Most Stardew Valley players would challenge themselves mining all day in Skull Cavern to gather Iridium Ore, despite it being a dangerous place. Some would find themselves heading there every day, trying to bag a couple of hundred Iridium Ore in one run, but fail to do so in the end. This guide is for you if you wonder how to farm this sought-after Ore the easy way.
Iridium Ore Uses
You might want to know why players spend so much time destroying rock after rock, looking for Iridium Ore in Skull Cavern when they could plant some crops and enjoy the relaxing game as it is. Well, the answer to this is because Iridium Ore is one of the most valuable resources you could find in Stardew Valley.
It is not as rare as the Prismatic Shard, and it is also not as common as Coal. But Iridium Ore is a resource used to upgrade your farming tools, create artisan equipment, and even farm buildings. Hence, we have made a list of all the crafted items you could obtain with Iridium Ore:
Deluxe Scarecrow: Crows within the vicinity would get terrified at the sight of this Scarecrow.
Warp Totem: Desert: Just one click of this Warp Totem, and you will be transported immediately to Calico Desert.
When you smelt five Iridium Ore in the Furnace, you’ll get one Iridium Bar. Below are all the tools and machines you can make using this bar:
Iridium Sprinkler: It automatically waters nearby crops every morning.
Iridium Band: A ring that glows in the dark, increases your attack, and attracts dropped loot from enemies.
Crystalarium: A machine that can duplicate any gemstone.
Slime Incubator: A slime-breeding machine that incubates Slime Eggs.
Wedding Ring: It is used to propose to co-players in Multiplayer mode.
Deluxe Fertilizer: A top-level fertilizer for your growing crops.
Hopper: It can automatically send an item stored inside it into the machine that’s in front of it.
Iridium Farming Tools: These are indispensable tools that all farmers should have.
Crafted items are not the only benefit you get from Iridium Bars. With this material, you can also own several Buildings such as these:
Slime Hutch: A farm building that can shelter all kinds of Slimes.
Earth Obelisk: A magical pillar that can teleport you to the Mountains.
Water Obelisk: A magical pillar that can teleport you to the Beach.
Desert Obelisk: A magical pillar that can teleport you to the Desert.
Island Obelisk: A magical pillar that can teleport you to Ginger Island.
Other Uses: Some may not be aware of this yet, but you can also use Iridium Ore as ammunition for Slingshots. It is regarded as the strongest of all Slingshot ammo in the game.
Also, with an Iridium Ore, you can create the Iridium Energy Shirt. You can also make an Iridium Breastplate using the Iridium Bar.
Quick and Easy Way to Farm Iridium Ore
The Skull Cavern is the only place in Stardew Valley where Iridium Nodes commonly materialize, and they only ever increase as you go deeper in the dungeon.
But one does not simply head off to the cavern without taking precautions beforehand. Therefore, here is a link to a page with a comprehensive guide that might help you prepare for Skull Cavern.
When you decide to do some Iridium Ore farming, try to make a checklist of things you should have before hitting the road.
- Food: Bring food items that are easy to make and can restore a large portion of your energy and health, such as Red Plate and Pumpkin Soup. Cooked meals like Lucky Lunch and Spicy Eel are the best ones to consume if you want to boost your luck.
- Staircases: Aside from luck, another thing you must keep an eye on is the time. Skipping floors using crafted staircases will indeed help you save time, but they can be wasteful on resources as you need 99 stones to make one. The best method to obtain staircases would be getting them from the Desert Trader for 1 Jade. If you have a Jade, you can put it in a Crystalarium and wait for two days to get it duplicated.
- Bombs: Speaking of efficiency, you will be needing plenty of bombs for clearing up all the rocks and nodes you see on a floor.
- Napalm Ring: A ring that can make enemies explode upon defeating them. You can obtain this accessory from the Adventurer’s Guild after slaying 250 Royal Serpents. Napalm Ring can come in handy when killing monsters since it can also destroy the rocks surrounding them.
