Your First Home in Terraria: A Beginner’s Guide to Early Game Construction

So, you’ve just spawned into the vibrant world of Terraria! Axe in hand, pickaxe at your side, and a whole world of possibilities stretching before you. But where do you even begin? The very first thing you should build in Terraria is suitable housing for NPCs. This unlocks crucial game progression by attracting essential vendors that provide powerful gear and resources. To achieve this goal, first, you’ll craft a sword and hammer. Then, craft a substantial amount of wood wall blocks. A safe structure in Terraria requires a background wall. Placing wood walls on the landscape will create the necessary wood panel backdrop for your first structure.

Why Housing is Priority Number One

In Terraria, your world isn’t just a pretty landscape; it’s a living, breathing ecosystem. And that ecosystem needs inhabitants – specifically, Non-Player Characters (NPCs). These NPCs aren’t just window dressing; they’re vital to your progress. They sell crucial items, provide services, and generally make your life in Terraria much easier.

To attract these helpful individuals, you need to build them homes. Luckily, the requirements are fairly straightforward:

• An Enclosed Space: Each house must be a completely enclosed space. That means walls (at least 10 tiles wide and 4 tall internally), a roof, and a floor, all made from valid building materials like wood, stone, or even dirt (though we highly recommend something sturdier!).
• A Background Wall: This is where the wood wall blocks come in. NPCs require a complete background wall to consider a space habitable.
• A Light Source: Torches are the easiest early-game option. Place one inside the house.
• A Flat Surface: A table or workbench. Anything that provides a flat surface where they can, presumably, set down their coffee.
• A Comfort Item: A chair. Because everyone needs a place to sit.
• A Door: A door to keep out the creepy crawlies.

Getting Started: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Chop Some Trees: Your starting copper axe is your best friend for this. Gather a hefty stack of wood – at least 200 pieces to start.
2. Find a Relatively Flat Area: Look for a clearing or a naturally flat piece of land. This will make construction easier.
3. Build a Simple Box: Construct a basic rectangular structure out of wood. Remember to keep the internal dimensions at least 10 tiles wide and 4 tiles tall.
4. Craft Wood Wall Blocks: At your crafting menu, convert a large number of your wood pieces into wood wall blocks.
5. Place the Background Walls: Carefully fill in the entire background of your wooden box with the wood wall blocks.
6. Add a Door: Place a wooden door on one side of the structure.
7. Craft a Table and Chair: Use more wood to craft a table and a chair. Place them inside the house.
8. Craft Torches: Use wood and gel (obtained from slimes) to create torches. Place one inside the house.

Congratulations! You’ve built your first house. Now, wait for an NPC to move in. The Guide is usually the first to arrive, as he spawns with you and doesn’t require a house initially.

Beyond the Basics: Optimizing Your Early Base

While a simple wooden box will suffice, you can quickly improve your early base with a few simple additions:

• Elevated Housing: Build your housing slightly off the ground. This makes it easier to defend against ground-based enemies.
• Shared Walls: You can build multiple houses adjacent to each other, sharing walls to save resources and space.
• Crafting Area: Dedicate a separate area near your housing for crafting stations like a furnace, anvil, and crafting table. This centralizes your crafting efforts.
• Storage: Early storage is crucial. Craft chests to store your accumulating loot and resources. Organize them! You’ll thank yourself later.
• Defense: Basic defenses like wooden platforms and strategically placed torches can help deter early-game enemies from approaching your base.

Building a solid foundation (literally and figuratively) in Terraria is key to long-term success. By prioritizing NPC housing, you unlock a cascade of benefits that will propel you forward on your adventure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What happens if I don’t build housing for NPCs?

If you don’t build housing, NPCs won’t move in. This means you’ll miss out on their valuable goods and services, significantly hindering your progress. You will not be able to obtain better gear, or progress in the storyline without their help.

2. How do I know if a house is suitable?

The game provides a helpful feature. If you select a housing query tool from the crafting menu and click inside a house, the game will tell you if it’s suitable and, if not, what’s missing.

3. Which NPC should I aim to get first?

The Merchant is a great early target. He sells basic tools and helpful items like piggy banks for additional storage.

4. Can I build houses underground?

Yes! Underground housing is perfectly viable. Just ensure it meets all the basic requirements.

5. What are some alternative building materials for early game housing?

Stone is a good alternative if you can find a decent amount of it early on. Dirt is usable, but it’s aesthetically unappealing and easily broken by enemies.

6. How many NPCs can live in my world?

There’s a limit to the number of NPCs that can occupy a single world. As of the latest updates, you can accommodate a significant number of NPCs.

7. Can enemies break into my houses?

Yes, some enemies can break down doors or walls, especially during events like the Blood Moon or Goblin Army invasions. Building sturdier houses with reinforced materials or adding defenses like traps can help mitigate this risk.

8. Does the size of the house affect anything?

The size of the house mainly affects whether an NPC will consider it suitable. There is a certain minimum size and a maximum size for optimal houses. Excessively large houses are not suitable.

9. Can I move NPCs after they move in?

Yes. You can move NPCs by destroying their current house and building a new, suitable house elsewhere. They will eventually relocate to the new location.

10. What is the best material for building houses in Terraria?

There isn’t a single “best” material. Wood is easy to obtain early on. As you progress, you can use more durable and aesthetically pleasing materials like brick, stone, or themed blocks found in different biomes.

11. How do I deal with invasions early in the game?

Build walls around your base, create a killbox, and use ranged weapons and summons to stay safe during events.

12. Is it important to light up the area around my house?

Yes, lighting up the area reduces enemy spawns near your base, making it safer. Torches, lanterns, and campfires are all effective.

13. What are some advanced building techniques I can use later on?

Advanced techniques include using actuators and wires to create hidden doors and traps, incorporating different building materials to create visually appealing designs, and building themed structures based on different biomes or events.

14. Where can I learn more about Terraria building techniques?

The Terraria Wiki is an excellent resource for learning about building techniques, materials, and advanced strategies. Communities like the Games Learning Society offer insights and collaborations that are invaluable to your learning journey. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to find educational games.

15. Which Terraria class is the best for beginners?

Melee is generally the class most players gravitate to first. The game spawns you with a basic melee set and melee weapons tend to be more forgiving in the early game due to their simplicity.

By answering these FAQs, we aim to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to create a thriving and secure base in your Terraria world. Happy building!