What are the best NPC housing setups for master mode Terraria?

In Terraria, especially in Master Mode, managing NPC happiness is crucial for optimizing your gameplay experience. NPC happiness affects the prices of items they sell, the availability of certain items, and even the speed at which they teleport to you using the Pylons. To achieve the best NPC housing setups, you need to understand the mechanics of NPC happiness, plan your town layouts carefully, and consider the specific preferences of each NPC.

First, let's break down the mechanics of NPC happiness. Each NPC has preferred biomes and neighbors. When an NPC is in their preferred biome and near their preferred neighbors, their happiness increases. Conversely, being in a disliked biome or near disliked neighbors decreases their happiness. Happiness levels are represented by three states: happy, neutral, and unhappy. Happy NPCs sell items at a discount and may offer unique items, while unhappy NPCs sell items at a higher price and may not offer certain items at all.

To start, you need to identify the preferred biomes and neighbors for each NPC. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome and likes living with the Zoologist or the Clothier. The Merchant prefers the Forest biome and likes living with the Golfer or the Nurse. The Arms Dealer prefers the Desert biome and likes living with the Nurse or the Steampunker. The Goblin Tinkerer prefers the Underground biome and likes living with the Mechanic or the Dye Trader. These are just a few examples, and you should consult the Terraria Wiki for a complete list of preferences.

Next, plan your town layouts. You can create multiple towns in different biomes to accommodate the preferences of various NPCs. For instance, you can have a Forest town for the Guide, Merchant, and Zoologist, a Desert town for the Arms Dealer and Nurse, and an Underground town for the Goblin Tinkerer and Mechanic. Each town should have enough houses to accommodate the NPCs and their preferred neighbors. Houses should be at least 6 blocks tall and 10 blocks wide, with walls, a light source, a table, and a chair.

When building houses, consider the spacing between them. NPCs need to be within 25 tiles of each other to be considered neighbors. However, they should not be too close, as overcrowding can lead to decreased happiness. A good rule of thumb is to space houses about 30 tiles apart to ensure they are close enough to be neighbors but not too close to cause overcrowding.

Resource requirements for building NPC houses are relatively simple. You will need wood, stone, and other basic building materials. For more advanced houses, you may need specific blocks like sandstone for Desert houses or mud blocks for Jungle houses. Make sure to gather these materials in advance to streamline the building process.

In terms of class and equipment considerations, building NPC houses does not require specific gear. However, having a good pickaxe and axe will make gathering materials faster. Additionally, having a grappling hook or wings can help you navigate your towns more efficiently.

Common mistakes to avoid include placing NPCs in disliked biomes or near disliked neighbors, overcrowding houses, and not providing enough houses for all NPCs. Another mistake is not checking the happiness levels regularly. NPC happiness can change if their neighbors or biomes change, so it's important to monitor and adjust as needed.

Advanced techniques include using Pylons to create a fast travel network between your towns. Pylons are sold by NPCs when they are happy and in their preferred biome. By placing Pylons in each town, you can quickly travel between them, making it easier to manage your NPCs and access their services. Additionally, you can use teleporters and wiring to create a more efficient town layout, allowing NPCs to move between houses quickly.

In summary, achieving the best NPC housing setups in Master Mode Terraria involves understanding NPC happiness mechanics, planning town layouts, and considering the preferences of each NPC. By creating multiple towns in different biomes, spacing houses appropriately, and using Pylons for fast travel, you can maximize NPC happiness and optimize your gameplay experience. Remember to gather the necessary resources, avoid common mistakes, and use advanced techniques to create a thriving and efficient NPC town.