NPCs are indispensable in Terraria. There are a total of 28 NPCs in Terraria. In this guide, we have explained how to get all the NPCs in the game. We hope it will be useful and you will be satisfied.
It sounds like you’re providing valuable information in your guide, detailing how to unlock all the NPCs in Terraria—a game where these characters offer various utilities and enrich the gameplay experience.
Terraria NPC Guide
This guide contains the information on how to get all Terraria NPCs.
NPCs in Terraria
NPCs, or Non-Playable Characters, are your friendly in-game automatons that offer various services. Many of them act as shopkeepers, allowing you to buy or sell items in exchange for in-game currency. Generally, these NPCs will populate your in-game towns once you hit certain milestones.
Each NPC usually requires their own living space, but pets and other NPCs can cohabit the same dwelling. During daylight, you’ll find town NPCs casually strolling about, but they stick to their designated homes at night or during special events.
While they aren’t invincible, NPCs do have some staying power. They can’t be attacked by players but can still suffer damage from enemies, environmental hazards like lava, or even drown. Luckily, they don’t take fall damage, and their health slowly regenerates over time. Some NPCs, like the Nurse, can even heal themselves and others in proximity.
The presence of NPCs has an added advantage: they can decrease enemy spawn rates in the surrounding area. The more NPCs you have around, the safer your vicinity becomes, at least until special events like Blood Moons or Goblin Invasions disrupt the peace and ramp up the spawn rates again.
Town NPCs also have a defensive side; they’ll fend off nearby enemies using their unique attack styles. They won’t chase after foes but will stand their ground in self-defense. What’s more, defeating certain bosses in the game will give these NPCs stat boosts, making them more robust in combat.
If an NPC meets an untimely end, don’t worry. They’ll respawn after a certain period, provided there’s an available home for them. Just note that if they had specific spawn requirements initially—like inventory or population conditions—you’ll need to meet those again for them to reappear. But if you had rescued an NPC before, they’ll respawn without the need for a second rescue mission.
What are NPCs used for?
In Terraria, NPCs (Non-Player Characters), in other words characters that are not players, are designed for various tasks and functions. Here are the main functions of these characters:
- Trading: Many NPCs allow you to buy or sell items. For example, the Merchant sells various basic items, while the Arms Dealer sells weapons and ammunition.
- Providing Services: Some NPCs offer special services. For example, the Nurse replenishes your health and removes poison effects.
- Giving Quests: NPCs like the Angler offer quests that you need to complete in exchange for rewards.
- Help and Information: The Guide NPC provides useful information about game mechanics and items.
- Defense: During an attack, most NPCs can defend themselves and deal damage to enemies.
- Item Crafting and Conversion: Some NPCs can help you combine specific items to create stronger ones.
- Ambiance and Story: NPCs also exist to add depth to the game’s atmosphere and story. Thanks to them, the game world becomes more lively and interactive.
These are just a few of the basic functions of NPCs in Terraria. Each one possesses special abilities and features that make the game richer and more varied.
List of NPCs
Pre-Hardmode NPCs
- Guide
- Angler
- Old Man
- Merchant
- Traveling Merchant
- Skeleton Merchant
- Nurse
- Demolitionist
- Dye Trader
- Zoologist
- Dryad
- Painter
- Golfer
- Arms Dealer
- Tavernkeep
- Stylist
- Goblin Tinkerer
- Witch Doctor
- Clothier
- Mechanic
- Party Girl
Hardmode NPCs
- Wizard
- Tax Collector
- Truffle
- Pirate
- Steampunker
- Cyborg
- Princess
- Santa Claus
Special NPCs
- Nerdy Slime
- Cool Slime
- Elder Slime
- Clumsy Slime
- Diva Slime
- Surly Slime
- Mystic Slime
- Squire Slime
- Town Cat
- Town Dog
- Town Bunny
How to Get NPCs
(This is what the guide looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The guide will spawn near the Player upon World Creation.
Angler
(This is what the angler looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The angler will spawn near an Ocean upon World Creation.
- He can be Woken Up if the player Interacts with him.
Old Man
(This is what the old man looks like)
How to get:
- The old man will spawn at the Dungeon upon World Creation.
- He can be Cursed at night and turned into Skeletron.
Merchant
(This is what the merchant looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The merchant will spawn if the player has 50 Silver Coins in their inventory.
Traveling Merchant
(This is what the traveling merchant looks like; Regular form on left, Shimmer form on right)
How to get:
- The traveling merchant has a 22.12% chance of spawning each day if 2 other Town NPCs are in the world.
Skeleton Merchant
(This is what the skeleton merchant looks like; Regular form on left, Shimmer form on right)
How to get:
- The skeleton merchant will spawn Randomly in the Cavern Layer.
