What are the best NPC pairings for crafting discounts in Terraria?

In Terraria, NPC happiness is a system that affects the prices of items sold by NPCs, as well as their willingness to sell certain items. When NPCs are happy, they offer discounts on their goods, which can be a significant advantage for players looking to save money on expensive items like reforges or rare materials. To maximize NPC happiness and achieve the best crafting discounts, you need to understand the mechanics of NPC preferences, pair them with the right neighbors, and place them in their preferred biomes.

The happiness system is based on two main factors: biome preference and neighbor preference. Each NPC has a favorite biome and a disliked biome, as well as specific NPCs they like or dislike being near. For example, the Arms Dealer loves the Desert biome and likes being near the Nurse, but he dislikes being near the Steampunker. When an NPC is in their favorite biome and near a liked neighbor, their happiness increases, leading to lower prices. Conversely, if they are in a disliked biome or near a disliked neighbor, their happiness decreases, and prices go up.

To start optimizing NPC happiness, you need to create separate housing areas in different biomes. For example, you can build a Desert biome town for the Arms Dealer and Nurse, a Forest biome town for the Guide and Zoologist, and a Snow biome town for the Mechanic and Goblin Tinkerer. Each town should have at least two NPCs who like each other, as this will maximize their happiness. You can use pylons to connect these towns, allowing for easy travel between them.

When placing NPCs, itÔÇÖs important to avoid overcrowding. NPCs prefer to have only one or two neighbors, and having too many NPCs in one area can reduce their happiness. For example, if you place the Arms Dealer, Nurse, and Steampunker in the same Desert biome town, the Arms Dealer will be unhappy because he dislikes the Steampunker. Instead, you should pair the Arms Dealer with the Nurse and place the Steampunker in a different biome, such as the Hallow, where she is happier.

One common mistake is ignoring biome preferences. For example, the Dryad loves the Jungle biome, but many players place her in the Forest biome because itÔÇÖs easier to build there. While she will still function in the Forest, her happiness will be lower, and you wonÔÇÖt get the full discount on her items. To avoid this, always check the NPCÔÇÖs preferred biome and build their house accordingly.

Advanced players can optimize NPC happiness further by using specific pairings and biomes. For example, the Goblin Tinkerer and Mechanic are a great pair because they like each other and both prefer the Snow biome. Placing them together in a Snow biome town will give you the maximum discount on their items, which is especially useful for the Goblin TinkererÔÇÖs expensive reforges. Another example is the Wizard and the Tax Collector, who like each other and prefer the Hallow biome. Placing them together in a Hallow biome town will maximize their happiness and discounts.

Resource requirements for building NPC towns include wood, stone, and biome-specific blocks. For example, to create a Desert biome town, youÔÇÖll need Sandstone Blocks or Hardened Sand Blocks. For a Snow biome town, youÔÇÖll need Snow Blocks and Ice Blocks. YouÔÇÖll also need to craft furniture like tables, chairs, and torches to make the houses livable. Preparation involves gathering these materials and planning the layout of your towns to ensure each NPC has their preferred biome and neighbors.

Class and equipment considerations are minimal for NPC happiness, but having a good pickaxe or drill can help you gather resources faster. Additionally, having a high mobility setup, such as wings or a mount, can make it easier to travel between towns and check on NPC happiness.

In summary, achieving the best NPC pairings for crafting discounts in Terraria involves understanding NPC preferences, building separate towns in preferred biomes, and pairing NPCs with liked neighbors. Avoid overcrowding and always check biome preferences to maximize happiness. Advanced techniques include using specific pairings like the Goblin Tinkerer and Mechanic in the Snow biome or the Wizard and Tax Collector in the Hallow biome. With proper planning and resource management, you can create a thriving network of NPC towns that offer significant discounts on crafting and reforging.