What are the best NPC housing designs for pre-hardmode Terraria?
In Terraria, NPC housing is essential for managing your town and ensuring NPCs are happy, which can lead to discounts and unique items. Pre-hardmode is the stage before defeating the Wall of Flesh, and during this phase, you have access to limited resources and NPCs. Designing effective housing for this stage requires understanding the basics of NPC happiness, biome preferences, and neighbor relationships.
First, letÔÇÖs discuss the mechanics of NPC housing. Each NPC requires a valid house to move in. A valid house must have walls, a light source, a flat surface item (like a table or workbench), a comfort item (like a chair), and a door or other entrance. The house must also be enclosed and free of corruption or crimson. NPC happiness is influenced by the biome they live in and the NPCs they are near. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome and likes living with the Zoologist, while the Merchant prefers the Forest but dislikes the Nurse. Keeping NPCs happy reduces their prices and increases their chances of selling unique items.
To start building pre-hardmode housing, gather basic materials like wood, stone, and torches. Wood is the most accessible material and can be used to craft walls, furniture, and doors. Stone is useful for creating more durable structures. Begin by constructing a simple house frame, typically 6 blocks wide and 10 blocks tall, with a door and a platform for easy access. Place a table, chair, and torch inside to meet the basic requirements. Repeat this process to create multiple houses, spacing them out to avoid overcrowding.
When placing NPCs, consider their biome preferences. For example, the Dryad prefers the Jungle biome, while the Arms Dealer prefers the Desert. If you want to maximize happiness, build separate housing clusters in different biomes. For instance, create a Forest village for the Guide, Merchant, and Zoologist, and a Desert outpost for the Arms Dealer and Nurse. This separation ensures NPCs are in their preferred biomes and near liked neighbors.
Avoid common mistakes like placing too many NPCs in one area or ignoring biome preferences. Overcrowding reduces happiness, as NPCs dislike being near too many others. Also, avoid placing NPCs in biomes they dislike, such as the Goblin Tinkerer in the Forest, as this will make them unhappy. Another mistake is neglecting to protect your housing from enemies. Use walls, traps, or NPCs like the Tavernkeep to defend your town.
Advanced techniques include creating themed housing or using teleporters for quick travel between biomes. Themed housing involves decorating houses to match the NPCÔÇÖs personality or biome. For example, use palm wood and sandstone for Desert houses or jungle wood and vines for Jungle houses. Teleporters can be crafted using wire and mechanical components, allowing you to quickly move between biomes without disrupting NPC happiness.
Resource requirements for pre-hardmode housing are minimal. YouÔÇÖll need wood, stone, torches, and basic furniture. If you want to create more elaborate designs, gather additional materials like glass, clay, or specific biome materials. Preparation involves exploring your world to gather these resources and scouting locations for your housing clusters.
Class and equipment considerations are less critical for housing but can help with resource gathering. A melee class with a good pickaxe can mine stone and wood quickly, while a ranged class can defend against enemies while building. Equip tools like the Extendo Grip or BuilderÔÇÖs Workshop items to make construction easier.
A specific example is creating a Forest village. Start by clearing a flat area in the Forest biome. Build three houses using wood, placing them about 20 blocks apart. Assign the Guide, Merchant, and Zoologist to these houses. Add decorations like trees, fences, and flower pots to enhance the theme. For a Desert outpost, find a flat area in the Desert and build two houses using sandstone and palm wood. Assign the Arms Dealer and Nurse to these houses, and add cacti and sand decorations.
In summary, pre-hardmode NPC housing requires careful planning to maximize happiness. Build simple, valid houses in preferred biomes, avoid overcrowding, and protect your town from enemies. Use advanced techniques like themed housing and teleporters for optimization. Gather basic resources and prepare locations for your housing clusters. By following these strategies, you can create a thriving town that benefits from happy NPCs.
First, letÔÇÖs discuss the mechanics of NPC housing. Each NPC requires a valid house to move in. A valid house must have walls, a light source, a flat surface item (like a table or workbench), a comfort item (like a chair), and a door or other entrance. The house must also be enclosed and free of corruption or crimson. NPC happiness is influenced by the biome they live in and the NPCs they are near. For example, the Guide prefers the Forest biome and likes living with the Zoologist, while the Merchant prefers the Forest but dislikes the Nurse. Keeping NPCs happy reduces their prices and increases their chances of selling unique items.
To start building pre-hardmode housing, gather basic materials like wood, stone, and torches. Wood is the most accessible material and can be used to craft walls, furniture, and doors. Stone is useful for creating more durable structures. Begin by constructing a simple house frame, typically 6 blocks wide and 10 blocks tall, with a door and a platform for easy access. Place a table, chair, and torch inside to meet the basic requirements. Repeat this process to create multiple houses, spacing them out to avoid overcrowding.
When placing NPCs, consider their biome preferences. For example, the Dryad prefers the Jungle biome, while the Arms Dealer prefers the Desert. If you want to maximize happiness, build separate housing clusters in different biomes. For instance, create a Forest village for the Guide, Merchant, and Zoologist, and a Desert outpost for the Arms Dealer and Nurse. This separation ensures NPCs are in their preferred biomes and near liked neighbors.
Avoid common mistakes like placing too many NPCs in one area or ignoring biome preferences. Overcrowding reduces happiness, as NPCs dislike being near too many others. Also, avoid placing NPCs in biomes they dislike, such as the Goblin Tinkerer in the Forest, as this will make them unhappy. Another mistake is neglecting to protect your housing from enemies. Use walls, traps, or NPCs like the Tavernkeep to defend your town.
Advanced techniques include creating themed housing or using teleporters for quick travel between biomes. Themed housing involves decorating houses to match the NPCÔÇÖs personality or biome. For example, use palm wood and sandstone for Desert houses or jungle wood and vines for Jungle houses. Teleporters can be crafted using wire and mechanical components, allowing you to quickly move between biomes without disrupting NPC happiness.
Resource requirements for pre-hardmode housing are minimal. YouÔÇÖll need wood, stone, torches, and basic furniture. If you want to create more elaborate designs, gather additional materials like glass, clay, or specific biome materials. Preparation involves exploring your world to gather these resources and scouting locations for your housing clusters.
Class and equipment considerations are less critical for housing but can help with resource gathering. A melee class with a good pickaxe can mine stone and wood quickly, while a ranged class can defend against enemies while building. Equip tools like the Extendo Grip or BuilderÔÇÖs Workshop items to make construction easier.
A specific example is creating a Forest village. Start by clearing a flat area in the Forest biome. Build three houses using wood, placing them about 20 blocks apart. Assign the Guide, Merchant, and Zoologist to these houses. Add decorations like trees, fences, and flower pots to enhance the theme. For a Desert outpost, find a flat area in the Desert and build two houses using sandstone and palm wood. Assign the Arms Dealer and Nurse to these houses, and add cacti and sand decorations.
In summary, pre-hardmode NPC housing requires careful planning to maximize happiness. Build simple, valid houses in preferred biomes, avoid overcrowding, and protect your town from enemies. Use advanced techniques like themed housing and teleporters for optimization. Gather basic resources and prepare locations for your housing clusters. By following these strategies, you can create a thriving town that benefits from happy NPCs.