Nurse
(This is what the nurse looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The nurse will spawn if the player has a Maximum Health over 100.
Demolitionist
(This is what the demolitionist looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The demolitionist will spawn if the player has an Explosive in their inventory.
Dye Trader
(This is what the dye trader looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The dye trader will spawn if the player has a Dye, Dye Ingredient, or Strange Plant in their inventory.
Zoologist
(This is what the zoologist looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The zoologist will spawn if the Bestiary has been filled to at least 10%.
Dryad
(This is what the dryad looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The dryad will spawn if the player defeats Eye of Cthulhu, Eater of Worlds, Brain of Cthulhu, or Skeletron.
Painter
(This is what the painter looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The painter will spawn if there are 8 other Town NPCs in the world.
Golfer
(This is what the golfer looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The golfer will spawn in the Underground Desert.
- He can be Freed if the player Interacts with him.
Arms Dealer
(This is what the arms dealer looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The arms dealer will spawn if the player has a Bullet or Gun in their inventory.
Tavernkeep
(This is what the tavernkeep looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The tavernkeep will spawn if the player has defeated Eater of Worlds or Brain of Cthulhu.
- He can be found Anywhere in the world as an Unconscious Man and he will claim a house when the player Interacts with him.
Stylist
(This is what the stylist looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The stylist will spawn in a Spider Cave.
- She can be Freed if the player Interacts with her.
Goblin Tinkerer
(This is what the goblin tinkerer looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The goblin tinkerer will spawn if a Goblin Army has been defeated.
- He will spawn in the Cavern Layer and can be set Free if the player Interacts with him.
Witch Doctor
(This is what the witch doctor looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The witch doctor will spawn if Queen Bee has been defeated.
Clothier
(This is what the clothier looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The clothier will spawn if Skeletron has been defeated.
Mechanic
(This is what the mechanic looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The mechanic will spawn in the Dungeon.
- She can be Freed if the player Interacts with her.
Party Girl
(This is what the party girl looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The party girl will spawn when 8 other Town NPCs are in the world and No One is Waiting to move in.
Wizard
(This is what the wizard looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The wizard will spawn if Wall of Flesh is defeated.
- He can be found Anywhere in the world and can be set Free if the player Interacts with him.
Tax Collector
(This is what the tax collector looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The tax collector will spawn if the player throws Purification Powder on a Tortured Soul in the Underworld.
Truffle
(This is what the truffle looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The truffle will spawn if there is a Vacant House in a Surface Glowing Mushroom Biome.
Pirate
(This is what the pirate looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The pirate will spawn if a Pirate Invasion has been defeated.
Steampunker
(This is what the steampunker looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The steampunker will spawn if a Mechanical Boss has been defeated.
Cyborg
(This is what the cyborg looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The cyborg will spawn if Plantera has been defeated.
Princess
(This is what the princess looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- The princess will spawn if All other Town NPCs are in the world.
Santa Claus
(This is what Santa Claus looks like; Regular form on the left, Shimmer form on the right)
How to get:
- Santa Claus will spawn if a Frost Legion has been defeated.
Nerdy Slime
(This is what Nerdy Slime looks like)
How to get:
- Nerdy Slime will move in if King Slime has been defeated.
Cool Slime
(This is what Cool Slime looks like)
How to get:
- Cool Slime has a chance to move in during a naturally generated Party.
Elder Slime
(This is what Elder Slime looks like)
How to get:
- Elder Slime will move in if the player has unlocked an Old Shaking Chest with a Golden Key.
Clumsy Slime
(This is what Clumsy Slime looks like)
How to get:
- Clumsy Slime will move in if the player shoots down a Clumsy Balloon Slime in the Space Layer.
Diva Slime
(This is what Diva Slime looks like)
How to get:
- Diva Slime will move in if the player throws a Sparkle Slime Balloon into Shimmer.
Surly Slime
(This is what Surly Slime looks like)
How to get:
- Surly Slime will move in if the player catches it while Fishing during a Blood Moon.
Mystic Slime
(This is what Mystic Slime looks like)
How to get:
- Mystic Slime will move in if the player uses Purification Powder on a Mystic Frog.
Squire Slime
(This is what Squire Slime looks like)
How to get:
- Squire Slime will move in if the player drops a Copper Helmet or Copper Shortsword on a Slime.
Cat
(These are what the different types of town cats look like)
How to get:
- The town cat will move in if the player purchases a Cat License from the Zoologist.
Dog
(These are what the different types of town dogs look like)
How to get:
- The town dog will move in if the player purchases a Dog License from the Zoologist.
Bunny
(These are what the different types of town bunnies look like)
How to get:
- The town bunny will move in if the player purchases a Bunny License from the Zoologist.
