NPC housing: Above ground level, or below ground level?

[BustedHipGaming]

I want to build a decent-sized base and am unsure whether to build a tower (to keep ground forces away from the base) or build it underground (to protect it from flyers and, with some lava traps, most foot troops).

Is there a particular choice that works better than the other, and if so, how come? Thanks in advance for your advice, Terrarria pros. :)

[Urist McGamer]

In no particular order of usefullness.

1. Floating house: Having a base some blocks off of the ground is beneficial as NPCs will not live in a house if it is close to corruption or crismsion. Floating towers are popular.
Downside: Hard to get to early game. Also be careful of wyverns.
2. Underground base: General safety from any and all mobs as well as the option to convert the base into a mob farm. Easier than the other two by far, but also probabily the most time consuming.
Downside: Unluess you have all of your NPCs living in one apartment complex, you may get spawns. This base is subsceptable to wraiths. Like, seriously, keep your NPCs together. Also corruption management may be an issue.
3. Tower method: the fastest of the three methods, this method is not particularly safe or vulnerable to any mob or attack, has the most options for construction and defense of the three.
Downside: Few, wraiths may be an issue, wyverns if you build too high. This class of bases is generally the most diverse. (I would reccomend having a basic mob farming setup with this one). Generally only for people who like building, or those who don't care what things look like.

Hope my ~500 hours of experience helps!

[BustedHipGaming]

Can you explain what you mean by "mob farm" and "convert the base into a mob farm?"

Originally posted by Urist McGamer:

In no particular order of usefullness.

1. Floating house: Having a base some blocks off of the ground is beneficial as NPCs will not live in a house if it is close to corruption or crismsion. Floating towers are popular.
Downside: Hard to get to early game. Also be careful of wyverns.
2. Underground base: General safety from any and all mobs as well as the option to convert the base into a mob farm. Easier than the other two by far, but also probabily the most time consuming.
Downside: Unluess you have all of your NPCs living in one apartment complex, you may get spawns. This base is subsceptable to wraiths. Like, seriously, keep your NPCs together. Also corruption management may be an issue.
3. Tower method: the fastest of the three methods, this method is not particularly safe or vulnerable to any mob or attack, has the most options for construction and defense of the three.
Downside: Few, wraiths may be an issue, wyverns if you build too high. This class of bases is generally the most diverse. (I would reccomend having a basic mob farming setup with this one). Generally only for people who like building, or those who don't care what things look like.

Hope my ~500 hours of experience helps!

[Urist McGamer]

Thin puddles of lava with pathways underneath to collect the drops from things that die in the lava. A wall taller than mobs can jump is reccomended for the side of the lava that you live on. two such traps on either side of the base should keep it reletively safe.

This can be expanded upon by building little catches for flying mobs, limiting spawining spaces, adding dart traps, ect...

Look up some guids if you want some serious farms, but lava pitts and a roof should do just fine early game.

[BustedHipGaming]

Thanks :)

Originally posted by Urist McGamer:

Thin puddles of lava with pathways underneath to collect the drops from things that die in the lava. A wall taller than mobs can jump is reccomended for the side of the lava that you live on. two such traps on either side of the base should keep it reletively safe.

This can be expanded upon by building little catches for flying mobs, limiting spawining spaces, adding dart traps, ect...

Look up some guids if you want some serious farms, but lava pitts and a roof should do just fine early game.

[Urist McGamer]

Thank YOU for asking! :D