Conan Exiles
Conan Exiles

Step 1: Escape the Exiled Lands

Begin your Conan Exiles journey in the Exiled Lands. Master initial survival mechanics and understand the first critical Journey Steps to stay alive.

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Step 1: Initial Survival & The Journey Begins

Welcome, Exile! Your journey in the harsh Exiled Lands begins with a critical objective: survival. While the overarching title "Escape the Exiled Lands" might suggest a quick exit, understand that this initial "Step 1" refers to the very first set of Journey Steps designed to teach you the fundamental mechanics of survival and progression. True escape is a long-term goal, requiring significant dedication and power. For now, focus on mastering these foundational tasks to ensure your continued existence.

Phase 1: Gathering Basic Resources & Crafting Essential Tools

Your immediate priority is to gather the raw materials necessary for basic crafting and to create your first set of tools. These tools are indispensable for efficient resource collection and will pave the way for all future endeavors.

  • Gather 10 Plant Fiber: Look for small, leafy bushes scattered across the starting desert area. Approach them and press your interaction key (E on PC, Square on PS, X on Xbox) to collect Plant Fiber. This resource is crucial for crafting light armor, ropes, and bedding.
  • Gather 10 Stone: Stone can be found as small, loose rocks on the ground. Keep an eye out for darker, rounded pebbles. Like Plant Fiber, interact with them to collect. Stone is fundamental for crafting tools, weapons, and early building pieces.
  • Gather 10 Wood: Wood is obtained from fallen branches or small trees. While you can punch trees to get wood, it's highly inefficient and damages your character. Focus on picking up loose branches until you craft an axe.

Once you have the required resources, it's time to craft your first essential tools:

  • Craft a Stone Pick:
    • Recipe: 5 Stone, 5 Plant Fiber
    • How to Craft: Open your inventory (Tab on PC, Options on PS, Menu on Xbox), navigate to the "Crafting" tab, and select the Stone Pick.
    • Purpose: Primarily used for mining stone, ironstone, and other ore deposits more efficiently than bare hands. It also yields a small amount of wood from trees.
  • Craft a Stone Axe:
    • Recipe: 5 Stone, 5 Plant Fiber
    • How to Craft: Similar to the Stone Pick, find it in your crafting menu.
    • Purpose: Essential for chopping down trees to gather wood and bark. It also yields a small amount of stone from rock nodes.

Strategy Tip: Equip your newly crafted tools! Drag them from your inventory to your quick-slot bar for easy access. Using the correct tool for the job (Pick for stone, Axe for wood) significantly increases resource yield and durability.

Phase 2: Sustenance - Water and Food

Survival in the Exiled Lands hinges on managing your hunger and thirst meters. Neglecting these will lead to debuffs and eventually, death.

  • Find a Water Source:
    • Location: From your starting position at the Crucified Exile, head generally north-east. You'll soon encounter the shattered remnants of a bridge and a shallow riverbed. This is the River biome, a vital early-game water source.
    • How to Drink: Approach the water's edge and press your interaction key. You can also swim in it to fill your thirst meter.
  • Craft a Waterskin:
    • Recipe: 5 Hide, 2 Plant Fiber
    • How to Craft: You'll need to kill some small animals (gazelles, rabbits, or even imps) to get Hide. Use your Stone Axe or Pick as a makeshift weapon. Once you have Hide, craft the Waterskin in your inventory.
    • Purpose: Allows you to carry water with you, crucial for venturing away from direct water sources. Fill it by interacting with a water source while the Waterskin is in your inventory or quick-slot.
  • Eat Berries:
    • Source: The same leafy bushes that provide Plant Fiber often drop Berries.
    • Purpose: Berries are your earliest and most accessible food source. They provide a small amount of hunger satiation. Collect as many as you can early on.
    • Common Pitfall: Don't rely solely on berries for long. They spoil quickly and offer minimal nutrition. Soon you'll need to hunt and cook meat.
Initial Survival & The Journey Begins - Conan Exiles screenshot
The starting area, with plenty of resources to begin your journey.

Phase 3: Initial Exploration & Safety

With your basic needs met and tools in hand, you can begin to cautiously explore your immediate surroundings. Remember, the Exiled Lands are dangerous.

  • Establish a Temporary Shelter (Optional but Recommended): While not a direct Journey Step at this stage, consider crafting a simple Bedroll (15 Plant Fiber, 5 Hide) and placing it near a water source. This sets your respawn point, preventing long treks back to your corpse if you die.
  • Avoid Aggressive Wildlife: Large creatures like Crocodiles, Hyenas, and Rocknoses are deadly to an unarmored, low-level exile. Give them a wide berth. Stick to areas with passive animals like Gazelles or small, easily dispatched Imps if you need Hide or early meat.
  • Understand the Journey Steps UI: Keep an eye on the top right of your screen (PC) or open your Journey tab (Map screen on consoles). As you complete these initial tasks, the corresponding Journey Steps will tick off, guiding your progression.

By successfully completing these initial tasks – gathering resources, crafting tools, and securing water and food – you will have laid the groundwork for your survival and are ready to tackle the next challenges the Exiled Lands throw at you. This foundational knowledge is key to progressing through the game and eventually, understanding the true path to escape.