Dear Funcom Development Team,
First, I want to say how excited I am about the new Living Settlements system coming in the Age of Heroes. The idea of crafting thralls acting autonomously—eating, drinking, resting, and interacting—is a fantastic addition to the immersive experience of the game. However, I’d like to respectfully request that you expand this system to all thralls and pets, not just crafting thralls, and include server settings for private servers that give players the option to enable or disable consequences for any thrall or pet that is not currently with a player and fails to meet their needs, such as food, water, and rest.
I understand that not all players enjoy the more challenging aspects of survival gameplay, and I fully respect that. My request is simply for the option to be available for those of us who thrive on these challenges. Adding these options would allow players to tailor their experience. For example, hardcore players could have consequences like reduced performance or even death for thralls and pets that aren’t fed or given rest for a certain amount of time (e.g., two in-game days without food or water).
By making these settings optional and extending them to all thralls and pets, you would be catering to a wide range of playstyles while ensuring that everyone has the freedom to enjoy the game in their preferred way.
Note:
These ideas are my personal suggestions for how existing systems in Conan Exiles could be expanded. I understand that not all of the mechanics I’ve described are currently implemented in the game, but I wanted to provide examples of how these features could be added. The concepts presented here are designed to enhance the Living Settlements system and other core gameplay elements, offering players more depth and immersion. I hope these ideas inspire further development and add value to the ongoing conversation about improving Conan Exiles.
Additional Thrall Types and Mechanics for Living Settlements
Alongside the server settings, I have a few ideas that could enhance the new Living Settlements system:
- [Light Keeper Thrall]: A thrall type that manages lighting in settlements, turning lights off during the day and back on at night.
- [Gatekeeper Thrall]: This thrall would operate drawbridges, elevators, and gates. During an attack, the Gatekeeper would help evacuate to a designated shelter (more on this below).
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- [Shelter]: A new structure that acts as a bomb shelter for non-combatant thralls and pets during an attack. A Gatekeeper would ensure everyone is inside before closing the door.
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- [Bell Guard Thrall]: A thrall that triggers an alarm (e.g., ringing a bell or blowing a horn) when the settlement is under attack. This would send non-combatant thralls to the shelter.*
- Patrolling Thralls: Guard thralls that patrol the perimeter of your settlement. It would be great to have a setting to increase the radius for patrolling on private servers to accommodate larger bases.
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- Dancer and Bard Specializations:
- Change Dancer Thrall to [Entertainer] – This modification would introduce the possibility of two specializations: [Bard] and [Dancer].
- Bard: Bards would serenade players in taverns or clan halls, playing instruments like harps, flutes, or drums. This addition would create a more immersive atmosphere for settlements, especially in tavern settings. Songs could be unlocked through quests or exploration, providing a rewarding challenge for players. Bards could also provide small buffs, such as health regeneration or faster corruption reduction, making them valuable not only for aesthetics but for gameplay benefits.
- Dancer: Dancers would continue their current role in reducing corruption but could also receive specialization buffs. Higher-tier dancers could remove corruption more efficiently or provide additional effects like minor stamina regeneration, giving players more incentive to seek out and assign top-quality entertainers.
This change would help create a more vibrant, interactive experience within settlements, where Entertainer Thralls could actively contribute to both atmosphere and player advantages.
Sorcerer Thralls Specializations:
I also propose introducing different specializations for Sorcery Thralls, which would add depth to the gameplay, especially in managing magical aspects of your settlement. These specializations could include:
- [Necromancer] – Master of Undeath
Role: The Necromancer specializes in necromancy, raising the dead to serve the player. Working closely with the [Driver] Taskmaster, the Necromancer assists in killing captured NPCs and reanimating them as undead thralls. These undead can be used for combat, as bodyguards for a [Warlock], or to defend the settlement. The Necromancer can also expand the types of undead that can be created, using rare materials to craft more powerful or unique zombies.
Key Features:
- Raising Undead Thralls:
- The Necromancer raises undead thralls or warriors by performing a ritual on slaves or prisoners. These prisoners are taken from the Prison for NPCs by the [Driver] Taskmaster or dragged directly by the player to a Shallow Grave, where the ritual takes place. The Driver assists in the ritual by killing the prisoner and helping to prepare the grave.
- Once the prisoner is buried, the Necromancer performs the reanimation spell, raising the NPC as an undead thrall. These undead can be used for combat, guarding the settlement, or serving as bodyguards for the [Warlock] sorcerer specialization.
- Expanded Undead Pool:
- The Necromancer has the ability to create various types of undead creatures, depending on the materials used in the ritual. Some examples include:
- Standard Zombies: These are typical undead thralls raised from captured NPCs.
- Undead Monstrosity: Created using special materials such as human corpses, Potent Compost made from dragon bone, and rare items like a rhino head or demon blood. These monstrosities are powerful undead warriors that can serve the player or a [Warlock] in combat.
- Special Zombies: Using Potent Compost or other rare ingredients, the Necromancer can craft zombies with improved stats and abilities, making them more effective in battle.
