Frozen Tear Farming: Where to Find This Elusive Stardew Valley Gem

Frozen Tear Farming: Where to Find This Elusive Stardew Valley Gem

Ever desperately needed a Frozen Tear but couldn’t find one anywhere? You’re not alone. This pale blue crystal is notoriously elusive, despite being essential for befriending Sebastian, completing the Geologist’s Bundle, or crafting the Warrior Ring. The quickest way is mining floors 70-79 of the Mines where they spawn as forageable items on the ground-jump to the quick mining guide. But there are eight other reliable methods that many players overlook. This article covers every possible way to get your hands on these valuable tears, with exact probabilities and time-saving strategies for both early-game and veteran farmers.

The Quickest Ways to Get Frozen Tears

When you need a Frozen Tear quickly, heading to The Mines is your best bet. But knowing exactly where to look and what to break can save you hours of frustration.

Mining in the Ice Levels (Floors 40-79)

The most direct method to obtain Frozen Tears is by exploring the ice levels of The Mines between floors 40 and 79. These tears appear as small, light blue crystals lying on the ground that you can simply pick up by walking over them. They’re particularly abundant on floors 70-79, where you’ll have the highest chance of finding them.

What many players miss is that Frozen Tears blend in with the icy floors, making them easy to overlook. They have a distinctive teardrop shape and a light cyan color that’s slightly different from the surrounding ice. Keep your eyes peeled for these subtle differences as you explore.

The strategy that veteran players use is to take the elevator to floor 70 or 71, search the entire floor for Frozen Tears, and then either go down a level or return to the entrance and take the elevator back to level 70 to reset the floor. This method is more efficient than trying to go deeper, as it keeps you in the most tear-rich area of the mines.

While exploring these floors, keep an eye out for Dust Sprites as well. These fuzzy black enemies have a 2% chance to drop a Frozen Tear when defeated. Since they often appear in groups, clearing rooms full of Dust Sprites can be a lucrative strategy for farming Frozen Tears. As an added bonus, Dust Sprites also drop Coal, which is another valuable resource.

Breaking Frozen Geodes and Omni Geodes

Another reliable method to obtain Frozen Tears is by breaking open geodes at the Blacksmith shop in town. Specifically, Frozen Geodes have a 1/16 (6.25%) chance of containing a Frozen Tear, while Omni Geodes have a 2.08% chance.

Frozen Geodes themselves can be found on floors 41 to 79 of The Mines, especially from breaking rocks in the icy areas. They can also be obtained as gifts during the Feast of the Winter Star or from an Ice Pip Fish Pond when it reaches a population of 9.

To maximize your chances, consider collecting a large number of geodes before taking them to Clint at the Blacksmith. It costs 25g to process each geode, so make sure you have enough money on hand. If you’re playing version 1.5 or later, you can also use a Geode Crusher to break open geodes at home, though this requires one Coal per geode.

For those who don’t mind using external tools, the Stardew Predictor can tell you exactly what you’ll get from your geodes. This takes some of the randomness out of the process and can save you time if you’re specifically hunting for Frozen Tears.

Alternative Sources for the Desperate Farmer

If mining isn’t your thing or you’re having terrible luck, there are several other ways to obtain Frozen Tears:

1. Fishing Treasure Chests: There’s a 4% chance to find a Frozen Tear in a treasure chest while fishing. To increase your chances of getting treasure chests, use bait and fishing tackle like the Treasure Hunter, which increases the appearance rate of treasure chests.

2. Garbage Cans: After reaching the bottom of The Mines, Frozen Tears can occasionally be found when checking garbage cans around town. This is not the most reliable method, but it’s worth checking cans as you pass by them.

3. Panning: With a 4.9% chance, you might find a Frozen Tear when using the pan on glittering spots in water. The pan is obtained from Willy after completing the Glittering Boulder bundle in the Crafts Room.

4. Ice Pip Fish Pond: If you have an Ice Pip Fish Pond with a population of 9, it may produce 5 Frozen Tears at once. This is a great passive method that works while you focus on other tasks.

5. The Wizard’s Mail: At any friendship level above zero, the Wizard may send you a Frozen Tear through the mail. This is random but requires no effort on your part once you’ve befriended him.

6. Statue of Endless Fortune: This expensive statue (10,000,000g from the Casino) will give you a Frozen Tear on Winter 10, which is Sebastian’s birthday. While this is guaranteed, it only happens once per year.

