Farm simulator lovers will appreciate Stardew Valley for providing a more calming and stress-free experience of managing a farm in a small town, with Pelican Town being the perfect setting for the game’s calming pixel aesthetic and relaxing soundtrack. Interestingly enough, players looking to spice up their experience with this game should consider grabbing Stardew Valley Expanded, an unofficial expansions by FlashShifter that enhances not just the game’s visuals and music but adds quite a ton of gameplay options along the way. For fans who love the game’s romance options, Lance may be a particular NPC of interest to them in this expansion.
Hailing as an adventurer from the First Slash Clan, Lance is a proud defender of the Fern Islands. However, when he recognizes the player as a renowned adventure, their Stardew Valley friendship has a chance of blossoming into romance. For fans who want this new and unofficial NPC to be their latest love interest, just how can they romance Lance?
Meeting Lance
Before players secure Lance as a romantic interest, they need to meet him in their Stardew Valley Expanded experience. While this seems like an “automatic” thing to do, players need to be reminded of this activity as this is the mark of the beginning of Lance’s Heart Events. Meeting Lance will start his journey as a potential romantic interest for Stardew Valley players, and his first interaction marks the beginning of the quest to complete his Hearts.
0 Heart Event
Players can meet Lance for the first time in Volcano Forge, Ginger Island within any Season and any Weather. The meeting will happen as soon as players enter the Caldera Volcano’s Forge area. Afterwards, at any point in time should the players have a free inventory slot, Lance may appear in front of the farmhouse as soon as players exit to start the day. This can happen during Sunny Weather, between 6AM to 10AM.
In this event, Lance greets the player and hopes he isn’t intruding with their day. He’s come to announce that he’ll be working with the Pelican Town adventurer’s guild and hopes to know the player better, although he has a busy schedule. He gives the player his schedule before leaving.
Lance’s Schedule
The schedule of any Marriage Candidate is a crucial element in securing their hand in marriage in a player’s experience. At its core, players need to analyze how Lance spends his day in order to be able to plan how often they can meet him to provide gifts and trigger various Heart Events that may make him a more suitable Stardew Valley bachelor. Here is a quick gist of Lance’s schedule:
Usual Schedule
After players meet Lance in the Farm, the adventurer will give players quite the packed schedule. If players want to meet with Lance to gift him items and spark conversation, they need to consider the way he spends his time on certain days of the week:
- 6AM (Monday): On top of the Castle Village Outpost
- 6AM (Tuesday, Wednesday): Stands at Marlon’s counter in the Adventurer’s Guild
- 6AM (Thursday, Friday): Guards the Volcano Dungeon entrance
- 6AM (Saturday, Sunday): Tending the desk of the Highlands Outpost
- 7AM (Friday): Goes to the left of the volcano to watch the cliff
- 7AM (Saturday): Goes to the other side of the desk
- 7AM (Sunday): Goes to the platform outside the Highlands Outpost to watch the Highlands
- 9AM (Wednesday): Goes to guard the ladder in the Mine
- 11AM (Saturday): Watches the Highlands from the platform located outside the Highlands Outpost
- 11AM (Sunday): Goes to the stream southeast of the Highlands Outpost
- 12PM (Tuesday, Wednesday): Goes to Adventurer’s Summit to watch the river
- 12PM (Thursday): Moves to the other side of the Volcano Dungeon entrance
- 2PM (Friday): Watches the entrance of the Volcano Dungeon
- 3PM (Wednesday): Goes to the boat dock on the river
- 5PM (Tuesday): Goes back to his counter
- 5:20PM (Sunday): Goes back to his desk in the Highlands Outpost
- 6:30PM (Thursday): Stands on the right of the Volcano Dungeon entrance for the rest of the day
- 7PM (Saturday): Stands guard outside the Highlands Outpost
- 7:30PM (Wednesday): Stays in Marlon’s counter for the rest of the day
- 8PM (Friday): Stands on the left of the Volcano Dungeon entrance for the rest of the night
- 8:30PM (Sunday): Visits the stream
- 9PM (Tuesday): Stands outside the Adventurer’s Guild
- 9:30 (Saturday): Returns inside the Highlands Outpost
- 11PM (Tuesday): Returns to the Adventurer’s Guild and stays for the rest of the evening
- 11:40PM (Sunday): Goes back to the Highlands Outpost desk
After Marriage
When players get to marry Lance, the adventurer will only visit the Adventurer’s Guild, First Slash guild, and the Highlands. He sleeps at the guild every Wednesday instead of returning to the farm. Here’s the rest of his schedule:
- 6AM (Winter the 17th): Lance will stay in the farm until 3PM
- 7AM (Tuesday): Joins Marlon at the Adventurer’s Guild
- 7AM (Wednesday): Leaves the farm to go to the First Slash guild on Fable Reef
- 7AM (Sunday): Leaves the farm to guard Highlands Outpost
- 3PM (Tuesday): Goes to Adventurer’s Summit to stand on the cliff overlooking the river
- 3PM (Wednesday): Finally enters the First Slash guild.
