As players progress through Stardew Valley, they’ll be rewarded with some profession upgrades that might tailor to one player over the other. One that greatly comes to mind is the Level 5 Mining profession decision, where we must choose to either be a Miner or Geologist. This mostly likely occurs after you’ve initially delved underground in Pelican Town, though the choice is essential in the end for whatever loot you’re on the hunt for.
This particular decision comes up whenever you reach Level 5 for Mining, where you are offered one of two options. The Miner can find additional ores while the Geologist is capable of gems appearing in pairs. To each their own, of course, but we’re wondering which profession is more beneficial for the general Stardew Valley player.
Is It Better to Be a Miner or Geologist?
Upon reaching Level 5 of one skill, players will have to choose a profession. Each skill level grants you something new, but choosing a profession means forgoing the bonuses of the other one. If you want to benefit early on in your game, then choosing Geologist is the way to go because it will give you a significant chance of getting more gems for your efforts. Further, when Mining reaches Level 10, your choice will be either Gemologist or Excavator.
Although it seems to be a simple question, the answer is a bit nuanced. Each one is good for different reasons. You can do fine with either the Miner or Geologist profession. A player’s choice on the matter should only depend on their objective. Also, note that this choice will change the available aforementioned professions with the Gemologist or Excavator positions at Level 10. Gemologists obtain gems that are 30% worth more than their base values, and Excavators have a chance of obtaining double the geodes.
On the other hand, Miners receive extra ore in each vein. At Level 10 of the skill, they must choose between Blacksmith and Prospector. Blacksmith professionals generate metal bars that are 50% worth more than the standard kind. Prospectors have a great chance of finding coal in double the amounts.
Your early gameplay decisions will substantially benefit from an extra ore, making Miner the better choice for immediate results. However, there is a lot of gold to be earned from gems, so having a bit fewer ores might not make any difference at that point. In the end, your choice depends on the expected pacing for your own game. Besides, since it is an open-ended RPG, it also depends on how long you intend to play Stardew Valley.
It’s a guaranteed deal that you’ll receive an additional ore upon digging, while the Geologist’s route depends on chance rather than a for-sure acquisition. That’s only if you don’t mind gambling away your chances in the game, of course.
Expert Tip
While both professional paths will offer different benefits, all players will continuously receive different recipes for their mining efforts in Stardew Valley. The recipes to keep in mind are the Mega Bomb, Miner’s Treat (a gift that is liked by many in the Valley, except Krobus, Leo, and Willy), Crystalarium, and more. Keep on breaking away those rocks for these noteworthy items.
However, we went with the Geologist in the end since the profession can further provide precious gems to deliver and collect. The villagers come to mind with their favorite gifts, but also a certain location with Gunther in Pelican Town. Many minerals that you discover in Stardew Valley can be collected with Gunter at the Museum for some sweet rewards. Thus, be sure to donate items to the Museum whenever possible as you delve deeper into the Mines.
Miner or Geologist: Quick Tips for Mining with a Pickaxe
One huge detail to consider when you’re venturing into the Mines is how it impacts your Energy. Your Health is an entirely different story since it relies on enemy encounters. The more that you use your Pickaxe, the more Energy that you will use up. The Mine levels are extraordinary, so consuming Energy is essential the further that you dive into the underground area.
Thus, bring a decent supply of food to help replenish your Energy. It almost doesn’t matter what you bring, as long as your meals are equipped with a significant intake of Energy. One small trick that we lean on is to consume Mushrooms from the farm’s cave, where daily mushrooms are produced. You must collect these every day to generate new mushrooms to grow within the area on your farm. The Common Mushroom will be your most prominent item to appear in the farm’s cave.’
