NPCs are at the heart of the Terraria experience. Whether you’re buying weapons, selling your junk, accessing pylons, or just enjoying the ambiance of a bustling village, how you set up your NPCs can impact not just functionality, but gameplay and pricing as well. Introduced in version 1.4, the NPC Happiness system determines how much NPCs charge for their items, how much money you get when selling to them, and even how your Tax Collector performs.

In this guide, we’ll explore two approaches to organizing NPCs: the wiki-optimized method for maximum happiness and discounts, and a more creative, builder-friendly method that prioritizes aesthetics and thematic grouping.

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Understanding NPC Happiness

Happiness is determined by three key factors:

• Population: NPCs dislike being crowded. A bonus is applied when there are no more than 2 other NPCs within 25 blocks, and no more than 3-4 within 120 blocks. Exceeding this causes penalties.
• Relationships: Each NPC has preferences. Some love each other, some like or dislike others, and a few even hate each other. These preferences significantly influence happiness.
• Location: Most NPCs have a favorite biome and one they dislike. Only Santa Claus expresses extreme love/hate. The rest have moderate preferences.

Additionally:

• Town Pets and Town Slimes do not affect overcrowding or happiness—but they count toward pylons, which is great for remote locations.
• Biome overlaps (like Hallowed Snow) are resolved by priority: a liked biome will always override a disliked one.
• The Princess is unique—she loves every NPC and is liked in return. She has no biome preferences and is a great happiness booster anywhere.

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Part 1: Wiki-Optimized NPC Pairings

The official Terraria wiki offers groupings that maximize discounts and prioritize pylon access during late-game progression. Here’s a summarized version:

Forest

• Merchant lives alone.
• Zoologist + Golfer grouped together at a distance from the Merchant (to avoid conflict—Golfer hates Merchant).

Underground Hallow

• Tavernkeep (loves Hallow) + Demolitionist (likes Underground).

Surface Hallow

• Party Girl + Wizard.

Underground Snow

• Goblin Tinkerer + Mechanic + Princess.

Desert

• Nurse, Dye Trader, Arms Dealer.

Snow/Desert (Choice)

• Steampunker + Cyborg (put in Snow for Cyborg, Desert for Steampunker).

Jungle

• Dryad, Painter, Witch Doctor.

Ocean

• Stylist, Angler, Pirate.

Snow (Solo)

• Tax Collector (add a pet or slime for pylon access).

Mushroom Biome (Underground Recommended)

• Guide, Clothier, Truffle.

These placements ensure every NPC is happy, no one is penalized, and you get strong discounts across the board.

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Part 2: Creative Builder-Friendly Pairings

For players who care more about aesthetic builds, lore headcanons, and visual themes, here’s an alternative that balances happiness with creativity.

Top Priority NPCs

• Painter, Mechanic, Goblin Tinkerer, Demolitionist, Nurse (frequent usage or gameplay impact).

Low Priority NPCs

• Angler, Guide (no price-related functions).

Custom Groupings and Logic

Jungle Village

• Dryad, Painter, Witch Doctor
• Roleplay: Painter visits for inspiration; the Dryad and Witch Doctor are jungle locals.

Underground Snow Workshop

• Mechanic, Goblin Tinkerer, Demolitionist
• Mechanic and Goblin are in love; all enjoy the underground; perfect fit for a tech-style base.

Desert Western Outpost

• Nurse, Arms Dealer, Steampunker
• Inspired by Wild West themes; Nurse and Arms Dealer have a relationship; Steampunker brings the style.

Desert Solo Residence

• Dye Trader
• Solo setup for creative housing ideas.

Forest Town 1: Golf Club

• Zoologist, Golfer, Wizard
• Wizard and Golfer are old pals; Zoologist maintains the grounds.

Forest Town 2: Commerce Row

• Merchant, Tax Collector, Clothier
• Functionally mild NPCs in a cozy commercial district.

Hallow Haven

• Party Girl, Stylist, Princess
• Lighthearted, whimsical town. Party Girl benefits from the Hallow, Princess is always happy.

Ocean Retreat

• Angler, Pirate, Tavernkeep
• Pirate plays father figure to Angler; Tavernkeep rounds out the coastal crew.

Mushroom Base

• Truffle, Guide
• Fun twist: Truffle tries to “convert” the Guide to mushroomdom.

Snow Solitudes

• Cyborg and Santa in separate homes
• Both like the snow, and their house styles are thematically distinct.

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Final Thoughts

Whether you’re going for max efficiency or aesthetic immersion, NPC happiness doesn’t need to be a pain. Learn the rules, then break or bend them based on what matters most to you—function, fantasy, or both.

With pets and slimes as flexible pylon enablers and the Princess as a universal friend, you’ve got plenty of room to be creative without breaking your world.