- 3PM (Winter the 17th): Goes to the Night Market
- 4PM (Sunday): Begins to walk back to the Farm
- 5PM (Tuesday): Goes to walk back to the Farm
- 6:30PM (Wednesday): Stands on one of the many tables in the guild house
- 9:30PM (Wednesday): Goes to bed in First Slash guild
After 12 Hearts Event
When players complete Lance’s Heart Events, he no longer visits Fable Reef on Wednesdays, 10th and 24th. He instead follows this schedule during those days:
- 6AM: Spends time inside the Farm
- 5PM: Leaves to head to Cindersnap Forest
- 6:30PM: Enters Cindersnap Forest
- 7:40PM: Goes to the sewer entrance until 2AM
Gifts: Loves, Likes
Key to developing a relationship with any NPC in a farm sim like Stardew Valley Expanded is to identify what kinds of items to give them. Among the game’s hundreds of items, adventurer Lance has a particular list of Loves and Likes, all of which can work towards the player’s goal of making him into their romantic partner and spouse. Here are items that Lance absolutely adores:
Loves
- Aged Blue Moon Wine
- Daggerfish
- Galaxy Soul
- Gemfish
- Golden Pumpkin
- Green Mushroom
- Monster Mushroom
- Ornate Treasure Chest
- Swirl Stone
- Torpedo Trout
- Tropical Curry
- Void Shard
Likes
- Universal Likes (except Desserts, Flowers, Spaghetti)
- Elixirs
- Legendary Fish (except Glacierfish, Mutant Carp)
- Monster Crops (except Monster Mushroom)
- Potions
- Warp Totems (except Island Warp Totem)
- Bonefish
- Butterfish
- Dewdrop Berry
- Dorado
- Dwarf Scrolls 1 to 4
- Dwarvish Helm
- Golden Ocean Flower
- Goldenfish
- Ice Pip
- King Salmon
- Kittyfish
- Lava Eel
- Life Elixir
- Lunaloo
- Maple Syrup
- Meteor Carp
- Pearl
- Prismatic Shard
- Puppyfish
- Radioactive Bass
- Radioactive Ore
- Razor Trout
- Shiny Lunaloo
- Stonefish
- Tiger Slime Egg
- Treasure Chest
- Undeadfish
- Void Egg
Gifts: Neutrals, Dislikes And Hates
It’s important to remember that in a player’s Stardew Valley experience, NPCs they try to pursue also have specific food items that they feel Neutral about, Dislike to a degree, and outright Hate. While Lance will politely mention not liking certain things, this can certainly harm a player’s relationship with him to the point of delaying further their progress in terms of Hearts. In this regard, here are some items players need to pay attention to and avoid gifting Lance:
Neutrals
- Universal Neutrals (except Bread)
- Fishes outside Stardew Valley Expanded (except Angler, Crisonfish, Dorado, Lava Eel, Legend, Stonefish)
- Bombs
- Eggs
- Milk
- Tree Fruits that are Non-Fruit (except Bananas, Mangos)
Dislikes
- Universal Dislikes (except Fishes)
- Flowers
- Cave Carrot
- Coffee Bean
- Fire Quartz
- Fossilized Egg, Ribs, Skull, Spine, Tail
- Frog, Frog Legs
- Mummified Bat, Frog
- Salmonberry
- Snake Skull, Vertebrae
Hates
- Universal Hates (except Ginger Island Fossils, Sea Urchin, Tiger Slime Egg, Treasure Chest, Warp Totems)
- Blackberry Cobbler
- Blueberry Tart
- Bread
- Clay
- Cookie
- Cranberry Candy
- Ice Cream
- Magic Rock Candy
- Pancakes
- Pink Cake
- Pizza
- Plum Pudding
- Pumpkin Pie
- Spaghetti
Movie Theater Activities
One of the best ways players can develop their relationships with their prospective partners would be spending time in the Movie Theater. In a player’s Stardew Valley experience, choosing the right kind of Movie and Concessions could greatly boost their Hearts with the person in question. For Lance, players should be wary of the following:
