farming level 8)
-
Crafting Materials to Stockpile:
- Hardwood (Secret Woods daily)
- All mineral types (mining and geodes)
- Fiber (clear weeds)
- Sap (chop trees)
- Bat wings and bug meat (mines)
- Clay (dig soil with hoe)
Gourmet Chef Comprehensive Approach
For Gourmet Chef (cook every recipe):
-
Recipe Collection Timeline:
- Year 1 Queen of Sauce airs new recipes (Sunday)
- Year 2 Queen of Sauce repeats Year 1 recipes (Sunday)
- Wednesday reruns feature random previously-aired recipes
- Befriend villagers to receive recipe mail
-
Key Recipe Sources:
- Stardrop Saloon: Gus sells some basic recipes
- Friendship recipes: Different villagers mail specific recipes
- Seasonal: Some recipes only appear on TV in specific seasons
- Special events: Some recipes are learned during festivals
-
Ingredient Planning:
- Greenhouse planning: Reserve spots for rare ingredients
- Seasonal crops: Plan to grow everything at least once
- Animal products: Build all animal buildings
- Forage calendar: Some ingredients are seasonal forage
- Fish: Some recipes require specific fish
-
Tracking System:
- Use a spreadsheet to track:
- Recipes learned
- Ingredients needed
- Seasons when missing ingredients are available
- Visit the Queen of Sauce TV show every Sunday and Wednesday without fail
- Use a spreadsheet to track:
1.6 Update Note: The 1.6 update added new recipes that are not required for the original Gourmet Chef achievement. However, if you want to maintain 100% Perfection, you’ll need to cook these new recipes as well.
Achievement Tracking and Planning
Efficient achievement hunting requires organization. Here are tools and strategies to help you plan and track your progress.
Using Spreadsheets and Community Tools
Several community-created tools can help track achievements:
Official Tracking Methods
-
In-Game Tracking:
- Collections tab shows progress for shipping, fishing, artifacts, and minerals
- Crafting menu shows which items you’ve crafted
- Cooking tab shows which recipes you’ve cooked
- Achievement menu shows unlocked achievements
-
Community Spreadsheets:
- The “Completionist Checklist Spreadsheet” (updated for 1.6) offers comprehensive tracking
- Download from: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vk23YmYtXv3plTJ_3RBZ8xJyI0R3kBhy
-
Online Trackers:
- Stardew Checkup (web-based progress analyzer)
- SDV Community Achievement Tracker (GitHub project)
- Platform-specific trackers (Steam, Xbox, PlayStation)
![Stardew Valley Completionist Spreadsheet screenshotows detailed tracking of all achievements and requirements.*
Creating Your Own System
If you prefer a personalized approach:
-
Season-Based Planning:
- Create four lists (one per season) of achievements to focus on
- Prioritize season-specific achievements (e.g., catching seasonal fish)
- Plan ahead for festival achievements
-
Categorized Checklists:
- Divide achievements by type: Collection, Relationship, Skill, etc.
- Create individual checklists for complex achievements
- Set realistic milestones (e.g., “5 new fish per season”)
-
Visual Farm Planning:
- Use the Stardew Planner tool to design your farm layout
- Allocate space for achievement-specific needs (e.g., one of every fruit tree)
- Plan crop rotations around needed items
Time-Efficient Achievement Hunting
With 49 achievements to earn, efficiency becomes crucial. Here’s how to optimize your achievement hunting:
Strategic Timeline Approach
Year 1 Focus:
- Community Center bundles (or Joja route)
- Basic relationship building (5 hearts with 4-5 people)
- Reach the bottom of the mines
- Catch at least 10 different fish
- Cook 10 different recipes
- Farm enough money for house upgrades
- Begin museum collection
Year 2 Focus:
- Expand relationships (10 hearts with 8 people)
- Complete Gourmet Chef achievement (cook all recipes)
- Catch all non-legendary fish
- Build all farm buildings
- Unlock Ginger Island
- Accumulate wealth (aim for Millionaire)
- Complete monster slaying goals
Year 3+ Focus:
- Hunt remaining legendary fish
- Complete museum collection
- Work toward 100% Perfection
- Tackle Fector’s Challenge
- Maximize relationships with all villagers
- Complete the 9 new achievements from 1.6
Multi-Tasking Achievements
Many achievements can be worked on simultaneously:
-
Mining + Combat Combo:
- While working toward “The Bottom,” you’ll naturally progress on:
- Monster slaying goals
- Mineral collection for museum
- Finding geodes for artifacts
-
Farm + Social Combo:
- While growing crops for “Polyculture” and “Monoculture,” you can:
- Process items for gifts to build relationships
- Cook dishes for the Gourmet Chef achievement
- Generate income for money achievements
-
Fishing + Collection Combo:
- While catching fish for “Master Angler,” you’ll also:
- Find artifacts in treasure chests
- Earn money toward financial achievements
- Gather ingredients for cooking achievements
