Terraria NPC guide 2023

Terraria is a huge game with enough content to keep you busy for hours on end, though if you’re just starting out, it can be a little tricky to wrap your head around. Even if you’re dozens of hours deep, unlocking all Terraria NPCs and making them happy is easier said than done. Well, we’ve put together this handy Terraria NPC guide to answer all your most pressing questions about your new pixelated friends, including how to get them all, info on Terraria NPC house size and a useful Terraria NPC happiness chart.

Match them up with their favourite neighbours and biomes, and build your own bustling town full of unique characters, from a Wizard to Santa himself! If you find this useful, we’ve got plenty more Terraria content, like our Terraria armor sets and Terraria Wings guides. Or, if you’re looking for more pixel fun, we’ve got a heap of Stardew Valley guides, including a Stardew Valley characters guide just like this one.

Let’s dive into our Terraria NPC guide.

What are the living space requirements for Terraria NPCs? 

The more Terraria NPCs you wish to welcome to your town, the more rooms you need to build. Even if you’ve fulfilled a specific NPC’s criteria, they won’t move in until you’ve got a space for them to live, and there are a few things to consider when building the ideal room.

• Terraria NPCs are happiest when they have a living space consisting of 60 blocks or more, though anything too large is liable to upset them
• Add an entrance to their room, such as an easily-accessible door
• Build walls to turn it into a proper living space
• Be sure to add at least one source of light
• Terraria NPCs also appreciate a bit of furniture, including a chair and table

HOW do you GET ALL normal TERRARIA NPCS? 

There are dozens of Terraria NPCs to add to your town over the course of the game. Some of them can be unlocked early on, while others require you to perform specific actions, such as defeating bosses or acquiring special items. The following Terraria NPCs can be recruited before you enter hardmode.

Guide

• How to get: Guide spawns as soon as you start a new world
• What they offer: Guide provides you with handy tips on specific items and how to unlock other Terraria NPCs
• Biome preferences: Guide likes the forest biome but dislikes the ocean
• Neighbour preferences: Guide likes living with the Clothier, Princess, and Zoologist, dislikes living with the Steampunker, and hates living with the Painter

Merchant

• How to get: Merchant appears when players in the world have a combined total of 50 silver coins
• What they offer: Merchant sells basic items
• Biome preferences: Merchant likes the forest biome but dislikes the desert
• Neighbour preferences: Merchant likes living with the Golfer, Princess, and Nurse, dislikes the Tax Collector, and hates the Angler

Zoologist

• How to get: Zoologist appears when you’ve filled in at least 10% of the Bestiary
• What they offer: Zoologist sells a variety of items, including vanity, pet, and mount cosmetics
• Biome preferences: Zoologist likes the forest biome but dislikes the desert
• Neighbour preferences: Zoologist loves living with the Witch Doctor, likes living with the Golfer and Princess, dislikes living with the Angler, and hates living with the Arms Dealer

Golfer

• How to get: Golfer becomes available once you find and speak to him in the underground desert
• What they offer: Golfer sells a variety of golfing equipment, including golf clubs and balls
• Biome preferences: Golfer likes living in the forest biome but dislikes the underground
• Neighbour preferences: Golfer loves living with the Angler, likes living with the Painter, Princess, and Zoologist, dislikes living with the Pirate, and hates living with the Merchant

Nurse

• How to get: Nurse appears when you acquire more than 100 health points
• What they offer: Nurse can be paid to get rid of debuffs and heal you
• Biome preferences: Nurse likes living in the hallow biome but dislikes the snow
• Neighbour preferences: Nurse loves living with the Arms Dealer, likes living with the Wizard and Princess, dislikes living with the Dryad and Party Girl, and hates living with the Zoologist

Tavernkeep

• How to get: Tavernkeep can be found and spoken to once you defeat the Brain of Cthulhu or Eater of Worlds
• What they offer: Tavernkeep sells items that will aid your battle against the Old One’s army, which can be purchased with defender medals
• Biome preferences: Tavernkeep likes living in the hallow biome but dislikes the snow
• Neighbour preferences: Tavernkeep loves living with the Demolitionist, likes living with the Goblin Tinkerer and Princess, dislikes living with the Guide, and hates living with the Dye Trader

Demolitionist

• How to get: Demolitionist appears when you’re carrying an explosive item
• What they offer: Demolitionist sell explosives
• Biome preferences: Demolitionist likes living in the underground biome but dislikes the ocean
• Neighbour preferences: Demolitionist loves living with the Tavernkeep, likes living with the Mechanic and Princess, and dislikes living with the Arms Dealer and Goblin Tinkerer

