Stardew Valley Friendship Guide: Maximize Your Relationships
Building strong relationships is key to thriving in Stardew Valley's charming Pelican Town. This guide details how to boost your friendship levels with villagers, whether you're aiming for platonic bonds or romance. While talking and gifting are crucial, not all actions are equal. This guide breaks down the mechanics to help you reach maximum friendship.
Updated January 4, 2025, to reflect the 1.6 update. While the core friendship system remains the same, some additions are noted below.
The Heart System
Access your relationship status with each NPC via the in-game menu's heart tab. This shows friendship levels (hearts) earned. Reaching heart milestones unlocks special events, mailed recipes, and unique dialogue. However, the heart display only shows the result; understanding point values is key to effective friendship building.
Friendship Points
Each heart requires 250 friendship points. Positive interactions earn points, while neglect or negative actions decrease them.
Boosting Friendship Gain
The "Friendship 101" book provides a permanent 10% friendship point bonus. It's the ninth Prize Machine prize (Mayor's Mansion) or a rare Bookseller purchase (Year 3, 9% chance). The cost is 20,000g. This bonus applies to point gains only, not losses.
Point Values: Interactions
- Talking: +20 points (or +10 if the villager is busy). Daily conversation prevents friendship decay (-2 points/day). Giving a bouquet increases this decay to -10 points/day. Ignoring your spouse costs -20 points/day.
- Bulletin Board Deliveries: +150 points with the recipient.
- Gifts:
- Loved: +80 points
- Liked: +45 points
- Neutral: +20 points
- Disliked: -20 points
- Hated: -40 points
- Special Occasions: Gifts given on the Feast of the Winter Star receive 5x points, while birthday gifts receive 8x points. This multiplier applies to negative points as well.
Stardrop Tea
Gifting 
Stardrop Tea grants a massive +250 points (one heart). Birthday or Feast of the Winter Star gifts triple this to three hearts. It bypasses the usual gift limits (two per week, one per day). Sources include the Prize Machine, Golden Fishing Chests, the Helper's Bundle (remixed Community Center), and high-level raccoon requests.
Movie Theater
Invite villagers to the movies using a 
Movie Ticket (1000g). Film and snack choices affect friendship:
- Loved Movie: +200 points
- Liked Movie: +100 points
- Disliked Movie: 0 points
- Loved Concession: +50 points
- Liked Concession: +25 points
- Disliked Concession: 0 points
Conversations and Dialogue
Dialogue choices during conversations can yield +10 to +50 points or cause friendship loss. Heart Events offer similar opportunities for significant friendship gains or losses (+/-200 points).
Festivals and Events
- Flower Dance: Dancing (4 hearts or higher) grants +250 points (one heart).
- Luau: Soup contributions affect friendship with all villagers (best: +120, good: +60, neutral/no item/Lewis' shorts: 0, bad: -50, worst: -100).
- Community Center (Bulletin Board Bundles): Completing all Bulletin Board bundles awards +500 points (two hearts) with each non-dateable villager.
By understanding these mechanics and employing the strategies outlined above, you can forge strong relationships and unlock all the benefits Stardew Valley offers!
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