What are the best biomes for each NPC in Terraria?

In Terraria, the happiness system for NPCs is a key mechanic that affects their prices, behavior, and even the availability of certain items. Each NPC has specific biome and neighbor preferences, and keeping them happy can lead to discounts on their goods, as well as access to unique items like the Pylon system, which allows for fast travel between biomes. Understanding how to optimize NPC happiness is essential for efficient town management and resource gathering.

To start, you need to know the preferred biomes and neighbors for each NPC. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome and likes living with the Clothier or Zoologist. The Merchant prefers the Forest biome as well and enjoys the company of the Golfer and Nurse. The Arms Dealer prefers the Desert biome and likes living with the Nurse or Steampunker. The Demolitionist prefers the Underground biome and likes the Tavernkeep or Goblin Tinkerer. The Dryad prefers the Jungle biome and likes the Witch Doctor or Truffle. The Goblin Tinkerer prefers the Underground biome and likes the Mechanic or Dye Trader. The Mechanic prefers the Snow biome and likes the Goblin Tinkerer or Cyborg. The Nurse prefers the Hallow biome and likes the Arms Dealer or Wizard. The Painter prefers the Jungle biome and likes the Dryad or Party Girl. The Party Girl prefers the Hallow biome and likes the Wizard or Stylist. The Steampunker prefers the Desert biome and likes the Cyborg or Arms Dealer. The Stylist prefers the Ocean biome and likes the Pirate or Angler. The Tavernkeep prefers the Hallow biome and likes the Demolitionist or Goblin Tinkerer. The Truffle prefers the Glowing Mushroom biome and likes the Dryad or Guide. The Witch Doctor prefers the Jungle biome and likes the Dryad or Truffle. The Wizard prefers the Hallow biome and likes the Golfer or Party Girl. The Zoologist prefers the Forest biome and likes the Golfer or Guide.

To achieve optimal happiness, you should place NPCs in their preferred biomes and pair them with their liked neighbors. This can be done by building houses in the appropriate biomes and ensuring that the NPCs are close enough to each other to count as neighbors. Each house should be at least 25 tiles apart to prevent overcrowding, which can negatively affect happiness. You can use the Housing menu to check if an NPC is happy by seeing if they mention their happiness level in their dialogue.

One common mistake is placing too many NPCs in one biome, which can lead to overcrowding and reduced happiness. Another mistake is ignoring the neighbor preferences, which can also lead to unhappiness. To avoid these issues, spread out your NPCs across different biomes and ensure they are paired with their preferred neighbors.

Advanced techniques include creating multiple towns in different biomes to maximize happiness and access to Pylons. For example, you can have a Forest town with the Guide, Merchant, and Zoologist, a Desert town with the Arms Dealer and Steampunker, and a Jungle town with the Dryad and Witch Doctor. This setup allows you to quickly travel between biomes using Pylons and ensures that all NPCs are happy.

Resource requirements for building houses include wood, stone, and other materials depending on the biome. For example, building in the Desert biome may require sandstone blocks, while building in the Snow biome may require ice blocks. Preparation involves gathering these materials and crafting the necessary furniture and walls for each house.

Class and equipment considerations are minimal for NPC happiness, but having a good pickaxe and building tools can make the process faster and more efficient. For example, the Shroomite Digging Claw or Laser Drill can help you quickly gather materials for building.

Specific examples include setting up a Forest town with the Guide, Merchant, and Zoologist. Build three houses in the Forest biome, spaced at least 25 tiles apart. Place the Guide in the middle house, the Merchant in the left house, and the Zoologist in the right house. This setup ensures that each NPC is in their preferred biome and paired with a liked neighbor, maximizing their happiness.

In conclusion, optimizing NPC happiness in Terraria involves understanding each NPC's preferred biome and neighbor, building houses in the appropriate biomes, and ensuring that NPCs are paired with their liked neighbors. Avoiding overcrowding and spreading out your NPCs across different biomes can lead to discounts, unique items, and efficient town management. Advanced techniques like creating multiple towns and using Pylons can further enhance your gameplay experience.