Goblin Tinkerer

• How to get: Goblin Tinkerer appears after beating a goblin invasion. Chat to them in the cavern layer
• What they offer: Goblin Tinkerer can reforge and sell items, provided you have the currency to spend
• Biome preferences: Goblin Tinkerer likes living in the underground biome but dislikes the jungle
• Neighbour preferences: Goblin Tinkerer loves living with the Mechanic, likes living with the Dye Trader and Princess, dislikes living with the Clothier, and hates living with the Stylist

Clothier

• How to get: Clothier, otherwise known as the Old Man NPC, will appear when you defeat the dreaded Skeletron
• What they offer: Clothier sells special cosmetic items
• Biome preferences: Clothier likes living in the underground biome but dislikes the hallow
• Neighbour preferences: Clothier loves living with the Truffle, likes living with the Tax Collector and Princess, dislikes living with the Nurse, and hates living with the Mechanic

Dye Trader

• How to get: Dye Trader will appear when you have a dye item in your inventory
• What they offer: Dye Trader trades special dyes and sells the dye vat crafting station
• Biome preferences: Dye Trader likes living in the desert but hates the forest
• Neighbour preferences: Dye Trader likes living with the Arms Dealer, Princess, and Painter, dislikes living with the Steampunker, and hates living with the Pirate

Arms Dealer

• How to get: Arms Dealer will appear when you have a gun or bullets in your inventory
• What they offer: Arms Dealer sells guns and ammo
• Biome preferences: Arms Dealer likes living in the desert biome but dislikes the snow
• Neighbour preferences: Arms Dealer loves living with the Nurse, likes living with the Steampunker and Princess, dislikes living with the Golfer, and hates living with the Demolitionist

Dryad

• How to get: Dryad will appear once you’ve killed a boss other than Wall of Flesh or Slime King. Check out our Terraria Dryad guide to find out more
• What they offer: Dryad sells nature and corruption or crimson items, and will let you know the current level of corruption/crimson or hallow in your world
• Biome preferences: Dryad likes living in the jungle biome but dislikes the desert
• Neighbour preferences: Dryad likes living with the Truffle, Princess, and Witch Doctor, dislikes living with the Angler, and hates living with the Golfer

Painter

• How to get: Painter will appear when you’ve unlocked at least eight Terraria NPCs
• What they offer: Painter sells a variety of paints, paintings, painting tools, and more
• Biome preferences: Painter likes living in the jungle biome but dislikes the forest
• Neighbour preferences: Painter loves living with the Dryad, likes living with the Party Girl and Princess, and dislikes living with the Cyborg and Truffle

TERRARIA Witch Doctor

• How to get: Witch Doctor will appear once you’ve defeated the Queen Bee
• What they offer: Witch Doctor sells a variety of handy items, including fountains, the imbuing station, summoner items, and even a blowgun
• Biome preferences: Witch Doctor likes living in the jungle biome but dislikes the hallow
• Neighbour preferences: Witch Doctor likes living with the Guide, Princess, and Dryad, dislikes living with the Nurse, and hates living with the Truffle

TERRARIA Stylist

• How to get: Stylist can be freed by finding and chatting to her inside a spider cave
• What they offer: Stylist sells hair dyes and can alter your hairdo
• Biome preferences: Stylist likes living in the ocean biome but dislikes the snow
• Neighbour preferences: Stylist loves living with the Dye Trader, likes living with the Pirate and Princess, dislikes living with the Tavernkeep, and hates living with the Goblin Tinkerer

TERRARIA Angler

• How to get: Angler can be found in the ocean biome
• What they offer: Angler offers a series of simple fishing missions to complete for rewards
• Biome preferences: Angler likes living in the ocean biome but dislikes the desert
• Neighbour preferences: Angler likes living with the Princess, Party Girl, Demolitionist, and Tax Collector, and hates living with the Tavernkeep

TERRARIA Mechanic

• How to get: Mechanic can be found lurking in the dungeon area
• What they offer: Mechanic sells wire, the wrench, and a variety of other items
• Biome preferences: Mechanic likes living in the snow biome but dislikes the underground
• Neighbour preferences: Mechanic loves living with the Goblin Tinkerer, likes living with the Cyborg and Princess, dislikes living with the Arms Dealer, and hates living with the Clothier

How do you get all Hardmode Terraria NPCs? 

The following Terraria NPCs can only be unlocked within the game’s hardmode, which becomes the default once you’ve defeated the Wall of Flesh boss.

