The beloved indie farming simulator game Stardew Valley gives you the opportunity to play in multiple different ways thanks to the implementation of professions. As you level up skills in the game, new professions will become available. For example, leveling up your foraging skill to level 5 will open up the ability to choose the Forrester or Gatherer path. This decision will uniquely shape your gameplay experience. Between Forester vs. Gatherer, which makes the most sense for you? Read on to find out.
Forester vs. Gatherer Comparison
Both the Forester and the Gatherer stem (no pun intended) from foraging but the professions take your playstyle in completely different directions. Here are some key features of both professions:
Foresters gain 25% more wood when chopping trees, stumps, and logs. At level 10, Foresters can further specialize their profession by choosing between two more professions — Lumberjack or Tapper. Lumberjacks give every tree the chance to drop hardwood, while Tappers can sell their syrup for 25% more money.
Meanwhile, Gatherers have a 20% chance to double the harvest of all foraged items. At level 10, Gatherers can further specialize their profession into a Botanist, which guarantees items of the highest quality whenever you forage, or Tracker, who can reveal the location of forageable items.
Which One is the Best?
The choice between Forester and Gatherer depends on your playstyle and what you need at this point in your game. Do you prefer gathering and using wood to build within the game? Or would you rather be able to more effectively gather resources? Are you looking to upgrade your items with high-end gear or are you trying to woo a particular character? These decisions may impact which path you choose.
Many high-level players recommend going with the Gatherer path so that you can unlock the Botanist profession. This will unlock the Iridium quality for your foraged items, the highest in the game. Since you will now always receive Iridium quality items when you forage, it makes it easier to sell your goods for more money or receive more friendship points when you give these items as gifts. You will also receive greater energy and health benefits if you consume Iridium-quality items.
However, others have mentioned the benefits of going down the Forester path for its Lumberjack profession. Hardwood is a difficult resource to obtain and is required to build stables and warp totems, as well as upgrade your home.
Ultimately, the choice between Forester vs Gatherer in Stardew Valley is yours. If you decide you don’t like the path you chose, you can always reset your profession later. This way, you can start as one profession, use it for a period, then switch to the other later on. It may be helpful to pursue the Forester path, gather a ton of hardwood, then switch to Gatherer to reap the rewards that come with its profession. But like everything else in Stardew Valley, it’s up to you.