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, achieving happiness involves placing him in the right biome and pairing him with the right neighbors.

The Guide prefers the Forest biome, which is the default starting area of the game. This biome is characterized by its green grass, trees, and lack of corruption or crimson. If you place the Guide in the Forest biome, he will be happier than if he were placed in other biomes like the Desert or Snow biome. Additionally, the Guide likes certain NPCs as neighbors. Specifically, he likes the Zoologist and the Merchant. If you place the Guide in the Forest biome and have him live near the Zoologist or the Merchant, his happiness will increase significantly.

To start, you need to build suitable housing for the Guide and his preferred neighbors. Housing in Terraria requires a room that is at least 6 blocks wide and 10 blocks tall, with walls, a chair, a table, and a light source. Make sure the housing is in the Forest biome. You can check if a house is suitable by using the housing query tool, which is available in the inventory menu. Once you have built the houses, assign the Guide to one of them and the Zoologist or Merchant to a nearby house. The houses should be close enough that the NPCs are considered neighbors, but not so close that they are overcrowded, as overcrowding can reduce happiness.

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 he will not offer discounts or unique 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 reduce overall happiness. To avoid this, make sure there is enough space between houses and that the area is not too densely populated.

Advanced techniques for optimizing the Guide's happiness include creating a dedicated Forest biome town. This involves clearing out a large area in the Forest biome and building multiple houses for the Guide and his preferred neighbors. You can also use pylons, which are special items that allow fast travel between biomes. To obtain a Forest pylon, you need to have at least two NPCs in the Forest biome who are happy enough to sell it. The Guide, Zoologist, and Merchant are good candidates for this. Once you have the pylon, you can place it in your Forest town, making it easier to travel there and manage your NPCs.

Resource requirements for building a happy environment for the Guide include wood, stone, and other basic building materials. You will also need to craft furniture like chairs, tables, and light sources. If you are creating a dedicated Forest town, you may need to clear out trees and other obstacles to make space for your buildings. Preparation involves gathering these materials and planning the layout of your town to ensure that the Guide and his neighbors have enough space and are in the right biome.

In terms of class and equipment considerations, making the Guide happy does not require specific gear or class setups. However, if you are building a town in the Forest biome, you may want to have tools like a pickaxe and axe to clear out space and gather materials. Additionally, having a weapon to defend against enemies that spawn in the Forest biome can be helpful, especially if you are building during the early game.

A specific example of optimizing the Guide's happiness would be to create a small Forest town with three houses. Place the Guide in the center house, the Zoologist in the house to the left, and the Merchant in the house to the right. Ensure that each house is at least 25 blocks apart to avoid overcrowding. This setup will maximize the Guide's happiness, as he is in his preferred biome and has two neighbors he likes. You can then expand this town by adding more houses for other NPCs, but be careful not to overcrowd the area.

In summary, making the Guide happy in Terraria involves placing him in the Forest biome and pairing him with the Zoologist or Merchant. Build suitable housing, avoid overcrowding, and consider creating a dedicated Forest town with a pylon for easy access. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can ensure that the Guide is happy and offers discounts and unique items.