You've finally reached the end of Year 2. The ghost of your Grandpa appears in a swirl of blue light, judging every single decision you’ve made since you stepped off that bus with nothing but some cheap parsnip seeds. If you played your cards right, he leaves four candles burning on his shrine. You click that shrine, and suddenly, you’re holding a purple cat statue.
The Statue of Perfection Stardew Valley players chase isn't just a trophy. It is a literal game-changer that produces between 2 and 8 Iridium Ore every single morning.
Honestly, most people think getting the statue is the "end" of the game. It’s not. It is actually the beginning of your industrial revolution. If you’ve been struggling to find enough Iridium in the Skull Cavern or waiting for a lucky meteor to fall from the sky, this little purple feline is about to become your best friend.
Why Grandpa’s Evaluation is Stressing You Out
Grandpa’s Evaluation is the gatekeeper. To get the statue, you need 12 points. Points come from everywhere—your total earnings, your skills, your friendship levels, and even whether you fixed up the Community Center. If you don't have four candles lit by Spring 1, Year 3, don't panic. You can just toss a Diamond onto the shrine any time after that to trigger a re-evaluation. It’s basically a do-over.
The point system is surprisingly nuanced. You get 2 points just for having 1,000,000g in total earnings. You get another point for having 30 points in friendship with your pet. Yes, petting your dog or cat actually helps you get endgame gear.
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Most veteran players aim for the "easy" points. Finishing the mines? That’s a point. Getting married and having a fully upgraded house? Two points. It’s a holistic check on how much of the game you’ve actually seen. If you’ve spent two years just fishing and ignoring your neighbors, you might find yourself short of that fourth candle.
The Statue of Perfection Stardew Valley Mechanics You Need to Know
Once it’s in your inventory, you can place it anywhere. Most people keep it right next to their bed so they can grab the ore the second they wake up. It’s consistent. Unlike the Statue of True Perfection (the gold one you get for 100% completion), which gives Prismatic Shards, this purple one focuses purely on Iridium.
Wait. There’s a trick.
Technically, the game checks if you already have a Statue of Perfection in your inventory or placed on your farm before giving you one. But gamers are crafty. If you fill your inventory, pick up the statue, and then let it drop on the floor without "collecting" it into a slot, the shrine thinks you don't have it. You can actually farm multiple statues this way if you use the "de-spawn" or "overflow" mechanics correctly.
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Is it cheating? Maybe. Is it helpful when you need 500 Iridium bars to cover your farm in Crystalariums? Absolutely.
Even without glitches, a single statue provides a steady stream. In a standard 28-day season, you're looking at an average of 140 pieces of Iridium Ore. That’s 28 bars. Without ever stepping foot in the desert.
Scaling Up Your Farm Post-Statue
Once the Iridium starts flowing, your priorities shift. You stop caring about basic sprinklers. You start looking at Iridium Sprinklers and, more importantly, Iridium Tools.
The Iridium Pickaxe is the real winner here. It lets you one-shot most rocks in the mines, which speeds up your resource gathering exponentially. If you've been putting off the deep dives into the Skull Cavern because you were scared of the monsters, the gear you build from this statue gives you the confidence to finally go down to level 100.
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Real Talk on Iridium Allocation
- The Pickaxe: Do this first. Seriously.
- Sprinklers: Automated farming is how you make the millions required for the Gold Clock.
- The Trash Can: Don't laugh. An Iridium Trash Can gives you 60% of the value of items you throw away. It turns "inventory full" into a profit center.
- Crystalariums: This is the late-game meta. Load them with Diamonds or Jade (to trade for Staircases at the Desert Trader).
Common Misconceptions About the Shrine
A lot of players think they only get one shot at the evaluation. I've seen people restart entire 60-hour save files because they only got three candles. Please don't do that. The Diamond sacrifice is a permanent feature. You can try as many times as you want.
Another weird myth is that the statue's output is tied to your daily luck. It isn't. Whether the spirits are annoyed or very happy, that cat is going to spit out ore. The amount (2 to 8) is randomized, but it isn't influenced by luck buffs like Spicy Eel or Lucky Lunches. It's just a raw roll of the dice every morning.
Moving Toward Perfection
The Statue of Perfection is the stepping stone to the "True" Perfection tracker found in Mr. Qi’s Walnut Room on Ginger Island. While the purple statue solves your metal problems, the gold statue solves your money problems by providing Prismatic Shards.
If you're currently staring at three candles and wondering what you missed, check your shipping bin. Did you ship one of every item? Did you catch every fish? Often, it’s a single missing Sturgeon or a forgotten Poppy that’s holding you back from that 12th point.
To get the most out of your new resource stream, stop selling the raw ore. It’s tempting when you’re broke, but the value of an Iridium Bar is significantly higher, especially if you have the Blacksmith profession which boosts bar value by 50%.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Farm
- Check the Shrine: If you are past Year 3 and don't have the statue, count your candles.
- The Diamond Trick: Carry a Diamond to Grandpa’s Shrine today if you see fewer than four candles.
- Clear Space: Place the statue in a path you walk every morning. Don't hide it behind a barn where you'll forget to harvest it.
- Smelt Immediately: Keep a furnace right next to the statue. Wake up, grab the ore, toss it in the furnace, and start your day.
- Upgrade the Hoe: If you have the ore to spare, the Iridium Hoe allows you to till a massive 5x5 area. It makes Spring 1 much less of a headache when you're replanting your ancient fruit.