Mastery Cave

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This page or section contains unmarked spoilers from update 1.6 of Stardew Valley. Players may want to avoid or be cautious toward reading this article/section.

Mastery Cave
Mastery Cave.png
Maplocation.png
Map.png
Closed: Never
Address: Cindersap Forest
Occupants: None

The Mastery Cave is an area located in Cindersap Forest. It is unlocked after the player has achieved level 10 in all 5 skills. It can be accessed right after the player reaches level 10 on the fifth skill; there is no need to wait until the next day. Inside, the player finds a letter from Grandpa in the southeast corner, a pedestal in the middle of the cave that reads "The Last Path" and displays the mastery progress bar, and the five pillars, each describing a mastery of a skill.

If the player attempts to enter before reaching level 10 in all skills, a message will display: Only a master of the five ways may enter (X/5), where X is the number of skills in which the player has already reached level 10.

If the player does not enter the Mastery Cave the day they reach level 10 in all skills, as the player wakes up the next day there will be a message saying "You sense that a new way is open...".

Grandpa's Letter

In the southeast corner Grandpa has left a letter for the farmer. The letter will read the following:

“My dear <player's name>,

If you're reading this note, you've found the secret room I've prepared for you. Within these walls are tips, recipes, and even some of my most cherished tools... all the very best from the many happy years I spent in the valley.

By coming this far, you'll have proven that you possess the skill and wisdom to make good use of these powerful secrets. I hope my discoveries help you in your journey to making <Farm's name> a shining star of the whole world!

Make me proud!

- Grandpa ”

Masteries

Mastery points are used to unlock a series of masteries. Each mastery is associated with one skill, and each is represented on a pillar on the cave's back wall. At any time, the player can view the special items and benefits associated with a mastery by visiting its pillar.

Mastery points are equivalent to "excess" skill experience points, above those needed to achieve the initial level 10 skills. They are accumulated only after reaching level 10 in every skill. Farming experience points only contribute to mastery points at a 50% rate, while experience points for the rest of the skills contribute to mastery points at a 100% rate. Experience points after reaching level 10 in all skills that were earned playing an earlier version of the game (before v1.6) do not carry over as mastery points.

Experience points are collected and grouped as a single quantity regardless of the skill type associated with the experience, and may be used to claim any mastery. A mastery can be claimed at a pillar only when a sufficient number of mastery points has been accumulated. The player may pick which masteries to claim in any order. Each mastery claimed costs progressively more mastery points than the previous one, defining five levels of costs. The player can track the current progress towards the next level in the Skills tab.

The following table shows the costs to unlock each mastery:

Level Mastery Points Required for This Level Total Mastery Points Required Through This Level
1 10,000 10,000
2 15,000 25,000
3 20,000 45,000
4 25,000 70,000
5 30,000 100,000

When the player accumulates enough mastery points to claim a new mastery, the game shows a message saying "You've reached a new level of understanding...". The cave's pillars are then available for claiming a mastery of the player's choice. After reaching a new mastery level, the mastery experience bar refreshes immediately, so the player does not need to go the Mastery Cave to claim a mastery before progressing towards unlocking another mastery; theoretically, they can earn 100,000 Mastery points before claiming any mastery and then claim all five at once.

Masteries achieved are shown on the Special Items & Powers tab of the player's inventory.

Name Rewards
Farming Skill Icon.png
Farming Mastery
Iridium Scythe.png
Iridium Scythe Can be used to harvest any crops. It's also excellent at gathering hay.
Statue Of Blessings.png
Recipe Overlay.png
Statue Of Blessings Recipe Touching the statue gives a unique blessing every day.
Mastery Icon.png You can now find Golden Animal Crackers, which permanently doubles a farm animal's produce. Doesn't work on pigs.
Mining Skill Icon.png
Mining Mastery
Statue Of The Dwarf King.png
Recipe Overlay.png
Statue Of The Dwarf King Recipe Choose from two mining-related powers each day.
Heavy Furnace.png
Recipe Overlay.png
Heavy Furnace Recipe It's more efficient than a regular furnace. Requires 25 pieces of ore and 3 coal per use.
Mastery Icon.png Gem-bearing rocks now grant twice the gems.
Foraging Skill Icon.png
Foraging Mastery
Mystic Tree Seed.png
Recipe Overlay.png
Mystic Tree Seed recipe This can be planted to grow a special tree.
Treasure Totem.png
Recipe Overlay.png
Treasure Totem recipe Use on diggable terrain to summon a ring of treasure spots.
Mastery Icon.png You can now find Golden Mystery Boxes, which contain superior items.
Fishing Skill Icon.png
Fishing Mastery
Advanced Iridium Rod.png
Advanced Iridium Rod Use in the water to catch fish. Up to two bobbers can be attached at once.
Challenge Bait.png
Recipe Overlay.png
Challenge Bait recipe A "perfect" catch yields triple the fish. However, each time a fish escapes the "fishing bar", the catch is reduced.
Mastery Icon.png You can now encounter Golden Fishing Treasure Chests.
Combat Skill Icon.png
Combat Mastery
Anvil.png
Recipe Overlay.png
Anvil recipe Allows you to re-forge trinkets, randomizing their stats. Costs 3 iridium bars per use.
Mini-Forge.png
Recipe Overlay.png
Mini-Forge recipe Now, you can use a dwarvish forge from the convenience of your home.
Mastery Icon.png Unlocks a new equipment slot for trinkets. Trinkets can be found while adventuring and grant special powers.

Completion

Mastery Completion

After claiming all 5 masteries, a candle will light above each of the pillars, Grandpa's letter will be removed, a hat will appear on the pedestal between the combat and the foraging mastery pillars, and the game shows a message saying "You feel Grandpa's hand patting your shoulder...".

Trivia

  • In Secret Note #27, Grandpa mentions a "very special secret" he hid somewhere in the valley, referring to the Mastery Cave.

History

  • 1.6: Introduced.
  • 1.6.4: All experience now contributes to mastery experience at a 50% rate.
  • 1.6.6: Now only farming experience contributes to mastery experience at a 50% rate, as originally intended.