7. Crystalarium Replication: Once you’ve found your first Frozen Tear, you can place it in a Crystalarium to produce an infinite supply over time. This is particularly useful if you plan to gift them regularly to Sebastian.

Each of these methods has its own advantages and situations where it might be preferable. For example, if you’re already planning to spend a day fishing, it’s worth keeping an eye out for treasure chests that might contain a Frozen Tear. Similarly, if you have some Ice Pips, setting up a fish pond could provide a steady supply without much ongoing effort.

Advanced Farming Techniques for Frozen Tears

For players looking to optimize their Frozen Tear collection or who need large quantities, these advanced techniques can significantly improve your yield.

Optimizing Your Mining Runs

To make your mining expeditions as efficient as possible, follow these expert tips:

1. Focus on Lucky Days: Check your TV each morning for the daily luck. Mining on days with good luck will increase your chances of finding Frozen Tears and geodes.

2. Bring the Right Tools: A good pickaxe (Gold or Iridium) will help you break rocks faster. For clearing large areas efficiently, bring bombs to break multiple rocks at once.

3. Use Luck-Boosting Foods: Dishes like Lucky Lunch, Spicy Eel, or Ginger Ale provide luck buffs that can increase your chances of finding rare items like Frozen Tears.

4. Elevator Reset Method: For maximum efficiency, take the elevator to floor 71, check the entire floor for Frozen Tears, then use the elevator to reset the floor and check again. This keeps you in the prime Frozen Tear territory without wasting time on deeper levels.

5. Combat Preparation: The ice levels contain enemies like Dust Sprites and various slimes. Bring a good sword (like the Lava Katana or Galaxy Sword) and food for health regeneration to avoid wasting time with deaths.

6. Light Sources: The mines are dark, and Frozen Tears can be hard to spot. Bring torches, a Glow Ring, or eat food that provides the Glow buff to improve visibility.

7. Backpack Space Management: Clear your inventory before heading to the mines to ensure you have space for all the Frozen Tears and other valuable items you find.

8. Mining Skill Benefits: Higher mining skill levels give you a chance to find double resources from nodes. Work on leveling your Mining skill to 10 for maximum benefit.

By combining these strategies, you can significantly increase both the speed and yield of your Frozen Tear hunting expeditions in the mines.

Setting Up an Ice Pip Fish Pond

One of the most overlooked methods for obtaining Frozen Tears is using an Ice Pip Fish Pond. This method provides passive income of Frozen Tears while you focus on other aspects of your farm.

To set up an Ice Pip Fish Pond:

1. Build a Fish Pond: Purchase the blueprint from Robin’s carpentry shop for 5,000g, 200 stone, 5 seaweed, and 5 green algae.

2. Catch Ice Pip Fish: These can be caught in the mountain lake during winter, or in the mines on floors 60 and below year-round. They’re more common in winter and require fishing level 5 to catch.

3. Stock Your Pond: Place at least one Ice Pip in the pond to start the population.

4. Expand the Population: Fish ponds start with a capacity of 3 fish. To increase this, you’ll need to complete quests that the fish request, displayed when you interact with the pond.

5. Reach 9 Fish: When your Ice Pip pond reaches a population of 9, it gains the ability to produce 5 Frozen Tears at once.

6. Check Regularly: Check your pond daily to collect any Frozen Tears it produces.

The beauty of this method is that once set up, it requires minimal maintenance while providing a steady supply of Frozen Tears. It’s perfect for players who need Frozen Tears regularly, such as those who are trying to build friendship with Sebastian or craft multiple Warrior Rings.

Using the Statue of Endless Fortune

For late-game players with extra gold to spare, the Statue of Endless Fortune provides a guaranteed method of obtaining specific items on certain days, including a Frozen Tear on Winter 10 (Sebastian’s birthday).

To get the Statue of Endless Fortune:

1. Unlock the Casino: Complete the “Dark Talisman” quest from the Wizard, then use the Magnifying Glass to find and complete the “Goblin Problem” quest from Krobus.

2. Earn Casino Coins: Exchange gold for Casino Coins (1000g for 100 Coins) and play games to increase your total.

3. Purchase the Statue: Buy the Statue of Endless Fortune from the Casino shop for 1,000,000g.

4. Place on Your Farm: Place the statue somewhere on your farm where you’ll remember to check it daily.

5. Collect on Winter 10: On Winter 10, the statue will give you a Frozen Tear in honor of Sebastian’s birthday.

While this method only provides one Frozen Tear per year, it’s completely guaranteed and requires no effort beyond checking the statue on the right day. It’s a good supplementary method for players who already have the statue for other reasons.