- Decay Mechanic:
- All undead created by the Necromancer have a decay mechanic, meaning they will naturally deteriorate and perish after two days unless maintained. This mechanic requires players to manage their undead armies by continuously raising new thralls or ensuring their undead are strategically deployed before they decay.
- Collaboration with the [Driver] Taskmaster:
- The Necromancer works closely with the [Driver] to perform the reanimation rituals. After selecting a prisoner from the Prison for NPCs, the [Driver] helps transport the prisoner to the shallow grave, kills them, and assists in preparing the body for reanimation. The Necromancer then completes the ritual to raise the undead thrall.
- [Warlock] – Sorcerer of Battle
Role: The Warlock is a powerful combat sorcerer capable of summoning demons or commanding undead to fight alongside them in battle. As the only sorcery thrall that can actively participate in combat, the Warlock is invaluable in skirmishes. However, they require protection due to their vulnerability while casting spells. Additionally, the Warlock can have an undead bodyguard or summon a temporary demon to aid them, but these summoned entities are unstable and may eventually turn on the player and thrall.
Key Features:
- Combat Sorcerer: The Warlock excels in battle, casting offensive spells to support the player’s forces. These spells can include elemental damage or curses that debilitate enemies, adding magical firepower to the player’s combat strategy.
- Undead Command:
- The Warlock can command an Undead Bodyguard if one has already been created in the player’s settlement. The undead is summoned from a pre-existing pool of created undead, not from nearby bodies, and acts as the Warlock’s protector during battle.
- Only one Undead Bodyguard can be assigned to a Warlock at a time. This bodyguard will follow the Warlock, shielding them from harm as they cast powerful spells.
- Demon Summoning:
- The Warlock can summon a Temporary Demon using a summoning circle within the player’s settlement. This demon aids in battle but, due to its chaotic nature, the demon is unstable and will eventually turn on both the player and the Warlock after a short duration, requiring players to strategically manage the timing and use of such a powerful entity.
- Optional Demon-Lord Ability: The Warlock could also possess the ability similar to the player’s Demon-Lord skill, where dealing damage has a chance to summon an uncontrolled demonic entity that temporarily attacks foes. This random summoning adds an unpredictable element to combat.
- Vulnerability: Despite their combat prowess, the Warlock is physically fragile and must be protected by guards, an undead bodyguard, or summoned demons. Without adequate protection, the Warlock may be quickly overwhelmed in battle, leaving the player without their most powerful sorcery-based support.
- Summoning Limitations:
- Undead: The Warlock can only command an undead entity if it has been created beforehand in the settlement. They cannot summon undead from nearby corpses.
- Demon: The Temporary Demon must be summoned from the summoning circle in the settlement, and it is bound to turn hostile after its brief service in combat.
In-Game Applications:
- Summoning Tactics: The Warlock offers a mix of magical damage and summoning support. Their Undead Bodyguard provides a reliable form of protection, while the Temporary Demon can be used for aggressive, high-risk combat situations.
- Strategic Deployment: With the option of summoning a powerful, temporary demon or commanding an undead, the Warlock can adapt to different combat scenarios, offering the player flexibility in how they use their sorcery thrall.
- Risk Management: Since both the Temporary Demon and Demon-Lord summoned entities may eventually turn on the player, using these abilities requires careful timing and risk management during battle.
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- [Blood Mage] – Collector of Sacrificial Blood and Souls
Role: The Blood Mage specializes in conducting sacrificial rituals at the Sacrificial Stone, harvesting either Sacrificial Blood or Soul Essence from captured NPC thralls. These resources are critical for performing advanced sorcery and crafting essential items for magical rites. The Blood Mage works closely with the [Driver] Taskmaster, who assists in securing prisoners for the ritual. The Blood Mage ensures the proper extraction of these vital resources during the ritual.
Key Features:
- Resource Gathering: The Blood Mage focuses on extracting crucial sorcery resources—Sacrificial Blood and Soul Essence—during sacrificial rituals. These resources are integral for crafting certain items and performing advanced magical rites.
- Sacrifice Mechanic: The [Driver] Taskmaster plays a key role in the sacrificial process. Prisoners awaiting sacrifice are kept in the Prison for NPCs, and when marked for sacrifice, the [Driver] escorts them from the prison to the Sacrificial Stone. The [Driver] assists the Blood Mage by tying the prisoner down to the stone, preparing them for the ritual. The player can also directly knock out NPCs and drag them to the sacrificial stone if needed. Once the prisoner is secured, the Blood Mage performs the ritual, extracting either Sacrificial Blood or Soul Essence for use in sorcery.
- Crafting Sacrificial Resources: Sacrificial Blood can be further refined into Sacrificial Blood in a Flask, necessary for performing Blood Rites, while Soul Essence is used for other powerful rituals. These resources can be crafted into items that offer temporary combat boosts or magical enhancements, making them highly valuable during combat or ritual preparation.
