Quest Guide

Stardew Valley’s storyline unfolds through a series of quests that introduce you to the game’s core systems: farming, fishing, mining, socializing, and the Community Center. This guide covers every main storyline quest in chronological order, with objectives, rewards, and tips.

TL;DR

The main quest chain follows this order: Introductions (greet NPCs) → Getting Started (harvest parsnip) → To The Beach (get fishing rod) → How to Win Friends (give a gift) → Raising Animals / Advancement (build coop/craft scarecrow) → Explore The Mine (reach floor 5) → Deeper In The Mine (reach floor 40) → To The Bottom (floor 120, get Skull Key) → Rat Problem (discover Community Center) → Meet The Wizard (get potion) → Archaeology (donate to museum). Side quests unlock throughout via mail.

The Introduction Chain (Day 1)

These quests teach you the basics of the game and unlock core mechanics.

1. Introductions

Detail	Info
Trigger	Automatic on Day 1 (envelope in farmhouse)
Objective	Greet 28 villagers
Reward	100 friendship points with every known NPC

Talk to every villager at least once. The wizard, Krobus, Dwarf, Sandy, Kent (not in town Year 1 Spring), and Leo (not on Ginger Island yet) don’t count toward the 28. Once complete, the “How to Win Friends” quest triggers.

2. Getting Started

Detail	Info
Trigger	Automatic on Day 1 (envelope in farmhouse)
Objective	Till soil, plant Parsnip Seeds, water daily, harvest
Reward	100g

Meadowlands Farm variant: If you chose Meadowlands Farm, this quest is replaced with harvesting an egg from your starting chickens instead.

Early Game Quests (Spring Week 1-2)

3. To The Beach

Detail	Info
Trigger	Mail on Spring 2
Objective	Visit the beach before 5:00 PM
Reward	Bamboo Pole (basic fishing rod)

This is critical — visit the beach on Spring 2 to get your first fishing rod from Willy. Don’t miss the 5:00 PM deadline.

4. How to Win Friends

Detail	Info
Trigger	Completing “Introductions”
Objective	Give any NPC a gift
Reward	100g

5. Raising Animals

Detail	Info
Trigger	Completing “Getting Started”
Objective	Build a Coop (Robin’s Carpenter Shop, 4,000g + 300 Wood + 150 Stone)
Reward	100g

You don’t need to purchase animals, just build the structure.

5a. Feeding Animals (Meadowlands Farm)

Detail	Info
Trigger	Completing “Getting Started” on Meadowlands Farm
Objective	Build a Silo
Reward	100g

6. Advancement

Detail	Info
Trigger	Completing “Getting Started”
Objective	Reach Farming Level 1 and craft a Scarecrow (50 Wood, 1 Coal, 20 Fiber)
Reward	100g

The Mining Chain (Spring 5+)

7. Forging Ahead

Detail	Info
Trigger	Morning after collecting Copper Ore (Clint visits)
Objective	Craft a Furnace (20 Copper Ore + 25 Stone)
Reward	Furnace blueprint

8. Smelting

Detail	Info
Trigger	Completing “Forging Ahead”
Objective	Smelt a Copper Bar (5 Copper Ore + 1 Coal in Furnace)
Reward	Copper Bar

9. Explore The Mine

Detail	Info
Trigger	Entering the Mines (Spring 5, Year 1)
Objective	Reach floor 5
Reward	Elevator access to floor 5; Marlon gives a Rusty Sword on first entry

10. Deeper In The Mine

Detail	Info
Trigger	Reaching floor 5
Objective	Reach floor 40
Reward	Elevator access to floor 40

11. Initiation

Detail	Info
Trigger	Mail, morning after reaching floor 5
Objective	Slay 10 Slimes (any location)
Reward	Access to the Adventurer’s Guild

12. To The Bottom?

Detail	Info
Trigger	Reaching floor 40
Objective	Reach floor 120 (bottom of the Mines)
Reward	Skull Key — unlocks the Skull Cavern in the Desert

The Community Center Chain

13. Rat Problem

Detail	Info
Trigger	Enter Pelican Town from Bus Stop, 8am-1pm, sunny day (Spring 5+)
Objective	Enter the Community Center and examine the Golden Scroll in the Crafts Room
Reward	Triggers “Meet The Wizard” the next morning

14. Meet The Wizard

Detail	Info
Trigger	Morning after examining the Golden Scroll
Objective	Enter the Wizard’s Tower (Cindersap Forest)
Reward	Potion that lets you read Junimo text (unlocks Community Center bundles)

15. Archaeology

Detail	Info
Trigger	Entering the Museum with a mineral or artifact in inventory
Objective	Donate any item to the Museum
Reward	250g

Mail Quests (Seasonal)

These quests arrive via mail at fixed dates. Complete them for gold and friendship rewards.

