Terraria: How to get NPCs

Terraria, at first glance, seems like quite an easy game to understand; pretty much it's a 2D Minecraft, but as you dig deeper, no pun intended, you start to realize how in-depth Terraria really is. From finding different biomes filled with an assortment of disgusting creatures, finding Spider Caves, to finding a Mine Cart track deep underground - exploring is essential! Yet as you progress, starting building and turning your house into a home, you'll eventually get NPCs (Non-player character) to come to join your community as it were. There are quite a lot of them to get, but it's beneficial to get them all!

Terraria how to get NPCs

To get NPCs in Terraria, you must first complete specific requirements as you progress through the game; this could be as simple as earning 50 Silver or having an explosive in your bag. Some of the NPCs act as vendors, so you can buy certain things unique to them or even sell things cluttering up your inventory. However, the NPCs have their own personalities, they tend to dislike certain other NPC's or want to live in a particular biome, and it's in your best interests to make them happy!

All NPCs need a place to live, this could be an extravagant home for a select few residents, or it could be a basic bog-standard square! Their homes have to have a few specific things to get them to spawn, as even if you have accomplished the requirements if there is no home for them to move into, they will not spawn and move in.

Each home needs the following:

• Home Requirements
  • Must be at least 10x6 in size.
  • Must have a light source - a simple torch will do.
  • Must have a flat surface item - a wooden table is the easiest thing to craft.
  • Must have a comfort item - a wooden chair is the easiest thing for this.
  • The home must be fully enclosed with a door - even if the home is made out of dirt, it's perfectly fine!
  • The background of the home must have proper walls.

There are 26 NPCs to get in Terraria in playing on PC, less if playing on console versions!

Here's a list of how to get all Terraria's NPCs:

The Guide

• • How to get?
    • The Guide is the first NPC you get, and he's there when you launch a new world. No matter what, the guide is always there.
  • What do they do? 
    • He's basically the tutorial, and you can use him to see what materials can be crafted into what. The Guide is essential for first-time players.

Merchant

• • How to get?
    • To get the Merchant, you need to have saved up 50 Silver Coins.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Merchant sells basic supplies, though, in the early game, he's the one you're going to sell all of your junk too!

Nurse

• • How to get?
    • To get the Nurse, the Merchant NPC must have a home and be moved in, and the player has to have found and used at least 1 Life Crystal to have more than 100 life.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Nurse provides healing, but at a cost. It's pretty cheap, but it is convenient!

Demolitionist

• • How to get?
    • To get the Demolitionist, the Merchant NPC has to have a home and be moved in, and players must have an Explosive item in your inventory - this could be a grenade, dynamite, even a bomb.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Demolitionist is a vendor, and he'll sell you explosive materials!

Arms Dealer

• • How to get?
    • To get the Arms Dealer, you need to have bullets or a gun in your inventory. Unless you're lucky, you won't get this NPC early on.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Arms Dealer will sell you guns and ammo, depending on the biome and specific events.

Dryad

• • How to get?
    • To get the Dryad, you must beat one of the first early bosses in the game, and they cannot be optional bosses such as King Slime. Players have to defeat either the Eye of Cthulu, Brain of Cthulu, or Eater of Worlds. We recommend killing Eye of Cthulu first!
    • You must also have a dye item in your inventory.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Dryad is a vendor, and you can buy an assortment of seeds and planting equipment from her.

The Princess

• • How to get?
    • To get the Princess, all other NPCs are present.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Princess will sell you royalty related items!

Dye Trader

• • How to get?
    • To get the Dye Trader, you must have beaten one of the early bosses and have a dye item in your inventory.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Dye Trader will dye your armor or clothes!

Painter

• • How to get?
    • To get the Painter, you must have 8 other NPCs in your community/town.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Painter will sell you paint and an assortment of painting tools.

Angler - PC Only

• • How to get?
    • To get the Angler, you must go to one of the two sides of the map, and you'll find the Ocean Biome there. The Angler will sleeping on the beach or in the water and must be interacted with.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Angler will give you quests to do daily, to find certain fish. If you catch the fish and then return, he'll award you with pirate or fish related items.

