Mining is a huge part of Stardew Valley and is impossible to avoid. If you want to just focus on farming and building your little village, you can do that, but youโll never be able to fully complete the game. As you mine, youโll level up and eventually have to decide between professions like Miner or Geologist, Blacksmith or Excavator, and Prospector or Gemologist. These professions will heavily affect your gameplay, so donโt choose lightly.
In addition to professions, youโll also unlock some different bonuses as you level up your Mining skill in Stardew Valley. In this guide, weโll cover what you unlock at each level, along with which professions you should takeโand which ones to avoid. As you progress deeper in the mine and level up, you should refer back to this Mining skill guide for Stardew Valley to ensure you pick the optimal skill path.
Mining Level Bonuses
Letโs take a second and go over the bonuses youโll get as you progress through the Mining skill tree in Stardew Valley before we delve into the professions. The Mining bonuses are pretty simple and sort of mundane compared to the Fishing skill bonuses. That said, theyโre still pretty useful for mining and will come in handy as you go deeper. Fishing levels 1 through 4 and 5 through 9 offer bonuses, while 5 and 10 are where you will select a profession.
Mining Levels 1 – 4
- Level 1 – Cherry Bomb recipe unlocked.
- Level 2 – Staircase recipe unlocked.
- Level 3 – Minerโs Treat recipe unlocked.
- Level 4 – Glowstone Ring and Transmute (Fe) recipes unlocked.
The Glowstone Ring is certainly the best bonus in the first 4 levels. It combines the Glow Ring, which provides light, and the Magnet Ring, which automatically adds items to your interview from further away. Besides that, the Minerโs Treat cooking recipe can be useful, as it increases your Mining level by 3 and Magnetism by 32 and refills 125 points of your Energy and 56 Hit Points. The buffs last for 5 minutes and 35 seconds.
Mining Levels 6 – 9
- Level 6 – Bomb recipe unlocked.
- Level 7 – Transmute (Au) recipe unlocked.
- Level 8 – Mega Bomb recipe unlocked.
- Level 9 – Crystalarium recipe unlocked.
Besides the upgraded bombs, Mining levels 6-9 also comes with the Crystalarium. The Crystalarium is a great addition to your farm and will replicate any gem, foraged material, or geode mineral you put inside of itโinfinitely. Thatโs right; you can turn 1 diamond into thousands. Different items will take different amounts of time, with the shortest being quartz at around 7 hours and a diamond being the longest at 5 days.
Crystalariums can net you an average of 150g per day if you use them to replicate diamonds, and this is the most profitable way to use them. You cannot duplicate Prismatic Shards, sadly; we certainly tried.
Miner or Geologist in Stardew Valley
So, youโve toiled down in the mines, and youโve hit level 5. Youโre suddenly faced with a choice between becoming a Miner or Geologist in Stardew Valley. Before you pick one, you should know that picking one will affect what your future level 10 profession can be. When it comes to Miner or Geologist, there is no real better option. Either one is a good choice and depends on your playstyle.
Miner will give you a flat +1 ore per vein you mine or blow up. Geologist will give you a 50% chance for gems to appear in pairs, meaning you have a 50% chance of finding 2 gems instead of just 1. Some players like taking Geologist because, later on, they will be able to get massive amounts of gems and give them out as gifts to different NPCs in the game. Others think it’s better to take Miner so that you have a steady supply of ores in the early game.
It can definitely be a pain to constantly run out of ores in the early game, but a lot of players donโt have that problem later on. Conversely, gifts are always a great way to shmooze your significant other or any NPC that youโre trying to gain the favor of. Sometimes thereโs a clear winner, but itโs a toss-up here, so go with your gut or whichever profession you want more at level 10.
Blacksmith or Prospector in Stardew Valley
If you pick Miner at level 5 in Stardew Valley, youโll have to choose Blacksmith or Prospector. Blacksmith makes metal bars worth 50% more, but not Refined Quartz. Copper, Iron, Gold, Iridium, and Radioactive Bars will all be worth 50% more. Prospector, on the other hand, very simply doubles your chance of finding coal.
Neither of these professions is jaw-droppingly good, but they can be useful. We suggest looking at your own needs and basing your choice on that. If you find yourself running out of coal, Prospector is a good choice. If you like mining more than anything else, Blacksmith is a good way of making sure youโll have enough money later on in the game. There is no clear choice when it comes to Blacksmith or Prospector in Stardew Valley, so pick whichever one you feel is best for you.
Excavator or Gemologist in Stardew Valley
Players that picked Geologist at level 5 can pick from Excavator or Gemologist when they hit level 10. Excavator doubles your chance of finding geodes, which can be a good source of gems and other Geode Minerals. If you pick Gemologist, your gems and minerals will be worth 30% more. This includes Quartz and all other Foraged Minerals, so be sure to take that into account too.
Excavator is an easy way to quickly fill out the Museum, but Gemologist is definitely a great way to increase your profits from Crystalariums. Having a barn full of Crystalariums replicating diamonds is insanely profitable in the late game. Itโs really up to you at this point since it depends on your play style. Players looking to quickly complete the game might opt for Excavator, while players that are constantly strapped for cash could use the boost from Gemologist.
In short, thereโs no right answer when it comes to Miner or Geologist, Blacksmith or Prospector, and Excavator or Gemologist in Stardew Valley. The best thing to do is analyze your own playstyle and decide from there. Do you need more coal? More cash? Do you want to fill out the Museum quickly? Some players swear by the benefits of the +1 ore that Miner gives, but gems can be insanely useful too. Let us know which Mining profession you think is better in Stardew Valley in the comments below.
Is it better to be a miner or geologist in Stardew Valley? – According to Reddit
Based on the threads in the Stardew Valley subreddit, the overall consensus seems to favor geologist.