How do I make the Guide NPC happy in Terraria?

To make the Guide 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. For the Guide, his happiness is influenced by the biome he lives in and the NPCs he is housed near.

The Guide prefers the Forest biome, which is the default biome where you start the game. This is the most straightforward biome to place him in, as it requires no special preparation. If you place him in any other biome, such as the Desert or Snow biome, his happiness will decrease. Additionally, the Guide likes to live near the Zoologist and the Clothier. If you house him near these NPCs, his happiness will increase. However, he dislikes living near the Merchant and the Painter, so avoid placing him near these NPCs if you want to keep him happy.

To start, you need to build a suitable house for the Guide in the Forest biome. A house in Terraria must meet certain requirements: it must have walls, a door, a table, a chair, and a light source. The house must also be enclosed and have a valid background wall. Once you have built the house, assign the Guide to it by opening the housing menu and selecting the house for him. If you have the Zoologist or Clothier available, build houses for them nearby, but not too close. NPCs need to be within 25 tiles of each other to be considered neighbors, but they should not be overcrowded, as this can reduce happiness.

One common mistake is placing too many NPCs in a small area. While it might seem efficient to have all your NPCs in one location, this can lead to overcrowding, which reduces happiness. Instead, spread out your NPCs in small groups of two or three, ensuring they are near their preferred neighbors and in their preferred biomes. For the Guide, this means placing him in the Forest biome with the Zoologist or Clothier nearby.

Advanced techniques involve creating specialized biomes for your NPCs. For example, you can create an artificial Forest biome by planting enough Forest-specific trees and grass. This allows you to place the Guide in a Forest biome even if your base is located in a different biome. To do this, you need to gather seeds from Forest trees and plant them in the desired area. You can also use the Clentaminator with Green Solution to convert an area into a Forest biome.

Resource requirements for making the Guide happy are minimal. You need basic building materials like wood, stone, and torches to create a house. If you want to create an artificial Forest biome, you will need Forest tree seeds and possibly Green Solution if you are using the Clentaminator. These resources are relatively easy to obtain early in the game, making it simple to keep the Guide happy from the start.

Class and equipment considerations are not directly related to NPC happiness, but having a well-equipped character can make it easier to gather resources and build houses. For example, a character with a good pickaxe can mine stone and wood more efficiently, while a character with a high movement speed can quickly travel between biomes to gather materials. However, these are not strictly necessary for making the Guide happy.

In summary, to make the Guide happy, place him in the Forest biome with the Zoologist or Clothier as neighbors. Avoid placing him near the Merchant or Painter, and ensure his house meets all the basic requirements. Spread out your NPCs to avoid overcrowding, and consider creating artificial biomes if necessary. With these steps, you can keep the Guide happy and benefit from his discounts and unique items.