The Traveling Merchant is a unique NPC vendor who randomly visits the player's town for one day. His inventory is randomized and different every visit, selling 4-10 / 4-11 (average 5.5 / 6) different items listed below.
In order for the Traveling Merchant to spawn, at least 2 other NPCs must already be present. The Guide counts as one of these, but the Old Man and Skeleton Merchant don't. He won't spawn during Events (except Rain, Old One's Army and Slime Rain). He does not require his own House in order to spawn, and will instead spawn near existing NPCs, spending the day walking around near them.
Once the criteria are met, the Traveling Merchant has a 22% chance of spawning each day, appearing at a random time between 4:30 AM and 12 PM. He stays for only one day at a time, after which he leaves at 6:00 PM. He despawns if the world is vacated before that time.
If threatened by enemies, the Traveling Merchant will defend himself with a Revolver. Once Hardmode begins, he upgrades to a Pulse Bow.
Quick Answers
What is the average number of items the Traveling Merchant sells in Terraria?
What conditions must be met for the Traveling Merchant to spawn in Terraria?
How does the Peddler's Satchel affect the Traveling Merchant's inventory in Terraria?
What is the difference between the Traveling Merchant and other NPCs in Terraria?
How often does the Traveling Merchant visit the player's town in Terraria?
Items sold
Item | Cost | Availability
|
---|---|---|
Sake |
5 | 3% chance |
Pho |
30 | 3% chance |
Pad Thai |
20 | 3% chance |
Ultrabright Torch |
3 | 1.5% chance |
Ammo Box |
15 | 1% chance |
Magic Hat |
3 | 1% chance |
Gypsy Robe |
2 | 1% chance |
Gi |
2 | 1% chance |
Celestial Magnet |
15 | 0.66% chance |
DPS Meter |
5 | 3% chance |
Lifeform Analyzer |
5 | 3% chance |
Stopwatch |
5 | 3% chance |
Paint Sprayer |
10 | 1.5% chance |
Brick Layer |
10 | 1.5% chance |
Portable Cement Mixer |
10 | 1.5% chance |
Extendo Grip |
10 | 1.5% chance |
Presserator |
10 | 1.5% chance |
Black Counterweight |
5 | 0.5% chance |
Yellow Counterweight |
5 | 0.66% chance |
Sitting Duck's Fishing Pole |
35 | 0.66% chance |
Katana |
4 | 1.5% chance |
Code 1 |
5 | 1.5% chance after defeating the Eye of Cthulhu |
Revolver |
10 | 1% chance after smashing a Shadow Orb or Crimson Heart |
Gatligator |
35 | 0.5% chance during hardmode |
Code 2 |
25 | 1.5% chance after defeating any Mechanical Boss |
Pulse Bow |
45 | 0.66% chance after defeating Plantera |
Red Team Block |
1 | 3% chance |
Red Team Platform |
1 | When Selling Red Team Blocks |
Yellow Team Block |
1 | 3% chance |
Yellow Team Platform |
1 | When Selling Yellow Team Blocks |
Green Team Block |
1 | 3% chance |
Green Team Platform |
1 | When Selling Green Team Blocks |
Blue Team Block |
1 | 3% chance |
Blue Team Platform |
1 | When Selling Blue Team Blocks |
Pink Team Block |
1 | 3% chance |
Pink Team Platform |
1 | When Selling Pink Team Blocks |
White Team Block |
1 | 3% chance |
White Team Platform |
1 | When Selling White Team Blocks |
Diamond Ring |
2 | 0.66% chance |
Item | Cost | Availability
|
---|---|---|
Angel Halo | 40 | 0.33% chance |
Fez | 3 50 | 1% chance |
Winter Cape | 5 | 0.66% chance |
Red Cape | 5 | 0.66% chance |
Crimson Cloak | 5 | 0.66% chance |
Mysterious Cape | 5 | 0.66% chance |
Kimono | 1 | 0.5% chance |
Water Gun | 1 50 | 0.66% chance |
Companion Cube | 5 | 0.66% chance |
Chalice | 50 | 3% chance |
Arcane Rune Wall | 2 50 | 0.5% chance |
Fancy Dishes | 20 | 3% chance |
Dynasty Wood | 50 | 3% chance |
Red Dynasty Shingles | 50 | When selling Dynasty Wood |
Blue Dynasty Shingles | 50 | When selling Dynasty Wood |
Zebra Skin | 1 | 1% chance |
Leopard Skin | 1 | 1% chance |
Tiger Skin | 1 | 1% chance |
Castle Marsberg | 3 | 1.5% chance after defeating Martian Madness |
Martia Lisa | 2 | 1.5% chance after defeating Martian Madness |
The Truth Is Up There | 2 | 1.5% chance after defeating Martian Madness |
Not a Kid, nor a Squid | 3 | 1.5% chance after defeating Moon Lord |
Acorns | 50 | 1.5% chance during Christmas |
Cold Snap | 50 | 1.5% chance during Christmas |
Cursed Saint | 50 | 1.5% chance during Christmas |
Snowfellas | 50 | 1.5% chance during Christmas |
The Season | 50 | 1.5% chance during Christmas |
Dragon Mask | 50 | only, ??% chance |
Dragon Breastplate | 1 | only, ??% chance |
Dragon Greaves | 75 | only, ??% chance |
Titan Helmet | 50 | only, ??% chance |
Titan Mail | 1 | only, ??% chance |
Titan Leggings | 75 | only, ??% chance |
Spectral Headgear | 50 | only, ??% chance |
Spectral Armor | 1 | only, ??% chance |
Spectral Subligar | 75 | only, ??% chance |
Names
The Traveling Merchant may have any of the following names: Traveling Merchant/Names
Notes
- The actual "roll" to spawn the Traveling Merchant is not performed once-per-day as a Goblin Invasion or any other Event is determined. Rather, the roll is performed once per in-game second for the first half of each day. There are 60 in-game seconds per 1 real-world second.
