Conan Exiles
Conan Exiles

Introduction & Lore

Start your Conan Exiles adventure. This guide helps you survive the Exiled Lands, detailing your harsh start and how to conquer the savage frontier.

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The Exiled Lands: A Harsh Welcome

Welcome, Exile, to the brutal, unforgiving world of Conan Exiles. You begin your journey crucified and left for dead in the scorching Exiled Lands, a vast and dangerous wilderness. Your first priority is survival, and this guide will equip you with the knowledge to not only endure but to conquer this savage frontier.

The lore of Conan Exiles is deeply rooted in Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age. You are a criminal, banished to this cursed land by the powerful nations of the civilized world. A mysterious bracelet binds you to this place, preventing escape. To remove it, you must seek out the ancient powers and forgotten secrets scattered across the map. Your ultimate goal is to break free from the Exiled Lands, but the path is fraught with peril and ancient evils.

Your First Steps: Survival in the Desert

Upon awakening, your immediate concerns are thirst, hunger, and basic protection. Follow these steps to ensure your initial survival:

  1. Escape the Crucifixion: After the opening cinematic, you'll be prompted to interact with the crucifix to free yourself.
  2. Gather Basic Resources:
    • Stone: Pick up loose stones from the ground. These are essential for crafting your first tools.
    • Branches: Gather branches from small bushes and fallen trees.
    • Plant Fiber: Harvest plants to obtain plant fiber, crucial for crafting clothing and bindings.
  3. Craft Your First Tools: Open your inventory (default key 'I') and navigate to the crafting menu.
    • Stone Pick: Craft a Stone Pick using 5 Stone and 5 Branches. This will allow you to efficiently gather more stone and ironstone.
    • Stone Hatchet: Craft a Stone Hatchet using 5 Stone and 5 Branches. This is vital for gathering wood.
  4. Secure Water and Food:
    • Water: Locate the nearest river or oasis. The starting desert area has several small water sources. Approach the water and press your interact key to drink. You can also craft a Waterskin (20 Plant Fiber) to carry water with you.
    • Food: Hunt small creatures like Rocknoses (found near rocky outcrops) or Gazelles (common in grassy areas) using your Stone Hatchet or Pick. Gather Insects from bushes. Cook raw meat at a Campfire (see below) to make it more nutritious and prevent food poisoning.
  5. Build a Campfire: A campfire is essential for cooking and providing warmth at night. Craft it using 10 Stone and 10 Branches. Place it down and fuel it with wood or plant fiber.

Early Game Progression: Shelter and Weapons

Once your basic needs are met, focus on establishing a rudimentary base and acquiring better tools and weapons.

Building a Basic Shelter

A shelter is crucial for protection against the elements (especially sandstorms) and hostile creatures. Start with a simple 1x1 or 2x2 structure.

  1. Learn Basic Building Feats: In your Feats menu (default key 'P'), unlock the "Journeyman Builder" feat. This will grant you access to basic building pieces.
  2. Gather Building Materials:
    • Wood: Use your Stone Hatchet to chop down trees.
    • Stone: Use your Stone Pick to mine large rock formations.
    • Plant Fiber: Harvest plants.
  3. Craft Foundation and Walls: In your crafting menu, create Sandstone Foundations, Sandstone Walls, and a Sandstone Doorway with a Wooden Door.
  4. Place Your Shelter: Find a relatively flat area, preferably near resources and water, and place your foundation. Build up your walls and add a door.

Acquiring Iron Weapons

Stone tools and weapons are fragile and weak. Your next goal should be to obtain iron for stronger gear.

  1. Locate Ironstone: Ironstone deposits are typically found in rocky areas, often slightly north of the starting desert. Look for dark, metallic-looking rocks. A good early location is near the River that runs through the starting zone, particularly around the coordinates H-4/H-5 on the map.
  2. Mine Ironstone: Use your Stone Pick to mine the Ironstone. You'll receive Ironstone ore.
  3. Craft a Furnace: Unlock the "Smelter" feat. Craft a Furnace using 50 Stone and 20 Wood. Place it in your shelter.
  4. Smelt Iron Bars: Place Ironstone and fuel (wood or coal) into the Furnace to produce Iron Bars.
  5. Craft a Blacksmith's Bench: Unlock the "Blacksmith" feat. Craft a Blacksmith's Bench using 50 Wood, 20 Stone, and 10 Iron Bars.
  6. Craft Iron Weapons: At the Blacksmith's Bench, you can now craft powerful early-game weapons like the Iron Broadsword, Iron Axe, and Iron Pickaxe. These will significantly improve your combat effectiveness and resource gathering speed, making encounters with creatures like Hyenas far less dangerous.