Tools and Resources to Maximize Your Chances

The Stardew Valley community has developed various tools and resources that can help you optimize your Frozen Tear hunting.

Using the Stardew Predictor for Geode Contents

The Stardew Predictor is a powerful tool that can tell you exactly what you’ll get from breaking open geodes. This takes the randomness out of the process and can save you time and money when specifically hunting for Frozen Tears.

To use the Stardew Predictor:

1. Visit the Website: Go to https://mouseypounds.github.io/stardew-predictor/.

2. Upload Your Save File: Use the file upload option to analyze your specific game data.

3. Check Geode Results: The predictor will show you what items you’ll get from each geode you break, in order.

4. Plan Your Strategy: If you see that your 10th Frozen Geode will contain a Frozen Tear, you can collect exactly that many before visiting Clint.

This tool is especially useful for players who have collected a large number of geodes and want to know if it’s worth processing them all, or if they should collect more before making the trip to the Blacksmith.

The Stardew Predictor also provides information about other random events in the game, such as traveling merchant inventory, mine infestations, and more, which can be useful for planning your overall strategy.

Best Weapons and Tools for Efficient Mining

Having the right equipment can significantly increase your efficiency when mining for Frozen Tears:

Pickaxes:

• Iridium Pickaxe: The best option, allowing you to break rocks with minimal energy use.
• Gold Pickaxe: A good alternative if you haven’t obtained iridium yet.

Weapons:

• Galaxy Sword: The best weapon in the game, making quick work of any enemies in the mines.
• Lava Katana: A strong alternative available from the Adventurer’s Guild for 25,000g.
• Obsidian Edge: A decent mid-game option, also available from the Adventurer’s Guild.

Rings:

• Iridium Band: Combines the effects of the Glow Ring, Magnet Ring, and adds +1 attack damage.
• Glow Ring: Helps you spot Frozen Tears in the dimly lit mines.
• Magnet Ring: Draws items toward you, ensuring you don’t miss any Frozen Tears.

Bombs:

• Mega Bombs: Clear the largest area but are expensive and potentially dangerous.
• Bombs: A good balance of area cleared and cost.
• Cherry Bombs: Cheaper but clear smaller areas.

By using bombs strategically, you can clear large areas of rocks quickly, increasing your chances of finding Frozen Tears and Frozen Geodes. Place them in areas with dense rock clusters for maximum efficiency.

Understanding Luck and Its Impact on Finding Frozen Tears

Luck plays a significant role in Stardew Valley, affecting everything from mining drops to fishing treasure. Understanding and manipulating luck can dramatically increase your Frozen Tear yield:

Daily Luck:

• Check your TV each morning for the “Fortune Teller” report.
• Mine on days with “very happy spirits” or “feeling lucky” for best results.
• Avoid mining on unlucky days to maximize efficiency.

Luck Buffs from Food:

• Lucky Lunch: +3 Luck (best option)
• Spicy Eel: +1 Luck + Speed boost
• Pumpkin Soup: +2 Luck
• Ginger Ale: +1 Luck

Permanent Luck Increases:

• Special Charm: Obtain by completing Secret Note #20
• Lucky Ring: Provides +1 Luck bonus

While geode contents are predetermined and not affected by luck, the chance of finding Frozen Tears on the ground and in drops from enemies is influenced by your luck level. The chance of finding Frozen Geodes is also affected by luck.

By maximizing your luck through careful planning, food buffs, and special items, you can significantly increase your rate of finding Frozen Tears in the mines.

What to Do With Your Frozen Tears

Now that you know how to find Frozen Tears, you might be wondering what to do with them. Here are all the uses for this versatile mineral:

Gifting Guide: Making Sebastian Happy

Frozen Tear is one of Sebastian’s loved gifts. Sebastian is the only villager who loves this item, making it an excellent choice for building friendship with him specifically.

To gift a Frozen Tear to Sebastian:

1. Find Sebastian in his basement room at Robin’s house, particularly in the morning or evening.
2. During rainy days, he may also be at the lake east of his house.
3. Approach Sebastian and interact with him while holding the Frozen Tear.
4. Select the gift option to give him the tear.

When given a loved gift, Sebastian will gain 80 friendship points (doubled to 160 on his birthday, Winter 10). This makes Frozen Tears one of the most efficient items for building friendship with him.

