Rancher before Chef?

[PhailRaptor]

Working on a new colony, and was presented with this from the Printer Pod:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2509724233

It's currently cycle 12, and I have 4 existing Dupes.  I still need a Chef, so the Nisbet is an option.  Not a great option, given she has Allergies, but...  I've never seen Ranching roll a +15 before, which would be phenomenal.  Even this early with Anemic and Undigging, it's difficult to pass up a high level Rancher.  But I would still need a Chef to work the Grill for the Eggs and/or Meat that would result.

I'm very tempted to take Nails here, but I don't know if that's gonna be a good choice.  I'll need at least another 3 cycles for the chance at getting a Chef, and I may never see that good of a Rancher ever again (never have before, playing the game on and off since Early Access).

[hot focaccia]

since the only way to level them up is making them hug hundreds of eggs then id say yes if you dont mind the slowness/ build transit tubes

[Yobbo]

IMO take the super-rancher and make them cook. She should be okay with a couple points skilled into it, and chefs shouldn't have to move much anyway if you keep your ingredients near your kitchen. She can train on a hamster wheel in her spare time.

That said if you saved your game and took a break to ask this question... it will sadly all be irrelevant when you load back in

[Hjoyn]

The only ranchers you should ever use are ranching single interest ranchers, so yes you should take the rancher. Anemic and undigging are fine on a rancher, they don't need to move or dig much. Most anyone can be a chef, it only takes a single skill point and don't benefit in a meaningful way from any traits.

Remember that with the exception of ranchers, interests are a boost to morale if you take the skills they are interested in, but not all skills are worth taking, and not all interests apply to the max of 3 skills. The general rule is that skills that don't unlock anything and only give attributes are bad, except ranching. Interests that only apply to a single good skill are also bad. Cooking interest for example applies to two skills, but only one unlocks something, so it's effectively a single skill interest. Good general interests are supplying, digging, and later on, researching. 

[he77789]

On 6/8/2021 at 4:29 PM, Hjoyn said:

Most anyone can be a chef, it only takes a single skill point and don't benefit in a meaningful way from any traits.

Well technically you can save a bit of power on the grill, and some natgas for the gas range, but well if you are advanced enough to use the gas range, I don't think the reduction really matters in most cases.

[PhailRaptor]

3 hours ago, he77789 said:

Well technically you can save a bit of power on the grill, and some natgas for the gas range, but well if you are advanced enough to use the gas range, I don't think the reduction really matters in most cases.

It would also translate into raw calorie throughput.  Less time making each individual meal means more meals made overall.  A higher Cuisine skill, like Researching, it very valuable.

[Hjoyn]

22 hours ago, he77789 said:

Well technically you can save a bit of power on the grill, and some natgas for the gas range, but well if you are advanced enough to use the gas range, I don't think the reduction really matters in most cases.

The only attributes from skills or interests that are worth anything are ranching and highly situationally, science. Everything else is easily trained and thus worthless.