I’m writing this article because I love DST’s farming (thank you, "Reap what you Sow"!) and fishing mechanics, and I believe they deserve more attention from Klei.
Fishing Overhaul:
Fishing has a cool minigame compared to others games, but it currently lacks incentive. The problem is that fish-based food isn’t worth the effort compared to land-based options like Meatballs or Pierogi, which are easier to make and restore similar stats (though I do think these dishes are overpowered and discourage players from experimenting with rare ingredients—but that’s a topic for another post).
To make fishing more rewarding, Klei could introduce fish-specific recipes that grant unique buffs, similar to Shipwrecked’s tropical fish recipe (the ones that provide sanity or speed boosts). For example:
Dishes combining farmed crops and fish could grant temporary damage boosts against Shadow or Lunar-aligned enemies. A recipe that might grant critical-hit effects akin to Weregoose’s knockback.
A fishing net made with scrap and silk or some boss drop that could catch a whole shoal with a single minigame but has few uses. A better endgame fish farm like Shipwrecked (but less OP) for every meat used as bait fill in two days the farm with 3/4 fishes in shallow waters and 2/3 in medium/deep. Small sharks or Rockjaw attacks when retrieving, similar to shipwrecked as well.
A Warly skill tree could further enhance these recipes, adding synergy with his existing chef-themed perks.
Farming Improvements:
Farming is functional, but it’s totally skippable (which is fine, the problem is that we have less time consuming activities that give the same stats) unless you’re playing Warly. Void Sickle harvest Seaweed instantly, following this logic, here are some late-game quality-of-life adjustments which could reduce the grind:
Introduce a Lunar/Dreadstone Hoe to till soil faster.
Add an irrigation system (like Hamlet’s or Stardew Valley’s sprinklers) to automate watering if fueled with water.
More specific dishes made with specific crops and ingredients that give buffs, like a vegetable dish that reduces the hunger drain for 3 days (try different vegetables that compete for nutrients, for example).
Cooking Expansion:
Cooking could use late-game upgrades and make it less time consuming, and maybe use fuel like tar (which currently has little use in the game), here are some ideas:
Buff some existing and difficult recipes, the player should feel more rewarded when eating a Guacamole than a Meatballs
A Grill (inspired by Oxygen Not Included’s machines) to unlock high-tier recipes requiring rare ingredients.
A Lunar/Shadow Crock Pot that cooks 2 dishes at once, streamlining bulk preparation.
These changes would make fishing and farming feel more integral to progression while rewarding players who invest time in mastering these systems.