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Evicting Your Neighbors: A Comprehensive Guide to NPC Eviction in Terraria

Yes, you absolutely can evict NPCs in Terraria, though the game doesn’t use the word “evict.” Instead, you’re essentially reassigning them to another suitable house. While you can’t outright force an NPC to disappear from your world (unless they die!), you can manipulate their living arrangements to achieve a similar effect. This involves understanding housing requirements, NPC happiness, and a bit of strategic manipulation of their environments. This article will guide you through all the nuances of managing your NPC population.

Understanding the Mechanics of NPC Housing

The core of “evicting” an NPC lies in the housing system. Each NPC requires a valid house to live in. A valid house must meet specific criteria:

Enclosed Space: Must have walls on all sides, including a background wall. Gaps in the wall will invalidate the house.
Minimum Size: The interior of the house must be at least 10 tiles wide and 4 tiles tall.
Flat Surface: Must have at least one solid block for the NPC to stand on. An entirely platform-based floor is not acceptable.
Furniture: Must contain a table and a chair.
Light Source: Must have a light source (torch, chandelier, etc.).
Accessibility: Must have a door for entry and exit. This can also be a platform, although doors are recommended.
No Corruption/Crimson: The house cannot be located too close to Corruption or Crimson biomes.
Overlap: The houses cannot overlap with other houses.
Background Wall: The houses must have player-placed background walls (Dirt Walls and Walls from Dungeons are not valid).

If a house fails to meet these requirements, the NPC won’t move in or will be forced to leave.

Methods of “Eviction”

There are a few methods you can use to “evict” an NPC:

Reassignment via Housing Menu: The most straightforward method is to use the Housing Menu, accessible via the house icon above your armor inventory.
- Open the menu and identify the NPC you want to move.
- Click on the NPC’s portrait in the menu. Your cursor will change to a house icon.
- Click on the new house you’ve built for them.
- If the new house is valid, the NPC will eventually move there, effectively “evicting” them from their previous residence.
Invalidating Their Current House: If you want to temporarily remove an NPC, you can deliberately invalidate their current house.
- Remove the light source, door, chair, table, or even a section of wall, and the NPC will no longer consider it a valid home.
- The NPC will then move to the nearest available valid house. If no valid house is available, they will wander around until a house becomes available.
The Stinkbug and Ghostly Stinkbug Blockers: These special furniture items, when placed in a valid house, prevent new NPCs from moving in. They don’t evict current residents, but they will stop new ones from occupying the space after an NPC has left or died.
Using King/Queen Statues: These statues can be used to instantly teleport all male/female NPCs to a specific location. This is useful for gathering them in a central location, but doesn’t directly evict them.
Strategic Housing Placement: By placing new houses far away from existing ones, you can influence where new NPCs will choose to live. This is a long-term strategy for managing NPC distribution.

The Consequences of “Eviction”: NPC Happiness

Be mindful of NPC happiness. NPCs have preferences for who they live with and the biome they live in. Forcing an NPC to live in an undesirable location or with disliked neighbors can lead to unhappiness.

Unhappy NPCs charge higher prices for their goods.
They may refuse to sell certain items altogether.
Extremely unhappy NPCs might even leave (though they will eventually return).

To maintain NPC happiness, consider the following:

Biome Preferences: Each NPC has a preferred biome.
Neighbor Preferences: Some NPCs like living near certain other NPCs, while others dislike each other.
Crowding: Too many NPCs living in close proximity can lead to unhappiness.

Consult a Terraria wiki for specific NPC preferences to optimize their happiness. You can view an NPC’s current happiness level by speaking with them, their dialogue will indicate their mood, and their prices reflect this happiness.

Death and Respawning

Remember that killing an NPC (with the exception of the Guide) is not a permanent solution. NPCs will respawn after a certain amount of time as long as a valid house is available. This means that “eviction” is the only way to permanently influence their living arrangements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I completely remove an NPC from my world?

No, you cannot permanently remove an NPC (aside from the Guide) unless you stop meeting their spawn conditions. They will always respawn if a valid house is available.

2. What happens if I destroy all the houses?

If you destroy all the houses, the NPCs will wander around aimlessly until you rebuild suitable housing. They won’t disappear, but they won’t have a designated place to live.

3. How long does it take for an NPC to move into a new house?

Typically, NPCs will move into a new house sometime overnight after being assigned. However, it can sometimes take a couple of in-game days.

4. What is the minimum room size for an NPC house?

The interior of a house must be at least 10 tiles wide and 4 tiles tall.

5. What items are required for an NPC house?

A valid house needs walls, a door, a chair, a table, and a light source. Also, it needs at least one solid block of ground.

6. Why won’t my NPC move into the house I built?

Make sure the house meets all housing requirements. Double-check for gaps in the walls, sufficient size, proper furniture, and proximity to Corruption/Crimson.

7. How do I check if a house is valid?

Open the Housing Menu. If the house is valid, a green checkmark will appear next to the room. If it’s invalid, a red X will appear, and you can hover over it for a reason why it is not valid.

8. Can NPCs live in the Jungle Temple?

No, the Jungle Temple is made of Lihzahrd Bricks, and NPCs cannot live in structures made of Lihzahrd Bricks.

9. Do NPCs need a bed in their house?

No, NPCs do not require a bed in their house. Beds are for players to set their spawn point.

10. Can I build houses underground for NPCs?

Yes, you can build houses underground as long as they meet all the standard housing requirements.

11. How does biome placement affect NPC happiness?

NPCs have preferred biomes. Placing them in their preferred biome will increase their happiness, leading to better prices and sales. For example, the Dryad likes living in the Jungle.

12. Can I use lava as a light source for NPC housing?

No, lava cannot be used as a light source for NPC housing. It also is very dangerous for the NPC.

13. How does NPC happiness affect gameplay?

Happier NPCs offer lower prices and are more likely to sell rare or unique items. Unhappy NPCs charge higher prices.

14. What are the Stinkbug and Ghostly Stinkbug Blockers?

These are furniture items that, when placed in a valid house, prevent new NPCs from moving in. They are used to reserve houses for specific NPCs or prevent overcrowding.

15. Does the Guide respawn after being killed?

Yes, the Guide will respawn as long as it is daytime and he did not just recently die.

Conclusion

While the concept of “eviction” in Terraria is more about managing and manipulating NPC housing, understanding the underlying mechanics is crucial for optimizing your town and keeping your NPCs happy. Use these tips to create a thriving community in your Terraria world! For more insights into games and learning, visit the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org.

Can you evict NPCs in Terraria?