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With the 1.6 update ofStardew Valley,ConcernedApe added interesting combat trinkets that can be utilized to turn the tides of combat in your favor. One of these many combat trinkets is theIce Rod, which shoots out a magical projectile of ice that freezes enemies in their tracks.
The Ice Rod is perfect for players who are overwhelmed by combat, but unlocking the trinket can be rather confusing. If you want to turn your enemies into frozen statues and avoid incoming damage, then check out our guide below.
How To Unlock Combat Mastery
Before you can collect any trinkets in Stardew Valley,you will need to fully master all five skills in the gameand unlock Combat Mastery.Once your farmer has reached level ten with every skill, you cantravel to the southeastern portion of Cindersap Forestand enter a small Mastery Cave that Grandpa made.
The five skills in Stardew Valley areFarming, Fishing, Foraging, Combat, and Mining.You will passively gain XP in any of these skills whenever you complete specific actions. For example, catching fish will increase your Fishing skill, while mining for ore will increase your Mining skill.
In the Mastery Cave, you will find five different plaquesdedicated to one of the five skills you have already mastered.By earning even more XP, you can start to unlock each of these plaques, andunlocking the Combat Mastery Plaque allows you to find and equip Combat Trinkets,such as the Ice Rod.
How To Find And Use The Ice Rod
Once you have unlocked Combat Trinkets,they will now have a chance to spawn from various sources.Here are all the places where you can get a Combat Trinket:
If any of these enemies happen to drop an Ice Rod, you can equip the Combat Trinketin a specific slot in your inventory,located next to your hat. Using the Ice Rod is incredibly easy, sinceit will automatically send out a magical blast of iceevery three to five seconds, depending on the level of your trinket.
How To Upgrade An Ice Rod
By hovering over an Ice Rod in your inventory, you will be able to see how long it takes for your trinket to shoot out a blast of ice, and how long enemies will remain frozen.By placing your Ice Rodon an Anvil,you’re able to randomize these two stats to make the trinket better or worse,with a five percent chance of turning your trinket into a Perfect Ice Rod.
The Anvil recipe is given to you when you complete Combat Mastery andrequires 50 Iron Bars to craft.Every time you reforge any Combat Trinket on the anvil,you will need three Iridium Bars.
A Perfect Ice Rod will shoot out a blast of ice every three seconds, which freezes enemies for four seconds. This means thatthe Perfect Ice Rod can keep any enemy in the game indefinitely frozen,completely protecting you from hostile attacks and damage.
When Should You Use The Ice Rod?
The Ice Rod is best utilized by playerswho do not enjoy the combat in Stardew Valley, since it can render even the most difficult enemies completely useless. Alternatively, the Ice Rod is also great for hardcore combat veterans who aretaking on Qi’s Skull Cavern challenges.
If you already have an Ice Rod and happen to stumble upon another,it can always be gifted to the Wizardas a liked gift. Keep in mind thatevery other character in the game dislikes receiving the Ice Rod as a gift.
Overall, while this trinket will not restore your health or increase the amount of gold you earn, it isperfect for players who need extra protection while facing enemies.The Ice Rod can also be equipped to make it significantlyeasier to farm mob drops.
