While Stardew Valley first comes across as a farming simulator, it quickly turns into a life simulator. Farming will certainly be essential in making money and gaining achievements, but the relationships the player builds with the community can be just as important. This includes the possibility of marriage with certain Stardew Valley characters. However, marriage isn't the only item of importance in the game. Some villagers serve functions, give items, or are just overall good people and pleasant to talk to.
Now that the largest update since the release of Stardew Valley has come to pass, there are 47 villagers in the game. Some are better than others, and some serve different purposes. Picking the best of the bunch can be a difficult and quite subjective topic. Players will always have their favorites, but this tier list will separate the best from the not-so-best based on 3 points: personality, usefulness/generosity, and design. While some may not agree on all of the rankings, this list will hopefully give players an idea of who they can focus most of their energy on.
Tier A
Villagers: Abigail, Alex, Caroline, Emily, Gus, Harvey, Krobus, Leah, Lewis, Linus, Marnie, Maru, Pam, Penny, Robin, Sandy, Shane, Willy, Wizard
Tier A has the most villagers of any tier by far, and that's important for any game. Great characters and great character-driven stories help a game and grab the player. This tier holds a lot of depth in character and also big-time rewards for befriending, as all of these villagers play an important role in Stardew Valley.
Most marriage Stardew Valley candidates fall into this category, as their stories will be some of the most expansive in the game compared to other characters. On top of that, characters like Emily provide great gifts and also add functionality for the player. For instance, Emily will eventually introduce the player to the sewing machine to make clothing.
Other characters that aren't marriage candidates, like Pam and Robin, provide great gifts and services. Robin will gift wood from time to time, and Pam will gift battery packs and energy tonics. Robin also provides the player with blueprints and will build the necessary buildings for the farm.
Tier B
Villagers: Clint, Demetrius, Dwarf, Elliot, Evelyn, George, Marlon, Pierre, Sam, Sebastian
Tier B is full of almosts and villagers that provide some really nice stories and items, just not the top level. There's a lot of value to be found in these characters, but they're also flawed in a few ways. Tier B is not a bad tier to be in, and some might move a few of these characters up to Tier A. However, some of the flaws are just too glaring to ignore.
Non-marriage candidates like Clint and Demetrius are beneficial but contain some flaws that keep them in this tier. Clint wants attention but also has a habit of feeling bad for himself. He does assist players with starting to make metal bars and will upgrade their tools, but his constant whining is a bit of a downer. Demetrius will help with Stardew Valley's cave and is overall a nice guy until players begin to befriend Maru, and he even makes the player lie to Maru. That knocks him out of the top.
Marlon is the first character who can't truly be befriended on this list but provides the player with their first Stardew Valley weapon and welcomes them into the Adventurer's Guild. He also sells various combat items, which are crucial for upgrades to combat abilities.
Tier C
Villagers: Gil, Grandpa, Gunther, Haley, Jodi, Kent, Leo, Mr. Qi, Professor Snail
While no one is bad in this tier, they aren't necessarily good either. The final marriage candidate finds her way into this tier, and while Haley goes on the upswing at the end of the courting, she also treats the character pretty terribly throughout a good part of the story.
Mr. Qi makes his mark here, and while some of the rewards from him are incredibly good, he's also introduced much later than most characters. The same can be said for Leo, Professor Snail, and Kent. They're all fine but much too far out in the story to have an immediate impact on the player. Grandpa, Gunther, and Gil appear here, as their rewards are good but have no interaction throughout most of the game. Jodi is a constant but is also irritating and doesn't make up for her complaining with gifts. She's not awful, but her positives aren't tremendous either.
Tier D
Villagers: Jas, Vincent
Both kids, Jas and Vincent, end up in Tier D. They could have found their way to C, but they don't provide enough content for the player to truly feel like they're important to the game. Jas is mainly important because of her relations with Marnie and Shane, whereas Vincent is Sam's younger brother. They have personality, but they don't have enough story tied to them to make them feel important.
Tier E
Villagers: Birdie, Morris
Tier E has Birdie and Morris but for separate reasons. Birdie is somewhat interesting and has a nice long quest attached to her, but that's about it. She also appears too late in the game to make an immediate mark on anyone playing.
Morris, on the other hand, is just a terrible person. He does serve a purpose, especially if the player subscribes to the Joja way, but is still just a wretch of a character. He's trying to crush a family business and turn the rec center into a warehouse, making him one of the few true villains in the game.
Tier F
Villagers: Bouncer, Governor, Henchman
Tier F characters may have a purpose, but it's incredibly short-lived. The Governor is around to taste a stew. There can be a funny moment, but the moment could pass without having the Governor there.
The Bouncer and Henchman both basically serve as barriers that have voices. Their models are nice, but they have no other purpose than to block the player from advancing until a set of requirements are met. Luckily, only 2 villagers in the entire game serve this role, which shows how diverse and creative the characters of Stardew Valley truly are.
Stardew Valley is available now on Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS Vita, and Xbox One.