- Return Scepter or Warp Totems: Warp totems are extremely useful items that can send you to the desert and back home in a shorter amount of time. But if you are an end-game player who is getting tired of crafting warp totems all the time, you may purchase a Return Scepter. The Return Scepter can instantly warp you back home, plus it is non-consumable. It can be bought from Krobus for 2,000,000 Gold.
As soon as you arrive at Skull Cavern, make haste in plopping down staircases floor after floor until you make it to the 140th level.
Iridium Nodes start to spawn in large numbers on the 140th floor, but you can go as low as you would like, so long as you ensure that you have plenty of time left for mining.
Another tip is to aim for purple nodes with protruding light blue crystals and ignore other rocks if your sole purpose for going to Skull Cavern is mining Iridium Ore.
In doing this, you are guaranteed to collect at least 400 to 500 Iridium Nodes in one day. This amount of Iridium Ore is enough to fill your cabin with Crystalariums. Having this much stock of Iridium Ore can also help you save up for Obelisks late in the game.
You might also spot Mystic Stones on floors 100 to 120. These stones may contain a couple of Iridium Ore, Gold Ore, and sometimes, they might even have a Prismatic Shard. So keep an eye for these stones with spiral markings.
Other Methods to Get Iridium Ore
If you are starting to grow weary of repeatedly going down to Skull Cavern, here are some alternative ways to accumulate Iridium Ore:
Smashing rocks in the Mines or the Quarry: You can find Magma Geodes and Omni Geodes on the lower floors of the Mines and sometimes in the Quarry. Clint, the Blacksmith, can crack open these Geodes.
Buying from Merchants: Krobus will also sell you Omni Geodes on Tuesdays. The Traveling Merchant may also randomly have Iridium Ore in stock, but they can be pricey.
Defeating Monsters in Dungeons: Iridium Bats have a high chance of dropping them. You can kill them on sight to get lots of Iridium Ore.
Raising Purple Slimes: Similarly, you can also slay some of the Purple Slimes you have for Iridium Ore.
Raising Super Cucumbers in Fish Ponds: Once you have succeeded in raising 9 Super Cucumbers in your Fish pond, you might be able to get Iridium Ore from them.
Getting the Statue of Perfection: The statue of Perfection can produce up to 8 Iridium Ore a day. However, you need to pass Grandpa’s Evaluation to become worthy of owning one.
Destroying a Purple Meteorite: In rare cases, a purple Meteorite will crash land on your farm. Breaking it open will give you 6 Iridium Ore.
Fishing and Panning: Catch fish with the Treasure Hunter tackle equipped, and you may obtain some Treasure Chests with Iridium Ore inside. You might also get lucky in getting these Ores using a Copper Pan.
FAQs
What should I use my first iridium for Stardew Valley? ›
In most cases you will want a watering can, pickaxe, hoe, axe, in this order. If you go to the mines all time and completely ignore crops, then you should get the pickaxe first.
Can you get iridium in normal mines? ›Furthermore, you also need to reach the bottom of the mine to find the Skull Key, which unlocks the Skull Cavern,the only place to find nodes of Iridium.In the mines, you can only get Iridium through obtaining Omni Geodes and Magma Geodes and cracking them open.
How long does it take to make Iridium bars Stardew? ›Iridium Ore can be smelted in a Furnace to create an Iridium Bar. The smelting requires 5 iridium ore and 1 Coal and takes 8 in-game hours.
Can I put iridium in Crystalarium? ›No. The crystalarium clones geode minerals and gemstones (except for prismatic shard). Neither iridium ore nor iridium bars can be cloned.
What floor is best for iridium Stardew? ›Skull Cavern is the primary place where players are going to find Iridium Ore. Every 10 floors, the rate at which Iridium Nodes spawn goes up, making reaching the later floors of the cavern more than worth the time.
