Slime Rancher Mastering Ranch Optimization

Learn how to optimize your ranch for max profits and automate it with bees. Whether you’re a new or experienced player, this guide has something for you. Grab your vacpack and let’s start slime ranching!

Slime Rancher Mastering Ranch Optimization

Ranch Layout

To optimize your ranch for maximum efficiency and profits, it’s essential to carefully plan and design your layout. A visual plan can be tremendously helpful in understanding your options and making informed decisions. Here’s an empty ranch layout for reference:

Kudos to @baatochan for the free Slime Rancher Planner Tool [baatochan.github.io]

In the provided layout, each number represents a plot. The ranch is divided into sectors (F1-F7), including the Mochi, Ogden, and Viktor ranches, which you will unlock as you progress in the game. However, for now, we will focus on optimizing your ranch from the very beginning to the endgame, disregarding these additional ranches.

Amount of Slimes

One important aspect to consider is the number of slimes you should keep in each corral. It’s essential to note that the following recommendations are based on fully upgraded corrals. With less upgraded corrals, the risk of slimes breaking out increases significantly.

When researching this topic, you may come across varying answers on the internet, with suggestions ranging from 5 to 10 largos per corral. Ultimately, the decision depends on your personal preference. Do you prefer a more spacious corral or a crowded one? It’s a trade-off between maximizing plort production and managing the risk of slimes breaking out due to increased agitation and aggression.

In my opinion, keeping 5 largos per corral is a safe and manageable number. This allows for efficient plort production while minimizing the chances of escapes. However, don’t be afraid to experiment and try housing more slimes if you’re comfortable managing the increased risk.

Ranch House

Let’s start by taking advantage of the plot with a corral that you already have at the beginning of the game. This starting area, known as the Ranch House (F4), is an ideal space with the most plots (8), providing ample room to begin your ranch without worrying about space constraints. To ensure optimal efficiency, each sector should have two largos with their favorite fruit/vegetable planted together. This simplifies feeding and storage.

Slimes, Food and Storage

In this sample layout, we’ll showcase a practical combination of four slime types that you can easily obtain at the beginning of the game: Pink + Rock and Rad + Boom. By creating two largos and corresponding food farms (Heart Beet for Rock slime and Oca Oca for Rad slime), you can efficiently manage their feeding requirements. Breeding chickens can be costly, and there’s the drawback that chickens age, necessitating constant replacement. Choosing a combination of slimes that require vegetable or fruit-based diets along with meat makes the farming process efficient and sustainable.

Pink and Rock slimes is popular as they are the first slimes encountered in the game and relatively easy to care for. Additionally, since only 5 out of the 16 slime types require a meat-based diet, there is no need to combine Pink and Rock with meat-eating slimes.

Rad and Boom slimes make a great combination since they can both be found in the Indigo Quarry, which can be unlocked early in the game by obtaining a key. On the other hand, combining Tabby and Phosphor slimes would require purchasing a solar shield upgrade for their corral, costing 425 newbucks. It is more cost-effective to wait until The Grotto is unlocked, as it doesn’t require a solar shield due to being a cave where sunlight doesn’t reach the Phosphor slimes.

To store items required throughout the ranch, two silos are added between corrals. While some argue that only one silo is necessary, it’s important to consider that upgrading at the start can be expensive. Thus, two silos provide sufficient storage for the entire ranch until further upgrades are feasible. Ultimately, the decision of using one or two silos depends on your individual circumstances and preferences.

Additional Plots

In the additional plots, breeding chickens can serve as a reliable source of food for the gordos found throughout the map. By storing excess chickens in silos, you can control overpopulation inside the coops and avoid wasting resources. Remember that different gordos require specific types of chickens, so be sure to breed the appropriate type in preparation for your next encounter.

The Grotto

The Grotto should be your first choice for ranch expansion, as it offers natural sun protection to Tabby and Phosphor largos. Tabby slimes require a meat-based diet, and when paired with Phosphor slimes, feeding them Cuberries will satisfy their cravings.

I recommend adding Crystal and Quantum to the mix. While Crystal slimes favor Odd Onions, which are typically grown alongside carrots, this setup may result in suboptimal yield. However, combining Crystal with Quantum slimes resolves this issue, as Quantum slimes prefer Phase Lemons.

As for the final plot (26), you have the freedom to choose any combination of slimes you prefer. However, since bees are not available at the start of the game, it is recommended to add a silo to store food, especially if you don’t have the auto feeder upgrade. This will help avoid long runs from the Ranch House to The Grotto for storing food. Alternatively, creating a combination of slimes that prefer fruits from one of the gardens will result in higher plort yields. Ultimately, the decision should be based on your priorities, whether it’s acquiring newbucks or plorts for the lab.

The Overgrowth

Consider expanding to The Overgrowth sector as your next move. This sector offers a default chicken spawn and the option to breed more chickens with Roostros. For this sector, I recommend the Honey and Hunter slime combination to match its aesthetic, and planting Mint Mangos in the garden to satisfy both their diets. If you’re ready for your second largo, consider Dervish and Tangle slimes. However, please note that you can only obtain Dervish and Tangle slimes in the Glass Desert, which is unlocked much later in the game. Their favorite food is Prickle Pears, so make sure to plant some alongside the mangos.

The Lab

For your third sector, consider unlocking The Lab, where you can craft a variety of items for your ranch, including the highly anticipated bees! Let’s focus on the plots available in this sector. For the main largo combination, I recommend Mosaic and Saber. Mosaic slimes can be found in the Glass Desert, while Saber plorts can be obtained in The Wilds, a collection of islands accessible through Ogden Ortiz Island. Mosaic slimes have a preference for Silver Parsnips. As for the remaining plots, feel free to choose what suits you best. Having an additional corral of slimes can be beneficial if you need more plorts for crafting or if you want to generate extra income. Just make sure to select a combination of slimes that prefer vegetables as their diet.

The Docks

Finally, let’s explore The Docks! This sector features natural pools that are perfect for housing Puddle Slimes, along with four plots that can be utilized according to your needs. To optimize this sector, I suggest adding two incinerators for Fire Slimes, a pool, and an Odd Onion garden. By cultivating Odd Onions, you’ll not only have a source of ash for your Fire Slimes but also carrots and onions, which can come in handy for completing daily missions. Of course, you have the flexibility to swap an incinerator or pool with a corral if you wish to keep more of other slimes.

Gadgets

Let’s explore the world of gadgets! Now that our Ranch is established, we can harness the power of automation with the assistance of bees. Bees can be utilized as handy gadgets, with one bee assigned to gather crops and deliver them to corrals, while another can specialize in collecting plorts for selling, storing, or refining. It’s crucial to remember that bees are confined to their respective sectors and cannot travel between them. Therefore, to enable bees to sell or store plorts in the refinery, you’ll need a Market and Refinery Link in the same sector. Otherwise, the only option will be to store plorts in a silo (if available), unless the bees are situated in the Ranch House or The Lab, where the market and refinery facilities are conveniently located.

With these gadgets in place, you can effortlessly sell or store plorts, making your ranch operations more streamlined and efficient. However, don’t forget to provide water for your bees to ensure they are hydrated!

Mochi, Ogden and Viktor

Unlocking Mochi, Ogden, and Viktor’s ranches requires dedicated effort and completing their respective missions. However, it’s important to note that having these additional ranches is not mandatory, as you can already house every slime and more in your own ranch. These expansions offer opportunities for increased income or a greater resource of plorts for the lab, if needed. Ultimately, the decision of what to build in their ranches depends entirely on your specific requirements and goals.