So, you want to be a Forager in Stardew Valley? As one of the least appreciated non-farming skills, Foraging is a vital aspect of completing the game. As you get closer and closer to the endgame, you will need to think about your profession as you continuously evolve in the Valley. At Level 5 of the Foraging skill, you will get the most important choice of your Forager career: Should you become a Forester or Gatherer in Stardew Valley?
Both options seem enticing, but there is a clear answer! It’s time to equip our favorite axes and get to work, for these profession-based choices are permanent once you commit to them. Whether you choose Forester or Gatherer, both will have their given benefits for the Foraging crowd.
Is Forester or Gatherer the Better Profession?
Between Forester and Gatherer, the Gatherer is by far the better Forager profession in Stardew Valley for the Foraging skill. Forester leads to higher quantities of Hardwood, but Gatherer stands to make you much more money in Pelican Town.
Of course, you may want to know specifically why Gatherer is that much better than Forester, even after all these years that we spent tending to our various farm types. In order to better understand these two professions, a comparison is in order.
Forester
To start, let’s talk about what benefits the Forester gives to you. Right off the bat, you’re getting 25% more wood. That means you earn wood worth 1.25 more trees every time you cut down a single tree. At Level 5, that might not seem too useful. However, with rarer trees that don’t have as good of a respawn rate, this will be extremely handy. Considering how much wood is needed for some of the buildings in the game, that extra wood is extremely enticing.
Forester Specializations
Forester builds into two different upgrade paths when you reach Level 10 in Foraging. From these upgrades, you are definitely going to want Lumberjack, though they both have their advantages:
- Lumberjack: All trees gain a chance to drop hardwood. That’s pretty stellar! Hardwood is a much-needed resource in the endgame. Having a constant source of it, rather than having to search out hardwood spawn points, can be very handy. If you want to try Forester, this is definitely the path to take!
- Tapper: Sap and Syrup are a big source of profits for the Foraging Skill. This might seem like it’s a big boost to your money, but Foragers don’t usually want to sit around waiting for their tappers to get a dose. After all, trees that aren’t chopped down can’t benefit from the Forester’s default bonus.
Gatherer
The Gatherer starts by granting you a small chance to double harvest drops. Right away, this seems just a bit weak when compared to Forester: The Gatherer bonus only gives a 20% chance to double the harvest. So, if it’s a question of Forester or Gatherer stats, it would seem the Gatherer loses.
However, the Gatherer has one major benefit, and it’s actually Forester’s biggest weakness: Trees are everywhere. By the time you clear out your farmland space, you’re going to have plenty of wood for basic projects. So long as you continue to pick it up where you find it, it’s hard to run out.
Gatherer Specializations
Gatherer also grants two different paths to choose from. Botanist is, by a huge margin, the best choice between these two Level 10 specializations.
- Botanist: What a buff! This gives you guaranteed the highest quality materials. For Foraging profiteers, this is an absurd boost to your total cost. For non-Iridium quality items… This is still at least a 50% chance boost to your Gold chance. And with the Gatherer buff, you can get two guaranteed high-quality products.
- Tracker: A nice idea. You now know exactly where trackable items are. However, you can kinda just… Walk around and find them. Tracker can be ignored by players with an understanding of the map and Stardew Valley in general. Botanist gives you a guaranteed money boost. Tracker is just not worth losing that gigantic benefit.
Expert Tip
While using bombs is a useful idea in terms of clearing away areas, we recommend not setting these off near any trees that you intend to chop down. The bombs will completely eradicate the wooden resources. However, some damage from a bomb’s blast can still grant the player full XP if it doesn’t initially destroy it.
What becomes more difficult as the game wears on is the effort it takes to gather specific materials. Having even a small chance to double a turnip grab or a rare mushroom spawn can make recipes and profiting significantly better. This is a better use of your time, considering how rough foraging can be!
In the end, it all comes down to which profession is going to suit you better in Stardew Valley as you continue to forage for resources. All Foraging advancements will grant the player new recipes, including the Lightning Rod, Wild Seeds, and a few Warp Totems.
Once you make a decision, it is final and done within the Valley as you choose between Forester or Gatherer. Just be sure to upgrade your tools as you continue to expand your farm and adventurous prospects. It also wouldn’t hurt to cook as well in case you find yourself running low on Health and Energy.
