Do I need to Mine

[CrescentMouse]

I really don't like mining. (i'm of course referring to the cave.) and would much rather just be a flower farmer who passes out flowers to people and fish with willy occasionally. Do I miss out on a ton of content if i avoid the mines? Can I still upgrade my tools and such?

[lizardmang]

You can still upgrade tools by buying ore, but quite a bit of the game's progress is tied to mining, so you would miss out on a lot of content by avoiding it entirely.

The Tractor mod can make mining ridiculously easy and fast, so that might be something to consider. There's also the Skull Cavern Elevator mod, which would significantly cut down on the time you'd need to spend on late-game mining.
https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/1401
https://www.nexusmods.com/stardewvalley/mods/963

If you don't want to mod, I would just recommend searching for discussions about mining tips. There have been a ton of them. Using the most efficient strategies can at least cut down on the amount of mining you need to do.

[Queen Droxxanna]

while Clint sells some ore, he doesn't sell iridium, so you would be limited on how much you can upgrade your tools. And buying ore to give back to Clint makes your weapons more expensive.
I also use the tractor and elevator mods, which makes mining fast, easy, and SAFE as you can be invincible while on the tractor.

There also several quests the require mining, and a lot of quest when people ASK you to bring them ore or gems. and you can't buy the gems.
Also mining gives you GEODES, which you need to complete the museum collection.

You also can't get the best weapon in the game with out mining for the Prismatic shard.
If you want to upgrade your watering can to BOTTOMLESS, you need to mine your way through the volcano.

so yes you need to mine.

[Twelvefield]

Originally posted by soaringfreedom:

so yes you need to mine.

Respectfully, I have to disagree with such a blanket statement. You need to mine if you want to follow the game logic and build an otherwise unsustainable farm. The game does push you into building more than you can handle, and it also tries to keep you from wandering too far away from its script. If you intend to follow through with the intentions of the townspeople, then you do end up building a farm that's unsustainable without the use of magic and heavy automation, both of which are costly.

If all you want to do is pass the seasons and farm peaceably, there's nothing to stop you from doing that. You won't grow rich, and the scope of the game becomes narrower, but then you are released from the competitiveness that pushes you down the narrative paths. For example, you don't need to care about either the Community Center and its goals, or JojaMart: you can just let it all be. If you do that, you'll cut hours of grinding out of your game time.

Without mining and the wealth it brings you will miss on some content, but I'm not convinced a fair percentage of it is worthwhile content unless you are achievement hunting, or you are trying for a specific lofty goal.

[Snowy Sprout]

Originally posted by Twelvefield:

Originally posted by soaringfreedom:

so yes you need to mine.

Respectfully, I have to disagree with such a blanket statement.

If all you want to do is pass the seasons and farm peaceably, there's nothing to stop you from doing that.

Without mining and the wealth it brings you will miss on some content, but I'm not convinced a fair percentage of it is worthwhile content unless you are achievement hunting, or you are trying for a specific lofty goal.

I fully support Twelvefield's statement here! In fact, I just posted a thread about roleplaying as Linus, which follows this logic rather well (with some differences).

I think the idea of becoming a flower farmer is charming! People always underestimate the worth of flowers. Tulips, for example, have quite high food value for early game. Most characters love flowers as gifts, and a friendship-based playthrough is fun!

So no, you do not have to mine to play the game. Even to get ores and gems, if you want them for the museum perhaps, you can get them through fishing. I might recommend choosing the Pirate profession to increase the number of treasure chests you'll get, if that's your goal.

Or, obviously, just play the game how you like! I would watch this series if it were posted on YouTube.

[Queen Droxxanna]

thats the great thing about this game, you can play it however you want. But if you want to achieve all the goals I mentioned, you need to do some mining.
If all you do is farm and fish it will take a lot longer to even build your farm, but farming is easier it you have upgraded tools, bottomless watering can, and high quality sprinklers.

Oh and riding the tractor thru the mines makes mining feel more like farming, as you zip around on your tractor and "harvest" ores and mob loot.

[ChrillBill]

Is this your first playthrough in Stardew Valley?

I have seen a couple of players who focused mainly (almost only) on fishing building up fish farms, so why not become a flower farmer? I grow a lot of flowers myself and not just for decor purpose :> You can play however you want, and you don't have to follow the "usual" path so to speak. The tractor mod is a nice suggestion and it really is more of a terminator rather than a tractor @.@ If you want to avoid mining all together but still have a good system in place with ore and furnaces there is also the option to spawn a bunch with the CJB Item Spawner[www.nexusmods.com] and pretend that Grandpa left some in the cave (like just enough to upgrade tools and craft a bunch of useful craftables) :D I have done so a couple of times.

After many playthroughs without any advantages what so ever I feel like this use of imagination actually can make a playthrough more fun and interesting. For each playthrough I usually have a different character with a totally made up background story and also different goals. I have done 100% perfection two times, one with expansion mods and one completely vanilla. Those were my longest and also most "tedious" playthroughs and I honestly didn't enjoy them as much as I have with other playthroughs. Many consider the item spawner I mentioned to be "cheating" but I honestly don't care and when you move yourself away from them "rules" and "what others might think" everything becomes so much more fun which is really what the game is supposed to be. Take it as a suggestion and know that it is very possible to have a good playthrough while focusing only on the things you actually enjoy ^.^

[Stardustfire]

yes, you can get away with "no mine runs" if it is stones and metal ore you just need to focus on the bundle that repairs the bridge to the quarry. so no need to adventure and fight for your resources, and no need to use cheats as well.