What should I upgrade first with iridium? ›- Make more Crystalariums to replicate jade for staircases. Votes: 3 10.3%
- Save up and buy the Desert obelisk. Votes: 0 0.0%
- Save up and repair the ship. Votes: 6 20.7%
- Upgrade pickaxe to iridium to be able to break up rocks in Skull Mine. ...
- Something else (please say what in comments!)
After you complete the Crafts Room in the Community Center, the Quarry will unlock East of the Mines. There's a chance to find small amounts of Iridium here. If you can get a Fish Pond and put Super Cucumbers in it, it'll start to generate Iridium every few days. The Travelling Cart will occasionally sell it.
What is the easiest way to get Iridium ore? ›There are multiple methods of getting Iridium Ore in Stardew Valley. The Ore can be purchased from Krobus or the Traveling Cart. It can also be mined from Iridium Nodes found in The Mines, Quarry, and Skull Cavern. Out of these sources, the Skull Cavern is the best place to farm Iridium Ore.
Where is the most iridium found? ›Iridium is found in its pure native form and in osmiridium, a natural alloy of iridium and osmium. Iridium is mined from sulfide layers in mafic igneous rocks where it is present with other platinum-group elements. Most iridium is mined in Canada, Russia and South Africa.
Can I buy iridium from Clint? ›One Iridium Bar can also be received as a gift from Clint at the Feast of the Winter Star. Two to three Iridium Bars may occasionally be found in treasure rooms in the Skull Cavern. The Statue Of Endless Fortune has a 25% chance to produce one daily, if it is not a villager's birthday.
How do you get grandpa's shrine points? ›
Likewise, marriage with both house upgrades will grant a point toward Grandpa's evaluation. Friendship levels with various villagers and the player's pet will also grant points.
Is it worth to buy iridium rod Stardew? ›Is it worth it's price? Yes. You'll need the lures (mostly the Trap Lure) in order to catch the really hard fish, like the Legend. Yes, because Trap Bobber can't be equipped on fiberglass or bamboo.
Is there an iridium scythe in Stardew Valley? ›...
Scythe.
| Tools | |
|---|---|
| Fishing | Training Rod • Bamboo Pole • Fiberglass Rod • Iridium Rod • Crab Pot |
Note that iridium quality is possible only with Deluxe Fertilizer. Increasing Farming Skill also increases the chance to harvest a quality crop.
Do iridium rings stack Stardew? ›The Iridium Band combines the effects of the Glow Ring, Magnet Ring, and Ruby Ring. Its effects stack with another Iridium Band, a Glow Ring, a Glowstone Ring, a Magnet Ring, or a Ruby Ring.
What floors in Skull Cavern for iridium? ›A chance to split into smaller Slimes when killed. Big Slimes are purple in the Skull Cavern. Can drop Iridium Ore and Iridium Bars. Only appears on floors 20 and 40; flies.
What level of Skull Cavern has dinosaurs? ›Staircases work just like the game-supplied down-ladders. Each one works only for one use. Leaving the mine or returning to a higher level will result in the staircase being permanently gone. In addition, once a staircase has been placed, it cannot be picked up again, even if it has not been used.
What should I do with iridium ore? ›Iridium Ore is used in the spool of the Sewing Machine to create the Iridium Energy Shirt. It can be used in dyeing, serving as a purple dye at the dye pots, located in Emily's and Haley's house, 2 Willow Lane.
How much iridium does it take to upgrade a pickaxe? ›How do you get iridium from a pond? ›
You can take Magma Geodes to Clint the Blacksmith and have them opened for 25g each. From doing this you can receive a variety of resources, including Iridium Ore, and geode minerals, which you can sell for a good amount of money.
How to farm iridium reddit? ›Go on a high luck day, use luck boosting food. Use staircases and bombs. Use a totem to get to the desert first thing in the morning. Dive into floor 50+ before you really start looking for mass amounts.
How do you prepare for Skull Cavern? ›- Coffee and Triple Shot Espresso will both increase Speed.
