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Stardew Valley has become a household name for relaxing 2D simulator games. It gives the nostalgia of farm-sim games like Harvest Moon with a layer of complexity and features that both hardcore and casual gamers would enjoy. Up to this day, it continues to attract many virtual farmers who want to escape their mundane everyday life.
You’d easily spend hours in the game as you explore its intuitive gameplay mechanics and meet the charming villagers of Pelican Town. There’s so much to do once you get started; you can start tending your farm, planting crops, foraging items, and even fighting off monsters through the mines. For me, the best and most fun part of the game is befriending villagers and getting to know them.
While Stardew Valley seems like a perfect virtual oasis, it still offers a slice of reality and everyday drama. As you meet more characters, you’ll get to learn about their quirks and struggles.
Linus is among the villagers you’d easily recognize. He lives in an unconventional home, even worse than Pam’s trailer. Sheltering in a tent north of the town, he seems to be the town’s outcast. But of course, there’s more to it than that!
Do you want to learn more about Linus and his life? We’ve got your back! This guide will discuss all the essential details about Linus, including his schedule, relationship, heart events, quests, and more.
Bottom Line Up Front
Linus is the only homeless villager in Stardew Valley. He lives in a tent north of the town, just above Robin’s shop. His tent sits on a cliff facing the river. Despite his living conditions, he still loves his solitary life and participates in the town events.
- Linus’ essential:
- Birthday: Spring 18
- Home Location: The Mountain, Tent
- Friends: Wizard, Leo
- Clinic Visit: N/A
- Occupation: Homeless Forager???
- Marriage: No
Linus: Appearance, Personality, and Hobbies
Appearance
One thing you’d immediately notice on Linus’ appearance is his thick white beard and frizzy sideburns. Despite his distraught look, he looks rather friendly; he only wears a bush suit instead of regular clothes.
Unlike other villagers, he doesn’t wear any other clothing alternatives when doing certain activities. When you spot him bathing in the tub, he’s usually naked, only showing his shoulders and head. You might rarely see him dress up during town events. His brown eyes are equally calm and striking; it seems like they’re telling you something.
After several game developments, Linus’ appearance didn’t undergo any design alterations or updates. The only noticeable features in his character design would be the sharp definition and details.
Personality
Homelessness might have a depressing effect on people, but somehow Linus is oozing with positivity. He is highly optimistic and happy about his disposition. His solitary life allows him to explore his inner thoughts and focus on his life without the fear of others watching.
While he loves being alone, he also wants to participate in the town events. Unfortunately, he claims that he doesn’t feel welcomed by the other villagers.
Hobbies
Linus is a born naturalist. He loves to spend his time outdoors, whether by choice or because of his current circumstance. When you even suggest that he can sleep and stay in your house, he’ll politely decline and mention that he likes his place and wouldn’t rather live anywhere else.
Being homeless, he goes around town rummaging through the trash can and foraging different valuable items. He is also knowledgeable about the mines and will even carry you away to your farm once you pass out inside the mines.
Schedule
Linus spends most of his time around his tent. It’s located on the outskirts of town, just above Robin’s shop. You might easily spot him sitting outside for his tent when you’re going to the mines.
Unlike most villagers, his schedule is somewhat repetitive; it is also divided according to the season and the changing weather. Let’s look at all the things he does in the list below.
Rainy Days: All Seasons
Linus spends less time out when it’s raining. Whatever seasons it may be, his schedule remains the same. When it’s raining, his days are pretty mundane. Most mornings, he stays inside his tent and only leaves his tent at 9:30 am.
While he goes out of his tent, he only paces around it and stands behind the bush to its left. He immediately returns to his tent at 10:10 am and doesn’t go out till three in the afternoon. He doesn’t move much and only stands under the tree left of his tent. After the sunsets, he returns to his tent and goes to bed at 11:30 pm.
Spring
In Spring, he exits his tent at 6:30 pm and stands behind the bush nearby. Linus paces to the left of the fireplace at 7:00 am. He seemingly doesn’t do any chores that we know of since he just walks to the left side of the lake at 9:30 pm.
He walks back to the fireplace in the afternoon and lounges around until the sunsets. He usually returns to his tent at 7:00 pm.
