Rescuing the Green Mechanic
Tired of your swords feeling dull, your bows lacking that punch, or your magic wands failing to pack the necessary oomph in Terraria? The Goblin Tinkerer is your answer. He’s not just another NPC wandering around your meticulously crafted town; he’s a key to unlocking your true potential, transforming ordinary gear into extraordinary assets. But finding him, understanding his quirks, and mastering his services requires a little know-how.
The Goblin Tinkerer is a subterranean savant, a master of modification and merchant of magical machinery, lost and bound in the caverns below, waiting to be rescued. This unassuming NPC provides invaluable services like reforging your equipment and selling essential items, making him an indispensable ally throughout your Terraria journey. This guide will delve deep into the Goblin Tinkerer’s world, covering everything from his obscure location to the most effective ways to maximize his talents, equipping you with the knowledge to thrive in the treacherous landscape of Terraria. We will explore where to find him, how to rescue him, the different services he offers, the useful items he peddles, and some tips to help you make the most of this green-skinned genius.
Before you can benefit from the Goblin Tinkerer’s expertise, you need to find him. He’s not the type to simply waltz into your town looking for a room; he needs a little help first.
First, a major event must occur. The Goblin Tinkerer won’t even think about spawning in your world until you have successfully defended against a Goblin Army. These invasions are announced by a game message, and typically come after you’ve smashed your first Shadow Orb or Crimson Heart in the Corruption or Crimson biomes, respectively. Alternatively, if you haven’t yet smashed one of the aforementioned organs, they can occur naturally if you have more than two hundred health, and have existing non-starting NPCs, such as the Guide, living in your town. Preparing your defenses before the Goblin Army arrives is essential for victory.
Once you’ve repelled the Goblin Army, the Goblin Tinkerer can start spawning somewhere underground. But that’s not all that you need to do. You need to go searching.
He spawns in the Caverns layer, the deeper section of the underground. When searching, keep your eyes peeled for a bound figure. The Goblin Tinkerer is always found tied up, awaiting rescue. He won’t fight or defend himself; he’s completely at your mercy. He’s a small, green figure, bound with rope.
Rescuing him is simple. Just approach him and interact with him. This will free him. Once freed, provided you have suitable housing available, he will move into one of your vacant rooms in town.
If you are struggling to find him, there are a few possible problems. Remember, he won’t appear until after a Goblin Army has been defeated. Also, make sure you are searching in the correct layer. Spend some time exploring the Caverns layer and checking the map often. If you can’t find a house for him, he will remain bound in the caverns until there is somewhere he can live. Also, keep in mind that, much like any other NPC, he may die on his way to his house and require time to respawn, which will only happen if the house is available.
The Gift of Reforging
The Goblin Tinkerer’s main draw is his reforging service. This allows you to modify the prefixes on your weapons, tools, armor, and accessories, adding significant bonuses and greatly influencing their performance. This is done randomly, for a price.
The reforging mechanic involves spending money to randomly change the prefix of an item. Prefixes grant various stat bonuses, such as increased damage, critical hit chance, speed, defense, or mana cost reduction. The prefix you get is random, and you could get a beneficial one on the first try, or need to reforge multiple times.
The cost of reforging depends on the item’s value. More expensive items will cost more to reforge. So make sure to budget accordingly.
Different weapon types benefit from different reforges. For melee weapons, you will likely want to seek out Legendary or Godly, to increase the damage output of the weapon. Ranged weapons benefit from Unreal or Rapid, which will increase damage output and attack speed, respectively. For magic weapons, Mystic or Manic is preferable, increasing damage output and reducing mana cost, respectively. And finally, summoning weapons benefit from Ruthless or Mythical, which increases damage output and minion slots, respectively.
For defense, Warding can make enemies deal almost no damage to you. For pure damage output, Menacing is preferrable. If you want to increase your luck, then Lucky is great for that. There are a lot of different accessory reforges, so make sure to experiment and see what works best for you!
Reforging can be expensive, so you need to budget your money effectively. Don’t get carried away and spend all your coins on a single item. If you’re not getting the reforge you want after a few tries, it’s often best to stop and try again later. Sometimes, it’s not worth the cost.
Coins can be stored safely in a piggy bank. That way you can keep reforging for longer without having to go back to your base.
Items for Sale
Besides reforging, the Goblin Tinkerer sells some key items that are very valuable throughout the game.
The Goblin Tinkerer sells Rocket Boots. These boots allow you to briefly fly, granting increased mobility and exploration capabilities, especially early in the game. They are an essential part of many early game accessory combination, and they are almost necessary for defeating many pre-hardmode bosses.
The most important item that he sells is the Tinkerer’s Workshop. This crafting station is essential for combining accessories. Many of the best accessories in the game require the Tinkerer’s Workshop to combine multiple effects into a single slot.
Some key accessory combinations include combining Rocket Boots and Hermes Boots, or combining multiple different types of damage-boosting accessories. These combinations can significantly enhance your character’s abilities.
The Goblin Tinkerer also sells a Toolbox. This tool is used to reduce the range of mechanic tools, which makes them perfect for automating builds.
Lastly, he sells a Grappling Hook, for a reasonable price. This allows you to create a cheaper grappling hook to help traverse the world.
His personality
The Goblin Tinkerer isn’t just a merchant and a modifier; he’s got character. His dialogue is filled with quirky comments and humorous observations. He sometimes laments his capture and expresses his passion for tinkering.
He seems to prefer being underground, as that is where he spawned. He also will comment on other NPCs in your town, giving the sense he is always tinkering with them. The Goblin Tinkerer is a truly unique NPC.
He might have different names in different playthroughs, such as Bob, Gil, or even Milton.
Goblin Tips and Tricks
Reforging can become expensive quickly, so efficient money making is essential. Farming bosses is a good way to get money. Also, selling gems can be helpful for obtaining money.
Early in the game, it is usually not worth it to reforge. Save the money, and reforge during hardmode, when it is easier to obtain money, and the reforges will make much more of a difference. If you are patient and strategic, you will be able to get the reforge you want.
The Goblin Tinkerer is most valuable during the mid to late game when you start combining accessories and min-maxing your character. He complements the services of other NPCs such as the Witch Doctor who sells materials needed for accessory crafting.
To most effectively use the Tinkerer’s Workshop, you need to plan your accessory builds. Carefully choose the right combinations for your playstyle to maximize your character’s effectiveness.
Unlocking Your Potential
The Goblin Tinkerer is more than just an NPC; he’s a key component to unlocking your full potential in Terraria. His reforging services and valuable items can significantly enhance your character’s abilities, making him an indispensable ally.
Understanding and utilizing the Goblin Tinkerer’s services will dramatically improve your Terraria experience. He offers the potential to transform your gear and empower your character, making you a force to be reckoned with.
So, what are you waiting for? Venture into the depths of your Terraria world, rescue the Goblin Tinkerer, and start optimizing your gear today! What’s your favorite reforge to aim for? Share your best Goblin Tinkerer tips in the comments below!
