Stardew Valleyhas been a beloved farming sim for many years, with players andmod makersconstantly finding new ways to enjoy their favorite title.From new crops to new mechanics, countless features have been added since its release.
NPC characters have always been at the heart of the game, providing a new level of immersion and connection to the world. It’s no wonder then that players are looking to expand and improve that aspect, with visual overhauls, quality of life changes, and even entirely new characters. With mods, players can fine-tune their experience, and give a whole new feel to their next playthrough. These are some of thebest character mods that players should try forStardew Valley.
Updated on July 15, 2025, by Usama Ali:Stardew Valley’s Update 1.6 added a ton of new content to the game, including new NPC dialogues, custom gift reactions, and even winter outfits for all of the villagers. The dedicated modding community has also followed suit, creating mods with new characters, storylines, events, and dialogues. Certain character mods can also expand the existing characters' storylines through additional cutscenes and dialogue, making them enjoyable for seasoned Stardew Valley players. This list has been updated with a few more character mods all Stardew Valley players should try.
21Hugs and Kisses
Endorsements - 6,444
Everyone deserves some love. This mod just gives players more options and ways to show appreciation towards friends, loved ones, and roommates. Another interesting point is that the characters in the game also interact more with each other, making the game feel even warmer than before.
Players are free to customize the specifics of the mod,allowing them to customize their experience. But at the end of the day, it’s just nice to be able to give those characters thatreally needit, a well-deserved and long-overdue embrace.
20More Animals
Endorsements - 2,442
Whodoesn’twant more animals? The mod focuses on a different part of the game, particularly the farmer’s belovedpet.The default cat/dog options are great, but there’s always room for more variety, especially when it comes to pet breeds and colors.
The mod adds 9 new variations for cats and dogs respectively, and lets players choose which one they prefer, or leave their new companion’s looks to chance. Some of the options are more playful than others, but all of them are absolutely adorable and will make any farm a better place.
19Babies Take After Spouse
Endorsements - 25,126
This mod makes quite a lot of sense and is done in a verythought-out and well-detailed way. After all, the children in the game are a major step when it comes to character relationships, and it makes perfect sense for them tolooklike a part of the family.
Players are also free to customize the different visual aspects, such as hairstyle and much more, creating the middle ground between the farmer and their spouse. With other family mods, this is a great addition for those who are planning on going quite far in their next playthrough.
18Satoru Gojo NPC Jujutsu Kaisen
Endorsements: 2,157
TheSatoru Gojo NPC Jujutsu Kaisenmod forStardew Valleyis a fan-made mod that adds the popular character Satoru Gojo from the anime series Jujutsu Kaisen to the game. With this mod, players can interact with Gojo as any regularNPC in Pelican Town. They can give Gojo gifts to build their friendship with him and experience his heart events.
One of the most exciting features of this mod is that it letsplayers date and marry Gojo. As with other bachelors inStardew Valley, players can pursue a romantic relationship with him and eventually marry him. If they want to, players can even have a child with Gojo, who looks exactly like him. From unique dialogue and events to Gojo’s custom portraits, this mod is perfect for fans of both Jujutsu Kaisen andStardew Valley.
17Shane’s New Job
Endorsements - 2,091
Shane’s entire story is a lot. The character struggles with a string of problems and problematic behavior but ultimately does a great job of recovering and growing into a bigger and better person.
The vanilla version leaves Shane with no work after the farmer pushes JoJo away from the town, which ends up being not so great for him. The mod gives him a much brighter future, giving him a job that he enjoys. He will now be a bartender in the Saloon, alongside Gus and Emily, happily serving customers and getting some extra money for it.
Endorsements - 2,617
Does anything really need to be said about this gorgeous mod? No game has ever suffered from having a lovely, curious orange cat, especially one named Mister Ginger. In the game, Mister Ginger follows Jas around the town, accompanying her anywhere she goes.
The player can certainly try to pet the lovely cat and even get a cutemeowin response. The author has also mentioned another mod, with an alternative portrait for Mister Ginger, for those who would prefer a slightly more anime aesthetic.
15Heart Event Helper
Endorsements: 1,143
To trigger a heart event with any villager, players need to reach a specific friendship level with them. This can be done by gifting them items they like, talking to them regularly, and completing quests for them. It sounds pretty simple, but it can be quite hectic to keep track of all the villagers' preferences. This is where theHeart Event Helpermod comes in handy.
The Heart Event Helper mod simplifies the process of triggeringheart events inStardew Valley. It provides avisual indicator next to each dialogue option, showing how your choice will impact your friendship level with the NPC. This allows players to make informed decisions and maximize their chances of triggering heart events. It’s also compatible with various popular mods that add dialogue or events, likeStardew ValleyExpanded, Ridgeside Village, East Scarp, and more.
14Please Remember My Marriage
Endorsements - 4,856
It can be quite awkward when aftera long-awaited marriage with the chosen candidate, other bachelors continue to make flirty comments and remarks or ignore it altogether. This mod does a fantastic job of solving that little conundrum, by adding many new lines of dialogue, at last acknowledging the marriage.
It does a lot to add another level of immersion and progression to the game, reflecting the players’ choices in the world of Stardew Valley. After all, the Farmer is an important part of the community, and at the very least their marriage should be noticed.
13East Scarp
Endorsements - 6,326
East Scarp adds an incredible amount of content to the game, from new locations and elements, to completely new questlines. And of course, the mod comes with a collection of fresh, enigmatic NPCs that players can befriend anddive deep into their personal stories.
Aside from the new acquaintances, the mod adds an array of new animals for players to encounter, and even give gifts to. There are many ways to customize the mod and download additional content made by the creators.
12No More Bowlegs
Endorsements - 15,397
A subtle, yet very effective stylisticchange that many players have been looking for. The original design, while great, confused and bothered some people, breaking their immersion. This mod changes the way some of the character’s models, as well as their walking animations, giving a more realistic feel to them.
While not necessary, it is always nice to have the option to change something that bothers players. It is unknown if the creator is working to add all the affected characters, with players asking for updates on the mod’s page.