Summer
Linus is more active during Summer. He goes around town and explores the village most of the afternoon. By 6:30 am, he leaves his tent and walks to the cliff overlooking the lake. It’s located just right across the Mountain.
Afterward, he goes to the south of the fence and walks even further south towards the left of the lake. He returns to the Mountain just before the sun sets at 4:00 pm and stays near the fireplace in front of his tent. At 8:20 pm, he only returns to his tent for the night.
Fall
Linus’ schedule for Fall looks practically similar to his Spring schedule. He exits his tent, stands behind the bush, and stays near the fireplace. But this time, he visits the Spa at 9:00 am.
In the afternoon, he explores the left side of the lake. I’m guessing that he usually does this to forage for goods or find valuable items. He returns to his tent around six at night.
Relationships
Since Linus lives alone in a tiny tent, he doesn’t have any family members. Considering his disposition, many would quickly assume that Linus doesn’t have any friends in town. However, Linus has some friends.
He might consider himself the town’s outcast, but he became friends with the Wizard and Leo. He is pretty aloof and doesn’t trust people easily because most villagers don’t treat him well. Yet he found friendship with the Wizard; they seem pretty close as they’re seen standing beside each other during the Spirit’s Eve Festival.
Most NPC villagers have also shown concern for him. Robin mentions that she isn’t bothered about Linus living behind their house. Penny would also ask whether you know him and even expresses her sympathy because “everyone ignores him,” but this isn’t entirely the case.
Aside from the Wizard, Linus is friends with Leo, a villager who lives alone on Ginger Island. After Leo moved to Pelican Town, he immediately developed a bond with Linus; It might be because both of them can relate to the solitary life. Whatever the reasons may be, the two of them are pretty close.
Quests
If you also want to make friends with Linus, you can start by completing his quests. This is among the easiest ways to increase your friendship points with him. He has only two quests to accomplish and a couple of “Help Wanted” requests. Here’s a list of tasks you can finish to build your relationship with Linus and get rewards as well.
Blackberry Basket
On the 8th of Fall, Linus will send you a letter saying he lost his blackberry basket. He wants you to help him find it. Once you find the basket, you need to return it to Linus. He’ll then reward you with 1 Friendship Heart.
Community Cleanup
You need to check the Special Orders board installed in front of Lewis’ home to accomplish this task. Linus will also ask you to gather 20 trash items (except Joja Cola) and dump them in the bin at the train platform.
Once completed, he will reward you with 500g, 250 friendship points, and the fiber seeds recipe. You will also witness the Community Cleanup cutscene at Mountain Lake.
“Help Wanted”
Sometimes, Linus will also request the “Help Wanted” sign outside the General Store. He will usually request different items and reward you with 150 Friendship points and three times the item’s base value — which is why many fans speculate that Linus isn’t a poor man.
Best Gifts for Linus
Aside from completing Linus’ quests, you can also increase your friendship with him by giving gifts. You can give him two presents per week, plus one on his birthday too. Linus isn’t entirely picky with the gifts you give, but when he receives something he truly loves, he will appreciate it and say, “This is wonderful! You’ve made my day special.”
Here’s a list of the items he truly loves:
Blueberry Tart
Linus loves food; his favorite gift items are either home-cooked meals or forage treats. Blueberry Tart tops his list of well-loved items. You can prepare it using a cookout kit or inside the kitchen of your upgraded farmhouse.
To make this dish, you need to learn the recipe first. Don’t miss your chance to get the recipe by building your relationship with Pierre. You need to reach three friendship hearts with him, and he’ll send the recipe straight to your mailbox.
Once you learn the recipe, you only need four ingredients: blueberry, wheat flour, sugar, and egg. If you don’t have the ingredients to make it, you can buy the tart in Krobus’ shop on Saturdays or the Stardrop Saloon.
Cactus Fruit
You can get the Cactus Fruits fruit for free by foraging in the Calico Desert. But there are much quicker ways to score one. You can easily buy one at the Oasis on Tuesdays for 150g; it’s also available at the Traveling Cart for a higher price at 225g to 1000g.
Interestingly, you can harvest your Cactus Fruits by growing cactus on your farm. If you’re into growing various crops and plants, you can sow the seed and reap the fruits when it’s ripe.
