Introduction to Stardew Valley Alex Guide
Alex is one of the twelve marriage candidates in Stardew Valley, living at 1 River Road with his grandparents, George and Evelyn. A passionate sports enthusiast, he dreams of becoming a professional gridball player and spends much of his time working out or enjoying the sun at the beach. While he can come across as boastful and overconfident, this attitude seems to be a defense mechanism masking deep-seated insecurities and the pain of his past. Alex had a difficult childhood, growing up with a verbally abusive, alcoholic father and a caring mother, Clara, whose passing greatly affected him. Despite these hardships, he remains determined to prove himself.
Alex’s birthday falls on Summer 13, and during the summer, he works part-time at the ice cream stand. He shares a friendship with Haley and will dance with her at the Flower Dance if neither is asked by the player. He also has a dog named Dusty, whom he deeply cares for. Beneath his confident exterior, Alex is a character with notable depth and room for personal growth, making his storyline an engaging one for players who take the time to connect with him.
Alex’s Daily Schedule
Alex’s daily routine consists of a variety of activities, with his schedule changing slightly depending on the season and weather.
In Spring, Alex follows a consistent pattern. He leaves his room at 8:00 AM and stands under the tree near his house, then spends the afternoon lifting weights in his room at 1:00 PM. Around 4:00 PM, he moves outside to stand near the dog pen, returning to the entryway of his house at 6:30 PM. By 8:00 PM, he’s back in his room by his dresser before heading to bed at 10:00 PM.
On rainy days, Alex follows a similar schedule, but he stays inside more, spending time in the entryway rather than outside. On Wednesdays, if the player has less than 6 hearts with Haley, Alex will visit her and Emily at 12:00 PM, leaving at 4:30 PM to return to the dog pen.
In Summer, his day begins earlier, at 7:50 AM, as he heads to the beach. At 12:00 PM, he leaves the beach to work at the ice cream stand, then lifts weights in his room at 5:00 PM. His evening consists of standing in his entryway at 7:00 PM and returning to his room by 8:00 PM. On Summer 16, he has a clinic appointment, leaving at 8:00 AM and visiting the clinic at 10:30 AM for a checkup before returning home at 4:00 PM.
During Fall, Alex’s schedule is similar to Spring, with him leaving his room at 8:00 AM and spending the afternoon lifting weights and standing by the dog pen. He again goes to bed at 10:00 PM. On Wednesdays in Fall, his schedule mirrors the Spring pattern with his visit to Haley and Emily. His routine changes on rainy days, when he spends more time inside, especially in the entryway.
In Winter, Alex starts his day in his bedroom at 8:00 AM, leaving at 9:00 AM for the Spa, where he spends his afternoon until returning home around 3:00 PM. He leaves the house at 6:00 PM to stand by the dog pen, then moves to the entryway at 7:30 PM. At 9:00 PM, he goes to his room to relax before bed at 10:40 PM. On Winter 17, Alex attends the Night Market, leaving the Spa at 3:00 PM and heading to the beach. He stays at the market until midnight, returning home after. On Wednesdays, his schedule is the same as in other seasons, visiting Haley and Emily’s house in the afternoon.
Once Ginger Island is unlocked, Alex may randomly visit the beach resort, leaving at 6:00 PM to return home and go to bed. He will not visit on festival days or when he has a clinic appointment.
After marriage, Alex’s routine undergoes some changes. On Mondays, he visits his grandparents, leaving at 8:30 AM and returning by 6:00 PM. On Sundays, after reaching his 14-heart event, Alex spends time at his grandparents’ house and the Stardrop Saloon. He leaves at 8:30 AM, visiting the tree near his grandparent’s house and later going to the Saloon at 11:00 AM. In the afternoon, he returns to the dog pen and goes back to his grandparents’ house at 6:30 PM. His day concludes with him standing in his old room at 8:00 PM before heading back to the farmhouse at 10:00 PM.
This schedule ensures that players can easily track Alex’s whereabouts throughout the game.
Building Friendship with Alex
Building a friendship with Alex in Stardew Valley involves a combination of gifting, talking, and triggering heart events.
To improve your relationship, start by giving Alex gifts. You can give him up to two gifts per week, with an additional gift on his birthday, Summer 13. Gifts given on his birthday have an 8x effect on friendship. Alex loves the Complete Breakfast, Salmon Dinner, and the book Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Thick, as well as universal loved items like Prismatic Shards and Rabbit’s Feet. He also likes any Egg (except Void Eggs), Field Snacks, and other universal liked gifts. Neutral gifts include most fruits (except tree fruits and Salmonberry), certain mushrooms, and milk. Alex dislikes Salmonberry, Wild Horseradish, and other universal dislikes, while he hates Holly and Quartz.
Talking to Alex every day is another important way to increase your friendship with him.
