Hello, fellow farmers! In this article, we will introduce you to the basic tools in Stardew Valley – the Hoe, Watering Can, Axe, and Pickaxe. Each tool corresponds to a specific skill: the Hoe and Watering Can relate to Farming, the Axe to Foraging, and the Pickaxe to Mining. The higher your skill level, the less energy you consume while using these tools.
Basic Tools and Energy Consumption
Using a basic tool consumes 2 energy points per use. With each level increase in the corresponding skill, energy consumption reduces by 0.1. At the maximum level of 10, using a tool will consume only 1 energy point. Your initial energy level in the game is 270. On the first day, you can use your tools 135 times. Planting 15 Fiber Seeds and watering them consumes 60 energy. If you chop down seven trees and their stumps, you’ll pass out; however, if you don’t chop stumps, you can cut down ten trees. Chopping nine trees will level up your Foraging skill to level 1.
Tools have a brief animation effect after use, which you can force-skip by using the tool again to speed up the process and improve work efficiency. Initial Hoe and Watering Can efficiency can be improved by arranging a 3×3 plot and working from the center. While you cannot use the Hoe on the tile you’re standing on, you can use the Watering Can.
Tool Upgrades
Each tool can be upgraded four times. Upgrading the Hoe and Watering Can increases their charged abilities, expanding their range with each level. The Copper Hoe and Watering Can can reach a straight line of three tiles, Steel Hoe and Watering Can reach five tiles, Gold Hoe and Watering Can cover a 3×3 area, and the Iridium Hoe and Watering Can cover a 6×3 area. The improvement from the Copper level is minimal, but the subsequent three levels offer significant enhancements.
The Hoe has two functions: tilling soil and digging for worms. Ginger Island and Greenhouse areas do not require repeated hoeing. You can use the Soil Retention technique to prevent repeated tilling in your farm. To replace digging for artifacts, you can use Artifact Troves instead. Note that you cannot use bombs to dig for worms, so the Hoe’s functionality is limited in this regard. Upgrading the Hoe may not be a priority.
The Watering Can’s capacity increases with each upgrade, reducing the number of times you need to refill it. The initial Watering Can can water 40 tiles, while the Iridium Watering Can can water 360 tiles. Any water source can be used for watering, including the pond at your farm, the water trough in the Greenhouse, kitchen taps, or seawater. Water quality does not affect plant growth. Sprinklers, Rain Totems, and the top-tier Water Retaining Soil can replace the Watering Can, so upgrading it may not be a high priority.
Axe Upgrades and Efficiency
The Axe’s upgrades have the most significant impact on efficiency. The starting Axe requires 10 swings to chop a tree trunk and 5 for a stump, consuming 30 energy points at Foraging level 0. The Golden Axe needs 6 swings and 12 energy points per tree, while the Iridium Axe requires only 3 swings and 6 energy points. The Iridium Axe is five times more efficient than the starting Axe, making it essential for large-scale tree cutting.
Typically, players upgrade to the Golden Axe by the end of Spring, then chop trees to reach Foraging level 6 and craft Lightning Rods, collecting batteries during Summer.
Pickaxe Upgrades and Mining
Upgrading the Pickaxe mainly reduces the number of swings needed to break rocks. The basic Pickaxe takes three swings to mine Copper, while the Copper Pickaxe can break large rocks in the mines. The Steel Pickaxe can break giant boulders, and the Golden Pickaxe takes only two swings to mine Gold. However, apart from breaking large rocks, the Pickaxe’s efficiency for regular rocks is not very high. Eventually, it is replaced by bombs as the primary method for breaking rocks. Therefore, once you have an ample supply of bombs, upgrading the Pickaxe becomes less urgent.
In conclusion, understanding the basics of tools and their upgrades in Stardew Valley is essential for efficient farming and resource management. Prioritize the Axe and Pickaxe upgrades for the most significant improvements, while the Hoe and Watering Can upgrades can be considered secondary. Happy farming!