Movies
- (Loves) Natural Wonders: Exploring Our Vibrant World
- (Likes) Brave Little Sapling
- (Likes) Journey Of The Prairie King: The Motion Picture
- (Likes) Miracle At Coldstar Ranch
- (Dislikes) Wumbus
- (Dislikes) Mysterium
- (Dislikes) It Howls In The Rain
- (Dislikes) Zuzu City Express
Concessions
- (Loves) Jasmine Tea
- (Loves) Panzanella Salad
- (Loves) Salmon Burger
- (Loves) Stardrop Sorbet
- (Loves) Truffle Popcorn
- (Likes) Apple Slices
- (Likes) Hummus Snack Pack
- (Likes) Kale Smoothie
- (Likes) Popcorn
- (Likes) Rock Candy
- (Likes) Nachos
- (Likes) Fries
- (Likes) Salted Peanuts
- (Likes) Joja Cola (Lareg)
- (Likes) JojaCorn
- (Dislikes) Black Licorice
- (Dislikes) Cappuccino Mousse Cake
- (Dislikes) Chocolate Popcorn
- (Dislikes) Cotton Candy
- (Dislikes) Ice Cream Sandwich
- (Dislikes) Jawbreaker
- (Dislikes) Personal Pizza
- (Dislikes) Sour Slimes
- (Dislikes) Star Cookie
Sealing The Deal: Heart Events With Lance
Aside from providing Lance with various items to earn his affection as a Stardew Valley romantic interest, players need to ensure that they commit to Lance’s many Heart Events. That way, Lance’s affection will be open to raising more Hearts, which in turn increases his chances of being committed to the player. Here are pivotal Heart Events that involve his character:
2 Hearts Event
When players finish Marlon’s boat quest in Stardew Valley, going to the Adventurer Summit will start the 2 Hearts Event. Lance will ask for the player’s help in investigating and studying Monster Crops, and this quest is a prerequisite in pulling off this event successfully.
After completing Lance’s quest, he may arrive at the player’s Farm to tell them how much he’s enjoyed studying the Monster Crops. He will tell the player to get their reward for the quest inside a chest in the Highland’s Outpost. Lance will say the reward is an item he’s found in a dungeon long ago, and exits after laughing at the player’s surprised response.
4 Hearts Event
As players make some progress around town in their Stardew Valley experience, they may inadvertently begin Lance’s 4 Hearts Event. This can happen between 6AM to 6PM in Ginger Island West during Sunny Weather, provided players have already fixed the island house, bridge, and resort as well as having completed the Enchanted Grove questline.
When triggering this event, Lance will appear out of thin air after the Farmer walks south of their beach cabin. Lance will ask players if they know about magic relics, after which he hands a Blink Staff and instructs players to follow him. After spending time on a nearby cliff with a magnificent view, Lance mentions things such as the wrecked ship on the beach, Magnus openly mentioning the player’s talent for magic, and Camilla not having contacted the player for reasons unknown.
6 Hearts Event
After players have spent more time tending to their Farm in Stardew Valley, they may have progressed Lance’s Hearts to reach 6 Hearts and trigger this new event. This can happen at any time in the Highlands Outpost in Sunny Weather, provided players have already unlocked the Highlands Zone. When arriving close to the Outpost Tower, Lance will notice the player and will encourage them to come to him. The adventurer will explain how magical wards work to protect the Tower from monsters and asks the player to participate in an experiment.
