Many foraged items in Stardew Valley can only be found in certain locations or during one season. This can make foraging a bit frustrating, but that's why we are here to help. In this guide, we are going to go over how to find a rainbow shell.
Related: Stardew Valley: Where To Get A Fiddlehead Fern
This beautiful shell doesn't have a lot of uses, but you definitely want to have a few shells on hand. You will need to ship at least one rainbow shell as you make your way to 100% perfection. Additionally, this shell is needed to access the Casino. First, let's take a look at every place that you can find a rainbow shell.
Rainbow Shell Locations
There are six different ways to get a rainbow shell. Let's take a look at each method below.
Foraging On Beach
Rainbow shells naturally spawn on the beach every summer. During this season, you will have a 24 percent chance to find a rainbow shell. This is an easy way to get a rainbow shell, but it is not efficient if you are looking for it during any season besides summer.
Traveling Merchant
Every Friday and Sunday, you will have a chance to buy a rainbow shell from the Traveling Merchant. This is a vendor located in the north end of the Cindersap Forest, to the left of Marnie's Ranch.
The Traveling Merchant will have a rotating stock, with tons of items available. Be sure to check every Friday and Sunday to see if a rainbow shell is available, it will cost between 900-1,500g.
Feast Of The Winter Star
During the winter, you will also have an opportunity to get a rainbow shell from the Feast of the Winter Star. This is a gift-giving holiday where the people of Pelican Town come together and celebrate. Prior to the event, you will be notified of who your gift is for. When you attend the festival, you will also get a gift from a random villager.
If your gift-giver is Jas or Vincent, then there is a chance that they will give you a rainbow shell. Unfortunately, they can also give you a single piece of clay, which isn't very helpful.
Mail From Demetrius
If you have at least one friendship heart with Demetrius, then he may send you a rainbow shell in the mail. Additionally, you will have the chance to receive a nautilus shell, amethyst, or bream.
To guarantee a rainbow shell, start your day by checking your mail to see if Demetrius has sent anything. If mail from Demetrius contains anything besides a rainbow shell, exit and start the day again. The gift will be random, so after a few tries, you will get a rainbow shell.
Fish Pond
With a population of at least nine in a fish pond filled with Rainbow Trout, you will also have a 2 percent chance to get one rainbow shell a day. Rainbow Trout will also have a chance to produce prismatic shards, so this is a good fish to have in your pond.
Shrine Of Challenge
Lastly, we have the Shrine of Challenge. This is a shrine found at the bottom of the mines. Activating the shrine will essentially activate a hard mode version of the mines, with new monsters and loot.
The Shrine of Challenge can be unlocked through the Qi quest called Danger in the Deep. For this quest, you will have to go through all the floors of the mine and reach the bottom with the hard mode activated. With the Shrine of Challenge activated, monsters will have a chance to drop a rainbow shell.
What To Do With Rainbow Shells
Now that you know where to get a rainbow shell, let's take a look at what to do with it. First, let's look at the prices for a rainbow shell. Below, you can find the price for each quality.
| Normal Quality | Silver Quality | Gold Quality | Iridium Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300g | 375g | 450g | 600g |
- Rainbow shells aren't the most popular gift. Every NPC except Harvey and Leo is neutral towards receiving it. Leo likes rainbow shells, while Harvey hates them.
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Rainbow shells aren't used in any recipes or bundles, but you will need one for a few different quests.
- For The Mysterious Qi quest, you will need to place one rainbow shell in a box a the train platform. This questline leads to the Casino is the Desert unlocking. For more information, be sure to check out our complete guide on The Mysterious Qi quest.
- Occasionally, fish in the fish pond will request certain times. With at least seven blobfish in a pond, they may request a rainbow shell. Successfully giving them the shell will increase the capacity of your fish pond to ten.
- Finally, when using a rainbow shell at a sewing machine with one cloth, you can create a bikini top. When using a rainbow shell as a dye, you will be able to choose any color as well. Unlike other items, the rainbow shell doesn't contain a single color of dye.
That's all there is to know about rainbow shells! Although they aren't used for much, it's important to ship at least one to reach 100% completion. With foraging-related professions, you can make quite a bit of money selling rainbow shells as well.
Next: Stardew Valley: Complete Guide And Walkthrough
