Introduction to Stardew Valley Sam Guide
Sam is a young, energetic, and musically inclined villager in Stardew Valley. He has a laid-back personality and a passion for skateboarding and playing the guitar. Living in Pelican Town at 1 Willow Lane, he shares his home with his mother, Jodi, his younger brother, Vincent, and later, his father, Kent, who returns from military service. Sam is a key member of a band alongside his friends Sebastian and Abigail, aspiring to make music his future career.
He works part-time at JojaMart, but if the Community Center is restored, he takes a job at the Museum instead. While friendly and easygoing, Sam can be somewhat careless and prone to procrastination, often starting ambitious projects but struggling to follow through. He also harbors some stress about his father’s return, uncertain about how it will affect his family dynamic.
Sam’s Daily Life and Schedule
Sam is a musician and skateboard enthusiast living in Pelican Town with his family. As one of the twelve marriage candidates in Stardew Valley, he dreams of starting a band with his friend Sebastian and enjoys playing video games in his free time. He works part-time at JojaMart but switches to a job at the Museum if the Community Center is restored.
His daily routine varies depending on the season, weather, and in-game events. He often practices guitar in his room, skateboards outside his house, or plays pool at the Stardrop Saloon on weekends. On Mondays and Wednesdays, he works from 12:50 PM to 4:00 PM, while rainy days typically keep him indoors or lead him to the saloon for a few hours.
Throughout the year, his schedule includes visiting different locations such as the river near the Mayor’s Manor in spring, the beach with Vincent in summer, Cindersap Forest in fall, and the Stardrop Saloon more frequently in winter. Special days, like the Desert Festival, Night Market, or clinic visits, also affect his movements. After marriage, Sam spends more time on the farm, helping with daily chores, but still leaves on Mondays and Fridays to visit his parents or skateboard before heading to the saloon. Once Ginger Island’s Beach Resort is unlocked, he may occasionally spend the day there before returning home at night.
Gifts for Sam
Sam is an easy villager to befriend through gifts, as he has a variety of loved and liked items that will quickly increase friendship points. Giving him a gift on his birthday, Summer 17, provides an 8x multiplier, making it an excellent opportunity to boost your relationship with him.
Sam’s loved gifts include Cactus Fruit, Maple Bars, Pizza, and Tigerseye. Cactus Fruit can be found in the Calico Desert or grown from seeds purchased at the Oasis. Maple Bars can be crafted using a recipe from The Queen of Sauce in Year 2. Pizza is available for purchase at the Stardrop Saloon, while Tigerseye can be obtained by breaking Magma and Omni Geodes at the Blacksmith. Additionally, Sam loves all universal loves, such as the Golden Pumpkin, Magic Rock Candy, Pearl, Prismatic Shard, and Rabbit’s Foot.
Among his liked gifts, Sam is unique in that he is the only villager who likes Joja Cola, which can be obtained from JojaMart, vending machines in the Saloon, trash cans, or even fished from water. He also likes most universal likes, with exceptions including all eggs except void eggs, all artisan goods except mayonnaise and pickles, most cooking items except maple bars and pizza, as well as Strange Bun and Seafoam Pudding. Additionally, he likes all foraged minerals except Quartz, all fruit tree fruits except Banana and Mango, all gems except Prismatic Shards, and consumable items like Life Elixir and Maple Syrup.
Sam is neutral to all universal neutral gifts, along with all fruit, except for Cactus Fruit, fruit tree fruits, and Salmonberries. He is also neutral to all types of milk.
When it comes to disliked gifts, Sam is not fond of most foraged items, including mushrooms, Daffodils, Dandelions, Ginger, Hazelnuts, Holly, Leeks, Quartz, Salmonberries, Seaweed, Snow Yams, Wild Horseradish, and Winter Roots. He also dislikes all vegetables except Hops, Tea Leaves, and Wheat. Additionally, he dislikes all universal dislikes, except for certain mining materials and Tigerseye.
For hated gifts, Sam strongly dislikes all universal hates, with the exception of Joja Cola and Seaweed. He also specifically hates all metal-based items, including Coal, Copper Bar, Gold Bar and Ore, Iridium Bar and Ore, Iron Bar, Mayonnaise, Duck Mayonnaise, Pickles, and Refined Quartz.
The quality of a gift affects how many friendship points are earned. A normal quality item has a 1x multiplier, silver has 1.1x, gold has 1.25x, and iridium quality provides the highest boost at 1.5x.
Dating Sam
To start dating Sam, you need to increase your friendship with him by giving gifts, engaging in conversations, and triggering his heart events. Once you reach eight hearts, you can purchase a Bouquet from Pierre’s General Store and give it to Sam, officially making him your boyfriend. After this, his title in the Social menu will change to “boyfriend”, and you can continue increasing his friendship level up to ten hearts.
Sam’s heart events provide insight into his personality and allow for further relationship development. At two hearts, entering his house will trigger a scene where he and Sebastian discuss their band’s music style. Your choice of genre does not affect friendship points but is reflected in a later event. If this happens before Year 2, you will also see Sam and Vincent at the beach. At three hearts, visiting the beach on a sunny day between 7 AM and 3 PM in any season except winter will trigger another scene, but only in Year 1.
