Deciding to become an Excavator or Gemologist in Stardew Valley is a decision you must make in the game’s mining profession. We have put together this article, so you don’t have to worry about getting it wrong.
Choosing the Excavator or Gemologist specialization will depend on your late-game strategy. If the strategy is to maximize profit from gems, the Gemologist specialization will work. If you want to accumulate resources for completing museum donations and crafting things, go for Excavator. Being a Gemologist might become more helpful in the later game when Crystalarium comes into the picture. Crystalarium makes the Gemologist more profitable while rendering Excavator less relevant.
The mine is one of the most important locations in the game. It is located northeast of the Carpenter’s Shop or west of the Adventurer’s Guild. The mine is unlocked on the 5th day of the spring in year 1.
The sections below look at professional decisions at levels 5 and 10 in the mining mini-game. We also explore factors that guide the selection of a professional path.
Choosing the Geologist Profession
Before jumping into the Excavator or Gemologist debate, let’s take a step back to understand how we got there.
At level 5, a decision has to be made in the mining mini-game. Since leveling up is not difficult in the mining game, you will soon be there. You have to decide between two professional paths; Miner or Geologist.
Ending up with Excavator and Gemologist specializations means we chose the Geologist profession. But let’s take a closer look at the Geologist profession to understand what each entails.
What is a Geologist in Stardew Valley?
If you become a Geologist, your gems will appear in pairs. The main problem with the geology profession is the price of gems. But you can still make a good profit for the early game. The Geology Profession has two specialization options in level 10, namely Gemologist and Excavator.
Should I Become an Excavator or Gemologist?
Excavator and Gemologist are specialization options of the Geology profession. You will make this decision at level 10.
Deciding between Excavator and Gemologist is vital because it determines how your end game plays out. We look at each specialization in detail to give you a better idea of what to expect.
What is an Excavator in Stardew Valley?
You choose this specialization in level 10. You need to think it through because the decision cannot be reversed.
If you select the Excavator profession, your geodes are doubled every time you mine. So, you’ll have an increased chance of accumulating things like iridium pretty fast. You might have to head to the local blacksmith to sharpen your excavator skills to unlock the full potential of the Excavator.
What is a Gemologist in Stardew Valley?
You choose the Gemologist specialization in level 10. As mentioned above, it is a decision that will need your keen attention.
If you pick the Gemologist specialization, the value of your gems increases by 30%. So if you are someone who likes selling gems, or perhaps you don’t enjoy breaking geodes, then the Gemologist role will suit you.
Choosing between Gemologist and Excavator is a reasonably tough decision to make. You have to consider different scenarios to get it right. The Excavator specialization is good if you are still looking for artifacts because geode minerals are excellent for that.
But once you are done with that, you will slow down on mining, and a Crystalarium will come into the picture. A Crystalarium replicates gems and geode minerals.
Things to Note
The entry of a Crystalarium makes the Gemologist more relevant and lucrative. At the same time, it tends to render the Excavator less relevant.
Diamond is the most profitable gem to replicate in a Crystalarium yielding a profit of150g per day if harvested as soon as ready.
Crystalarium can be crafted with 99 pieces of stone, 5 gold bars, 2 iridium bars, and a battery pack.
When changing the gem in a Crystalarium, first break the Crystalarium to get the seeded gem back.
Most villagers like and love diamonds, making replication of diamonds for gifting useful.
Conclusion
Choosing between Excavator or Gemologist is a tricky decision that always proves difficult for many players to make. Both will be ideal, depending on what you are trying to achieve with your game plan.
The Gemologist specialization helps you maximize profits while being an Excavator is ideal for those who want to accumulate artifacts. Gems are not worth much, but with the 30% increase in value, you will be able to maximize profits.
In the late game, you will slow down in mining because the need for artifacts will reduce. Again, with Crystalarium, you will be able to replicate most of the minerals in Stardew valley. The entry of Crystalarium will make the Gemologist specialization more lucrative because replicated diamonds fetch better prices.
