One of the first choices you’ll have to make in Stardew Valley is choosing between the Tiller and Rancher professions at Level 5 of your Farming Skill. Each of these has its own benefits and would take you down a different path with unique specializations at Farming Level 10. These specializations can influence your farm's focus and income generation.
Since these choices can affect your entire Stardew Valley experience, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what you’re committing to. This guide compares the Rancher and Tiller professions, highlighting the benefits of each.
Stardew Valley: A Complete Guide To Panning
Panning in Stardew Valley can be a profitable tool for those who invest their time in mastering this skill. Here's how it works.
When To Choose Rancher in Stardew Valley?
The Rancher profession is centered around animal husbandry. Selecting this option at Farming level 5 boosts the value of all animal products by 20% as an automatic perk. This includes all the things you are able to get from farm animals in Stardew Valley or their produce. This covers their milk, eggs and 
Wool, as well as the byproducts like cheese and 
Mayonnaise.
The Rancher is perfect for you if you enjoy raising animals and want to see an immediate increase in the selling price of your animal products early on. However, the Rancher’s level 10 specializations are less impactful compared to the Tiller's level 10 specializations.
At Level 10, Ranchers can further specialize in:
- Coopmaster: You can befriend coop animals more quickly, incubation time is halved, and the chance of high-quality coop products increases.
- Shepherd: You can befriend barn animals more quickly, sheep produce wool faster, and the chance of high-quality barn products increases.
Most players begin without a barn or coop in Stardew Valley, let alone the necessary processing machines for mayonnaise and cheese. As such, the Rancher profession isn't the best starting point for most players because it’s not the absolute most profitable option.
However, if you’re choosing the Meadowlands Farm (introduced in Update 1.6), which starts you off with a coop and two chickens, the Rancher profession is a more appealing starting choice.
When To Choose Tiller in Stardew Valley?
In contrast, the Tiller profession in Stardew Valley focuses entirely on crop cultivation. Choosing this path at Farming Level 5 results in a 10% increase in the selling price of all cultivated crops.
While the percentage increase isn't as high as the Rancher's initial bonus, players usually sell crops in larger quantities than animal products. So, even though the price increase per item might seem modest, a 10% bonus to every single harvested fruit, vegetable, or flower can lead to decent profits in the long run.
At Level 10, Tillers can further choose from the following options:
- Artisan: Artisan goods (wine, cheese, mayonnaise, etc.) Sell for 40% more (excluding oil).
- Agriculturist: Crops grow 10% faster.
If you plan on producing a lot of Artisan Goods in Stardew Valley and want to maximize profits from your crops, then the Tiller profession is perfect for you. Compared to Rancher, the Tiller profession, which leads to the Artisan skill, is more profitable in the long run. The Artisan profession gives a substantial 40% increase in the price of artisan goods, which includes processed animal products.
Considering its higher earning potential and flexibility, the Tiller profession (with the Artisan specialization) is hands-down the best route for players in Stardew Valley. However, for those who begin on Meadowlands Farm, the Rancher is the better choice.
You can always change your profession later by going to the Statue of Uncertainty in the Sewers for a cost of 10,000g. This way, you can experiment and adjust your specialization as your farm grows.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 99%
- Released
- February 26, 2016
- ESRB
- E for Everyone (Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Simulated Gambling, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco)
- Developer(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Publisher(s)
- ConcernedApe
- Engine
- Proprietary
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Stardew Valley does not currently support crossplay between different consoles and PC
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Simulation