Stylist - PC Only

• • How to get?
    • To get the Stylist, you must venture into a Spider Nest/Cave and save her.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Stylist will sell your hair dye, and she can also re-customize your hair!

Goblin Tinkerer

• • How to get?
    • To get the Goblin Tinkerer, players must first defeat the Goblin Army event that will randomly happen as you play the game. A notification will pop up, informing you that the Golbin Army has invaded.
    • After you have finished this random event, the Golbin Tinkerer can be found in the Underground layer and must be saved.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Goblin Tinkerer sells useful tools, but he can also re-forge your weapons and accessories to make them a lot better potentially. However, the Goblins services are not cheap.

Witch Doctor

• • How to get?
    • To get the Witch Doctor, players must kill the boss known as the Queen Bee.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Witch Doctor sells an Imbuing Station, fountains, as well as other tribal related items.

Clothier

• • How to get?
    • To get the Clothier, players must kill Skeletron, the old man at the Dungeon entrance.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Clothier sells you vanity items, such as clothing.

Mechanic

• • How to get?
    • To get the Mechanic, you must venture into the Dungeon after killing Skeletron to find and save her.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Mechanic will sell you trap gear, such as wire, wenches, pressure plates, trapdoors, plus much more.

Party girl

• • How to get?
    • To get the Party Girl, you must have a least 14 NPCs, and eventually, at a 2.5% chance per day, the Party Girl will spawn.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Party Girl sells random vanity items, as well as occasionally throwing parties for other NPCs!

Truffle

• • How to get?
    • To get the Truffle, you must kill the Wall of Flesh, and you must have a suitable house in a surface Mushroom Biome.
  • What do they do? 
    • Truffle will sell you an assortment of mushroom related items and will also tell you mushroom jokes...

Wizard

• • How to get?
    • To get the Wizard, players must kill the Wall of Flesh, and then he will spawn in the Underground layer and be saved.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Wizard will sell you magical items! We call him Gandalf!

Steampunker

• • How to get?
    • To get Steampunker, you must destroy either the Destroyer, The Twins, or Skeletron Prime boss.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Steampunker sells one of the best items in the game, the Clentaminator. This item can purify the land of whatever Biome has started to infect it. This is a must-have item for hard-mode. She also sells other steampunk items.

Pirate

• • How to get?
    • To get the Pirate, you must first complete the Pirate Invasion.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Pirate will sell you pirate things, such as pirate clothing and cannons. Yes, we said cannons!

Tax Collector

• • How to get?
    • To get the Tax Collector, you must throw purification powder bought from the Steampunker and throw it on a rare enemy found in the Underworld Biome, called the Tortured Soul.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Tax Collector taxes other NPCs to gain money for the player. He will store a maximum of 10 Gold Coins for you.

Cyborg

• • How to get?
    • To get the Cyborg, you must defeat Hard-Mode boss Plantera.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Cyborg will sell an assortment of Cyborg related items such as rockets and rocket boots!

Santa Claus

• • How to get?
    • To get Santa Claus, you must defeat the special event known as the Frost Legion, which happens after November 25 in real-life. Sadly, come December 31, Santa will die until the following November 25.
  • What do they do? 
    • Santa Claus will sell you an array of Christmas related items!

Tavern Keeper

• • How to get?
    • To get the Tavern Keeper, you must kill either the Eater of Worlds or the Brain of Cthulu. He will then be found on any layer of the World, so finding him is tricky.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Tavern Keeper will sell you turret sentries and armor for use in the Old One's Army event.

Zoologist

• • How to get?
    • To get the Zoologist, players must have completed at least 10% completed in the Bestiary.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Zoologist will sell you animal-related items, such as Fox Ears and a license to have a pet dog or cat!

Golfer

• • How to get?
    • To get the Golfer, you must venture into an underground Desert Biome and find him.
  • What do they do? 
    • The Golfer will sell you an assortment of various golf-related items!

And there you have it, a list on how to get every single Terraria NPC! Don't worry, though; it'll take a while before you make even progress to make them all, but it's a delightful ride!