- For each in-game second of the first half of each day (4:30am – 12:00pm = 7.5 hours = 27,000 seconds), there is a 1 in 108,000 chance to spawn the Traveling Merchant. Thus, the Traveling Merchant has a: 1-(1-1/108000)^27000 = 0.2212001339 or 22.12% chance of arriving each day.
- This means that if you want a specific item from the Traveling Merchant but he arrived without that particular item you can simply kill him and there's a chance that another merchant may spawn if you killed him before 12:00pm. An easy way to kill him (and any other friendly NPC) is with a Boulder if you already got the Goblin Tinkerer (you need the Tinkerer's Workshop to craft it), otherwise your best option is killing him with Lava. (Rotten Eggs may work although they’re not that effective.)
- The Traveling Merchant departs by simply disappearing while off-screen. If the player keeps him on-screen during the time when he would normally depart, he will remain until he is off-screen again. If he is kept on-screen until dawn, he will not depart until he is off-screen the following evening. This does NOT, however, change his inventory.
- The Traveling Merchant does not leave during Events.
Quotes
- "Combination hookah and coffee maker! Also makes julienne fries!"
- "A thrift shop? No, I am only selling the highest quality items on the market."
- "I don't refund for "buyer's remorse..." Or for any other reason, really."
- "If you're looking for junk, you've come to the wrong place."
- "I sell wares from places that might not even exist!"
- "Hmm, you look like you could use an Angel Statue! They slice, and dice, and make everything nice!"
- "Come and have a look! One pound fish! Very very good! One pound fish!"
- "Buy now, and get free shipping!"
- "You want two penny farthings!? Make it one and we have a deal."
When Guide is present:
- "Meet me behind [Name of Guide]'s house in about three hours, I think I have something you will find very appealing."
When Clothier is present:
- "I only sell what I can get. [Name of Clothier] keeps hounding me for exotic clothing."
When Merchant is present:
- "That [Name of Merchant], he really has no appreciation for a really good deal."
During a Party
- "Many say that parties give you the richest of memories. So buy something and make this memory rich!"
Trivia
- Many of the things he sells are of Asian origin, often from the Qing dynasty.
- Many of his wares may be a reference to the East India Company, and to the goods that were brought to Europe during the age of discovery in general.
- The name Willy is most likely a reference to the play, "Death of a Salesman", by Arthur Miller, where the main character is Willy Loman, a traveling salesman.
- His quote, "Come and have a look! One pound fish! Very very good! One pound fish!" is a reference to One Pound Fish Man.
- The quote "Combination hookah and coffee maker! Also makes julienne fries!" is a reference to Aladdin (1992 Disney film).
See also
History
- Desktop 1.3.1: Now sells the Companion Cube, Team Blocks, Team Platforms and the Presserator.
- Desktop 1.3.0.1: Now sells many new items, including Yoyos, Accessories, and paintings.
- Desktop 1.2.4.1: Now sells animal skins.
- Desktop 1.2.4: Fixed issue where Scorpions worked with King Statue and Traveling Merchant did not.
- Desktop 1.2.3.1: The Traveling Merchant can no longer spawn in Lava. Fixed bug where Queen/King Statues didn't teleport the Stylist and Traveling Merchant, respectively.
- Desktop 1.2.3: Introduced.
- Console 1.0.933.1: Now sells many new items, including yoyos, accessories, and paintings. ()
- Console 1.0.750.0: Now sells many new items, including yoyos, accessories, and paintings. ()
- Console 1.08: Added Capes (Winter, Mysterious, and Red Capes and Crimson Cloak) and Diamond Ring.
- Console 1.07: Introduced with vendor items up to Desktop 1.2.4.1, except the Angel Halo, Capes, and Diamond Ring.
- Mobile 1.2.11212: Introduced with vendor items up to Desktop 1.2.4.1.