Achievement-Focused Farm Planning
Design your farm with achievements in mind:
-
Layout Considerations:
- Allocate space for every type of fruit tree
- Plan crop plots for year-round diversity
- Create a dedicated artisan goods processing area
- Build all types of animal housing
-
Daily Routine Optimization:
- Morning: Check TV for recipes, then tend to farm/animals
- Afternoon: Work on relationship building or seasonal activities
- Evening: Mine, fish, or explore, depending on weather and luck
- Before bed: Process harvested goods and organize for the next day
-
Season Transition Planning:
- End of season: Ensure you’ve shipped at least 15 of each crop
- Beginning of season: Plan new crops based on missing achievements
- Use winter for intensive mining, relationship building, and fishing
Achievement-Focused Farm Planning
Different farm layouts facilitate different achievement paths. Consider these specialized farm types:
Collection-Focused Farm
For players prioritizing the collection achievements:
-
Features:
- Greenhouse filled with diverse crops rather than just Ancient Fruit
- Multiple fish ponds for rare fish products
- Organized storage system with color-coded chests
- Museum items display area
-
Benefits:
- Easier tracking of shipped items
- Constant supply of diverse ingredients for cooking
- Multiple sources of collection items
Social Master Farm
For players focusing on relationship achievements:
-
Features:
- Processing equipment to create high-value gifts
- Crystalariums producing universally-loved diamonds
- Fruit tree grove for liked gifts
- Organized gift storage by villager preference
-
Benefits:
- Streamlined relationship building
- Efficient gift production
- Centralized social planning
Combat and Mining Focus
For players tackling the harder combat achievements:
-
Features:
- Upgraded farmhouse with kitchen for combat buff foods
- Supply storage for mining expeditions
- Crystalariums for jade (to trade for staircases)
- Minimal farm maintenance requirements
-
Benefits:
- More time for mining and combat
- Prepared for difficult mine levels
- Support infrastructure for challenging achievements
Special Achievement Guides
Let’s conclude with targeted guides for some specific achievements or achievement categories that players frequently struggle with.
1.6 Book Collection Achievement Guide
The Well-Read achievement requires finding and reading all 19 books in the game. Here’s a comprehensive location guide:
Bookseller Purchases (Library’s Writing Room):
- A Guide to Victory at Joja, available Year 1, 500g
- Dwelling Beneath the Soil, available Year 1, 500g
- Legends of the Tower, available Year 1, 500g
- Modern Aquarist, available Year 1, 500g
- The Adventurer’s Guide, available Year 1, 500g
- Marnie’s Animal Care Tips, available Year 2, 750g
- Parenting in Your 20s, available Year 2, 750g
- The Joy of Canning, available Year 2, 750g
- Wumbus & Friends, available Year 2, 750g
- Zuzu City Express, available Year 3, 1,000g
World Locations:
11. Brave Little Sapling - Children’s section of the Library
12. Lost Chronicles - Artifact found while mining
13. The Mermaids Pendant - Elliott’s cabin when at 8+ hearts
14. Red Eagle - Community Center after completion
15. Legends and Lore - Wizard’s Tower near bookshelf
Ginger Island Locations:
16. Island Travel Guide - Island West, near farm buildings
17. Mysteries of the Dwarvish Helm - Island North, near dig site
18. Volcano Dwellers - Purchase from Volcano shop for 5 Cinder Shards
19. Pirates and Their Treasures - Island South, near the docks
![Book Collection Progress Screen in Stardew Valley which books have been read (checkmarks) and which are still needed.*
The Summit and Perfection Achievement
The Perfection achievement requires reaching the summit, which is only possible after achieving 100% Perfection in the game. Here’s what counts toward Perfection:
Perfection Tracker Categories:
- Shipped Items: Ship every possible item (100%)
- Fish Caught: Catch every fish species (100%)
- Recipes Cooked: Cook every recipe (100%)
- Items Crafted: Craft every item (100%)
- Walnut Hunt: Find all 130 Golden Walnuts on Ginger Island (100%)
- Monster Slayer: Complete all Adventure Guild monster slaying goals (100%)
- Stardrops: Find all Stardrops (100%)
- Friendship: Reach maximum hearts with all NPCs (100%)
- House Upgrades: Fully upgrade your house (100%)
- Great Walnut Hunt: Found all 130 walnuts (100%)
Accessing the Summit:
- Once you reach 100% Perfection, visit Mr. Qi’s Walnut Room on Ginger Island
- Look for a door/path at the back of his room
- Follow the path to reach the summit
- A special cutscene will play, and you’ll earn the achievement
1.6 Update Note: If you had 100% Perfection before the 1.6 update, you might need to find new items added in 1.6 to regain 100%. Players report seeing around 97% after the update if they previously had 100%.
