In Stardew Valley, building connections with the locals around town may not be the main focus of the game, but it is one of the many features that makes the game so much fun to play. Developing deep relationships with the townspeople can help you advance in the game, unlock new stories to follow and even upgrade your relationship status to “married.”
Out of all the townspeople, only 12 of them are single and ready to connect with someone new. Just like real-life people, these potential marriage candidates have their own unique background complete with aspirations and personal struggles. Offering gifts and having conversations with these characters is the best way to strengthen your relationship and increase your heart rating with them. Reaching a certain heart rating with a character will unlock “heart events” that give you more information about them.
But unlike regular NPC’s, the locals don’t just stand around all day waiting for you to interact with them. These townspeople have their own lives, own jobs and own activities they like to take part in on a day-to-day basis. So understanding a character’s schedule and their personals likes and dislikes will prove to be important when trying to further your relationship. In this Stardew Valley dating guide, we will go over everything you need to know about dating Sam.
Sam lives in the southern part of town with his mom and little brother while his dad is deployed. He is your typical “boy next door,” very outgoing and energetic. He has a passion for music and dreams of starting a band with his friend Sebastian. He works part-time at JojaMart but can also be found playing his guitar or trying new tricks on his skateboard. On the Stardew Valley Developer Blog, Sam is described as a “friendly guy who is brimming with youthful energy… However, he does have a habit of starting ambitious projects and not finishing them.”
To learn how to charm Alex, Elliot or Harvey, check out the other Stardew Valley dating guides.
Chatting with Sam everyday will help you advance your relationship faster.
Stardew Valley Dating Guide: Sam’s Likes and Dislikes
You can gift just about any item in the game, but that doesn’t guarantee your potential love match will like it. Every character has a list of items they love, like, feel neutral about, dislike and hate. Gifting an item that a character loves will earn you more heart rating points, but gifting an item that a character hates will subtract points.
Loves
Sam loves all the items listed under “Universal Loves,” but more personalized items that Sam loves are cactus fruit, maple bar, pizza and tigerseye. When one of these items is given to Sam, he will say “Aw, yea! This is my absolute favorite!”
Likes
Sam likes the majority of items listed under “Universal Likes,” with the exception of disliking most vegetables and hating duck mayonnaise, mayonnaise and pickles. He also likes all the eggs in the game, with the exception of disliking void eggs. A more personalized item that Sam likes is Joja Cola. When one of these items is given to Sam, he will say “Thanks! I really like this.”
Neutral
Sam feels neutral towards all items listen under “Universal Neutrals” and all kinds of milk. He also feels neutral towards all fruit, with the exception of loving cactus fruit, liking fruit tree fruits and disliking salmonberry. When one of these items is given to Sam, he will say “You got that for me? Thanks!”
Dislikes
Sam dislikes all the items listed under “Universal Dislikes,” with the exception of loving tigerseye and hating coal, copper bars, gold bars, gold ore, iridium bars, iridium ore, iron bars and refined quartz. He also dislikes all vegetables, with the exception of feeling neutral towards hops, tea leaves and wheat. More personalized items that Sam dislikes are chanterelle, common mushroom, daffodil, dandelion, ginger, hazelnut, holly, leek, magma cap, morel, purple mushroom, quartz, salmonberry, seaweed, snow yam, wild horseradish and winter root. When one of these items is given to Sam, he will say “Hmm.. this is… interesting.”
Hates
Sam hates all items listed under “Universal Hates,” with the exception of liking Joja Cola and disliking seaweed. More personalized items that Sam hates are coal, copper bar, duck mayonnaise, gold bar, gold ore, iridium bar, iridium ore, iron bar, mayonnaise, pickles and refined quartz. When one of these items is given to Sam, he will say “You really don’t get it, huh?”
You should try to gift Sam items he loves because it will help increase his heart rating faster, you should also be careful to not give him items he hates as that will decrease your heart rating by a lot. Giving him items on his birthday can earn 8x more points, and during the Feast of the Winter Star you can earn 5x more points. Sam’s birthday is Summer 17 and giving him an item will also unlock a unique dialogue.
Understanding Sam’s schedule will help you know where he is at all times.
Stardew Valley Dating Guide: Sam’s Schedule
Out of all the potential marriage candidates, Sam has one of the more sporadic schedules. Every character’s schedule changes depending on the season and your relationship status with them, and Sam is especially busy during the Spring and Summer seasons. Knowing when and where Sam is at all times will help build your relationship because your heart rating decreases a little with every day you do not converse with him.
Spring
On Mondays, Sam will usually leave his bedroom at 11:00 a.m. and head to JojaMart for his shift. At 4:00 p.m. he finishes work and starts to walk home. At 6:00 p.m. he arrives in his bedroom, where he will remain for the rest of the day.