Coconut
Coconuts are technically the only inedible gift item Linus loves. You can obtain coconuts by foraging in the Calico Desert or shaking palm trees on Ginger Island. Aside from that, you can also buy one at the Oasis on Mondays for only 400g. Coconuts may randomly appear in the Traveling Cart; you can score cheap ones at 300g.
While you can’t munch on coconuts like other fruits, you can put them in a Preserves Jar to make Coconut Jelly. They can also be used as ingredients for several dishes. Interestingly, they’re among the most versatile items since you can also put them inside the Keg and make Coconut Wine. I’m guessing that their versatility is among the reasons why Linus loves to receive them as gifts.
Dish O’ The Sea
This specialty dish can be made inside your farmhouse kitchen or using a cookout kit. You can obtain the recipe by reaching level three in fishing. You only need a few ingredients to make the dish: sardines (2) and hashbrowns (1).
Aside from cooking it, you can get them as rewards for completing specific bundles. If you have gold to spare, you can also purchase this dish in Krobus’ shop on Saturdays. They’re also available in the Traveling Cart for 660g to 1100g.
Yam
Yams are probably one of the easiest gifts you can give to Linus. You can plant them during the Fall, and it only takes ten days to mature. Yam seeds are relatively cheap, costing only 60g per seed at Pierre’s General Store.
Linus’ Most Hated Gifts
In Stardew Valley, giving gifts shouldn’t simply be an afterthought. You should be intentional, and you also need to know what Linus loves, likes dislikes, and hates. Surprisingly, Linus isn’t picky; you just need to remember that he hates one major category: Universal Hates such as baits, fossils, monster loots, and trash.
When you try to give him any of these items, he will angrily say, “Why would you give this to me? Do you think I like junk just because I live in a tent? That’s terrible.”
He also has two specific categories of disliked items: Foraged Minerals and Gems, except for Diamond and Prismatic Shard. And of course, don’t forget the things on the Universal Dislikes list.
Heart Events
Anytime
You can trigger this Heart Event trigger if you’ve earned any amount of friendship points with Linus. He’ll send you a gift bundle in the mail containing Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Maki Roll, Fried Calamari, and Sashimi.
With the gift bundle comes a letter by Linus that reads:
Hello, friend.
The mountain lake has been kind to me lately. I’d like to share my good fortune with you.
-Linus
You’ll have a higher chance of receiving this mail as you increase your friendship points with Linus.
Zero Hearts
You need to have 50 Friendship points with Linus to trigger this Heart Event. All you need to do is enter the town between 8 pm to 12 am on a fine night. You’ll notice Linus rummaging through George, Evelyn, and Alex’s trash can.
George then walks outside as he hears the rustling from the trash can. He even asks you to scare off the raccoons digging through his garbage. As you walk towards the trash cans, you notice Linus hiding behind the house. He immediately apologizes and explains that he doesn’t want the food to go to waste.
Linus will then ask you if you’re okay with what he’s doing. You can either respond with:
“No, it’s a shame to waste perfectly good food.” – Linus is pleased with the answer and happily informs you to tell George that the raccoons are gone for good.
“You should stop mooching off others and get a job.” – Taken aback by the response, Linus explains that not everyone is set out for life; he then tells you to inform George that the raccoons are gone for good.
As soon as you leave, Linus goes through the Stardrop Saloon’s trash can and is caught red-handed by Gus. He then tells Linus that he doesn’t have to hide and even offers him good food.
Three Hearts
Once you’ve reached three hearts with Linus, he’ll send you a letter in the mail that reads:
(Name),
how are you doing? I’ve enclosed some instructions on how to make one of my favorite fish recipes.
-Linus
Enclosed in the letter is a recipe for Sashimi. You can use any fish to make Sashimi.
Four Hearts
To trigger the Four Hearts Event, you need to enter the mountain area near Linus’ tent around 8 pm to 12 am when it’s not raining. As you walk towards his area, he’ll invite you to his campsite and fireplace. He’ll then apologize for not trusting you from the start and appreciates you for being a good friend. After your heartwarming conversation, he invites you into his tent and shows you how to craft Wild Bait for use in fishing.