Having cast a spell that makes them unnoticeable to monsters, Lance and the player explore the wild and see how monsters there have been coexisting with each other. After hinting that a Gemfish may hold the secrets of the nearby Cave, the spell wears off and they face impending danger. Lance teleports himself and the player out of the area and thanks them for accompanying him.
8 Hearts Event
When players make progress with Lance’s Hearts, his 8 Hearts Event has a high chance of being triggered after completing certain conditions. In this case, players should be in Ginger Island Farm at any time and Season, provided its Sunny Weather. They also need to unlock the Highlands Zone and the Ginger Island Farm on top of finishing the Monster Crops Quest.
The latter is important as Lance uses this incident as a conversation starter, thanking players for aiding his research about Monster Crops. He invites the players to accompany him to the First Slash guild as he presents his findings. They do this by going to a hidden warp rune, explaining that the First Slash guild is on a faraway island that can only be accessible by magic. As the quest ends, the players are welcomed by First Slash guild leader Jolyne and other members of the guild.
10 Hearts Event
One of the two most pivotal events in any Marriage Candidate in Stardew Valley Expanded is locked inside the 10 Hearts Event. This is also the case with Lance, whose 10 Hearts Event can happen at any point in the Farm provided they have finished his 8 Hearts Event. This begins with Lance going to the Farm and inviting players to experience what it would be like to become a member of the First Slash guild for just a day. After teleporting to Fable Reef, Lance and the player spend the day in a montage doing various guild activities.
The actual surprising part of the 10 Hearts Event will happen after the guild activities. Lance brings players to a room with a small bedroom and takes his clothes off, leaving only him in his underwear. He explains that the bed might only fit one person, and he’s not sure how things could work out. The player has the option of heading out or staying, after which they and Lance go together in bed and share a kiss, with the adventurer remarking there may be room for the two of them all along.
12 Hearts Event
In order to finish all of Lance’s Heart Events, they need to get Lance to have 12 Hearts. After this instance, players may trigger the Stardew Valley character’s 12 Hearts Event in the Farm at any point between 8PM to 2AM. They need to be able to upgrade the Farm fully and have handed the Return Scepter back to Krobus. This is because Lance will begin the event by asking the player where they have gotten the Return Scepter since it’s such a powerful artifact. While at first Lance doesn’t believe the player got it from a shadowperson, he becomes intrigued and wants to meet Krobus for himself.
After bringing Lance to the sewers the next morning, Krobus and Lance have a wonderful interaction. Krobus remarks Lance is the player’s life partner based on scent, and Lance is concerned about the shadowperson’s well being in the sewers. After Lance gives Krobus a void root, the two enjoy each other’s company and remark about wanting to meet up again, this time as Stardew Valley friends. They will do so, starting a new schedule where they meet during the 10th and 24th of each season at night below Fairhaven Farm, along the sewer gate.
The Endgame: What Happens After Marrying Lance?
As players work their way to romancing Lance in their Stardew Valley experience, fans might be thrilled as to what he might offer once Lance accepts their hand in marriage. At its core, here are some things to expect after marrying Lance as a romantic conquest in terms of his activities:
- Own Side Room: As with other marriage candidates, Lance will get his own side room after he moves to the player’s farm.
- Monster Crop Garden: In terms of hobbies, Lance will get his own outside area where he will be raising seasonal Monster Crops.
- Daily Rotation: In most days, Lance as a spouse will now spend half his time tending to his garden and the other half doing his usual duties where he rotates visitations around the Highlands, the Pelican Town, and Fable Reef.
- Wednesdays: Should Lance visit Fable Reef on a Wednesday, he will sleep at the First Slash guild hall.
- Holidays: Lance will start attending the game’s various Festivals and will participate in the Night Market on Winter 17th.
- Gifting: Lance may provide players with Rain Totems, while he gives a Galaxy Soul on Winter 25th.
Stardew Valley Expanded was released in 2019 as an unofficial expansion pack for the main Stardew Valley game.