On Tuesdays, Sam will wake up and start playing guitar in his bedroom until 2:00 p.m., where he then leaves his house to stand by the river near Mayor’s Manor. At 6:30 pm he will head back home and remain there for the rest of the day.
On Wednesdays, Sam will usually leave his bedroom at 11:00 a.m. and head to JojaMart for his shift. At 4:00 p.m. he finishes work and starts to walk home. At 6:00 p.m. he arrives in his bedroom, where he will remain for the rest of the day.
On Thursdays, Sam will wake up and start playing guitar in his bedroom until 1:40 p.m., where he then leaves his house and goes to Lewis’ house. He will stand in front of the southeastern bush in Lewis’ yard until 6:30 p.m. before returning home for the rest of the day.
On Fridays, Sam will wake up and play guitar before leaving his house at 11:00 a.m. to skateboard in his yard. At 3:00 p.m. he will start to head to the Stardrop Saloon to play pool near the arcade. At 9:20 p.m. he will leave the saloon and remain at home for the rest of the day.
On Saturdays and Sundays, Sam will wake up and play guitar in his room until 1:40 p.m., when he then leaves his house to stand by the river near Mayor’s Manor. At 6:30 pm he will head back home and remain there for the rest of the day.
On rainy days, Sam will leave his house at 11:00 a.m. to stand on the bridge by the Museum. At 4:00 p.m. he will walk over to Emily and Haley’s house and play his handheld video game. At 7:00 p.m. he will walk home and remain there for the rest of the day.
Summer
In the Summer, Sam will usually wake up and play guitar in his room until 1:40 p.m., when he then leaves for the beach with his brother Vincent. At 7:00 p.m. the pair returns home and will remain there for the rest of the day.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, Sam will usually leave his bedroom at 11:00 a.m. and head to JojaMart for his shift. At 4:00 p.m. he finishes work and starts to walk home. At 6:00 p.m. he arrives in his bedroom, where he will remain for the rest of the day.
On Saturdays, Sam will hang out with Sebastian in his room until 6:00 p.m., when he then leaves to stand by the river in front of his house. At 7:50 p.m. he will head back inside and remain there for the rest of the day.
On rainy days or his birthday, Sam will leave his bedroom at 3:00 p.m. to stand in the kitchen and play his handheld video game. At 5:00 p.m. he goes back into his room and will remain there for the rest of the day.
It is important to keep giving gifts to Sam even when you two are married.
Fall
In the Fall, Sam will usually wake up and play guitar until 1:20 p.m., when he then will walk to the forest southwest of Leah’s cottage. At 7:00 p.m. he will return home and remain there for the rest of the day.
Winter
In the Winter, Sam will usually wake up and play guitar until 1:20 p.m., when he will then leave his house and go to the Stardrop Saloon. At 7:00 p.m. he leaves to return home, where he will remain for the rest of the day.
Special Occasions
If you have less than six hearts with both Penny and Sam, on Day 9 and Day 23 Sam will walk into town at 11:00 a.m. and stand on the bridge by the museum. At 4:00 p.m. he will stand in front of the pink tree by 2 Willow Lane and play with his handheld video game. At 7:00 p.m. he will return home and remain there for the rest of the day.
On Fall 11, Sam will wake up at 10:00 a.m. and get ready for his doctor’s appointment. At 11:30 a.m. he starts walking to the clinic and will play with his handheld video game until his 1:30 p.m. appointment. At 4:00 p.m. he will leave the clinic and walk into own. At 9:00 p.m. he returns to his bedroom and will remain there for the rest of the day.
On Winter 17, Sam will remain in his bedroom until 5:00 p.m., when he will then attend the Night Market. At 12:00 a.m. he will go home and sleep.
Sam has two random schedules for when it rains. The first option is he will leave his bedroom at 3:00 p.m. to stand in the kitchen and play his handheld video game. At 5:00 p.m. he goes back into his room and will remain there for the rest of the day. The second option is he will leave his house at 2:00 p.m. to walk to the Stardrop Saloon. At 7:40 p.m. he will head home and remain there for the rest of the day.
If married to Sam and the community center is restored, Sam doesn’t really leave the farm and on Saturday mornings he will skateboard behind the farmhouse. But on Mondays he will leave home at 8:00 a.m. to visit his family. At 3:00 p.m. he will leave his family and return home. On Fridays he will also leave at 8:00 a.m. to visit his family, but at 11:00 a.m. he will head over to the Stardrop Saloon to skateboard. At 3:00 p.m. he will go inside the saloon and play pool until 9:00 p.m., when he then will return home and remain there for the rest of the day.
Sam can often be found trying new skateboard tricks.
Stardew Valley Dating Guide: Sam’s Heart Events
After achieving a certain number of hearts with Sam, special heart events will be triggered that help players connect with him on a more personal level. These events are cutscenes that give you more insight into his life.
