Befriend the Harbormaster: Guide to Willy in Stardew Valley

This guide focuses on befriending Willy, a key character in Stardew Valley. He's a fisherman who provides the player with their initial fishing rod and ongoing supplies. Building a friendship with him offers significant benefits, particularly in fishing.

Befriending Willy is straightforward. You can find him at his shop (most weekdays), fishing (Saturdays), or at the Stardrop Saloon/beach/river (evenings). Gifts significantly boost your friendship level. His birthday is Summer 24th; gifts on this day have an 8x effect.

Gift Guide:

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

• Fish: Catfish , Octopus , Sea Cucumber , Sturgeon
• Books: Jewels Of The Sea , The Art O' Crabbing
• Mead: (Made with Honey in a Keg)
• Gold Bar: (From Gold Ore in a Furnace)
• Iridium Bar: (From Iridium Ore in a Furnace)
• Diamond: (Found in Mines)
• Pumpkin: (Grown in Fall)
• All universally loved gifts.

Liked Gifts (+45 friendship points): Good alternatives to Loved gifts.

• Cooked fish dishes (excluding Dish O' the Sea, Sashimi, Maki Roll – he's neutral towards these).
• Fish: Lingcod , Tiger Trout
• Quartz
• Bait And Bobber

Disliked & Hated Gifts: Avoid these!

• Foraged goods
• Cooked dishes without fish
• Life Elixir
• Universally disliked/hated gifts (except fish – he's neutral to most fish not listed above).

Quests: Willy sometimes posts requests on the bulletin board. Completing these rewards gold and significant friendship points (150). He also sends two letters with fishing challenges (Squid on Winter 2, Year 1; Lingcod on Winter 13, Year 2), rewarding gold and friendship.

Friendship Perks: Reaching certain friendship levels unlocks 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 can effectively befriend Willy and reap the rewards of a strong friendship in Stardew Valley.