Bruce
Bruce is a non-romanceable NPC in Starsand Island. He is a young boy in a yellow tracksuit who loves insects, caves, and adventure. This guide covers his gift preferences, role in the Explorer and Angler profession trials, the Sharpshooter Stall balloon challenge, treasure chest unlock, and tips for building friendship.
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Bruce is a non-romanceable NPC in Starsand Island and one of the island's youngest residents. He is a small, energetic kid who roams the town wearing a distinctive yellow tracksuit (a nod to Bruce Lee's iconic jumpsuit). He is passionate about insects, caves, and anything adventurous, which ties directly into his role in both the Explorer and Angler profession questlines.
Bruce is the island's resident insect enthusiast. He is unique among NPCs in that he genuinely appreciates bugs as gifts, while most other characters dislike or outright hate them. If you have been catching butterflies and cicadas with your Bug Net, Bruce is the person to give them to.
As a non-romanceable character, his friendship caps at 4 hearts. Reaching 3 hearts unlocks access to his room, which contains a treasure chest.
Where to Find Bruce
Unlike most NPCs, Bruce does not stay in one spot. He roams freely around Starsand Town and the surrounding areas, constantly exploring on his own. Because he wanders so much, the most reliable way to find him is through the phone's Social app. Open his contact and tap Locate (shows his current position and draws a route) or Follow (tracks his movements in real time). You need to have interacted with him at least once for his contact to appear.
Gift Preferences
Bruce's tastes revolve around insects, night-themed flora, and cave-related items. Loved gifts grant +15 Affection, liked gifts grant +10 Affection, and a daily chat adds +5 Affection. His fondness for bugs makes him one of the easiest NPCs to gift if you spend any time catching insects.
Category | Items |
|---|---|
Loved | Moonflower, Mirthshroom, Moondew Shroom, Glazed Cicada, Midnight Herb, Emerald Hornscab, Solarwing Butterfly, Blue Sleep Lily |
Liked | Celeste Berry, Joy Potato Chips, Grilled Chicken Wings, Pasture Grass, Pink Hydrangea, Mountain & Sea Skewers, Jelly, Coconut |
Disliked | Stone, Frost Fizz, Plain Noodles |
Hated |
Glazed Cicada is a standout gift for Bruce because most other NPCs dislike or hate it. If you catch Cicadas while bug hunting, save them for Bruce rather than selling them. Solarwing Butterflies are another reliable choice that you will naturally accumulate from daytime bug catching.
Intermediate Explorer Trial
Bruce plays a central role in the Explorer profession's Intermediate trial. Zephyria at the Exploration Club directs you to find Bruce, who needs help building his Sharpshooter Stall. The quest proceeds as follows:
Speak to Zephyria at the Exploration Club to begin the Intermediate Explorer trial.
Find Bruce using the phone's Locate function (he wanders, so do not search manually).
Bruce asks for materials to build the Sharpshooter Stall: 3 Alloy and 3 Starflare Core.
Deliver the materials. The stall is constructed.
You are transported to the Sharpshooter Stall for a timed shooting mini-game.
Hit 35 balloons before time runs out using a slingshot to complete the challenge.
Crafting the Materials
The materials Bruce needs are mid-tier crafting items. Prepare them in advance if you know the Intermediate trial is coming:
Material | Quantity | How to Craft |
|---|---|---|
3 | Gold Ingot + Iron Ingot + Copper Ingot + Coal at Furnace II | |
Starflare Core | 3 | Crafted at a workbench (check the Exploration Club for the blueprint) |
Balloon Shooting Tips
Aim slightly ahead of moving balloons. The slingshot projectile has travel time, so lead your shots.
Focus on clusters of balloons rather than chasing single targets across the arena.
If the slingshot does not appear when the mini-game starts, exit and re-enter the stall. This is a known bug in some builds of the game.
Angler Intermediate Trial
Bruce also appears in the Angler profession's Intermediate trial. The fishing mentor Delphin asks the player to catch a Pearl Glowfish and deliver it to Bruce. The best spot to catch Pearl Glowfish is at the waterfall west of Dreamfall Garden in the Moonlit Forest. Glowfish only appear at this specific fishing spot, so bring your rod and some bait before heading into the forest.
Bruce is the delivery recipient for the fish. Once you hand over the Pearl Glowfish, this portion of the Angler trial is complete.
Friendship and Treasure Chest
Bruce's friendship caps at 4 hearts since he is non-romanceable. The main reward for building his friendship is the treasure chest inside his room, which unlocks at 3 hearts. This follows the standard pattern for non-romanceable NPCs.
Because Bruce loves so many insect-type gifts, building his friendship is straightforward for anyone who does regular bug catching. A daily Glazed Cicada or Solarwing Butterfly plus a chat gets you to 3 hearts relatively quickly.
Connections
NPC | Relationship |
|---|---|
Explorer profession mentor. She sends you to Bruce for the Intermediate Explorer trial. | |
Angler profession mentor. He asks you to deliver a Pearl Glowfish to Bruce during the Intermediate Angler trial. |
Tips
Glazed Cicada and Solarwing Butterfly are Bruce's most accessible loved gifts. Keep a stack in your inventory for whenever you cross paths with him.
Do not give Bruce Hardwood or Topmouth Cutter. Both are hated items.
Bruce is always moving, so do not waste time searching the town on foot. Use the phone's Locate function every time.
If you are working on both Explorer and Angler professions at the same time, you will encounter Bruce in both quest chains. Build his friendship early to make these interactions smoother.
Prepare Alloy and Starflare Core materials before reaching Intermediate Explorer rank. Having them ready lets you complete the trial immediately instead of waiting on crafting.
For the Pearl Glowfish delivery, the fish must be caught at the waterfall west of Dreamfall Garden. Standard fishing spots will not spawn Glowfish.