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- [Thaumaturgist Scholar] – Master of Arcane Knowledge:
- Role: This specialized scholar not only works on the Thaumaturgy Bench but also expands their knowledge across a wide range of magical and arcane fields. They provide deeper lore insights, discover new spells, and unlock hidden knowledge that may trigger server-wide quests or storylines. A unique feature of the Scholar is their ability to interact with golems, gathering materials and researching new magical properties. When stationed at a golem crafting station, the Thaumaturgist Scholar can periodically send out golems to collect rare ingredients and research materials.
- Key Features:
- Lore Master and Researcher: The Thaumaturgist Scholar can discover new magical abilities, uncover hidden lore, and unlock rare spells. Their research can result in powerful enhancements to the player’s magic or trigger lore-based events across the server.
- Golem Integration: When assigned to a golem crafting station, the Scholar will not only oversee golem creation but will also randomly send out crafted golems to gather materials. These golems could bring back rare research ingredients or resources needed to advance magical research.
- Artifact and Lore Collection: The Scholar can process notes, relics, and artifacts found throughout the world, revealing deeper stories from the Conan universe or hidden magical powers. By returning these items to the Scholar, players unlock new spells, rituals, or summon unique world events.This specialization adds significant depth by integrating magical research with material gathering, lore discovery, and the potential to trigger world-changing events.
Taskmaster Thralls Expansion:
Currently, Taskmasters specialize in either [Driver] for increasing concussion damage or [Overseer] for enhancing the durability of crafted items at the Torturer’s Worktable. Introducing a third specialization, [Slavetaker], would add a new layer to the game mechanics, especially in managing prisoners and Living Settlements.
- [Prisoner Transportation System]: Taskmasters [Slavetakers] would manage the logistics of transporting prisoners. A wagon-like station could hold up to 8 prisoners, transporting them to the camp for processing as either sacrifices or thralls.
- [Taskmasters [Overseers]] could ensure crafting thralls remain productive. If a crafting thrall starts slacking off, the Overseer would crack a whip to speed up their work. If a thrall continues to underperform, the Driver could take them to a punishment device. After punishment, their food and water reserves would drastically decrease, but their crafting speed would increase dramatically for a limited time, encouraging efficient management.
Prison for NPCs:
The Prison functions similarly to the Wheel of Pain, but serves as a holding area for NPC captives before they are either converted into thralls, sacrificed, or reanimated as undead. This system also introduces food and water management for prisoners, adding an extra layer of immersion and responsibility for players.
Food and Water Mechanic:
Each prisoner would have a hunger and thirst meter. If these needs aren’t met, they can starve or die of thirst, forcing the player to actively manage their captives. This adds a challenge to prisoner management, ensuring that those intended for conversion, sacrifice, or reanimation are kept alive and healthy.
Converting Prisoners to Thralls:
Once a prisoner is ready for conversion, the [Driver] Taskmaster is solely responsible for moving the prisoner from the Prison to the Wheel of Pain. The [Driver] ensures the prisoner is efficiently processed into a thrall, streamlining the conversion process so players can focus on other tasks.
Sacrificing Prisoners:
For prisoners marked for sacrifice, the [Driver] Taskmaster will escort them to the sacrificial stone. The Blood Mage Thrall will then perform the ritual, while the [Driver] ensures that the sacrifice process is efficient and uninterrupted, adding depth to the sacrificial system.
Necromancer Collaboration – Master of Undeath:
When prisoners are marked for reanimation, the [Driver] transports them to the shallow grave and assists with the preparation. The [Driver] performs the final blow to kill the prisoner, and the Necromancer completes the ritual to raise the undead thrall. This collaborative process ensures smooth execution of the ritual and gives the player a more immersive necromancy experience.
Prisoner Transportation System:
The Prisoner Transportation System uses Slavetakers to transport prisoners from the field back to the player’s settlement, but once inside the camp, the [Driver] Taskmaster takes over. Upon arrival, prisoners are marked for one of three tasks—conversion, sacrifice, or reanimation—via the Slave Wagon. The [Driver] Taskmaster then moves them to their appropriate destinations, such as the Wheel of Pain, sacrificial stone, or shallow grave.
By adding these elements, the Prison for NPCs system becomes more immersive and interconnected, with the [Driver] Taskmaster playing a key role in the movement and preparation of prisoners. This makes the system not only challenging but also more realistic and engaging within the broader Living Settlements framework.
Conclusion:
All of these ideas would enhance the immersion and management aspects of the Living Settlements system, offering greater depth for players who enjoy a more complex and hardcore survival experience. By introducing optional settings for private servers and new thrall types, you would allow players to customize their gameplay, making the world of Conan Exiles more engaging and dynamic.
Thank you for taking the time to read my feedback. I believe adding these optional server settings and new thrall types would give players the flexibility to tailor the game to their preferred playstyle, enhancing the Living Settlements system and enriching the overall gameplay experience. I’m excited to see where Age of Heroes takes us, and I hope my suggestions can contribute to making Conan Exiles even more immersive and enjoyable for everyone.
Best regards,
Kalnazzar Wrynn
Some players are stubborn on these points and how to present them. Yes, just stubborn and very greedy.