Squid Ink
| Squid Ink | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Collection |
| Location | Squid Kid; Squid (Fish Pond); Midnight Squid (Fish Pond); Blue Squid |
| Sell Price | 110g |
Squid Ink comes out of two very different places: the Squid Kids down in the Mines drop it when killed, and a Fish Pond stocked with squid produces it quietly without anyone being hurt. It is a cooking ingredient first, since two of the game's late recipes cannot be made without it, and a gift second, since Elliott loves the stuff and he is the only person in the valley who does. It also dyes a dog jacket a deep midnight blue. For an item that looks like a bottle of mess, it is unusually hard to replace.
Overview
Fighting is the quicker route. Squid Kids live in the Mines and drop ink about one time in five, so a floor with several of them on it usually yields a bottle or two. A Burglar's Ring doubles what monsters leave behind, which is worth wearing for anyone farming the ink seriously.
A Fish Pond is the patient alternative, and it is the better one for a settled farm. Robin builds the pond, a Squid or a Midnight Squid goes in, and the basket produces ink on its own with no fighting and no trips underground. Midnight Squid are caught on the submarine ride at the Night Market, so stocking the pond takes a little planning, after which the supply looks after itself.
The cooking is where the ink earns its keep. Seafoam Pudding takes a Flounder, a Midnight Carp and a bottle of ink, and the recipe arrives near the top of the fishing skill. It gives a large fishing buff, which is exactly what a farmer wants in the bag when hunting the legendary fish, and it restores a great deal of energy besides. Squid Ink Ravioli pairs the ink with Wheat Flour and a Tomato, and its recipe comes near the top of the combat skill. It gives a small mining boost and, far more interestingly, a temporary shield against debuffs, which makes it the standard thing to eat before a deep run where getting slimed or weakened would end the trip.
Selling it needs a little care. Willy buys ink at the Fish Shop and the Adventurer's Guild will not, which is counterintuitive given that the ink usually arrives as Monster Loot. It also has to go through a shipping bin at least once for the shipping collection, so the first bottle should be posted rather than sold over a counter.
Elliott is the gift target. He loves Squid Ink, which fits a man who writes by the sea, and since nobody else in the valley has any feeling about it at all, a bottle is a cheap and well-aimed present for the one villager it suits.
Uses
Cooking Squid Ink with the other ingredients below makes these dishes.
| Dish | Image | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Seafoam Pudding | 
|
Flounder (1), Midnight Carp (1), Squid Ink (1) |
| Squid Ink Ravioli | 
|
Squid Ink (1), Wheat Flour (1), Tomato (1) |
Gifts
These villagers love receiving Squid Ink as a gift.
| Villager | Image |
|---|---|
| Elliott | 
|
Notes
Cloth in the feed of a Sewing Machine with ink on the spool makes the Midnight Dog Jacket, which is described as being dyed a deep midnight blue by the ink itself. It is the sort of detail that makes the valley feel joined up.
Anyone chasing the legendary fish should set the pond up well in advance. Seafoam Pudding is among the best fishing meals available, each one needs a bottle of ink, and a pond that has been running for a season provides enough to cook a batch rather than a plate.
All Collections
Every entry in this group, with its key details.
