What are the best NPC housing setups for single-player Terraria?

In Terraria, setting up the best NPC housing for single-player involves understanding the NPC happiness system, biome preferences, and neighbor preferences. NPC happiness affects the prices of their goods and can unlock unique items like the Pylon system, which allows for fast travel between biomes. To maximize NPC happiness and create an efficient housing setup, follow these steps and strategies.

First, understand the mechanics of NPC happiness. Each NPC has preferred biomes and neighbors. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome and likes living with the Zoologist or Clothier. On the other hand, the Arms Dealer prefers the Desert biome and likes living with the Nurse. NPCs also have disliked and hated neighbors, which can lower their happiness. For instance, the Arms Dealer dislikes the Steampunker, and the Goblin Tinkerer hates the Mechanic. Keeping NPCs happy reduces the cost of their items and increases their chances of selling Pylons.

To start, gather resources for building houses. You will need wood, stone, and other materials like glass or bricks. Craft a workbench, furnace, and sawmill to create furniture and walls. Each house must have at least one light source, a table, a chair, and walls. The house must also be enclosed and have a door or platform entrance. Ensure the house is in a valid biome, as NPCs will only move into houses that meet their biome preferences.

Next, plan your town layout. Divide your world into sections for different biomes, such as Forest, Desert, Snow, Jungle, and Hallow. Build small clusters of houses in each biome, placing NPCs with compatible preferences together. For example, in the Forest biome, place the Guide, Zoologist, and Clothier in nearby houses. In the Desert biome, place the Arms Dealer and Nurse together. This setup ensures NPCs are happy and increases the chances of obtaining Pylons.

Avoid common mistakes like overcrowding NPCs in one area or placing them with disliked neighbors. Overcrowding reduces happiness, and placing NPCs with disliked neighbors can lead to higher prices and no Pylon sales. Also, ensure each house is valid by checking the housing menu. Invalid houses will prevent NPCs from moving in.

Advanced techniques include creating artificial biomes. For example, you can create a Desert biome by placing enough sand blocks and sandstone walls in an area. This allows you to place NPCs in their preferred biomes without traveling far. Another technique is using teleporters or minecart tracks to connect biomes, making it easier to travel between towns.

Resource requirements include wood, stone, sand, and other biome-specific blocks. Prepare by gathering these materials early in the game. Use a pickaxe to mine stone and sand, and chop trees for wood. Crafting stations like the workbench and sawmill are essential for creating furniture and walls.

Class and equipment considerations are minimal for housing setups, but having a good pickaxe and axe speeds up resource gathering. If you are in Hardmode, consider using the Clentaminator to create or purify biomes for NPC housing.

Specific examples include setting up a Forest town with the Guide, Zoologist, and Clothier. Build three small houses close to each other, ensuring each has a table, chair, light source, and walls. Place the houses in a Forest biome, and the NPCs will be happy. In the Desert biome, build two houses for the Arms Dealer and Nurse. Use sand blocks and sandstone walls to create a Desert biome if necessary.

In summary, the best NPC housing setup for single-player Terraria involves understanding NPC preferences, planning biome-specific towns, and avoiding common mistakes. Use advanced techniques like artificial biomes and teleporters to optimize your setup. Gather resources early and ensure each house is valid. By following these strategies, you can maximize NPC happiness, reduce prices, and unlock Pylons for fast travel.