How do I make the Tavernkeep NPC happy in Terraria?

To make the Tavernkeep NPC happy in Terraria, you need to understand the NPC happiness system, which was introduced in the 1.4 update. This system allows NPCs to have preferences for specific biomes and neighbors, which directly affects their happiness. A happy NPC will offer discounts on their items and, in some cases, sell unique items that are otherwise unavailable. The Tavernkeep is a unique NPC who sells items related to the Old One's Army event, such as sentry summon weapons and armor sets. Keeping him happy is essential if you want to maximize your efficiency in this event and save money on his items.

The Tavernkeep prefers to live in the Hallow biome. This is one of the key factors in making him happy. If you place him in any other biome, his happiness will decrease, and he will charge higher prices for his items. Additionally, the Tavernkeep has specific preferences for neighbors. He likes living near the Goblin Tinkerer, the Wizard, and the Princess. These NPCs are considered his preferred neighbors, and having them nearby will increase his happiness. On the other hand, he dislikes living near the Angler and the Stylist, so you should avoid placing him near these NPCs if you want to keep him happy.

To start, you need to create a suitable house for the Tavernkeep in the Hallow biome. The Hallow biome is a bright, colorful biome that is generated after defeating the Wall of Flesh and entering Hardmode. You can create an artificial Hallow biome by planting Hallow seeds or using Holy Water to spread the Hallow to a specific area. Once you have a Hallow biome set up, build a house using any material you prefer, but make sure it meets the basic housing requirements, such as having walls, a door, a table, a chair, and a light source.

Next, you need to place the Tavernkeep in this house. If you haven't already, you can summon the Tavernkeep by finding him in the world after defeating the Eater of Worlds or Brain of Cthulhu. He will appear as a bound NPC, and you can free him by interacting with him. Once freed, he will move into an available house. Make sure the house you built in the Hallow is the only available house, or assign him to it manually using the housing menu.

After placing the Tavernkeep in the Hallow biome, you need to consider his neighbors. As mentioned earlier, he likes the Goblin Tinkerer, the Wizard, and the Princess. You can place these NPCs in nearby houses within the same biome to maximize his happiness. If you don't have these NPCs yet, you can work on unlocking them. The Goblin Tinkerer can be found underground after defeating a Goblin Army, the Wizard is found in the Cavern layer after defeating Skeletron, and the Princess becomes available once all other NPCs are present.

One common mistake players make is placing the Tavernkeep in the wrong biome or near NPCs he dislikes. This can significantly reduce his happiness and increase the prices of his items. Another mistake is not having enough houses available for his preferred neighbors. Make sure you have enough housing in the Hallow biome to accommodate the Tavernkeep and his preferred neighbors.

Advanced techniques for optimizing the Tavernkeep's happiness include creating a compact NPC village in the Hallow biome. This involves building multiple houses close together, with the Tavernkeep's house centrally located and surrounded by the houses of his preferred neighbors. This setup not only maximizes his happiness but also makes it easier to manage your NPCs and access their services.

Resource requirements for this setup include materials for building houses, such as wood, stone, or any other building material you prefer. You will also need Hallow seeds or Holy Water to create an artificial Hallow biome if one is not naturally available near your base. Additionally, you may need to gather resources to unlock the Goblin Tinkerer, Wizard, and Princess, such as defeating the Goblin Army, Skeletron, and collecting all other NPCs.

In terms of class and equipment considerations, the Tavernkeep's happiness is not directly affected by your character's class or equipment. However, having a well-equipped character can make it easier to gather the necessary resources and defeat the required bosses to unlock the Tavernkeep and his preferred neighbors. For example, a melee character with strong armor and weapons can quickly defeat the Eater of Worlds or Brain of Cthulhu to summon the Tavernkeep, while a ranged character can efficiently farm for Hallow seeds or Holy Water.

In summary, making the Tavernkeep happy in Terraria involves placing him in the Hallow biome and ensuring he has the right neighbors. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can maximize his happiness, reduce the prices of his items, and gain access to unique items for the Old One's Army event. Proper planning, resource management, and strategic placement of NPCs are key to achieving this goal.