- Pumpkin Soup increases Defense and Luck.
- Spicy Eel increases Luck and Speed.
- Lucky Lunch and Ginger Ale will both increase Luck.
Iridium Ore is hard to get. Skull cavern floor 75 and not a single ore? That's some seriously bad luck. Try again, usually after floor 40 you can find iridium nodes fairly commonly, like at least 1 per floor.
Can you find iridium on Ginger Island? ›Ginger island is good for getting iridium. Also breaking geodes, I've gotten some from that.
Does Skull Cavern have checkpoints? ›There doesn't appear to be any bottom to the Skull Cavern and there are no save points. Skull cavern is infinite and is for resource farming. I would bring bombs and some stairs, and plenty of food.
Why is iridium so rare? ›Understanding Iridium
It is extremely difficult to melt, and because of its high melting point, it is hard to form, machine, or work iridium. It is also one of the rarest elements in Earth's crust.
Iridium is one of the rarest elements on Earth. It is found uncombined in nature in sediments that were deposited by rivers. It is commercially recovered as a by-product of nickel refining. A very thin layer of iridium exists in the Earth's crust.
What layer of Earth is iridium found? ›Iridium is a very rare element in the Earth's crust, but is found in anomalously high concentrations (around 100 times greater than normal) in a thin worldwide layer of clay marking the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods, 66 million years ago.
What does the Iridium Krobus statue do? ›Can be placed as decoration. The Iridium Krobus is a decorative piece of furniture. It can be obtained by fishing in the ocean from the southernmost point of Cindersap Forest near the entrance to The Sewers.
How do you buy iridium? ›
Go to CoinMarketCap and search for Iridium. Tap on the button labeled “Market” near the price chart. In this view, you will see a complete list of places you can purchase Iridium as well as the currencies you can use to obtain it. Under “Pairs” you'll see the shorthand for Iridium, IRD, plus a second currency.
Does Krobus sell iridium? ›...
| Iridium Krobus | |
|---|---|
| Sell Price: | Cannot be sold |
This is straightforward for a lot of games, but with Stardew Valley though, there is no 'end'. As you play on your farm, you will come across various milestones and progress trackers, but there is no end to the game. Players can continue farming for years in the game without growing bored.
How do you get 4 candles in Grandpa's shrine Stardew? ›Once again, the player only needs 12 of the total 21 points in order to light up all 4 candles on Grandpa's Shrine. When the player has enough points, go to the shrine to be evaluated. All four candles will be lit and the player will get the Statue of Perfection.
Does Joja count for grandpa? ›Going Joja doesn't earn any grandpa points, so you only have 7+1+1+1+1 = 11 points. And that's not enough for that 4th candle. Easiest is to just descend to the bottom of the normal mines, using ladders if necessary, and get the skull key, then give a diamond to the shrine for a re-evaluation.
When should I buy the Iridium Rod? ›Iridium Rod: 7500G
The iridium rod can be bought from Willy's shop for 7500G after you reach level 6 in fishing. This rod allows you to use both bait and tackle, making fishing much easier.
Tackle can be attached to the Iridium Rod to make it easier to catch fish. Most recipes unlock as the player's fishing level increases. Most tackle can also be purchased from the Fish Shop once they are unlocked.
Do crab pots increase fishing skill? ›Harvesting a crab pot gives 5 Fishing experience points, even if trash is caught or the item is normally a Beach forage item. Fish caught with crab pots also count towards the four fishing achievements (Fisherman, Ol' Mariner, Master Angler, and Mother Catch).
What is the point of the Golden Scythe Stardew? ›The Golden Scythe has the following benefits: Its radius is larger than the standard Scythe and it is more likely to cut all grass in its radius. 75% chance per swipe to harvest hay from grass, up from 50%. Inflicts 13 damage, up from 1-3.
What's the point of the Golden Scythe? ›The golden scythe is not only a farming tool, but a combat tool as well. It inflicts more damage to the monsters the player runs across. This can help while going through the mine or Skull Cavern in the desert. It provides 13 damage to enemies, more damage than a normal scythe.