First Heart Event
Once two hearts have been reached with Sam, enter Sam’s house when he is there. Same and Sebastian will be jamming out in his room. Sam tells you he’s trying to get a band together but is conflicted about what style of music to play. He asks what kind of music you like, and you are given the option to say either “Cheerful pop music,” “Experimental noise rock,” “Hi-Energy dance music” or “Honky-tonky country music.” None of these options have any effect on your friendship level with him, and either way Sam will say that is the style he’s been thinking about for his band.
Second Heart Event
Once three hearts have been reached with Sam, in any season except winter, enter the beach between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on a sunny day. Sam is watching his brother Vincent play in the sand and recalls when his dad would take them to the beach on sunny days. Vincent asks Sam if their dad will come home, to which Sam responds with “Of course.” Vincent mentions overhearing people talking about mass military casualties, and Sam tells him not to believe them. Sam feels bad for getting his brother’s hopes up and asks for your opinion. You are given the option to say either “It’s best to be honest with kids,” (to which Sam will question your thoughts, but then agrees) or “You did the right thing. Kids should have hope” (to which Sam will agree). Neither option has any effect on your friendship level with him.
Third Heart Event
Once four hearts have been reached with Sam, enter his house when he is there. Sam will be in the kitchen, and as he is making you a snack, he drops an egg on the floor. His mom walks into the kitchen and becomes upset about the mess. Sam asks you to tell her what happened. You are given the option to say either “Sam dropped the snack as he was handing it to me” (which will make you lose 10 friendship points), “Sam handed me the snack and then dropped it” (which will grant you 50 friendship points), or “Sam dropped it on purpose. He thought it would be funny” (which will make you lose 50 friendship points).
Fourth Heart Event
Once six have been reached with Sam, between noon and 4 p.m. enter town. Sam is skateboarding and grinding on Emily and Haley’s flower box. Lewis sees this and scolds him before asking for your opinion. You have the option to say either “You’re right, sir. Sam should respect private property,” “Don’t blame Sam. There’s nowhere else to ride!” or “I’m staying out of this.” None of these options have any effect on your friendship level with him.
Fifth Heart Event
Once eight hearts have been reached with Sam, between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. he will show up at your doorstep. Sam invites you to see his band play in Zuzu City and asks to meet at the bus stop. Enter the bus stop between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to go to the city. He thanks for you inspiring his band with the type of music they should play.
Sixth Heart Event
Once ten hearts have been reached with Sam and you have received a letter, enter town between 8 p.m. and midnight. You will meet Sam outside his house, and he will sneak you into his room. Just as he admits he is falling for you, his mom knocks on the door and you hide in the bed. She asks him why he’s all sweaty and he lies and says he was doing pushups. Once she leaves, you are given two options. If you choose to stay put, Sam will crawl into bed with you, kiss you, and say “I knew there was something special between us.” If you choose to get out of bed, you will be presented with two more options: move closer or head for the window. If you move closer, Sam will kiss you, but if you head for the window you will reject Sam’s advances.
Always remember to give Sam gifts on his birthday, even when you and him are married.
Stardew Valley Dating Guide: Marrying Sam
After reaching ten hearts with Sam, he is now eligible for marriage. To become engaged, you must give Sam a Mermaid’s Pendant which can be bought from the Old Mariner. The Old Mariner will be by the tidal pools on the beach and will sell you the pendant for 5,000g. He will not sell you the pendant until your farmhouse has been upgraded at least once. Present the Mermaid’s Pendant to Sam, and you are officially engaged.
Three days later, you will have a wedding and will be officially married. Your friendship level with Sam can now reach 14 hearts, but your friendship level can also decrease every day you don’t converse with him. Sam will then move into the farmhouse; he will get his own personalized space within your house and sometimes he will help out around the farm.
After reaching 14 hearts with Sam, enter the twice upgraded farmhouse between 6:10 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. while Sam is inside. Sam will tell you he feels lazy and wants to find some work, something to do with music.
Three days later, enter the farmhouse between 6:10 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. while Sam is inside. Sam will receive a job offer in the mail to make music for a kids’ TV show called “The Happy Junimo Show.” He seems a little disappointed and you have the option to say either “Just think of it as a stepping stone in your career,” “Just think of how happy you’ll make the children,” “I’m sorry…,” “That should be easy for you…” or “You could ask your little brother for help!” None of these options have any effect on your friendship level with him.
Three days later, enter the farmhouse between 6:10 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. while Sam is inside. Sam will play you the song he’s been working on.
Four days later, enter the farmhouse between 6:10 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. while Sam is inside. You, Vincent, Jas and Sam gathering around a TV set and listen to Sam’s new song. The kids love it, and Sam thanks you for your support and gives you boombox.
Each potential partner comes with the same marriage benefits, but every storyline is different and unique for that character. Sam in particular will set up some stuff in your room and put a halfpipe behind the farmhouse.
