How do I make the Skeleton Merchant happy in Terraria?
The Skeleton Merchant is a unique NPC in Terraria who appears randomly underground, typically in the Cavern layer. Unlike other NPCs, he does not require a house to move in permanently. Instead, he spawns occasionally and sells various items, including the Magic Lantern, Spelunker Glowstick, and other useful tools. However, the Skeleton Merchant has preferences for biomes and neighbors, which affect his happiness and the prices of his goods. To make him happy, you need to understand the NPC happiness system and apply it effectively.
The NPC happiness system in Terraria is based on three factors: biome preference, neighbor preference, and crowding. Each NPC has a preferred biome and specific neighbors they like or dislike. If an NPC is placed in their preferred biome and near liked neighbors, their happiness increases, leading to lower prices for their items and, in some cases, unique items like the Pylon network. For the Skeleton Merchant, his preferred biome is the Underground or Cavern layer, which is where he naturally spawns. This means you donÔÇÖt need to move him to a different biome to make him happy. However, you can still optimize his happiness by placing him near NPCs he likes.
The Skeleton Merchant likes the Tavernkeep and the Wizard as neighbors. These NPCs share a similar affinity for the underground and magical themes, making them good companions for the Skeleton Merchant. To maximize his happiness, you can build a small underground town in the Cavern layer with houses for the Tavernkeep and Wizard nearby. Ensure the houses are within 25 tiles of each other to count as neighbors. Avoid placing NPCs he dislikes, such as the Nurse or the Arms Dealer, too close to him, as this will reduce his happiness.
When building the underground town, make sure the houses meet the basic requirements for NPC housing. Each house must be at least 6 blocks wide and 10 blocks tall, with walls, a light source, a table, a chair, and a door. You can use platforms instead of doors for easier access. The biome should remain as the Underground or Cavern layer, so avoid placing too many blocks from other biomes, as this can change the biome type. Use background walls that match the underground theme, such as stone or dirt walls, to maintain the biome.
One common mistake players make is placing the Skeleton Merchant in a biome he doesnÔÇÖt like, such as the Surface or a Corruption biome. This will significantly reduce his happiness and increase his prices. Another mistake is overcrowding the area with too many NPCs. While the Skeleton Merchant likes the Tavernkeep and Wizard, having too many NPCs nearby can still cause crowding penalties. To avoid this, limit the number of NPCs in the underground town to just the Skeleton Merchant, Tavernkeep, and Wizard.
Advanced techniques for optimizing the Skeleton MerchantÔÇÖs happiness include using Pylons to create a fast travel network. If the Skeleton Merchant is happy enough, he will sell the Underground Pylon, which allows you to teleport between underground towns. To achieve this, ensure the Tavernkeep and Wizard are also happy by placing them in their preferred biomes and near liked neighbors. For example, the Wizard likes the Hallow biome, so you can create a separate Hallow town for him and connect it to the underground town using Pylons.
Resource requirements for building an underground town include stone, wood, and torches for basic construction. You may also need to gather materials for furniture, such as tables and chairs. If you want to decorate the town, consider using underground-themed items like bone blocks or gemspark blocks. Mining these resources can be time-consuming, so prepare by bringing a good pickaxe and mining potions.
Class and equipment considerations are minimal for this task, as it primarily involves building and NPC management. However, having a good pickaxe, such as the Molten Pickaxe or better, will make mining and building easier. If youÔÇÖre playing as a summoner, you can use minions to protect yourself while working underground. For other classes, bring weapons and armor suitable for the Cavern layer, as enemies like Giant Bats and skeletons can be a threat.
In summary, making the Skeleton Merchant happy involves placing him in the Underground or Cavern biome, near the Tavernkeep and Wizard, while avoiding disliked neighbors and overcrowding. Build a small underground town with proper housing, use Pylons for fast travel, and gather the necessary resources for construction. By following these steps, you can maximize the Skeleton MerchantÔÇÖs happiness, reduce his prices, and unlock the Underground Pylon for convenient travel.
The NPC happiness system in Terraria is based on three factors: biome preference, neighbor preference, and crowding. Each NPC has a preferred biome and specific neighbors they like or dislike. If an NPC is placed in their preferred biome and near liked neighbors, their happiness increases, leading to lower prices for their items and, in some cases, unique items like the Pylon network. For the Skeleton Merchant, his preferred biome is the Underground or Cavern layer, which is where he naturally spawns. This means you donÔÇÖt need to move him to a different biome to make him happy. However, you can still optimize his happiness by placing him near NPCs he likes.
The Skeleton Merchant likes the Tavernkeep and the Wizard as neighbors. These NPCs share a similar affinity for the underground and magical themes, making them good companions for the Skeleton Merchant. To maximize his happiness, you can build a small underground town in the Cavern layer with houses for the Tavernkeep and Wizard nearby. Ensure the houses are within 25 tiles of each other to count as neighbors. Avoid placing NPCs he dislikes, such as the Nurse or the Arms Dealer, too close to him, as this will reduce his happiness.
When building the underground town, make sure the houses meet the basic requirements for NPC housing. Each house must be at least 6 blocks wide and 10 blocks tall, with walls, a light source, a table, a chair, and a door. You can use platforms instead of doors for easier access. The biome should remain as the Underground or Cavern layer, so avoid placing too many blocks from other biomes, as this can change the biome type. Use background walls that match the underground theme, such as stone or dirt walls, to maintain the biome.
One common mistake players make is placing the Skeleton Merchant in a biome he doesnÔÇÖt like, such as the Surface or a Corruption biome. This will significantly reduce his happiness and increase his prices. Another mistake is overcrowding the area with too many NPCs. While the Skeleton Merchant likes the Tavernkeep and Wizard, having too many NPCs nearby can still cause crowding penalties. To avoid this, limit the number of NPCs in the underground town to just the Skeleton Merchant, Tavernkeep, and Wizard.
Advanced techniques for optimizing the Skeleton MerchantÔÇÖs happiness include using Pylons to create a fast travel network. If the Skeleton Merchant is happy enough, he will sell the Underground Pylon, which allows you to teleport between underground towns. To achieve this, ensure the Tavernkeep and Wizard are also happy by placing them in their preferred biomes and near liked neighbors. For example, the Wizard likes the Hallow biome, so you can create a separate Hallow town for him and connect it to the underground town using Pylons.
Resource requirements for building an underground town include stone, wood, and torches for basic construction. You may also need to gather materials for furniture, such as tables and chairs. If you want to decorate the town, consider using underground-themed items like bone blocks or gemspark blocks. Mining these resources can be time-consuming, so prepare by bringing a good pickaxe and mining potions.
Class and equipment considerations are minimal for this task, as it primarily involves building and NPC management. However, having a good pickaxe, such as the Molten Pickaxe or better, will make mining and building easier. If youÔÇÖre playing as a summoner, you can use minions to protect yourself while working underground. For other classes, bring weapons and armor suitable for the Cavern layer, as enemies like Giant Bats and skeletons can be a threat.
In summary, making the Skeleton Merchant happy involves placing him in the Underground or Cavern biome, near the Tavernkeep and Wizard, while avoiding disliked neighbors and overcrowding. Build a small underground town with proper housing, use Pylons for fast travel, and gather the necessary resources for construction. By following these steps, you can maximize the Skeleton MerchantÔÇÖs happiness, reduce his prices, and unlock the Underground Pylon for convenient travel.