Seven Hearts
Linus is quite keen on sending different kinds of recipes. In the Seven Hearts Event, he’ll send you a Fish Taco recipe in the mail. He also wrote a similar message when he sent you the Sashimi recipe.
(Name),
how are you doing? I’ve enclosed some instructions on how to make one of my favorite fish recipes. -Linus
Eight Hearts
This is the last Heart Event for Linus. You need to exit Robin’s house on a fine sunny day between 9 am to 5 pm. You find Linus and Robin in front of Robin’s house. Robin then offers lunch for Linus, but he politely refuses and says, “I’ve had great luck foraging today.”
Robin then asks you if you have something to say; you’ll be prompted with two choices:
I’m just pleased that Linus is doing well…
By choosing this, you get an additional 250 Friendship points with Linus. He then thanks you and mentions that he was quite worried if you’d ask him to move to your farm. More importantly, he’s delighted to know that you respect his lifestyle choices.
I’d like to invite Linus to live on the farm with me…
Robin gets extremely excited about the prospect. She even offers to build Linus “a real cozy house.” However, Linus politely refuses the offer and highlights that he’s pleased about his current situation and wouldn’t trade it any other way. He likes living alone and being one with nature; by living his current lifestyle, he can do everything he wishes to do.
Picking this choice wouldn’t cause any negative or positive impact on your Friendship with Linus. The cutscene ends with Linus running off to pick berries.
FAQs
Question: Does Linus get a house in Stardew Valley?
Answer: No, you won’t be able to build Linus a house, unlike Pam and Penny. Whenever you tell him that you can live on your farm, he will even politely decline and highlight how he loves living alone and being one with nature.
As a born naturalist, he spends most of his time outdoors. He also prefers to forage food and explore the town’s undiscovered spots like the mines. So, this only shows that Linus chooses his eccentric lifestyle.
Question: Where does Linus hang out in Stardew Valley?
Answer: Usually, you’ll find Linus in or around his tent. Sometimes, he goes beyond the lakes or the cliff to forage for items and explore the town. He lives alone and isn’t a fan of hanging out with other villagers. He thinks that he is the town’s outcast, and most people in the neighborhood wouldn’t want to spend time with him as well.
Question: Is Linus rich Stardew?
Answer: This has been one of the longest-standing conspiracies among the Stardew Valley community. However, this has never been proven. He might be rich by looting you whenever you pass out the mines — but this hasn’t been proven too. Many fans believe that Linus is extremely rich and might even be the owner of Joja Mart.
But he leads the hobo lifestyle and lives in the outskirts of town because of his guilt about how Joja Mart is forcing many mom and pop shops to close down. All these speculations aren’t confirmed or denied by Concerned Ape.
Question: Can you enter Linus’ house?
Answer: YES! Linus’ tent is the only house/bedroom you can enter without first gaining any friendship. His house is located northeast of Robin’s Carpenter shop. It is atop the mountain east of the passage to the Railroad.
Question: Should I befriend Linus Stardew?
Answer: Befriending Linus offers a lot of perks. It’s also relatively easy to befriend him because he likes easy-to-forage items. Once you’ve become friends with him, he will give you different recipes like Sashimi, turning any fish into a more valuable and profitable food item. He’s incredibly generous and gives you a lot of practical things too.
Question: Where can I find Linus’ blackberry basket?
Answer: Finding Linus’ blackberry basket is quite tricky but relatively easy if you know where he spends most of his time. Because Linus likes exploring uptown, he left his basket in the Bus Station area to the right of your farm.
Once you’re in the location, all you need to do is follow the street towards the left until you enter the lower section of the Backwoods area.
Linus Stardew Valley Guide: Bottom line
It’s pretty easy to judge Linus for his looks and eccentric lifestyle. However, he can be a great friend. He can offer different tips and tricks to guide you through your life in Pelican Town. While he is practically homeless and jobless, he seems to have a lot of money as he gives you different rewards for completing quests. He even gives you a gift bundle and a couple of recipes for you to enjoy.
What’s interesting is he will also carry you to your farm once you’ve passed out in the mines. You might notice that most of your gold coins and items are being looted after you’ve passed out. And it’s safe to assume that Linus rummages through your stuff like he always does with the villagers’ trash cans.
Whatever his motivations might be, he can be a great friend and an interesting character to know in the game.