#dandy rambles

Keep seeing people saying stuff like “there’s no way Eric thinks this is the popular choice” and listen. Maybe it’s not THE MOST popular choice. But

1) Clint has fans! They (we) are out there and they are super passionate about this big ol’ dweeb of a man!

2) Clint deserves a redemption arc just as much as Shane does. Yeah Clint can be creepy but Shane is outright MEAN ON PURPOSE in the beginning, yk? Dude deserves a chance to learn and do better, just like anybody else

And most importantly!!

3) THIS IS ERIC’S GAME! If he had the idea and inspiration for a certain character, he has every right to add him, regardless of what you think would be more popular or what you would prefer. You wanna date the wizard or willy instead? That’s awesome! That’s what mods and fanfic is for ♥️

I think Xavier is all over the mines tbh. Maybe it’s leaning into the “Xavier sleepy” cliche too much to say he’d find the rest of the game too cozy to stay awake, but I think he’s a beast in the skull caverns. And I’m gonna get so competitive because that’s my thing in the game, and I’m gonna get my ass handed to me and then he’s gonna be there to bring me his unending stacks of food to rescue me. I think if you ask him his favorite romanceable character, he refuses to answer because none of them are you. I think he’d be really fond of Gus, Willy, and Marlon though! If you asked to go the Joja Route, he’s like “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t hear that” sort of thing and he’s gonna finish the community center even harder.

Caleb is gonna go along with whatever you wanna do in game. He’s got your half of the crops watered already while you’re reading your mail. You get to name allll the animals, pick alllll the crops, call alllll the shots. You say it’s a mines day? He’s got your warp totem ready. You say it’s a fishing day? He’s right there to show you up. (It absolutely starts fights that he’s better at fishing but damn, it’s nice not having to worry about the catfish on a new farm…) He also refuses to pick a bachelorette (because they aren’t you!) but I think he sees a lot of himself in Alex. He’s absolutely enamored with the junimos. Like. You’re getting all the merch. Plushies, stickers, fridge magnets, everything is Junimo now. If you ask to go the Joja route, he’s gonna be jokingly appalled that he “didn’t think you had it in you to hurt such cute little apples”…. But whatever you say goes, pips.

I think Rafayel would be the most resistant to playing with you at first. Then maybe he watches you play for a while, pretends he’s not interested … but then he sees you at the mermaid show and he’s like “well maybe it isn’t so bad.” I think he’d have an appreciation for the art style and the music, at the very least. He’s interested in the subtle lore of the elves, dwarves, junimos, etc, and loves pointing out how much they stole from Lemurian mythology. He’s romancing Leah and rage baiting the fuck out of you with it. Until you romance Elliott or something and then he’s crying and pleading with you to both get divorced and marry each other instead. And I think he’s terrible at the fishing at first, and that absolutely enrages him and he’s so pouty about it until you get him the better pole and then he’s fine. He is absolutely the one to be pissed off about Marnie taking a day off from the shop, btw.

I think Stardew Valley is right up Zayne’s alley. Again, leaning into cliches, but I think Zayne “surgeon hands” Li is infuriatingly good at the combat and fishing, but he never once lets you feel bad about it. I think if you pressed him really really hard about picking a favorite bachelorette, I think he’d enjoy Maru or Penny. But please for the love of god you have to marry him, if you pick anyone over him (god forbid Harvey over him) he’s gonna crash out. If you ask to do the Joja route, I think he’s going to shut off the game and insist you think on it.