Most other villagers like Frozen Tears, giving you 45 friendship points when gifted. However, be careful not to give them to Leah, Linus, or Pierre, as they dislike this gift and will lose friendship points.

Completing the Geologist’s Bundle

One Frozen Tear is required for the Geologist’s Bundle in the Boiler Room of the Community Center. This bundle also requires:

• Quartz
• Earth Crystal
• Fire Quartz

Completing this bundle rewards you with 5 Omni Geodes, which can be broken open for a chance at rare minerals or even more Frozen Tears.

If you’re playing with the Remixed Bundles option, the requirements may be different, so check your specific bundle requirements in-game.

Crafting the Warrior Ring

The Warrior Ring is a useful accessory that occasionally infuses the wearer with “warrior energy” after slaying a monster, temporarily increasing attack damage. To craft it, you need:

• 10 Iron Bars
• 25 Coal
• 10 Frozen Tears

You unlock this recipe upon reaching Combat Level 4. The Warrior Ring can be particularly useful for players who spend a lot of time in the mines or Skull Cavern, as the damage boost helps clear enemies more quickly.

Other Uses and Future Updates

Besides the main uses listed above, Frozen Tears have a few other applications:

1. Tailoring: When used in the spool of the Sewing Machine with Cloth in the feed, it creates a Dark Jacket. It also functions as a cyan dye when used in the dye pots.

2. Selling: If you have extras, Frozen Tears sell for 75g each (or 97g with the Gemologist profession). While not the most valuable mineral, it’s better than keeping excess tears in your storage.

3. Bundles (Alternate): In some remixed bundle setups, a Frozen Tear might be required for different bundles, so always check your specific game’s requirements.

4. Future Updates: As seen in the Version History, Stardew Valley continues to receive updates. While there are no specific changes to Frozen Tears in the most recent patches, future updates might add new uses for this item, so it’s worth keeping a few in storage.

With the knowledge of both how to find Frozen Tears and what to do with them, you’re now equipped to make the most of this valuable resource in your Stardew Valley farm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why can’t I find any Frozen Tears even after searching the ice levels?

A: Frozen Tears can be difficult to spot as they blend with the icy background. Try mining on lucky days, use the Glow Ring to improve visibility, and make sure to check the entire floor thoroughly. They’re more common on floors 70-79.

Q: Do Dust Sprites always drop Frozen Tears?

A: No, Dust Sprites have only a 2% chance to drop a Frozen Tear. However, since they appear in groups, defeating many of them increases your chances of getting at least one.

Q: Can I put a Frozen Tear in a Crystalarium?

A: Yes! Unlike gems, the Crystalarium works for any mineral other than ores, including Frozen Tears. This is a great way to produce an infinite supply once you’ve found your first one.

Q: What’s the fastest way to get a Frozen Tear early in the game?

A: Mining in the ice levels (floors 40-79) is the fastest early-game method. Focus particularly on floors 70-79 where they’re more common, and look for them lying on the ground.

Q: Does luck affect the chance of finding Frozen Tears?

A: Yes, daily luck and luck buffs from food increase your chances of finding Frozen Tears as ground spawns and enemy drops. However, luck does not affect what you get from geodes, as those contents are predetermined.

Q: Can I find Frozen Tears in winter outside the mines?

A: While Frozen Geodes can be found on the Farm in winter, Frozen Tears themselves can only be found in the locations mentioned in this guide, primarily the mines.

Q: Is there a way to predict what I’ll get from geodes?

A: Yes, tools like the Stardew Predictor can tell you exactly what items you’ll get from breaking open geodes. This can help you determine if it’s worth processing your current geodes or if you should collect more.

Q: Are there any villagers besides Sebastian who love Frozen Tears?

A: No, Sebastian is the only villager who loves Frozen Tears. Most other villagers like them (except Leah, Linus, and Pierre, who dislike them).

Action Steps Recap

To efficiently farm Frozen Tears, focus on mining floors 70-79 on lucky days, defeat Dust Sprites, break Frozen Geodes, and consider setting up an Ice Pip Fish Pond for passive generation.

Further Resources

• Stardew Valley Wiki: Frozen Tear Page
• Stardew Predictor Tool
• Stardew Valley Discord - Community discussions and tips
• Stardew Valley Modding API (SMAPI) - For mods that can help with resource location

Relevant Patch History for Frozen Tears