Heart events are key to deepening your relationship. At Two Hearts, visit the beach on a sunny day in summer, where Alex will talk about his dream of becoming a professional gridball player.
At Four Hearts, entering town between 9 AM and 4 PM will trigger a scene where Alex talks to his dog, Dusty.
At Five Hearts, visiting his house triggers a conversation about his insecurities regarding his intelligence, where you can respond with supportive or negative comments that affect your relationship.
At Six Hearts, Alex expresses doubts about his career as a gridball player.
At Eight Hearts, visit the beach on a sunny day or the Ginger Island resort to trigger an emotional moment where Alex shares memories of his mother.
At Ten Hearts, after receiving a letter from Alex, enter the Stardrop Saloon between 7 PM and 10 PM, where Alex confesses his feelings for you.
Once you reach eight hearts with Alex, you can give him a bouquet to start dating. To propose, you will need a Mermaid’s Pendant, which can be purchased from the Old Mariner for 5,000g after repairing the bridge and upgrading the farmhouse. After giving Alex the pendant, the wedding will take place in three days.
After marriage, a 14-heart event can be triggered in year 2+ by leaving your farmhouse between 6 AM and 8:20 AM with 5,000g available. Alex will ask for the money for a “secret project,” which will be revealed the following Sunday at the Stardrop Saloon, altering his schedule on Sundays.
Once the Movie Theater is unlocked, you can invite Alex to a movie. He loves the films “It Howls in the Rain” and “Wumbus”, and he enjoys any movie except “Natural Wonders”. At the concession stand, Alex loves Salmon Burger and Stardrop Sorbet, but dislikes Black Licorice, Cotton Candy, Jawbreaker, Joja Cola, Joja Corn, Rock Candy, and Sour Slimes.
By following these steps, you’ll be on the path to building a strong and lasting relationship with Alex.
Heart Events
Heart events play a crucial role in building a relationship with Alex, giving you insight into his personality and backstory.
At Two Hearts, you can trigger an event by visiting the beach on a sunny summer day when Alex is there. He’ll be playing with his gridball and talk about his dream of becoming a professional gridball player. After throwing the ball and missing the catch, he’ll ask for your opinion on his chances of going pro. Your dialogue choices won’t affect your relationship, whether you encourage him or mention his arrogance.
At Four Hearts, enter the town between 9 AM and 4 PM to find Alex talking to his dog, Dusty, near his home. During this conversation, he reveals that he lives with his grandparents due to his father’s abusive behavior and alcoholism, as well as the passing of his mother shortly after his father left. Again, your dialogue choices won’t influence your friendship.
At Five Hearts, visit Alex’s house when he’s there to find him lamenting his lack of reading and expressing his insecurities about his intelligence and feelings of worthlessness. You can either encourage him by saying, “We all have our strengths and weaknesses,” which will increase friendship, or respond negatively, which will reduce it. The other dialogue options have no effect.
At Six Hearts, when you enter Alex’s house, he’ll express doubts about his future as a gridball player. He’ll apologize for his past behavior and, after your encouragement, he’ll return to his workout with renewed determination. There are no dialogue choices during this event.
At Eight Hearts, visiting the beach on a sunny summer day or the Ginger Island resort will trigger a poignant event. Alex will be crying on the beach, telling you it’s the anniversary of his mother’s death. He regrets not thanking her and will share his mother’s music box, which brings back a memory of her holding him as a baby. Your dialogue choices will not affect your relationship, whether you encourage him to honor his mother’s memory or suggest he move on.
At Ten Hearts, after receiving a letter from Alex, enter the Stardrop Saloon between 7 PM and 10 PM to find him confessing his feelings for you. The event will feature a private moment with Alex, accompanied by Gus playing the violin and Emily bringing food. Your response, whether you reciprocate his feelings or not, won’t affect your friendship.
A Group Ten-Heart Event can occur if you are unmarried, have given a bouquet to all available bachelors, raised friendship with each bachelor to 10 hearts, and witnessed each of their 10-heart events. Entering the Stardrop Saloon triggers the event. If Alex is the last bachelor, the event will proceed immediately. If you have a Rabbit’s Foot, the scene will feature a friendly game of pool; otherwise, the bachelors will be upset with you for dating them all at once. After a week of avoiding you, they will forgive you, and their dialogues will return to normal.
At Fourteen Hearts, the event triggers in year 2 or later when you leave your farmhouse between 6 AM and 8:20 AM on any day except Sunday with 5,000g in your inventory. Alex will ask for the money for a “secret project.” The following Sunday at the Saloon, you’ll see Alex, Kent, Shane, George, and Gus watching a gridball game. Alex will explain that while he didn’t become a pro athlete, he’s happy with his life and this event allows him to realize his dream. There are no dialogue choices in this event.
By experiencing these heart events, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of Alex’s dreams, insecurities, and personal history, strengthening your bond with him.
