What are the best NPC housing setups for early-game Terraria?

In early-game Terraria, setting up NPC housing efficiently is crucial for managing resources, ensuring NPC happiness, and preparing for future challenges. NPC housing mechanics involve creating suitable living spaces that meet specific requirements, such as having walls, a light source, a table, a chair, and enough space. Each NPC has preferences for biomes and neighbors, which affect their happiness and the prices of their goods. Keeping NPCs happy can lead to discounts, unique items, and better overall gameplay.

To start, you need to gather basic resources like wood, stone, and torches. Wood is essential for crafting furniture like tables, chairs, and doors. Stone can be used to craft walls or platforms. Torches provide light, which is necessary for a valid house. You can gather these resources by chopping trees, mining stone, and crafting torches from wood and gel. Once you have the materials, you can begin building houses.

A basic house should be at least 6 blocks wide and 10 blocks tall, with a door, a table, a chair, and a light source. The walls must be fully enclosed, and the background walls must be player-placed, not natural walls. You can use platforms as a floor or ceiling, but there must be solid blocks for the NPC to stand on. Once the house meets these requirements, it will be considered valid, and an NPC can move in.

To maximize NPC happiness, you should consider their preferred biomes and neighbors. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome and likes living with the Zoologist or the Merchant. The Merchant prefers the Forest biome and likes living with the Golfer or the Nurse. The Nurse prefers the Hallow biome and likes living with the Arms Dealer. By placing NPCs in their preferred biomes and with their preferred neighbors, you can increase their happiness, which leads to discounts and unique items.

One common mistake is placing too many NPCs in one area, which can lead to overcrowding and decreased happiness. To avoid this, spread out your NPCs across different biomes and houses. Another mistake is not providing enough light or furniture, which can make a house invalid. Always double-check that each house has a light source, a table, a chair, and enough space.

Advanced techniques include creating themed houses that match the NPC's preferences. For example, you can build a treehouse for the Dryad in the Forest biome or a desert-themed house for the Arms Dealer in the Desert biome. These themed houses not only increase happiness but also add aesthetic value to your world. You can also use teleporters to connect different biomes, making it easier to access NPCs and their services.

Resource requirements for early-game housing are minimal, but you should gather enough wood, stone, and torches to build multiple houses. You may also need to craft additional furniture like beds or chests, depending on your needs. Preparation involves exploring your world to find suitable biomes and gathering resources efficiently.

Class and equipment considerations are not directly related to NPC housing, but having a good pickaxe and axe can speed up resource gathering. A copper or iron pickaxe is sufficient for early-game mining, while a wooden or stone axe is enough for chopping trees. As you progress, you can upgrade your tools to gather resources faster.

Specific examples include setting up a small village in the Forest biome with houses for the Guide, Merchant, and Nurse. You can place the Guide and Merchant in one house and the Nurse in another nearby house. This setup ensures that the Guide and Merchant are happy, and the Nurse is close by for healing. Another example is building a desert outpost for the Arms Dealer and the Nurse, which can serve as a base for exploring the Desert biome.

In conclusion, early-game NPC housing in Terraria involves gathering basic resources, building valid houses, and placing NPCs in their preferred biomes with their preferred neighbors. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can create a thriving town that maximizes NPC happiness and provides valuable services. Advanced techniques like themed houses and teleporters can further enhance your setup, making your world more efficient and enjoyable.