Getting the Pygmy Necklace in Terraria is simple once you know it comes from the Witch Doctor after you beat Plantera. This handy summoner accessory raises your maximum number of minions by one, letting you keep an extra summon on the field at all times. Below you'll find exactly where it comes from, what you need to unlock it, and how to buy and equip it.
The Pygmy Necklace is sold by the Witch Doctor NPC, but only after a few conditions are met. There's no rare drop or random luck involved here — once your world is in the right state, the item is guaranteed and cheap. Let's walk through the requirements first, then the steps.
What you need before you start
- A world that has entered Hardmode.
- Plantera defeated at least once in that world.
- The Witch Doctor NPC living in your world (he moves in after you kill Queen Bee).
- At least 4 gold coins to spend, and an open accessory slot to equip it.
How to get the Pygmy Necklace in Terraria
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Step 1: Reach Hardmode and defeat Plantera
The Witch Doctor only stocks the Pygmy Necklace once Plantera has been defeated, so progression comes first. Enter Hardmode by breaking a Demon or Crimson Altar, beat the three mechanical bosses to make Plantera's Bulb spawn in the Underground Jungle, then defeat Plantera. After that fight, the Witch Doctor's inventory expands.
Plantera must be beaten before the necklace appears in the shop. -
Step 2: Make sure the Witch Doctor lives nearby
The vendor you need is the Witch Doctor. He moves into a valid, empty house after you defeat the Queen Bee boss in the Jungle. Build a proper room with walls, a door, a table, a chair, and a light source, and he'll arrive like any other town NPC. He sells more (and slightly cheaper) Jungle-themed items when his house is in the Jungle biome.
The Witch Doctor is the only NPC who sells the Pygmy Necklace. -
Step 3: Talk to the Witch Doctor at night
This is the part players often miss: the Pygmy Necklace is only sold at night. During the day it won't appear in his shop at all. Wait until dusk, then walk up to the Witch Doctor and right-click him (or press the interact button on console) and choose Shop to open his store.
Open the Witch Doctor's shop between dusk and dawn. -
Step 4: Buy the Pygmy Necklace
In the shop window, find the Pygmy Necklace and click it to purchase. It costs 4 gold coins, which is affordable by the time you've beaten Plantera. The tooltip confirms its effect: it increases your maximum number of minions by one. You can buy just a single copy — its bonus does not stack with itself.
The Pygmy Necklace sells for 4 gold in the Witch Doctor's shop. -
Step 5: Equip the necklace in an accessory slot
Open your inventory and drag the Pygmy Necklace into one of your accessory slots. As soon as it's equipped, your minion cap goes up by one, so a build that could summon one minion can now summon two (and so on). The bonus applies no matter which summon weapon or armor set you're using.
Equip the necklace to raise your maximum minion count. -
Step 6: Optional — craft it into a stronger accessory
Most summoners don't keep the Pygmy Necklace as-is for long. At a Tinkerer's Workshop you can combine the Pygmy Necklace with a Hercules Beetle (also sold by the Witch Doctor in the Jungle) to craft the Papyrus Scarab. The Scarab keeps the +1 minion bonus and adds extra minion damage, making it a clear upgrade.
Combine the necklace with a Hercules Beetle to make the Papyrus Scarab.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Can't see it in the shop? Double-check that it's nighttime and that Plantera has actually been defeated in this world — both conditions are required.
- Pair it with summoner gear. Stardust armor, Spooky armor, and the Necromantic Scroll all stack with the necklace's bonus for even more minions.
- Reforge for stats. Like most accessories, the Pygmy Necklace can be reforged at the Goblin Tinkerer for a defensive or movement modifier.
- Don't sell duplicates by accident. One Pygmy Necklace is all you need; a second won't add another minion. Save the spare to craft the Papyrus Scarab.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you get the Pygmy Necklace in Terraria?
You buy it from the Witch Doctor NPC for 4 gold. It only appears in his shop at night and only after Plantera has been defeated in your world.
What does the Pygmy Necklace do?
It's a summoner accessory that increases your maximum number of minions by one, letting you keep an extra summon active at the same time.
Why isn't the Pygmy Necklace showing up?
The two most common reasons are that it's currently daytime (it's a night-only item) or that you haven't defeated Plantera yet. Beat Plantera and check the shop again after dusk.
Is the Pygmy Necklace worth getting?
Yes, especially for summoner builds. An extra minion is a meaningful damage boost, and it later upgrades into the Papyrus Scarab for even more minion power.
Does the Pygmy Necklace stack with other minion accessories?
Its +1 bonus stacks with other sources like the Necromantic Scroll and summoner armor sets, but you cannot stack two Pygmy Necklaces together for +2.
Final thoughts
Getting the Pygmy Necklace in Terraria comes down to reaching the right point in Hardmode and shopping at the right time: defeat Plantera, visit the Witch Doctor at night, and buy it for 4 gold. Equip it for an instant extra minion, then craft it into the Papyrus Scarab when you're ready to push your summoner build further. For the latest patch details and official information, check the official Terraria website.
