What are the best NPC housing designs for late-game Terraria?

In late-game Terraria, optimizing NPC housing designs is crucial for maximizing NPC happiness, which directly impacts their prices and the availability of unique items. The happiness system is based on biome preferences, neighbor preferences, and overcrowding. Each NPC has specific likes and dislikes for biomes and neighbors, and placing them in their preferred environments with liked neighbors will increase their happiness. Conversely, placing them in disliked biomes or with disliked neighbors will decrease their happiness. Overcrowding, which occurs when too many NPCs are housed in a small area, also reduces happiness. To achieve the best NPC housing designs for late-game Terraria, you need to consider these mechanics and strategically place your NPCs.

First, you need to understand the biome preferences of each NPC. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome, while the Arms Dealer prefers the Desert. The Nurse likes the Hallow, and the Goblin Tinkerer prefers the Underground. By placing NPCs in their preferred biomes, you can significantly increase their happiness. Additionally, each NPC has specific neighbor preferences. For instance, the Nurse likes the Arms Dealer, while the Goblin Tinkerer likes the Mechanic. Pairing NPCs with their preferred neighbors will further boost their happiness.

To start, you should create separate housing clusters in different biomes. For example, you can build a Forest village for the Guide, Merchant, and Zoologist, who all prefer the Forest biome. In the Desert, you can house the Arms Dealer, Nurse, and Steampunker. In the Hallow, you can place the Party Girl, Wizard, and Tavernkeep. Each cluster should have at least three houses, but no more than four, to avoid overcrowding. Each house should be at least 25 tiles apart to prevent NPCs from being too close to each other, which can reduce happiness.

When building the houses, ensure they meet the basic requirements for NPC housing. Each house must have at least 60 tiles of space, including walls, a light source, a flat surface item, and a comfort item. You can use platforms as doors to make the houses more accessible. Additionally, you can decorate the houses with furniture and paintings to make them more visually appealing, though this does not affect happiness directly.

One important tip is to use pylons to create a fast travel network between your housing clusters. Pylons allow you to teleport between different biomes, making it easier to manage your NPCs and access their services. To activate a pylon, you need at least two NPCs in the same biome who are happy enough to sell the pylon. By strategically placing pylons in each biome, you can create an efficient travel network that saves time and resources.

A common mistake to avoid is overcrowding your housing clusters. If you place too many NPCs in a small area, their happiness will decrease, and they will not sell pylons. To prevent this, ensure each housing cluster has no more than four NPCs and that each house is at least 25 tiles apart. Another mistake is ignoring NPC preferences. Placing an NPC in a disliked biome or with a disliked neighbor will reduce their happiness, so always check their preferences before building their house.

Advanced techniques include using teleporters to create hidden housing clusters. For example, you can build a small underground village for the Goblin Tinkerer and Mechanic, connected to the surface via teleporters. This allows you to keep them in their preferred biome without disrupting the surface layout. You can also use actuators to create hidden doors or walls, making your housing clusters more secure and aesthetically pleasing.

Resource requirements for building NPC housing include wood, stone, and various furniture items. You will also need to gather materials for pylons, such as crystals and wood. Preparation involves gathering these resources in advance and planning the layout of your housing clusters. You can use the Architect's Workshop furniture set to make building easier, as it provides a variety of decorative items.

Class and equipment considerations are minimal for building NPC housing, but having a good pickaxe and building tools can speed up the process. The Grand Design is particularly useful for wiring teleporters and actuators. Additionally, having a high mobility setup, such as wings and a mount, can help you travel between biomes quickly while building.

In summary, the best NPC housing designs for late-game Terraria involve creating separate housing clusters in different biomes, placing NPCs with their preferred neighbors, and avoiding overcrowding. Use pylons to create a fast travel network, and consider advanced techniques like teleporters and actuators for hidden housing. Always check NPC preferences and avoid common mistakes like overcrowding and ignoring biome preferences. With careful planning and resource management, you can create efficient and happy NPC housing clusters that enhance your late-game experience.