Giant Octopodes
Farmer
So, I'm playing through my cropless playthrough, and it's admittedly far more challenging, mostly in that it's fall and I'm still broke as a joke, instead of being to the point where money is no longer a concern as I traditionally would be at this point without any limitations imposed. And as I've been evaluating my options for increasing my income, I have found that I have never before fully appreciated the value of crab pots, and specifically going Trapper / Mariner for your fishing skill.
Now, in part that's because the value of early fishing is undeniable and that's always pushed me into grabbing fisher, and either pirate or angler. And I still 100% recommend that and believe it's the right call for early game. But for the midgame, where I'm at (CC just getting finished, at least 1 farmhouse upgrade purchased, sewers unlocked, still have lots of unmet needs and projects and could use more income) the amount of benefits associated with crab pots are huge, especially and specifically for cropless playthroughs where better options aren't available. What do I mean by this?
- They're relatively cheap (1500 or 10 copper ore, 2 coal, 25 wood), and can be purchased or crafted depending on available materials.
- They have a good ROI (70 per machine per day) which doesn't compare to the 200 per day from kegs processing hops or anything but which nonetheless is decent and provides a less than 1 month return if purchased, pumping out a stable profit subsequently
- The Sashimi that most of your crab pot fish will be turned into have a good energy to value ratio, making them handy to hold onto and use for energy or health, especially if your berry reserves run dry, allowing you to sell your much more profitable cheese etc more consistently
- All villagers like sashimi, making them excellent gift options, except Willy, Krobus, Leo, Emily, Evelyn, and Kent. This makes them awesome universal and inexpensive gift options, and the remaining gap is relatively easy to cover with Mayo, fruit tree fruit, or whatever other options you have (which cost more per gift).
Plus, the crabs you get from saltwater crab pots are great for providing a good, inexpensive and consistent source of speed boosts from food, providing the only reliable source of cropless food speed boosts available other than spicy eels + crystalariums pumping out rubies. And early crystalariums are competing heavily with jade for staircases, or diamonds for triple shot espresso, and so forth.
Anyway just wanted to share that out as I was stunned how much I've not been appreciating their value previously, and how many of my current needs and goals they can cover at once. I'm going to make like 100 and carpet the ocean next to the docks with them :-)
Now, in part that's because the value of early fishing is undeniable and that's always pushed me into grabbing fisher, and either pirate or angler. And I still 100% recommend that and believe it's the right call for early game. But for the midgame, where I'm at (CC just getting finished, at least 1 farmhouse upgrade purchased, sewers unlocked, still have lots of unmet needs and projects and could use more income) the amount of benefits associated with crab pots are huge, especially and specifically for cropless playthroughs where better options aren't available. What do I mean by this?
- They're relatively cheap (1500 or 10 copper ore, 2 coal, 25 wood), and can be purchased or crafted depending on available materials.
- They have a good ROI (70 per machine per day) which doesn't compare to the 200 per day from kegs processing hops or anything but which nonetheless is decent and provides a less than 1 month return if purchased, pumping out a stable profit subsequently
- The Sashimi that most of your crab pot fish will be turned into have a good energy to value ratio, making them handy to hold onto and use for energy or health, especially if your berry reserves run dry, allowing you to sell your much more profitable cheese etc more consistently
- All villagers like sashimi, making them excellent gift options, except Willy, Krobus, Leo, Emily, Evelyn, and Kent. This makes them awesome universal and inexpensive gift options, and the remaining gap is relatively easy to cover with Mayo, fruit tree fruit, or whatever other options you have (which cost more per gift).
Plus, the crabs you get from saltwater crab pots are great for providing a good, inexpensive and consistent source of speed boosts from food, providing the only reliable source of cropless food speed boosts available other than spicy eels + crystalariums pumping out rubies. And early crystalariums are competing heavily with jade for staircases, or diamonds for triple shot espresso, and so forth.
Anyway just wanted to share that out as I was stunned how much I've not been appreciating their value previously, and how many of my current needs and goals they can cover at once. I'm going to make like 100 and carpet the ocean next to the docks with them :-)
