What are the best NPC pairings for biome-specific discounts in Terraria?

In Terraria, the NPC happiness system is a key feature that allows players to optimize their towns by placing NPCs in specific biomes and pairing them with preferred neighbors. This system directly affects the prices of items sold by NPCs, with happier NPCs offering discounts and sometimes even unique items. To achieve the best NPC pairings for biome-specific discounts, you need to understand the mechanics, plan your town layout, and carefully manage NPC placements.

The happiness system is based on two main factors: biome preference and neighbor preference. Each NPC has a favorite biome and a liked biome, as well as a favorite NPC and a disliked NPC. Placing an NPC in their favorite biome and near their preferred neighbor will maximize their happiness, leading to significant discounts on their items. Conversely, placing them in a disliked biome or near a disliked NPC will decrease their happiness, increasing prices.

To start, you need to identify the favorite biomes and neighbors for each NPC. For example, the Arms Dealer loves the Desert biome and likes to live near the Nurse. The Goblin Tinkerer prefers the Underground biome and enjoys being near the Mechanic. The Dryad loves the Jungle biome and likes to live near the Witch Doctor. These are just a few examples, and each NPC has unique preferences that you can find in the game's wiki or through experimentation.

Once you know the preferences, the next step is to create suitable housing in the desired biomes. You can build small houses or apartments in each biome, ensuring that each NPC has their own room. It's important to note that NPCs need to be within 25 tiles of each other to be considered neighbors, so plan your town layout accordingly. You can use platforms, walls, and furniture to create compact and efficient housing that meets these requirements.

When placing NPCs, consider the following tips. First, always prioritize the favorite biome and neighbor for each NPC to maximize happiness. Second, avoid placing NPCs in biomes they dislike or near NPCs they dislike, as this will decrease their happiness. Third, use the Pylons system to your advantage. Pylons are special items that allow fast travel between biomes, and they can only be purchased from NPCs who are happy in their current biome. By placing NPCs in their favorite biomes and pairing them with preferred neighbors, you can unlock Pylons and create a fast travel network across your world.

Common mistakes to avoid include overcrowding NPCs in a single biome, ignoring their preferences, and not checking the happiness levels regularly. Overcrowding can lead to decreased happiness, as NPCs prefer to have some space. Ignoring preferences will result in higher prices and less efficient towns. Regularly checking happiness levels ensures that you can make adjustments as needed to maintain optimal conditions.

Advanced techniques involve creating multiple towns in different biomes to house all NPCs according to their preferences. This requires more resources and planning but can lead to a highly efficient and happy town network. You can also use teleporters and wiring to connect different parts of your town, making it easier to manage and access NPCs.

Resource requirements for building biome-specific towns include wood, stone, and other building materials. You may also need to gather biome-specific blocks and furniture to create authentic-looking houses. Preparation involves gathering these materials in advance and planning your town layout to minimize resource waste.

Class and equipment considerations are minimal for this task, as it primarily involves building and management. However, having a good pickaxe and building tools can speed up the construction process. Additionally, having access to wings or other mobility items can help you move quickly between biomes during the setup phase.

Specific examples include creating a Desert town for the Arms Dealer and Nurse, an Underground town for the Goblin Tinkerer and Mechanic, and a Jungle town for the Dryad and Witch Doctor. Each town should have suitable housing, proper spacing, and access to Pylons for fast travel.

In conclusion, achieving the best NPC pairings for biome-specific discounts in Terraria requires careful planning, understanding of NPC preferences, and efficient town management. By following these steps and tips, you can create a thriving town network that maximizes NPC happiness and provides significant discounts on items.