Combat is an essential aspect of life in Stardew Valley. Whether you’re venturing into the dangerous mines or defending your farm from monsters, having proficient combat skills is crucial. As you progress in the game, you’ll eventually have to make a decision between two professions: Fighter or Scout. At first glance, the differences may seem insignificant, but they can significantly impact your gameplay.
In this article, we’ll provide an in-depth analysis of the Fighter and Scout professions to help you make an informed choice.
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Brute or Defender | Fisher or Trapper | Angler or Pirate
Stardew Valley Fighter or Scout
Fighter
“All attacks deal 10% more damage. +15 HP.“
In our opinion, Fighter is the better option, especially for players who are still learning the game mechanics. The Fighter profession offers substantial flat bonuses to combat damage and provides a significant health boost, ensuring your survival during battles. While Scout can potentially deliver massive damage, it heavily relies on luck and requires specific builds to be as effective as Fighter.
Let’s delve into the details of the Fighter profession:
Damage Boost
As a Fighter, you receive a flat 10% damage increase to all weapon attacks. This bonus significantly enhances your offensive capabilities, making fights more efficient and allowing you to defeat enemies with ease.
Health Bonus
In addition to the damage boost, Fighter grants you a +15 bonus to your maximum health. Although the health increase may seem negligible, it can make a difference in critical moments, preventing your character from being defeated. At level 10 Combat, you’ll have 155 health instead of the base 140 health, providing a slight edge in survivability.
Fighter Specializations:
Upon reaching level 10 Combat, you can choose either the Brute or Defender specialization:
Brute
This specialization grants a 15% damage increase to your weapons, which stacks with the Fighter’s damage bonus. With the Brute specialization, your damage potential becomes even more formidable. For example, an Infinity Blade at level 17 goes from dealing 80-100 damage to an impressive 101-126 damage. The consistency and raw power of this specialization make it highly advantageous, particularly in the late game.
Defender
The Defender specialization offers a +25 health bonus, increasing your maximum health to 170. However, compared to the Brute specialization, the Defender’s health boost is less impactful. Additionally, there are alternative methods to increase your health, such as completing Mr. Qi’s quests or acquiring items like the Phoenix Ring or Protection Ring. Thus, the marginal health increase from the Defender specialization may not be worth sacrificing the significant damage boost of the Brute specialization.
Scout
“Critical strike chance increased by 50%.”
The Scout profession is designed for players who prefer a more unique and luck-based playstyle. While not as straightforward as Fighter, Scout offers the potential for massive damage outputs. However, it requires specific builds, crafting, and the dedication of two-ring slots to critical hit bonuses.
Let’s explore the details of the Scout profession:
Critical Hit Chance Increase
As a Scout, you receive a 50% increase to your current critical hit chance. It’s important to note that this bonus augments your existing critical hit chance rather than guaranteeing a 50% chance to crit. For instance, if your character currently has a 2% chance to critically hit, the Scout bonus increases it to 3%. Although the initial boost may appear small, it becomes more substantial as you acquire items and equipment that further enhance your critical hit chance.
Dagger Specialization
Scouts particularly excel with daggers due to their higher base critical hit chance. With a high critical hit chance, daggers become incredibly consistent in delivering devastating blows. For example, an Iridium Needle can greatly benefit from the Scout’s passive, resulting in significant damage output.
Scout Specializations
Once you reach level 10 Combat as a Scout, you can choose either the Acrobat or Desperado specialization:
Acrobat
The Acrobat specialization reduces the cooldown of your secondary attack by 50%. While this may initially seem appealing, the effectiveness of this specialization is limited. The secondary attacks available, such as Block and Club Swing, lack the explosive impact that would make the cooldown reduction truly advantageous. Consequently, the Acrobat specialization doesn’t offer substantial benefits compared to other choices.
Desperado
If you decide to pursue the Scout profession, the Desperado specialization is the recommended choice. Desperado doubles the damage you would have dealt with critical hits. Normally, critical hits triple your damage and provide additional bonuses based on your weapon. However, with Desperado, critical hits multiply your damage by a staggering six times. This specialization significantly amplifies the power of critical hits, making Scout a force to be reckoned with. If you enjoy the thrill of rolling the dice and witnessing astronomical damage numbers, Desperado is the way to go.
Fighter or Scout: Which is Better
For beginners and most players, the Fighter profession is generally recommended. Its flat damage bonus and health boost provide a reliable and straightforward approach to combat. The consistency offered by Fighter allows new players to focus on learning the game mechanics without relying too heavily on luck or specific builds. Overall, the Fighter profession is better due to its significant damage boost, health bonus, and overall reliability in combat.
Can I switch professions later in the game?
Yes, you can switch between Fighter and Scout at any time by visiting the statue in the sewers and paying 10,000g. This will reset one skill tree, allowing you to pick different skills the next time you sleep.
Can I combine the Fighter and Scout professions?
No, it’s not possible to combine the Fighter and Scout professions. Once you choose a profession at level 5 in Combat, you will progress within that specialization. If you wish to experience both professions, you’ll need to create multiple characters or switch professions on different playthroughs.
Summary
In conclusion, while both the Fighter and Scout professions have their merits, Fighter is the more practical and efficient choice, especially for players still familiarizing themselves with Stardew Valley. Its flat damage bonus and health increase provide consistent advantages that can significantly enhance your combat prowess. On the other hand, Scout offers the potential for massive damage through critical hits but requires specific builds and sacrifices two ring slots for critical hit bonuses.
Ultimately, the decision between Fighter and Scout depends on your preferred playstyle and willingness to embrace the element of luck in combat.