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Before I started playing Stardew Valley, I assumed that farming in a game would be very one note, plant, water, repeat, right? Wrong! There was so much to do in Pelican Town that, at first, I was overwhelmed! How do I fish? How do I know where to find fish? How do I know who likes what gift? What the heck is a Krobus?
Over time, I slipped deeper and deeper into the world of Stardew, and now I can make a new farm and explore and thrive with ease!
I have even found my playstyle and the activities that I enjoy (The Mines, always the Mines) and those that I do not (Making clothes, yuck) The great thing about Stardew Valley is that it supports whatever playstyle you want!
As you become a seasoned and experienced farmer, you can pick from multiple professions and go for those that work for you!
The Artisan profession gives you a 40% increase in the sale price of your Artisan goods, while the Agricultist profession makes your crops grow 10% quicker. Personally, I always prefer the Artisan as it helps me earn much more money consistently, but more on that later!
Pick Your Profession
After all of your hard work farming, you will reach (eventually anyway) farming level ten, and when you do, you will be presented with an exciting choice!
You must pick between two professions; you can be either an Artisan vs Agriculturist
- Artisan; Artisan Goods will sell for 40% more than they would at their standard price
- Agriculturist; your crops will grow 10% faster.
As you can see, each profession suits two different game areas. The Artisan profession aims to create and craft handmade dishes like wine and cheese. In contrast, the Agriculturist profession benefits crops while growing and speeds the growing process up by 10%.
The Benefits of Being an Artisan
One of the finer and fancier parts of Stardew Valley is making artisan goods. I have rarely felt fancier (or more of a hipster) than when creating an abundance of fine wine and beer!
These are only some artisan goods that you can make. There are an insane amount of Artisan Goods to be created (and sold for quite a profit)
Artisan Goods are any goods created with Artisan Equipment, and there is such variety in what you can make. It is an exciting (and sometimes overwhelming) aspect of the game.
Some are relatively simple, the Bee House, for example, makes Honey (of course), and the Cheese Press makes cheese (my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
The Cask is the most extravagant of all the Artisan Equipment as it ages existing Artisan Goods. The Cask can be used to age;
- Wine (First made in the Keg)
- Pale Ale (First made in the Keg)
- Beer (First made in the Keg)
- Mead (First made in the Keg)
- Cheese (First made in the Cheese Press)
- Goats Cheese (First made in the Cheese Press)
You can also make an exciting range of Preserves using the Preserves Jar, such as;
- Pickles
- Jelly
- Caviar
- Aged Roe
You wouldn’t expect Mayonaise making to be shocking or exciting, but in Pelican Town, it is. Using the Mayonaise maker, you can make a variety of Mayonaise, including Duck and Dinosaur mayonnaise!
It is not just food that can be considered Artisan Goods; remember, Artisan means hand-crafted! This means that Cloth is also considered Artisan, so if you find yourself at the Loom day and night, the Artisan profession will work well for you!
Let’s get into some numbers to show how beneficial being an Artisan is! A 40% increase in price is quite a dramatic difference when it comes to selling anything. Still, artisan goods, in particular, are already the most expensive items you can create in Stardew Valley.
This means that choosing the Artisan profession is highly lucrative; let’s look at the most extreme example. Dinosaur Mayonnaise sells for 800g; the 40% price hike adds another 320g to your sell price!
Let’s get real, though, as to how often we make dinosaur mayonnaise; let’s look at more day-to-day or practical things to see the daily benefit of being an Artisan! I took my farm as an example; I have three chickens that lay eggs daily and three cows that I can milk daily.
Each day after I milk the cows and collect the eggs, they are instantly placed into the cheese press and mayonnaise maker, respectively.
By midday, I then have three mayonnaise and three cheese to sell. Usually, this would be worth 1,260g; however, with the Artisan profession, this is now worth 1764g.
An extra 500g a day for doing nothing differently! This can then be invested in ways that allow you to make even more money, such as upgrading equipment or barns or purchasing more animals! It is easy to see why the Artisan Profession is an attractive option!
The Benefits of Being an Agriculturist
I understand how frustrating and agonizing it can be waiting for your crops to grow, the excitement of getting out of your little bed each morning and running out of your cabin, followed by the heartbreak of more and more stalks and shoots but no goods!
Especially if it’s a crop you love to see (like pumpkins) that you have never grown before or even one that you need desperately for a quest or the community center!
It’s easy to see why being an Agriculturist is appealing, less time to wait, quests can be achieved more quickly, and you can make a little more profit due to the quicker turnover of crops! But just how beneficial is this profession? Let’s look at another example.
Starfruit is a highly profitable crop, but it takes quite a long time (13 days) to grow! With the Agriculturist profession, this would only take 11.7 days! But again, how often do any of us grow starfruit? A more common crop is Cauliflower which takes 12 days to grow; it would now only take 10.8 days.
What did You Choose Last Time, Rancher or Tiller?
Think back! When you last had to pick a profession, did you pick Rancher or Tiller? This will likely influence your next decision as well!
Rancher goes hand in hand with Artisan, as the Rancher profession makes Animal products worth 10% more. This, combined with Artisan, means you are going to see a 50% increase in profit!
Tiller goes hand in hand with Agriculturalist, the Tiller profession means that crops are worth 10% more, so when you double down on this with the Agriculturalist, it will help you to make more money as crops will grow quicker and be worth more, making you more money overall!
Of course, you may pick opposing professions to cover all of your bases, but personally, I always go for Artisan and the Rancher!
Which Should I Pick?
Suppose you have yet to guess from the tone of this article to me. In that case, the Artisan profession is much more fun, profitable, and beneficial than the Agriculturist profession. It is so simple there is no choice involved.
Yes, the Agriculturist profession is beneficial, but the benefits are so marginal you barely see a difference. It may give you a day or two more room for error when planting crops in time for each season, but other than that, what is the big deal?
FAQs
Question: What are Artisan Goods?
Answer: In Stardew Valley, Artisan goods are any goods created with specialist equipment, such as Honey in a Bee House or Wine in a Keg!
Question: What is Excluded from the Artisan 40% Benefit?
Answer: Oil and Coffee do not get the additional 40% sale price when choosing the Artisan profession.
Question: What is the Quickest Crop to Grow in Stardew Valley?
Answer: The quickest crops in Stardew Valley grow within four days, such as Garlic, Parsnip, and Wheat.
Artisan vs Agriculturalist Stardew Valley: Summary
Whether you are a crop-mad farmer who loves to watch things grow or an artisan enthusiast who loves to make fancy goods while making a profit, Stardew Valley always offers you great choices regarding your profession.
While the Artisan makes the most sense for me and my playstyle, something different works for you, and that’s ok too!