One of the things that gives Stardew Valley its appeal is the level of choice the game gives you. As you level up your skills, you can choose between specialized professions that provide you with bonuses for things like fishing, crop growth, and foraging. When you get your combat level to 5, you can choose between the Fighter and Scout professions. But between Fighter vs. Scout, which does the most damage? Which is the easiest for beginners?
Stardew Valley Fighter vs. Scout: Side-by-Side Comparison
Here’s a summary of the key differences between the Fighter and Scout paths in Stardew Valley.
| Feature | Fighter | Scout |
|---|---|---|
| Hit points added at level 5 | 15 HP added | No HP bonus |
| Offensive boost at level 5 | +10% to damage | +50% to critical hit chance |
| Fighting style | Heavy sustained damage over time | Lighter damage with heavier critical hits |
| Profession choices at level 10 | Brute, Defender | Acrobat, Desperado |
Stardew Valley Fighter vs. Scout: 4 Things You Should Know
- Scouts have fewer hit points than fighters in Stardew Valley.
- Fighters have a bonus to their damage on every hit, while scouts have a higher chance of critical hits.
- A Fighter is better at dealing damage over time, while a Scout with the right traits can kill many enemies with a single hit.
- When they reach level 10, a Scout can choose between the Acrobat and Desperado professions, while a Fighter can become a Brute or a Defender.
Stardew Valley Fighter vs. Scout: Total Health and Hit Points
When you hit level 5 in Stardew Valley you can choose between two combat professions. As a Fighter, you get a bonus of 15 hit points, which can be a great help while you’re in the mines. As a Scout, you don’t have this bonus. Instead, you receive an increase in critical strike chance instead.
Players who are new to the game tend to prefer becoming a Fighter due to the reliable HP bonus. Meanwhile, players who want to optimize their build and maximize the level of damage they can do favor the Scout profession.
Stardew Valley Fighter vs. Scout: Damage and Critical Hit Chance
Fighters in Stardew Valley also get a 10% boost to their base damage, so a hit that would originally do 100 damage does 110 damage when a Fighter deals it. On the other hand, Scouts get a 50% increase in their chance of a critical strike. Keep in mind that this is multiplicative, not additive. If your base critical strike chance is two percent before you become a Scout, it will be three percent afterward.
Again, the benefit of each of these depends on your priorities and goals. If you’re just going into the mines to get amethyst for Abigail or a Frozen Tear for Sebastian, it’s probably better to be a Fighter. If you want to do huge damage less often, give Scout a try.
Stardew Valley Fighter vs. Scout: Fighting Style and General Utility
Are you a “slow and steady wins the race” kind of person, or do you want to do things with as much pizzazz as possible? This philosophy is the core question when it comes to the differences between the Fighter and Scout’s fighting styles. Fighters have higher base damage, meaning that you can more reliably defeat your enemies. This is especially important at lower levels. However, with the proper rings and forged blades, a Scout’s damage can be the highest in the game.
Stardew Valley Fighter vs. Scout: Future Branches
If you choose the Fighter path, then when you reach level 10, you’ll have another choice to make. If you go with the Brute path, you’ll increase your total damage by another 15%, for a total boost of 25% over a non-Fighter. With the Defender path, you get 25 more hit points. Most Fighter players find the damage boost more useful than the added health, so they go with Brute.
As a Scout who hits level 10, you have two other choices. As a Desperado, you’ll deal more damage with critical hits, and as an Acrobat, you’ll have a 50% reduced cooldown time on special moves. It’s far more common for Scouts to choose to become Desperados.
Ultimately, the choice between Fighter and Scout isn’t always clear-cut. In terms of direct damage with every hit, Fighter is superior. This makes it more popular among casual and new players. Optimizers and long-term players will find more value in Scout’s heavy-hitting critical hit bonuses.