Quest	Trigger	Objective	Reward
Robin’s Lost Axe	Spring 11	Find axe near Sewer Pipe in Cindersap Forest	250g, +1 heart
Jodi’s Request	Spring 19	Bring Jodi a Cauliflower	350g, +1 heart
Mayor’s “Shorts”	Summer 3	Find Lewis’s purple shorts in Marnie’s bedroom (2:00 PM, when Marnie is upstairs)	750g, +1 heart
Pam Is Thirsty	Summer 14	Bring Pam a Pale Ale	350g, +1 heart
Crop Research	Summer 20	Bring Demetrius a Melon	550g, +1 heart
Knee Therapy	Summer 25	Bring George a Hot Pepper	200g, +1 heart
Cow’s Delight	Fall 3	Bring Marnie one Amaranth	500g, +1 heart
Blackberry Basket	Fall 8	Find Linus’s basket in the Backwoods near tunnel entrance	+1 heart
A Dark Reagent	Winter 12	Bring the Wizard a Void Essence	1,000g, +1 heart
Robin’s Request	Winter 21	Bring Robin 10 Hardwood	500g, +1 heart

Tips for Mail Quests

Mayor’s Shorts: Enter Marnie’s Ranch on a Wednesday or Saturday between 1:30 PM and 6:00 PM (Marnie goes upstairs, Lewis is visible). The shorts are in her bedroom. This is the highest gold reward of any mail quest
Jodi’s Cauliflower: Plant extra Cauliflower in Spring to ensure you have one for this quest
Crop Research Melon: Plant Melons in Summer for this quest
Blackberry Basket: The basket is in the Backwoods, northwest of the tunnel entrance. Easy to find during Blackberry Season (Fall 8-11)

Qi’s Quest Chain (Skull Cavern)

After entering the Skull Cavern, Mr. Qi’s quest line begins. These quests unlock the Casino and special items.

Quest	Trigger	Objective	Reward
Qi’s Challenge	Day after entering Skull Cavern	Reach floor 25 in Skull Cavern	10,000g
The Mysterious Qi (1)	Put Battery Pack in tunnel lock-box	Place Rainbow Shell in train platform box	Continues
The Mysterious Qi (2)	Complete step 1	Place 10 Beets in Mayor Lewis’s fridge	Continues
The Mysterious Qi (3)	Complete step 2	Put Solar Essence in sand dragon’s mouth (Caldera Desert)	Continues
The Mysterious Qi (4)	Complete step 3	Inspect lumber pile beside your house	Club Card (Casino access)

Qi’s Quest Tips

Rainbow Shell: Beach forageable in Summer only. Save one for this quest
Beets: Buy seeds from the Oasis Shop or Traveling Cart. Plant in Summer/Fall
Solar Essence: Dropped by Ghosts (Mines 80+, Skull Cavern) or found in Omni Geodes
Battery Pack: From Lightning Rod strikes or breaking Lightning Crystals in the Volcano Dungeon

Quest Completion Checklist

Early Game Essentials (Spring Year 1)

Mid Game Goals (Summer-Fall Year 1)

Deeper In The Mine (floor 40)
To The Bottom (floor 120, get Skull Key)
All mail quests completed
Qi’s Challenge (Skull Cavern floor 25)

Late Game (Year 2+)

Complete The Mysterious Qi chain (Casino access)
Complete all Community Center bundles
Complete all Special Orders

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I miss any quests permanently?

Most quests are time-gated but not missable. The “To The Beach” quest has a deadline (5:00 PM on Spring 2), so don’t miss it. Mail quests with delivery deadlines must be completed before the deadline expires.

Do quests carry over between years?

Yes. If you don’t complete a mail quest in time, it simply expires with no penalty. The quest won’t reappear, but the rewards aren’t critical for progression.

What happens if I choose the Joja route?

If you buy a Joja Membership (5,000g), the Community Center becomes a Joja Mart warehouse. The “Rat Problem” and “Meet The Wizard” quests become irrelevant. You pay to unlock each area instead of completing bundles.

Is there a main “ending” to the game?

Stardew Valley doesn’t have a traditional ending. After completing Perfection (all achievements), the Summit area unlocks with a final scene. You can continue playing indefinitely.

Last Updated: July 2026 | Game Version: 1.6.15

Stardew Valley Quest Guide - All Story Quests, Rewards & Walkthrough