With any simulation game, NPCs are going to play a big role, and a farming sim is no different. There are plenty of Stardew Valley characters in Pelican Town that players can build a relationship with. However, with tons of different characters, there is a lot to know and keep up with.
Specifically, there are certain characters that can be married and some that can’t. On the flipside, there are some characters that you can give gifts to and others that you can’t. Even worse, each character likes different types of gifts, and if you give them the wrong thing it will damage your relationship with them.
This is a lot to keep up with, so we’ve broken down everything you need to know about all of the Stardew Valley characters. Building relationships in Pelican Town is a big part of the game, and it can be a bit confusing if you are not sure what to do and how they work.
All Stardew Valley characters
There are a total of 45 characters in Stardew Valley. Each villager has a different responsibility in Pelican Town or plays a specific role in the game. Not all are created equal either, as there are some characters that can be married, others that can’t, and some that can’t receive gifts.
Below is a list of every character in Stardew Valley:
- Abigal (Bachelorette)
- Alex (Bachelor)
- Birdie (Non-Giftable)
- Bouncer (Non-Giftable)
- Caroline (Cannot Marry)
- Clint (Cannot Marry)
- Demetrius (Cannot Marry)
- Dwarf (Cannot Marry)
- Elliot (Bachelor)
- Emily (Bachelorette)
- Evelyn (Cannot Marry)
- George (Cannot Marry)
- Gil (Non-Giftable)
- Governor (Non-Giftable)
- Grandpa (Non-Giftable)
- Gunther (Non-Giftable)
- Gus (Cannot Marry)
- Haley (Bachelorette)
- Harvey (Bachelor)
- Henchman (Non-Giftable)
- Jas (Cannot Marry)
- Jodi (Cannot Marry)
- Kent (Cannot Marry)
- Krobus (Cannot Marry)
- Leah (Bachelorette)
- Leo (Cannot Marry)
- Lewis (Cannot Marry)
- Linus (Cannot Marry)
- Marlon (Non-Giftable)
- Marnie (Cannot Marry)
- Maru (Bachelorette)
- Morris (Non-Giftable)
- Mr. Qi (Non-Giftable)
- Pam (Cannot Marry)
- Penny (Bachelorette)
- Pierre (Cannot Marry)
- Professor Snail (Non-Giftable)
- Robin (Cannot Marry)
- Sam (Bachelor)
- Sandy (Cannot Marry)
- Sebastian (Bachelor)
- Shane (Bachelor)
- Vincent (Cannot Marry)
- Willy (Cannot Marry)
- Wizard (Cannot Marry)
As you can see, there are plenty of characters in Stardew Valley that you can socialize with and get to know. Of the 45 characters, 34 of them can be given gifts. This is necessary if you want to eventually get married or raise your friendship level with an NPC.
Stardew Valley characters universal loves
There are a couple of items in the game that are called Universal Loves. This simply means that these gifts can be given to any character and they are guaranteed to love them, with only a few minor exceptions.
Below is a list of all the Universal Loves in Stardew Valley:
- Pearl (anyone)
- Golden Pumpkin (anyone)
- Magic Rock Candy (anyone)
- Rabbit’s Foot (Don’t give to Penny)
- Prismatic Shard (Don’t give to Haley)
Giving one of these gifts to a character will earn you 80 friendship points. If you give one of these gifts to a character on their birthday, you can earn a total of 640 points.
Stardew Valley characters Universal Hates
Similar to the Universal Loves, there are also a handful of Universal Hates, which will cost you 40 friendship points.
Below is a list of all the Universal Hates in Stardew Valley:
- All Algae
- All Artifacts
- All Bait
- All Trash
- Bug Meat
- Fish
- Hay
- Joja Cola
- Magnet
- Oil of Garlic
- Poppy
- Red Mushroom
- Rotten Plants
- Sap
- Sea Urchin
- Seaweed
- Slime
- Snail
- Strange Bun
- Void Mayonaise
- Weeds
So, if you’d like to remain friends with a specific character, avoid giving them any of the Universal Hates as a gift.
Stardew Valley characters gift types
There are total of five gift types in Stardew Valley: Loves, Likes, Neutral, Dislikes, and Hates. Each type will earn or cost you a different amount of friendship points. Additionally, each character prefers different items as gifts. For a full breakdown, be sure to check out our Stardew Valley gifts guide.
Stardew Valley characters you can marry
There are a total of 12 Stardew Valley characters that are eligible for marriage. Specifically, there are six bachelors and six bachelorettes. Further, couples can marry NPCs of the same sex if they’d like. Below is a list of all the marriage candidates in Stardew Valley:
- Bachelors: Alex, Elliot, Harvey, Sam, Sebastian, and Shane
- Bachelorettes: Abigail, Emily, Haley, Leah, Maru, and Penny
To marry a character in Stardew Valley, you’ll need to present them with a bouquet after you’ve reached eight hearts. From there, they’ll become your boyfriend or girlfriend until you reach ten hearts. Once you’ve maxed out your heart meter with them, you’ll be able to propose and get married.
Stardew Valley marriage benefits
There are a couple of different marriage benefits in Stardew Valley. After the wedding, your spouse will move onto your farm with you and you can start your life together. You’ll also be able to have children together.
Here are all the Stardew Valley marriage benefits:
- Feeding the animals
- Filling up dog/cat bowl
- Giving gifts
- Having a baby
- Making breakfast/dinner
- Repairing the fence
- Watering the crops in fall, spring, and summer
If you’ve been playing the game for a while and are looking for something to do, or just want some help around the farm, getting married is a great way to keep things interesting.
Who Is the easiest to marry in Stardew Valley?
While there are plenty of characters to marry in Stardew Valley, some are easier than others. The easiest character to marry is Leah, because the things that she loves are easy to get: Salads, Foraged Goods, and Coffee. You’ll need to give her lots of gifts to max out the heart meter, and her favourite items are easy to come by.
So there you have it, everything you need to know about Stardew Valley characters. While you can’t elope and marry the likes of Krobus, there are plenty of other eligible characters out there for you to make friends – and enemies – out of if you wish.