Party Girl

• How to get: Party Girl has a 1/40 chance of appearing once you’ve acquired 14 or more Terraria NPCs
• What they offer: Party Girl sells colourful novelty items with flashy effects
• Biome preferences: Party Girl likes living in the hallow biome but dislikes the underground
• Neighbour preferences: Party Girl loves living with the Wizard and Zoologist, likes living with the Stylist and Princess, dislikes living with the Merchant, and hates living with the Tax Collector

Wizard

• How to get: Wizard can be found residing in the cavern layer
• What they offer: Wizard sells handy magical items
• Biome preferences: Wizard likes living in the hallow biome but dislikes the ocean
• Neighbour preferences: Wizard loves living with the Golfer, likes living with the Merchant and Princess, dislikes living with the Witch Doctor, and hates living with the Cyborg

TERRARIA Princess

• How to get: Princess can be unlocked by acquiring every other Terraria NPC, not including the pets or Santa Claus
• What they offer: Princess sells a range of cosmetic items, mostly of the regal variety
• Biome preferences: Princess has no biome preferences
• Neighbour preferences: Princess loves living with everyone

TERRARIA Cyborg

• How to get: Cyborg will appear once you’ve defeated Plantera
• What they offer: Cyborg sells futuristic items and weapons, including rockets and nanites
• Biome preferences: Cyborg likes living in the snow biome but dislikes the jungle
• Neighbour preferences: Cyborg likes living with the Pirate, Stylist, Princess, and Steampunker, dislikes living with the Zoologist, and hates living with the Wizard

TERRARIA Santa Claus

• How to get: Santa Claus will appear once you’ve defeated Frost Legion, but only during the winter season, which runs from December 15 to 31
• What they offer: Santa Claus sells a variety of festive items, including decorations and a Santa outfit
• Biome preferences: Santa Claus likes living in the snow biome but dislikes the desert
• Neighbour preferences: Santa Claus likes living with the Princess and hates living with the Tax Collector

TERRARIA Tax Collector

• How to get: Tax Collector will appear once you’ve transformed a tortured soul with purification power purchased from the Dryad
• What they offer: Tax Collector collects 50 copper coins from every Terraria NPC in your town, all of which goes to you
• Biome preferences: Tax Collector likes living in the snow biome but dislikes the hallow
• Neighbour preferences: Tax Collector loves living with the Merchant, likes living with the Party Girl and Princess, dislikes living with the Demolitionist and Mechanic, and hates living with Santa Claus

TERRARIA Truffle

• How to get: Truffle will appear once you’ve built a house in the glowing mushroom biome
• What they offer: Truffle sells a variety of mushroom-themed items, including the mushroom spear
• Biome preferences: Truffle likes living in the mushroom biome but has no other biome preferences
• Neighbour preferences: Truffle loves living with the Guide, likes living with the Dryad and Princess, dislikes living with the Clothier, and hates living with the Witch Doctor

TERRARIA Steampunker

• How to get: Steampunker will appear once you’ve defeated Skeletron Prime, The Destroyer, or The Twins
• What they offer: Steampunker sells the teleporter, jetpack, and other handy items
• Biome preferences: Steampunker likes living in the desert but dislikes the jungle
• Neighbour preferences: Steampunker loves living with the Cyborg, likes living with the Painter and Princess, and dislikes living with the Dryad, Wizard, and Party Girl

Terraria Pirate

• How to get: Pirate appears once you’ve defeated a pirate invasion
• What they offer: Pirate sells a variety of pirate-themed items, including a cannon
• Biome preferences: Pirate likes living in the ocean biome but dislikes the underground
• Neighbour preferences: Pirate loves living with the Angler, likes living with the Tavernkeep and Princess, dislikes living with the Stylist, and hates living with the Guide

How do you get all town pet Terraria NPCs? 

There are three town pet Terraria NPCs for you to collect in total. They do not have biome or neighbour preferences, though they do count as town NPCs, therefore reducing the spawn rate of enemies in the area.

TOWN CAT

Town Cat will appear when you purchase the cat license from the Zoologist, which only becomes available once you’ve filled out 10% of the Bestiary.

Town Dog

Town Dog will appear when you purchase the dog license from the Zoologist, which only becomes available once you’ve filled out 25% of the Bestiary.

Town Bunny

Town Bunny will appear when you purchase the bunny license from the Zoologist, which only becomes available once you’ve filled out 45% of the Bestiary.

What is the NPC Happiness chart? 

Making sure all NPCs are happy is a very complicated balancing act, making it a complex puzzle to avoid paying extortionate prices. NPCs that like each other often prefer completely different biomes, and some are fond of neighbours who hate them in return. Pylons can also make an NPC a little grumpy, making it difficult to set up a network.

Below is a table suggesting one close to optimal solution for most of your NPC needs, that should help you maximize average happiness across the board. Be sure that there are, at most, two other NPCs within 25 tiles of NPC A, and at most three other NPCs between 25 and 120 tiles away, and be wary of how close you place your pylons to their humble homes.

And that’s it for our Terraria NPCs guide. If you’re looking for something new to play, be sure to check out our best Android games list or the best mobile RPGs for more exploration fun.