At four hearts, entering his house while he is inside will result in an event where Sam drops an egg. Your response to his mother affects friendship: taking the blame increases points, blaming Sam decreases points, and saying he did it on purpose decreases points further. At six hearts, visiting Pelican Town on a dry day between 12 PM and 4 PM will show Sam skateboarding and getting scolded by Mayor Lewis, though your choices do not impact friendship.
At eight hearts, if you have seen his two-heart event, Sam will visit your house between 6 AM and 8 AM, inviting you to a concert in Zuzu City. You must meet him at the bus stop at 4 PM to attend. At ten hearts, after receiving a letter from Sam, visiting Pelican Town between 8 PM and 12 AM on a sunny day will trigger a scene where he confesses his feelings. You can either move closer for a kiss, reject him, or remain still, leading to a kiss regardless of your choice. None of these options affect friendship points.
After giving Sam a Bouquet, friendship decay increases to -10 points per day if you don’t talk to him. Once you reach ten hearts, you can propose marriage by giving him a Mermaid’s Pendant. Regular interactions and gift-giving will help maintain and strengthen your relationship with Sam.
Marrying Sam
To marry Sam in Stardew Valley, you must first reach ten hearts of friendship with him by giving gifts and triggering his heart events. Once you reach eight hearts, you can purchase a Bouquet from Pierre’s General Store for 200g and give it to Sam to express romantic interest. After accepting the bouquet, he will become your boyfriend, allowing you to increase his friendship level to ten hearts.
To propose marriage, you need a Mermaid’s Pendant, which can be purchased for 5,000g from the Old Mariner on the beach during rainy days. Access to the Old Mariner requires repairing the wooden bridge for 300 wood, and he will only sell the pendant if you have upgraded your farmhouse at least once and have ten hearts with Sam. Since it does not naturally rain in Winter, a Rain Totem is required to trigger the Old Mariner during this season. Once Sam accepts the Mermaid’s Pendant, the wedding will take place three days later, unless there is a town event, in which case it will be postponed by a day.
After marrying Sam, he moves into your farmhouse, bringing a unique spouse room and building a half-pipe outside where he skateboards. You can now increase his friendship level to 14 hearts. As a spouse, Sam helps with farm chores, such as watering crops, feeding animals, repairing fences, and occasionally giving gifts. He may also help decorate the house. Unlike his previous routine, Sam spends most of his time on the farm but still leaves on Mondays and Fridays. On Mondays, he visits his parents’ house, and on Fridays, he goes skateboarding, visits his parents, and plays pool at the Stardrop Saloon.
To maintain a happy marriage with Sam, talking to him daily is enough. Frequent interactions may lead to kissing animations. If you wish to end the marriage, you can file for divorce at the Mayor’s Manor for 50,000g. After divorce, Sam will have unique dialogue expressing his resentment. However, if you use the Shrine of Memory, unlocked after a quest from the Wizard, Sam will forget the marriage, allowing you to date and remarry him.
Sam’s 14-heart event unfolds over four parts, requiring an upgraded farmhouse and occurring between 6:10 AM and 5 PM while Sam is inside. In the first part, Sam shares his dream of working in music. In the second, he receives a job offer to compose music for a kids’ show. The third part features his progress on the song, and in the final part, you and the children of Pelican Town watch the finished project. As a token of appreciation, Sam gifts you a boombox so you can listen to his song anytime.
By following these steps, you can successfully marry Sam, strengthen your relationship, and enjoy married life with him on your farm.
Sam’s Personality and Quotes
Sam is an outgoing and energetic young man with a passion for music and skateboarding. He lives in Pelican Town with his mother, Jodi, and his younger brother, Vincent. His father, Kent, returns from military service in Year 2, which causes some stress for Sam as he adjusts to his father’s presence. He works part-time at JojaMart (or the Museum if JojaMart is shut down) and dreams of starting a band with his best friend, Sebastian.
Sam is often described as having big ideas but struggling to follow through, showing a mix of ambition and forgetfulness. He is kind-hearted, fun-loving, and laid-back, but he can also be lazy and is known for avoiding chores, something his mother frequently comments on. He is also allergic to pollen and frequently forgets things he was supposed to do.
Sam’s personality shines through in his daily dialogue, where he makes casual, friendly remarks and sometimes shares his dreams and frustrations. His love for music is evident, as he frequently mentions his guitar and his desire to start a band. He is also close to his brother, Vincent, and often takes on a protective older brother role. Throughout the seasons, Sam expresses different thoughts, from admiring spring blossoms (despite his allergies) to enjoying the warmth of summer and noticing spiderwebs in the fall. During winter, he expresses a desire to go sledding but laments the lack of good hills nearby.
His work life affects his mood, as he expresses dislike for his job at JojaMart, feeling stuck due to limited opportunities in Pelican Town. If JojaMart is shut down, Sam finds a more enjoyable role at the Museum, stating that it’s way more interesting than his old job. His laid-back attitude is also reflected in his skateboarding habits, where he spends time attempting new tricks despite frequent failures.