Marriage
Once you’ve reached ten hearts with Alex, you can propose and begin your married life together. To propose, you will need to acquire a Mermaid’s Pendant, which can be purchased from the Old Mariner for 5,000g. The Old Mariner appears on the beach only on rainy days, but only after you have repaired the wooden bridge. Additionally, your farmhouse must be upgraded at least once before the pendant will be available for sale.
After proposing, your wedding will take place three days later, with the ceremony officiated by Mayor Lewis and attended by the other villagers. If the wedding day falls on a festival day, it will be moved to the following day. Once married, you and Alex will be transported back to your farmhouse to start your new life together.
Alex will make some changes to the farmhouse. He will add his own room to the right of the bedroom and set up a workout area behind the farmhouse, where he will sometimes lift weights. His schedule will also change, and he will spend much of his time at the farmhouse, helping with chores such as watering crops, feeding animals, and repairing fences. He may also give you gifts or decorate the house. On rainy nights, Alex might offer you a dinner, such as a Survival Burger, Dish O’ The Sea, Fried Eel, Crispy Bass, or Baked Fish. On days when he stays inside, he may even make you breakfast, including Omelet, Hashbrowns, or Pancakes.
Alex’s schedule includes unique events, such as visiting his grandparents on Mondays from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM. After the 14-heart event, on Sundays, he will leave the farm at 8:30 AM, stand under a tree by his grandparents’ house, then go to the Stardrop Saloon at 11 AM to watch gridball, and later visit the dog pen and other locations around town before returning home at 10 PM.
Although you no longer need to give Alex two gifts per week after marriage, he will still accept them, and you’ll need to talk to him daily to maintain a strong bond. After a few interactions in the morning, the two of you will share a kiss.
If you ever decide that you no longer wish to be married to Alex, you can file for divorce by using the book located to the right of the dresser in Mayor Lewis’s house. The cost of the divorce is 50,000g, and after the divorce, Alex will be distant and unfriendly when you interact with him. However, after completing a quest for the Wizard, you can use a shrine to erase Alex’s memory of the marriage.
Marrying Alex means sharing your life with a partner who, despite his initial arrogance, is caring and supportive. He will be an invaluable companion on the farm and in your personal life.
Quotes and Dialogue
Alex’s dialogue in Stardew Valley varies throughout the year and is influenced by the player’s relationship with him. Upon first meeting, Alex greets the player differently depending on their gender. If the player is male, he says, “Oh, hey. So you’re the new guy, huh? Cool. I’m Alex. I’ll see you around.” If the player is female, he responds with, “Hey, you’re the new girl, huh? I think we’re going to get along great. I’m Alex. I’ll see you around.”
Alex often brings up his athletic background, mentioning his time as an all-star quarterback, and frequently talks about his workout routine, such as doing push-ups and sit-ups. He also has a laid-back attitude, occasionally saying things like, “Hey, you look like you’re getting into some good shape this summer! All that farm work is paying off, huh?”
At higher friendship levels, Alex becomes more reflective, stating, “You know, I used to want fame and fortune, but lately I’ve been starting to sing a different tune. In the end, it’s the humble little things that satisfy, don’t you think?” He also mentions his growing fondness for farming, saying, “You know, I actually wouldn’t mind being a farmer… it seems a lot like playing sports, in a way.”
Alex’s dialogue also changes based on the seasons. In the summer, he expresses excitement about the warm weather and his summer activities, but he also jokes about his struggles with his appearance, saying things like, “If my hair wasn’t so popular with the ladies, I swear I’d shave it all off in a second.”
During the winter, Alex is less enthusiastic, commenting on how he dislikes the snow and looking forward to spring. In his married life, he occasionally reflects on his family life, saying things like, “I finally have the family life that I missed out on as a kid…thank you.”
Alex also has specific dialogues related to holidays and events. For example, during the Egg Festival, he mentions his high-protein diet, and on Spirit’s Eve, he expresses curiosity about a hidden secret in the town. If married, he shares more personal sentiments, such as his gratitude for his spouse or how he feels about his daily routines.
Throughout the year, Alex may also ask the player questions, where the player’s answers can influence their relationship. His responses vary based on the player’s choices, offering a deeper connection and potentially increasing their friendship level.
Trivia
Before Stardew Valley’s release, the character Alex was originally named “Josh.” After the game’s release, Alex was given his current name. Once players have repaired Willy’s Boat, it becomes possible to trigger Alex’s eight-heart event in any season by following him on his way to Ginger Island. This is due to the fact that, after the Beach Resort on Ginger Island becomes unlocked, Alex may spend the day there randomly. In an earlier version of the game, Alex’s gridball portrait featured only four fingers, but this was updated in a later patch to show five fingers, bringing it in line with the game’s other character portraits.
