+ X to skill

[hexnessie]

With the obvious exception of Fishing (larger bar) and Foraging (more berries), is there any benefit of raising other skills beyond 10? Mining doesn't seem like it's doing much once you unlock all the crafting recipes - are foods with + to Mining of any possible use?

 

[Giant Octopodes]

Yes!

Mining in particular doesn't do a Lot, but it Does decrease the Energy per swing. From 1 at 10 to .6 at 14, the highest you can get it. Does that actually help much when you're probably bringing a bunch of food into the mines to heal anyway? No, probably not. But theoretically it does something.

Combat there's no way to increase the skill level that I'm aware of, but if you Could bump it past 10, it would increase your max HP by 5 for each level above 10.

Farming is the most significant one - beyond the same reduction in energy when using a hoe, it increases your chances of a quality crop. Of course if it's all being processed it doesn't matter much, but if you want gold star crops for gifts it can be helpful to pop a pepper popper before harvesting. Late game if you've used some Deluxe Fertilizer, getting +3 to farming takes your odds of an Iridium Quality crop from 41% to 51%. Which isn't huge, but it's certainly not nothing!

 

[Lew Zealand]

Farming is the most significant one - beyond the same reduction in energy when using a hoe, it increases your chances of a quality crop. Of course if it's all being processed it doesn't matter much, but if you want gold star crops for gifts it can be helpful to pop a pepper popper before harvesting. Late game if you've used some Deluxe Fertilizer, getting +3 to farming takes your odds of an Iridium Quality crop from 41% to 51%. Which isn't huge, but it's certainly not nothing!

I always forget about this as the Farmer's Lunch (+3 Farming) is pretty easy and inexpensive to make, but it takes planning for one of the ingredients as it's only available for 1/4 of the year. Pepper Poppers (+2 Farming, +1 Speed) are decent, too. On the other hand as you said, if you're processing your Farmed goods then the higher quality Veggies and Fruits are negated once they get Kegged or Jarred (the typical final destination for my dirt-based endeavours).

 

[FilthyGorilla]

Yes!

Mining in particular doesn't do a Lot, but it Does decrease the Energy per swing. From 1 at 10 to .6 at 14, the highest you can get it. Does that actually help much when you're probably bringing a bunch of food into the mines to heal anyway? No, probably not. But theoretically it does something.

Combat there's no way to increase the skill level that I'm aware of, but if you Could bump it past 10, it would increase your max HP by 5 for each level above 10.

Farming is the most significant one - beyond the same reduction in energy when using a hoe, it increases your chances of a quality crop. Of course if it's all being processed it doesn't matter much, but if you want gold star crops for gifts it can be helpful to pop a pepper popper before harvesting. Late game if you've used some Deluxe Fertilizer, getting +3 to farming takes your odds of an Iridium Quality crop from 41% to 51%. Which isn't huge, but it's certainly not nothing!

It als grants reduction of energy cost for watering can.
Just wanted to point it out, sorryfor nitpicking lol.

 

[hexnessie]

Farming is the most significant one

Thanks for the explanation!

Huh, so it would make some sense to eat +farming food esp. early on.

I really wish the craftable Campfire you get at level 1 (I think) would allow for some cooking. There are so many recipes that just aren't very useful later on, when you get the kitchen (or portable cookout kit) but could be great in the early days...

 

[Giant Octopodes]

Thanks for the explanation!

Huh, so it would make some sense to eat +farming food esp. early on.

I really wish the craftable Campfire you get at level 1 (I think) would allow for some cooking. There are so many recipes that just aren't very useful later on, when you get the kitchen (or portable cookout kit) but could be great in the early days...

Yeah definitely worth going for when trying to harvest for the "quality crops" for example, along with early profit crops. Agreed 100% in that I wish you either got the portable cookout kit Way earlier or could cook on the campfire.

 

[Hill Myna]

I really wish the craftable Campfire you get at level 1 (I think) would allow for some cooking. There are so many recipes that just aren't very useful later on, when you get the kitchen (or portable cookout kit) but could be great in the early days...

Agreed 100% in that I wish you either got the portable cookout kit Way earlier or could cook on the campfire.

Hashbrowns (1 Potato, 1 Oil, +1 Farming),
Pancakes (1 Egg, 1 Wheat Flour, +2 Foraging),
Trout Soup (1 Green Algae, 1 Rainbow Trout, +1 Fishing),
Farmer's Lunch (1 Omelet, 1 Parsnip, +3 Farming),
Roots Platter (1 Cave Carrot, 1 Winter Root, +3 Attack),
Survival Burger (1 Bread, 1 Eggplant, 1 Cave Carrot, +3 Foraging),
Dish O' The Sea (2 Sardines, 1 Hashbrowns, +3 Fishing),
Seafood Pudding (1 Flounder, 1 Midnight Carp, 1 Squid Ink, +4 Fishing).

These are the recipes available in Year 1 that have Buffs, organised in order of least-to-most useful (IMO). Omelet is also available, for Farmer's Lunch.

And the Hashbrowns, Pancakes, Roots Platter, Farmer's Lunch, and Dish O' The Sea are all available within the first two seasons.

I'm halfway through Summer and thinking about buying a Kitchen. The thing that's putting me off is the fact that it requires so much wood that would rather save for Kegs.

I'm Foraging Level 7; the Cookout Kit comes at Level 9. If I could cook some Roots Platters or Farmer's Lunch now, I would be over the moon.

I would recommend bringing the Cookout Kit down to Foraging Level 6, along with Lightning Rods, Wild Seeds (Fall), and Beach Totems. It would mean that Foraging Level 4 is the goal for Salmonberry Season and Level 6 is the Goal for Summer (partly because Lightning Rods).

So yes, I agree. I think this would be a great change that would encourage newer players to keep learning recipes instead of ignoring them, and provide easier access to Buffs when they are at their most useful.

Also, @Giant Octopodes, you mentioned being able to move the Cookout Kit for the day you have it? I did not know that, that's so cool!

 

[Giant Octopodes]

Don't forget that Pepper Poppers just require 3 hearts with Shane and he has a Spring Birthday, that and a somewhat early cow of course. It's specifically for that recipe after all I usually upgrade to the Kitchen, to get those sweet speed boosts and decent farming increases for quality crops in Summer. Agreed that the wood cost is the worst part of it.

 

[Hill Myna]

Agreed that the wood cost is the worst part of it.

Yeah, I just deforested Cindersap with the Forester profession and I got about 700 Wood. So I'm considering the Kitchen, but those trees won't regrow for a while.

I'm thinking I'd probably be better off using all the wood for Kegs and buying some wood later, once I have enough cash from the Pale Ale.

Don't forget that Pepper Poppers just require 3 hearts with Shane and he has a Spring Birthday, that and a somewhat early cow of course. It's specifically for that recipe after all I usually upgrade to the Kitchen, to get those sweet speed boosts and decent farming increases for quality crops in Summer.

Ah, I completely forgot about recipes from NPCs! I was only counting those from the Queen of Sauce and the Saloon. Thanks for pointing that out!

Also, I read that wrong the first time. No, Shane, you do not have a cow that dislikes being late!