What should I do with prismatic shards? ›
Prismatic Shards are used to enchant tools in the Forge. A Prismatic Shard can be placed into a Junimo Hut to cause the Junimo to cycle through the rainbow resembling a Prismatic Shard. A Prismatic Shard can be donated to Gunther at the Museum.
Can you get iridium cheese Stardew? ›Cheese can be placed inside a Cask to age from normal quality to silver, gold, and eventually iridium quality.
How do you get prismatic shards? ›Prismatic Shards can be obtained from Mining, Fishing Treasure Chests, Monsters' drop, Rainbow Trout Fish Ponds, treasure rooms in the Skull Cavern, or the Statue Of True Perfection.
Can you get iridium Mayo Stardew? ›Ostrich Eggs produce 10 jars of Mayonnaise at once. Unlike chicken eggs, Ostrich Eggs produce Mayonnaise in the same quality as the egg. This is the only way to obtain a silver quality or iridium quality Mayonnaise.
Can I wear 2 iridium bands? ›Can I wear 2 of the same ring? I just want to wear 2 iridum bands :) Yes you can, and it is very good.
What is the most powerful ring in Stardew Valley? ›The Napalm Ring is a reward at the Adventurer's Guild for killing 250 Serpents or Royal Serpents, it's sold for 30,000g.
Can you Unmerge rings in Stardew? ›For a combined ring, unforge splits it back into the original rings. To begin the unforging process, place the item that you want to unforge into the left square slot. Then click the red ⨯ symbol near the bottom right corner. The unforged item(s) will appear in your inventory.
What should I use my Iridium bars for? ›Iridium bars are used in these buildings purchased from the Carpenter's Shop and the Wizard's Tower. Raise up to 20 slimes. Fill water troughs and slimes will create slime balls. Warps you to the mountains.
What should I upgrade to iridium Stardew? ›Pickaxe if you plan on doing more splunking in the Skull Caves--lets you destroy stones with one swing and reduces the number of swings needed for diamonds and iridium ore nodes.
What is the best thing to do with iridium Stardew? ›Iridium is used to make all the final upgrades for your tools, as well as the Iridium Sprinkler, which can water 24 tiles automatically. We'd also suggest building a Crystalarium early, a device that can make copies of any gem you put inside it. It's useful for crafting resources and for making money in the background.
Can I use 2 iridium bands? ›
Can I wear 2 of the same ring? I just want to wear 2 iridum bands :) Yes you can, and it is very good.
Do iridium bands stack Stardew? ›The Iridium Band combines the effects of the Glow Ring, Magnet Ring, and Ruby Ring. Its effects stack with another Iridium Band, a Glow Ring, a Glowstone Ring, a Magnet Ring, or a Ruby Ring.
How much iridium does it take to upgrade Stardew? ›Note that iridium quality is possible only with Deluxe Fertilizer. Increasing Farming Skill also increases the chance to harvest a quality crop. If a Seed Maker turns a higher-quality crop into seeds, the seeds are no more likely to produce higher-quality crops when grown and harvested.
What does the iridium pickaxe do? ›Iridium pickaxe is very good, breaks the toughest common rocks in a single hit and big rocks in three hits, very nice. Gold pick is just about as good. Iridium hoe drastically speeds up the time it takes to till large areas of soil, and drastically reduces energy consumption.
What is the fastest way to get iridium Stardew? ›There are multiple methods of getting Iridium Ore in Stardew Valley. The Ore can be purchased from Krobus or the Traveling Cart. It can also be mined from Iridium Nodes found in The Mines, Quarry, and Skull Cavern. Out of these sources, the Skull Cavern is the best place to farm Iridium Ore.
Can you transmute gold to iridium Stardew Valley? ›No, you'll have to farm them specifically. Look for the statue of perfection. You'll got an endless supply of iridium.