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The choice between Fruit Bats and Mushrooms is a compelling one for Stardew Valley, with both options offering clear benefits. However, the Farm Cave can only support one of the two, and the upgrade is irreversible, much like Stardew Valley’s choice between the Rancher and Tiller professions. This will have a lasting impact on a farm and the produce people can easily obtain with it, and as such, the decision is worth some careful consideration beforehand.
No matter the layout of a Stardew Valley Farm, the Cave can be found along its northern edge. Although initially empty, local scientist Demetrius will approach the player with an offer after they have earned a total of 25,000g; in order to advance his research, he will outfit the Cave to support either Mushrooms or Fruit Bats. Either option grants access to produce, specifically Fruit and Mushrooms, with the exact types that spawn being randomized. Both bring their perks and downsides, although it is worth noting that neither option prevents the other’s produce from being obtained through alternative means.
If Fruit Bats are chosen to fill the Farm Cave, then the mammals will begin randomly leaving fruit and berries in the Cave at night. These can even be out of season, making Fruit Bats an excellent option for those aiming to make plenty of Artisan Goods. They also contribute to the Artisan Bundle found in the Community Center’s Pantry, which both rewards people with a Keg and puts the Greenhouse one step closer to restoration.
Fruit Bats can leave Cherries, Pomegranates, Peaches, Apples, Oranges, and Apricots, as well as Spice Berries, Wild Plums, Blackberries, and Salmonberries.
Many farmers have noticed that the cost of Fruit trees can be quite expensive, and often they don't yield a large amount during the season once planted. With the Fruit Bats giving items that might not even be in season at random, the monetary value alone of getting these presents from the Farm Cave can make this a good option for farmers to choose. Crafting the Artisan Goods will provide even more gold at a fairly rapid pace, with little work needed from the farmer other than collecting the fruits and berries and placing them in the machines to make wine or other goods.
Having easy access to these fruits and making their Artisan Goods can also lead to giving the perfect gifts for Stardew Valley’s other residents. This helps players to quickly strengthen those relationships in the game, particularly if they want a bit of romance. For example, Leah and Harvey both love to receive wine, and several others love getting specific fruits, such as Pomegranates for Elliot. If a farmer has their sights set on a romance with a specific neighbor, they should take a look at what that NPCs favorite gifts are.
On the other hand, choosing Mushrooms causes Common Mushrooms, Red Mushrooms, Purple Mushrooms, Morels, and Chanterelles to begin growing in the Cave. Similar to the Fruit Bats’ Fruits, the exact Mushrooms produced are randomized, but new mushrooms consistently appear every two nights. Notably, the latter four varieties of mushrooms can be used to craft Life Elixirs, making this option very appealing to more adventurous farmers who want to dive deep into the Mines. Life Elixirs don't require any special crafting station to make, but do use a Red Mushroom, Purple Mushroom, Morel, and Chantrelle.
One over-confident Stardew Valley player was humbled after bringing valuable belongings and 3 years' worth of coal on a trip to the Skull Caverns.
In addition to this, the Mushrooms found in the Cave also contribute to several Bundles, and even come with a free Dehydrator that can process them into Dried Mushrooms. Unfortunately, players should beware when giving out gifts. Generally, mushrooms are among the hated gifts for the majority of villagers. Also, eating too many of them can be deadly to the farmer, so they are not great emergency rations to have on hand.
On the whole, it seems that Fruit Bats are the better option for the Cave in many ways. Although Fruit spawns are more luck-based than Mushrooms, this is easily balanced out by the former having many more uses in the game. They can help complete Bundles and befriend the townsfolk, but are also a valuable commodity in their own right. The cave allows 10 different types of fruit to spawn, double the variety of Mushrooms.
The quality and frequency of the Cave’s produce are also worth taking into account when deciding on how to make use of it. For example, while Mushrooms are always normal quality, gathered Fruit can be of any quality (iridium quality fruits are available with the Botanist Profession). On the other hand, in contrast to the Mushroom’s consistent growing schedule, there is always a chance that no fruit will spawn during the night (beginning at 48% in a fully empty cave and rising the more tiles are occupied), although any that do appear will remain there until they are collected.
Additionally, the Fruit Bats represent an immense saving in time and money for obtaining the Fruits of the various Fruit Trees. Although the Traveling Cart can offer some savings, buying the six basic Fruit Trees from Pierre will cost 25,400g, and they then take 28 days each to grow. Meanwhile, Fruit Bats can easily supply the six basic Fruit Tree Fruits for far less investment. Of course, Bananas and Mangos are also found in Stardew Valley, but neither are available from the Cave or Pierre. Instead, both the Fruits and Saplings are only found after unlocking Ginger Island.
Stardew Valley has several things a player can focus on, like farming, ranching, or relationships. In fact, you don’t even have to leave the farm.
No matter which option is chosen for the Cave, it will grant easier access to certain types of produce. Naturally, the choice ultimately comes down to personal preference, but from a mechanical standpoint, the benefits of Fruit Bats arguably outnumber those of Mushrooms compared to the average player of Stardew Valley. Perhaps the most valuable advantage of the fungal option is that Life Elixirs are potent items, but not everybody will need them to the extent that the Cave’s convenience makes Mushrooms worth choosing. On the whole, the Fruits left by Fruit Bats are much more valuable.
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