Stardew Valley Special Orders Guide — Boards & Rewards (1.6)

Special Orders board, Help Wanted, Mr. Qi quests — how the Stardew Valley quest system works in 1.6 and how to optimize every reward in this guide.

Right outside Town Hall in Pelican Town sits a board that many new players walk right past — the Special Order Board. It refreshes with new missions every week and every season, offering rewards ranging from gold and friendship points to exclusive items you literally cannot obtain anywhere else. This guide covers the full quest system in the game.

Quick Summary

  • Special Order Board: Located to the right of Town Hall, refreshes seasonally.
  • 3 quest types: Gathering, Slay Monster, and Fishing.
  • Mr. Qi Questline: Unlocks after completing Ginger Island, rewards exclusive Qi Gems.

Step 1: Finding the Special Order Board

Pelican Town — the main town in Stardew Valley
The Special Order Board sits to the right of Town Hall, marked with an exclamation mark when new quests are available.

The Special Order Board is on the right side of Town Hall (the mayor's building). You'll see an exclamation mark (!) above it when new quests are posted. The board refreshes on a seasonal cycle — each season brings unique quests, and some only appear after you hit specific milestones.

Step 2: Special Order Quest Types

There are 3 main quest types on the Special Order board. Each has different requirements and rewards:

Quest Type Requirement Duration Reward
Gathering Deliver a quantity of crops, fish, or resources 7 days (1 season) Gold + Friendship with the posting NPC
Slay Monster Kill a specific number of monsters 7 days Gold + Friendship + sometimes special items
Fishing Catch specific fish species 7 days Gold + Friendship

Note: Quests have time limits. If the deadline passes before you finish, the quest disappears from the board and you lose the friendship bonus (but nothing is deducted). Prioritize quests that are easy to complete first.

Step 3: Help Wanted Quests

Community Center in Stardew Valley
Help Wanted posts around town — NPCs post personal quests on bulletin boards.

Beyond the Special Order board, you'll also see Help Wanted quests posted on bulletin boards around town. These are personal requests from individual NPCs — usually asking you to bring them an item or catch a specific fish. Rewards include gold and +150 friendship points with that NPC.

Tip: Help Wanted is the fastest way to build friendship with NPCs without giving daily gifts. Check the bulletin boards every time you pass through town.

Step 4: Mr. Qi Questline — Exclusive Missions

Qi's Walnut Room on Ginger Island
Qi's Walnut Room — where Mr. Qi posts exclusive quests with rare Qi Gem rewards.

After unlocking Ginger Island and collecting 100 Golden Walnuts, you'll gain access to Qi's Walnut Room. Here, Mr. Qi posts special quests that reward Qi Gems — an exclusive currency used to buy rare items from his shop.

Common Qi Quests

  • Qi's Crop: Deliver 50 crops of Iridium quality — rewards 100 Qi Gems.
  • Qi's Hungry: Survive against 100 monsters in Skull Cavern — rewards 100 Qi Gems.
  • Qi's Challenge: Reach the deepest Skull Cavern floor within a time limit.
  • Qi's Prismatic Grind: Deliver a Prismatic Shard — rewards 100 Qi Gems.

Items to Buy with Qi Gems

  • Qi Seasoning: Increases sell price of all items by 25% — 100 Qi Gems.
  • Qi Bean: Plants into special crops — 20 Qi Gems.
  • Special Charm: Permanently increases luck — 100 Qi Gems (one-time purchase).
  • Mr. Qi's Hat: Cosmetic hat — 500 Qi Gems.

Step 5: Adventurer's Guild Monster Goals

At the Adventurer's Guild (east of the Carpenter's Shop), Gil offers monster eradication quests. Each quest requires you to kill a specific number of monsters (e.g., 50 Slimes, 20 Skeletons). Rewards include gold and progress toward Monster Eradication Goals — at 5/10/15 milestones, you receive permanent boosts like the Vampire Ring, Savage Ring, and Skeleton Mask.

Quest Optimization Tips

  1. Check the Special Order Board at the start of each season: New quests appear on the 1st of each season.
  2. Prioritize easy quests: Gathering quests are usually easier than fishing or slay monster quests.
  3. Remember what's needed: Some quests require specific seasonal crops — plant them early in the season.
  4. Qi Gems are a top priority: The Special Charm gives a permanent luck boost — save your Qi Gems for this first.

Don't skip the Special Order Board — even the easiest crop collection quest gives you gold and friendship, two things you always need in Year 1.

Stardew Valley's quest system may seem simple, but it's one of the most consistent sources of gold and friendship for new players. Make checking the Special Order Board a daily habit — you'll be surprised how much faster your farm grows.

Updated for Stardew Valley 1.6.

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