This article is part of a directory: Stardew Valley: A Complete Guide and Walkthrough
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When creating a character for the first time in Stardew Valley, some players are puzzled to find a box asking them to name their "favorite thing." Here, players can choose to type anything they want — but there's no indication on that screen as to what results from this choice.

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Many first-time players have been confused by the "favorite thing" selection, and wonder whether it has any practical impact on gameplay. Is there anything that should be taken into consideration when choosing what to type into this box? Here's just what purpose this character creation aspect serves within Stardew Valley.

What Is The Player's Favorite Thing?

Stardew's character creator with favorite thing circled

Throughout Stardew Valley, players can find a number of Stardrops, mysterious fruits that increase the player character's maximum energy when eaten. Whenever the player consumes one of these, a brief sound effect will play and some text will appear at the bottom of the screen. This text will display one of two options:

  • "Your mind is filled with thoughts of [blank]."
  • "It's strange, but the taste reminds you of [blank.]"

When this text appears, the player's Favorite Thing will fill in the blank, appearing exactly as they entered it in the character creation menu.

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On a gameplay level, the player's choice of favorite thing does not have any major effects. It will not influence the effects of the Stardrop, or any other aspect of gameplay. It's simply a way to add a personalized touch to the flavor text that displays upon finding these rare items.

Easter Eggs & Secrets

Secret texts from entering special "favorite things"

Of course, if they choose to, players can always have a little fun with this feature. There are a few secrets the player can discover by entering certain phrases as their Favorite Thing, which trigger specific flavor text.

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If the player enters "ConcernedApe," the game's developer, the words, "Well, thanks!" will appear following the usual flavor text. Additionally, if the player uses the word "Stardew" (capitalization required) in naming their Favorite Thing, the usual text will be replaced with the words, "You feel an unwavering connection to the valley itself."

Other than these snippets of hidden text, the player's Favorite Thing doesn't have much of an impact. Players should simply choose something that's personal to them that will make the experience of finding a Stardrop more special.

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