Don't Starve Together now available
Survive the wilderness, battle strange creatures, and keep your sanity in check in this dark and challenging multiplayer survival game.
Survive the wilderness, battle strange creatures, and keep your sanity in check in this dark and challenging multiplayer survival game.
When you first dive into Don’t Starve Together, it can feel like the world is only out to get you. But hidden among the chaos there are plenty of NPCs that don’t just make things interesting, they can completely change your survival strategy. Some give you gold, some test your patience with quests and others reveal challenges that can wipe out an entire group if you’re unprepared.
In this guide, we’ll explore every interactive NPC in Don’t Starve Together, organized by how they impact your survival, with tips on how to use them effectively.
Pig King is the first name most survivors learn. As the ruler of Pig Villages, he can’t be attacked, but he happily trades Trinkets and food items for Gold Nuggets. On a multiplayer server, this makes him one of the most reliable long-term sources of currency for the entire group. Around Halloween, he even hands out Candy, and if you’re brave enough to give him the Golden Belt, you can trigger a wrestling match for Lucky Golden Nuggets.
King of the Merms takes the trading concept further but adds a survival twist. Only Wurt players can summon him by building the Royal Tapestry and feeding a Merm. Once he’s alive, all Merms gain stat boosts, and he’ll trade fish for Gold Nuggets and rare resources like Tentacle Spots and unique seeds. The catch? He needs constant feeding, so if your group ignores him, he will slowly waste away. For multiplayer teams, it pays to assign one player to keep the King alive while others farm the rewards.
The Crabby Hermit (Pearl) adds a rare friendship system to Don’t Starve Together. Found on her lonely island, she starts grumpy but gradually warms up as you complete tasks such as: repairing her house, clearing salvageables or bringing her gifts. Levelling up her friendship unlocks tradeable items, fishing gear and eventually her most valuable gift: Pearl’s Pearl, required to summon the Celestial Champion. In long-running servers, Pearl becomes a community project, one that rewards teamwork over time.
Wagstaff, on the other hand, pushes players into action. Found during Moonstorms, he hands over blueprints like the Astroggles and constantly demands tools to continue his experiments. Only Winona can properly understand his requests, which makes her extra valuable on multiplayer servers. Once his machines are built, groups must defend them from enemies, turning Wagstaff’s appearances into high-stakes survival events. Later in the game, defeating the Celestial Champion brings him back to open Rifts, summoning special bosses and unlocking endgame crafting.
Queen of the Moon Quay lies asleep until players approach or offer her a Banana. Wake her and she rewards survivors with rare blueprints like Cannon Kits and Dock Kits. Smart groups always bring bananas when exploring her island to avoid wasted trips.
Corvus Goodfeather is tied to the Midsummer Cawnival event. He appears when players place a Cawnival Tree, unlocking festive crafts and activities. While not essential for survival, he brings multiplayer fun, making him a great distraction during group play sessions.
Maxwell begins as an NPC tied to the story, showing up in both Adventure and Sandbox Modes. Players can choose to save him in Adventure Mode, unlocking him as a playable character. His role represents the bridge between lore and gameplay, and in multiplayer sessions, Maxwell mains often feel like they’re playing the game’s story in real time.
Charlie, the infamous Night Monster, is less about choice and more about punishment. Once Maxwell’s assistant, she now haunts the darkness itself, attacking any player foolish enough to remain without light. In groups, Charlie is often the reason everyone shouts “Torch check!” before nightfall. Her slashes deal heavy Health and Sanity damage, making her one of the most feared presences in the game.
The Curio Collector operates the Trade Inn, where players can exchange Curios for cosmetic items. While he doesn’t influence survival directly, he adds long-term goals for players who want to personalize their characters. For groups running dedicated servers, the Curio Collector keeps even the most experienced survivors engaged by offering new collectibles.
On a private or public server, NPCs transform Don’t Starve Together from a day-to-day struggle into a living world. The Pig King becomes the group’s banker, Pearl turns into a long-term questline and Wagstaff forces teamwork under pressure. Even antagonists like Charlie push players to prepare and cooperate.
That’s why having full control of your server is so important. On a dedicated server, you and your friends decide how NPCs fit into your story, whether that’s farming gold, chasing rare blueprints or taking on the Celestial Champion together.
NPCs are the backbone of progression in Don’t Starve Together. They give meaning to exploration, add layers of strategy and reward teamwork in ways random encounters never could.
At RocketNode, we provide the best way to experience it all. With high-performance servers, 24/7 support, and a strong 4.5/5 Trustpilot rating from over 2,100 reviews, you can set up a Don’t Starve Together world that’s always online and built for your community. Start hosting today and unlock everything The Constant has to offer.
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