What are the best NPC pairings for early-game discounts in Terraria?

In Terraria, NPC happiness is a system that affects the prices of items sold by NPCs, as well as their willingness to sell certain items. Keeping NPCs happy can lead to significant discounts, which is especially useful in the early game when resources are limited. To achieve the best NPC pairings for early-game discounts, you need to understand the mechanics of NPC happiness, how to place NPCs in the right biomes, and how to pair them with preferred neighbors.

The happiness system is based on three factors: biome preference, neighbor preference, and overcrowding. Each NPC has a preferred biome and one or two preferred neighbors. If an NPC is in their preferred biome and near a preferred neighbor, their happiness increases, leading to lower prices. Conversely, if they are in a disliked biome or near a disliked neighbor, their happiness decreases, leading to higher prices. Overcrowding occurs when too many NPCs are placed in a small area, which also reduces happiness.

To start, you need to build suitable housing for your NPCs. Housing must meet certain requirements, such as being at least 6 blocks tall and 10 blocks wide, having walls, a light source, a table, and a chair. You can check if a house is suitable by using the housing query tool. Once you have built suitable housing, you can start placing NPCs in their preferred biomes and near their preferred neighbors.

For early-game discounts, some of the best NPC pairings include the Merchant and the Nurse, the Arms Dealer and the Nurse, and the Demolitionist and the Tavernkeep. The Merchant prefers the Forest biome and likes the Nurse as a neighbor. Placing the Merchant and the Nurse together in the Forest biome will increase their happiness, leading to lower prices. The Arms Dealer also prefers the Forest biome and likes the Nurse as a neighbor, so placing them together in the Forest biome will also increase their happiness. The Demolitionist prefers the Underground biome and likes the Tavernkeep as a neighbor. Placing them together in the Underground biome will increase their happiness and lead to lower prices.

To achieve these pairings, you need to build houses in the appropriate biomes. For the Forest biome, you can build houses near your spawn point, as this is usually in the Forest biome. For the Underground biome, you need to dig down and create a suitable housing area. Make sure to place the houses close enough so that the NPCs are considered neighbors, but not so close that they cause overcrowding.

One important tip is to avoid placing too many NPCs in a small area. Overcrowding reduces happiness, so it is better to spread out your NPCs across different biomes. Another tip is to use pylons, which are items that allow fast travel between biomes. To obtain a pylon, you need to have at least two NPCs in a biome with high happiness. Placing NPCs in their preferred biomes and near their preferred neighbors will increase their happiness, allowing you to purchase a pylon.

Common mistakes to avoid include placing NPCs in disliked biomes or near disliked neighbors. For example, the Merchant dislikes the Desert biome and the Arms Dealer dislikes the Snow biome. Placing them in these biomes will reduce their happiness and increase prices. Another mistake is not checking the housing query tool to ensure that the houses are suitable. If a house is not suitable, the NPC will not move in, and you will not be able to increase their happiness.

Advanced techniques include using teleporters to create efficient NPC housing setups. Teleporters allow you to quickly move between different biomes, making it easier to manage NPC happiness. You can also use actuators to create hidden housing areas, which can help reduce overcrowding. Additionally, you can use the Clentaminator to change biomes, allowing you to create preferred biomes for your NPCs.

Resource requirements for building suitable housing include wood, stone, and other basic materials. You will also need to gather materials for crafting furniture, such as tables and chairs. Preparation involves gathering these materials and planning your housing layout to maximize happiness.

Class and equipment considerations are not directly related to NPC happiness, but having a strong character can help you gather resources more efficiently. For example, a melee character with a good pickaxe can mine stone and wood faster, while a ranged character with a bow can defend against enemies while building.

In summary, achieving the best NPC pairings for early-game discounts in Terraria involves understanding the happiness system, building suitable housing, placing NPCs in their preferred biomes, and pairing them with preferred neighbors. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can increase NPC happiness, lower prices, and make the early game more manageable. Advanced techniques like using teleporters and the Clentaminator can further optimize your setup, while proper resource management and character development will help you build and maintain a thriving town.