Fector’s Challenge: The Ultimate Test
Given the extreme difficulty of Fector’s Challenge, here’s an extended strategy guide:
Preparation:
- Practice regular Prairie King thoroughly before attempting the challenge
- Consider playing with a controller if the keyboard feels imprecise
- Play when you’re fresh and focused-not late at night
Stage-by-Stage Strategy:
Stage 1:
- Area 1: Collect coins, avoid getting surrounded
- Area 2: Buy ammo upgrade immediately
- Area 3: Continue collecting coins, save power-ups
- Area 4: Use a power-up if cornered, otherwise save
- Boss: Shoot continuously, move in a circular pattern
Stage 2:
- Area 1: Buy revolver upgrade when possible
- Area 2: Focus on dodging projectiles from new enemies
- Area 3: Save machine gun power-up for boss
- Boss: Use machine gun, defeat quickly before attack patterns intensify
Stage 3:
- Area 1: Buy boots upgrade if possible
- Area 2: Extreme caution-enemy density increases dramatically
- Area 3: Use remaining power-ups strategically
- Final Boss (Fector): Use machine gun immediately, maintain distance
Save/Exit Strategy (Optional):
- After completing each area, consider exiting to title screen
- This creates an auto-save that you can reload if you die
- Not the intended way to earn the achievement, but effective
ConcernedApe’s Personal Tips:
- “Don’t use nukes as enemies won’t drop coins when defeated this way”
- “Buy upgrades in this order: ammo > revolver > boots”
- “Save a machine gun power-up specifically for Fector”
Action Steps Recap
To conquer all 49 Stardew Valley achievements: First download a tracking spreadsheet, then focus on seasonal achievements to avoid missing time-limited opportunities, next work systematically through collection and skill-based achievements, and finally tackle the most challenging ones like Fector’s Challenge and Perfection using our targeted strategies.
Further Resources
- Official Stardew Valley Wiki Achievements Page
- Community Completionist Spreadsheet (1.6 Version)
- Stardew Checkup Web Tool
- Book Collection Guide Infographic
- Fector’s Challenge Extended Video Guide
Patch History Affecting Achievements
| Date | Update | Impact on Achievements |
|---|---|---|
| March 19, 2024 | 1.6.0 | Added 9 new achievements: Well-Read, Two Thumbs Up, Blue Ribbon, An Unforgettable Soup, Good Neighbors, A Distant Shore, Danger in the Deep, Infinite Power, and Perfection |
| December 20, 2024 | 1.6.15 | Fixed some achievements not unlocked retroactively in some cases; Fixed achievement-related bugs |
| November 6, 2024 | 1.6.9 | Additional fixes for achievement unlocking; Updated perfection tracking |
| October 21, 2020 | 1.5 | Added Ginger Island and perfection tracking; Foundation for later Perfection achievement |
| December 20, 2018 | 1.3.32 | Fixed various achievement-related bugs |
| August 1, 2016 | 1.07 | Adjusted difficulty of Prairie King for better balance |
| April 26, 2016 | 1.06 | Fixed achievement bugs related to Master Angler |
| March 8, 2016 | 1.05 | Added achievement tracking to Collections menu |
| February 26, 2016 | 1.0 | Initial release with base 40 achievements |