When dating or married, Sam’s personality develops further. He flirts casually when dating and expresses excitement about marriage once engaged. As a husband, he maintains his easygoing nature but shows more maturity, often reflecting on family life and the future. He spends time lounging, playing guitar, and reading comics, but he also helps on the farm occasionally. He frequently visits his parents’ house on Mondays and goes out on Fridays to skate, visit his parents, and play pool at the Stardrop Saloon. He sometimes wonders if Sebastian and Abigail will get together, showing his curiosity about his friends’ lives now that he is married.
After having children, Sam expresses genuine enjoyment of fatherhood, helping with child care and sharing his happiness about the family’s growth. In his 14-heart event, Sam pursues his dream of working in music, eventually composing a song for a kids’ TV show and gifting the player a boombox to listen to his work. In his Summit cutscene, he reflects on maturing over time, acknowledging how his perspective has changed since first meeting the player and looking forward to a future together, even if it includes simple, everyday things like grocery shopping and raising children.
Sam is a fun-loving and optimistic character with a youthful spirit, but he also grows emotionally throughout the game, showing a balance of playfulness and responsibility as he embraces family life and his musical ambitions.
Additional Information
Sam lives at 1 Willow Lane in the southern part of Pelican Town with his mother, Jodi, and his younger brother, Vincent. His father, Kent, is away serving in the military and returns in Year 2. Due to their father’s absence, Sam feels responsible for Vincent and often looks after him. He is close friends with Sebastian and Abigail, and the three of them share a passion for music, forming a band together. He is also friends with Penny, and if neither the player nor Penny have a dance partner at the Flower Dance, they will dance together.
Sam works part-time at JojaMart, but if the Community Center is restored, he instead works at the Museum. He enjoys playing guitar, skateboarding, and video games. He can often be found practicing guitar in his room, sometimes with Sebastian playing an electric piano. He frequently skateboards around town and can be seen playing a handheld video game in various locations. On weekends, he spends time at the Stardrop Saloon, where he plays pool. Sam also dreams of starting a band and actively works on writing songs.
His schedule changes depending on the season, weather, and in-game events. He often spends time in his room, which is locked until the player reaches two hearts of friendship with him. On Mondays and Wednesdays, he goes to work at JojaMart (or the Museum, if JojaMart is shut down). On Tuesdays and Sundays, he sometimes stands by the river near the Mayor’s Manor or walks to the beach with Vincent in summer.
Fridays are spent skateboarding and playing pool at the Saloon, and on Saturdays, he often plays guitar with Sebastian or relaxes by the river. When it rains, he may stay home, visit the Saloon, or stand on the bridge near the Museum. Once the Beach Resort on Ginger Island is unlocked, Sam may randomly spend the day there, except on Festival days or his clinic checkup on Fall 11. After marriage, his schedule changes as he adjusts to life on the farm.
Sam has specific gift preferences. His loved gifts include Cactus Fruit, Maple Bars, Pizza, and Tigerseye, as well as all universal loves. He is the only character who likes Joja Cola. His liked gifts include all universal likes, except for duck mayonnaise, mayonnaise, pickles, vegetables, and all eggs (except void eggs). He is neutral toward most fruits (except Cactus Fruit and Salmonberries), milk, and all universal neutral gifts. He dislikes most foraged items (except Quartz), vegetables (except Hops, Tea Leaves, and Wheat), and most universal dislikes (with some exceptions).
His hated gifts include all universal hates, along with Bone Fragments, Cinder Shards, Coal, Copper Bars, Duck Mayonnaise, Gold Bars, Gold Ore, Iridium Bars, Iridium Ore, Iron Bars, Mayonnaise, Pickles, and Refined Quartz. Giving Sam a gift on his birthday (Summer 17) grants an 8x friendship boost, and the quality of the gift affects how many friendship points are gained or lost.
Sam has several heart events that reveal more about his personality and aspirations. At two hearts, the player can enter his house when he’s home to trigger an event. At three hearts, visiting the beach on a sunny day (except in Winter) between 7 AM and 3 PM in Year 1 will trigger another scene. At four hearts, another event occurs inside his house. At six hearts, entering town between 12 PM and 4 PM will trigger a band-related cutscene. At eight hearts, Sam invites the player to a concert, which is accessed by visiting the Bus Stop at 4 PM.
At ten hearts, another event occurs when entering town between 8 PM and 12 AM. If the player reaches ten hearts with all bachelors and has not given a bouquet, a special group event will play at the Saloon. His fourteen-heart event consists of four parts, unlocked by entering the upgraded farmhouse between 6:10 AM and 5 PM on different days.
Some additional details about Sam include his allergy to pollen and the reveal that his full name is Samson, which he confides in the player once they become close. His character design evolved throughout the game’s development. If the two-heart event is skipped, his eight-heart event will lack music.
Sam is a laid-back, music-loving, and ambitious character who dreams of forming a successful band. Despite his carefree nature, he deeply cares for his family and friends and grows emotionally throughout the game, especially after marriage and fatherhood.
