Befriend Willy, Unveil Stardew's Secrets

This guide delves into befriending Willy, a pivotal character in Stardew Valley. He's a friendly fisherman who provides essential fishing supplies and boosts your fishing skills. Building a strong relationship with him offers significant advantages.

Willy's Location: Find Willy at his shop on most weekdays, fishing on Saturdays, or at the Stardrop Saloon and the beach/river in the evenings. Remember his birthday is Summer 24 – gifts given then have an 8x friendship boost.

Gift Guide:

Loved Gifts (+80 friendship): These are the best options for maximizing your friendship points.

• High-Value Fish: Catfish, Octopus, Sea Cucumber, Sturgeon. (Images provided in original format)
• Fishing-Themed Books: Jewels of the Sea, The Art O' Crabbing. (Images provided in original format)
• Mead: Crafted from Honey in a Keg. (Image provided in original format)
• Gold Bar: Smelted from Gold Ore. (Image provided in original format)
• Iridium Bar: Smelted from Iridium Ore. (Image provided in original format)
• Diamond: Found in the Mines. (Image provided in original format)
• Pumpkin: Grown in Fall. (Image provided in original format)
• All universally loved gifts.

Liked Gifts (+45 friendship): Good alternatives if loved gifts are scarce.

• Most fish-based cooked dishes (excluding Dish O' the Sea, Sashimi, and Maki Roll – Willy is neutral towards these).
• Fish: Lingcod, Tiger Trout. (Images provided in original format)
• Quartz: (Image provided in original format)
• Bait and Bobber: (Image provided in original format)

Disliked & Hated Gifts: Avoid these to prevent friendship loss.

• Foraged goods
• Non-fish-based cooked dishes
• Life Elixir
• Universally disliked gifts (except fish – Willy is neutral towards most fish, except those listed above).
• Universally hated gifts

Quests: Willy occasionally posts requests on the bulletin board outside Pierre's shop. Completing these earns gold and a significant friendship boost (150 points). He also sends two letters challenging you to catch specific fish (Squid on Winter 2, Year 1; Lingcod on Winter 13, Year 2).

Friendship Perks: Reaching certain friendship levels unlocks unique recipes from Willy, each providing fishing buffs:

• 3 Hearts: Chowder (+1 fishing)
• 5 Hearts: Escargot (+2 fishing)
• 7 Hearts: Fish Stew (+3 fishing)
• 9 Hearts: Lobster Bisque (+3 fishing, +30 max energy)

By following this guide, you'll be well on your way to maximizing your friendship with Willy and reaping the rewards of a strong alliance.