How do I make the Guide NPC happy in Terraria?

To make the Guide NPC happy in Terraria, you need to understand the NPC happiness system, which was introduced in the 1.4 update. This system allows NPCs to have preferences for specific biomes and neighbors, which directly affects their happiness levels. A happy NPC will offer discounts on their items and, in some cases, sell unique items. For the Guide, his happiness is influenced by the biome he lives in and the NPCs he is housed near.

The Guide prefers the Forest biome, which is the default starting biome in Terraria. This is the easiest biome to keep him happy in, as it requires no special preparation. If you place him in a house in the Forest biome, he will already be somewhat content. However, his happiness can be further increased by placing him near certain NPCs. The Guide likes living near the Clothier and the Zoologist. The Clothier is an NPC who sells vanity items and moves in after defeating Skeletron. The Zoologist is an NPC who sells animal-related items and moves in after filling out a certain percentage of the Bestiary. If you house the Guide near either of these NPCs in the Forest biome, his happiness will increase significantly.

To set up a happy environment for the Guide, you should first build a suitable house in the Forest biome. The house should be at least 6 blocks wide and 10 blocks tall, with walls, a chair, a table, and a light source. You can use wood or other materials available in the Forest biome to construct the house. Once the house is built, assign the Guide to it by talking to him and selecting the "Housing" option. Then, build another house nearby for either the Clothier or the Zoologist. Make sure the houses are close enough that the NPCs are considered neighbors, but not so close that they are overcrowded. Overcrowding can reduce happiness, so it's important to space the houses appropriately.

One common mistake players make is placing the Guide in a biome he dislikes, such as the Desert or Snow biome. This will make him unhappy and increase the prices of his items. Another mistake is overcrowding the area with too many NPCs. While the Guide likes certain neighbors, having too many NPCs in a small area can lead to overcrowding, which reduces happiness. To avoid this, make sure there is enough space between houses and that you only place NPCs who positively affect the Guide's happiness.

Advanced techniques for optimizing the Guide's happiness include using pylons. Pylons are special items that allow for fast travel between biomes and can only be purchased from NPCs who are happy enough. If you want to set up a pylon network, you can place the Guide and his preferred neighbors in the Forest biome to increase their happiness. Once they are happy, you can purchase the Forest Pylon from the Guide, which will allow you to quickly travel to and from the Forest biome.

Resource requirements for making the Guide happy are minimal. You will need basic building materials like wood, stone, and torches to construct the houses. If you want to optimize the setup further, you can use more advanced materials like boreal wood or living wood, but these are not necessary. The most important resource is space, as you need to ensure that the houses are not overcrowded.

In terms of class and equipment considerations, making the Guide happy does not require any specific class or equipment. However, if you are playing as a melee class, you might want to prioritize defeating Skeletron early to unlock the Clothier, as the Clothier sells useful vanity items and can be a good neighbor for the Guide. If you are playing as a summoner, you might want to focus on filling out the Bestiary to unlock the Zoologist, as she sells items that can help with summoning.

In summary, to make the Guide happy, place him in a house in the Forest biome and ensure he is near the Clothier or the Zoologist. Avoid overcrowding and placing him in biomes he dislikes. Use basic building materials to construct the houses and consider setting up a pylon network for fast travel. By following these steps, you can maximize the Guide's happiness and enjoy the benefits of discounted items and unique purchases.