[ChrillBill]

Quarry is nice, but takes a very long time to regenerate unfortunately and mostly gives you stone ;_;

[Tal]

Originally posted by soaringfreedom:

You also can't get the best weapon in the game with out mining for the Prismatic shard.

The weapon of choice would be irrelevant if one is not going into the cave/skull cavern/volcano so that is a point worth noting.

In terms of tool upgrades, you will need to mine something so Clint gives you the furnace blueprint. After that, buy the ore from Clint and go from there. I have many farms where I didn't make sprinklers either since I quite enjoy the watering of my garden. Even with the basic watering can.

So essentially ... play it how you like. You can always change your mind as time progresses or simply start a new farm where you do explore all the aspects of the game. There are no rules as to what you need to do on any farm. Enjoy your flowers and fishing!

[CrescentMouse]

Thankies! I'm fine if i progress slower and can't get the best tools. I just really don't like fighting enemies so all these tips have been helpful. I will get that tractor mod if i find myself wanting iridium and stuff but otherwise i'll just fish and get that like pirate perk and grow my flowers and pass them around town.

[I Kinda Fail]

If you side with Joja instead of repairing the Community Center, you can absolutely do it.

Clint sells ore up to gold. You can sometimes find geodes in trash cans and tilling worm tiles. (Or play on the Hilltop farm for geode rocks to spawn!) Meteors will rarely spawn that'll give iridium, and eventually you'll have an easy source of iridium.

The only things you'll really be lacking is monster parts... and SOME of those are sold by a merchant later in the game.

You can get coal and quartz from Fishing and recycling.

The Quarry later in the game will provide "some" stone.

[Queen Droxxanna]

there is a mod which allows you to GROW ores , buying special seeds from Clint. but i forget what the mod is called.
If you are into flowers and are going to use a few mods anyway, there is a mod for making perfumes from the vanilla flowers, which will make you some money.
As for flower seeds you can get from the CJB items cheats mod, the MIDDLEMIST RED flowers will make you Bee hives produce a honey that sells for $7000. Then you could buy all the iron rods you need from Clint.
If you use the CUSTOM CASKS mod, you could then put the Middlemist honey into a cask and age it to iridium quality where it will sell for $14,000. each.

So without any mods, you might need to do some mining, or use quarry. but if you are going to use some mods, you can fully get away without going into the mines.

[Nakos]

Originally posted by CrescentMouse:

I really don't like mining. (i'm of course referring to the cave.) and would much rather just be a flower farmer who passes out flowers to people and fish with willy occasionally. Do I miss out on a ton of content if i avoid the mines? Can I still upgrade my tools and such?

You can avoid the mines, yes ...

But yes, you will also miss out on some content. There are a number of items you might want for your farm that do require ores. You can purchase some from Clint, but his prices are going to be high.

https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Blacksmith

Note also: You'll need Refined Quartz, and if you don't wish to visit the mines, you'll need to obtain that from Fishing and Recyclying. Save any Broken Glasses and Broken CDs you find until you can obtain (or make) a Recycling Machine.

Additionally ... the Community Center is going to require some Ores and Gems. And the Museum will also require a lot of rare minerals that are usually only obtained from (breaking open) Geodes. You can find a FEW Geodes just clearing your farm, but only the most basic ones.

If you fix the Bridge, you'll gain access to the Quarry, which will allow you to do some (limited) mining without going down into the caves.

Regardless of whether or not you choose to explore the mines, I don't personally recommend using any Mods during your first playthrough.

[CrescentMouse]

Originally posted by Nakos:

Originally posted by CrescentMouse:

I really don't like mining. (i'm of course referring to the cave.) and would much rather just be a flower farmer who passes out flowers to people and fish with willy occasionally. Do I miss out on a ton of content if i avoid the mines? Can I still upgrade my tools and such?

You can avoid the mines, yes ...

But yes, you will also miss out on some content. There are a number of items you might want for your farm that do require ores. You can purchase some from Clint, but his prices are going to be high.

https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Blacksmith

Note also: You'll need Refined Quartz, and if you don't wish to visit the mines, you'll need to obtain that from Fishing and Recyclying. Save any Broken Glasses and Broken CDs you find until you can obtain (or make) a Recycling Machine.

Additionally ... the Community Center is going to require some Ores and Gems. And the Museum will also require a lot of rare minerals that are usually only obtained from (breaking open) Geodes. You can find a FEW Geodes just clearing your farm, but only the most basic ones.

If you fix the Bridge, you'll gain access to the Quarry, which will allow you to do some (limited) mining without going down into the caves.

Regardless of whether or not you choose to explore the mines, I don't personally recommend using any Mods during your first playthrough.

Well isn't really my first playthrough. I've played multiple times before in short bursts but every single time i avoid the mines cause i just don't like it. Then i stop cause i feel like the mines are required and i'm going to have a bad time by like year 3. so i kinda just give up. then this time i decided i'd at least ask.

[Moomimu]

If you don't mine you miss out on a lot of opportunities. First, you're going to need to buy lots of ore which is VERY expensive. Second, if you don't get gemstones and geodes you can't complete the museum. Third, if you don't get to the bottom of the mines you can't get the skull key and unlock the skull cavern. Fourth, to craft lots of items you need things like earth crystals, iridium ore (which you can get from the skull cavern), and tons of ore. Buying ore from clint can be VERY pricey, and it's much easier to get it yourself. Oil makers, crystalariums, mayonnaise makers, cheese makers, kegs, and more need bars of certain ores. If you're just playing stardew valley to mess around that's different, but if you're aiming to make it far then I reccomend you try to face the mines! I used to be very scared, and didn't go far into the mines but it's really important! If you get scared, always bring food with you to heal yourself, and if you die you die. Have fun!