I completely understand your concerns, especially considering how difficult the Thrall Pot system was to manage. However, I believe it’s important to respect the variety of ways people enjoy the game. That’s why I advocate for providing options rather than imposing mandatory mechanics. For private servers, adding a more realistic hunger or resource management system could greatly increase immersion and challenge for players who seek a deeper survival experience.
For instance, private server players could enable a hunger system with realistic consequences, such as thralls taking damage or even leaving or betraying you if their needs are neglected. This could add a fun mechanic, where if thralls are unhappy, they might stage a rebellion and take control of the settlement. You could even fight the leader of the coup in a one-on-one duel to reclaim your settlement and assert dominance. It would create a thrilling way to regain control while providing a consequence for neglecting your thralls.
Ultimately, it’s about giving players the choice to tailor their experience. Hardcore survival enthusiasts could embrace these challenging mechanics, while players who prefer a more relaxed gameplay experience wouldn’t be affected. This way, everyone can enjoy the game in the way that suits them best.
I completely agree that more hardcore survival elements would greatly improve Conan Exiles, and the healing system is one area where that depth could really shine. For example, instead of aloe-based bandages or potions being a general healing item, they should be more specialized. Aloe-based bandages could be crafted with a mix of aloe and another specific herb to heal burns and provide a small amount of health recovery. However, these would only be useful for treating burn injuries, which would force players to plan ahead and carry the right supplies for different scenarios.
Similarly, different medicinal herbs could be used to cure various ailments. For instance:
- Red lotus mixed with a new herb could be used to create a potion that cures poison.
- Basic Bandages should only stop bleeding and heal a very small amount of health, making them essential for dealing with specific injuries like cuts or wounds but not suitable for full recovery.
- Splints or clay casts could be introduced to treat broken limbs, adding another survival challenge where players would need to manage injuries over time.
- Yellow lotus or a yet-to-be-introduced plant could be used to treat fever or diseases contracted from the environment, adding layers of immersion and challenge.
- Different plants could be harvested and combined with aloe to craft specialized potions, such as healing specific ailments like burns, wounds, or fevers, rather than a generic healing potion that cures all conditions.
This would create a more engaging medical system, where players need to gather and combine the right ingredients for each situation, similar to real survival tactics. You could also expand this to include splints for broken limbs or clay casts for more serious injuries, which would need time to heal and slow movement until treated properly.
These deeper survival mechanics would really enhance the game’s challenge and immersion, especially for hardcore players. And weapon balance could use similar attention. Right now, legendary weapons feel like they lack identity, often being just reskinned versions with small stat differences. It would be great to see more unique weapons, like claws blessed by Jhebbal Sag, which could offer abilities such as a 20% movement speed increase and a built-in double jump. This would make legendary items feel truly special and different from standard gear.
A quest chain allowing players to become a werewolf devoted to Jhebbal Sag would add significant immersion and depth to the game. The lore surrounding beast transformations is rich in Conan and would fit perfectly within the world of Conan Exiles. Players could unlock the ability to shift between human and beast forms after completing a quest line tied to Jhebbal Sag, the God of Beasts, Nature, and Wilderness.
In human form, players would gain bestial traits, such as claw-like nails or wolf-like eyes, and these could offer minor buffs like increased damage or improved night vision. However, when fully transformed into a beast, they could access more powerful abilities like increased movement speed, enhanced strength, or the ability to track enemies using heightened senses.
There are many types of beast transformations in the Conan lore, not just werewolves. For example, players could choose between becoming a werewolf, werehyena, werebear, or even a weretiger, with each form offering different abilities and buffs. This variety would bring further immersion into the world of Jhebbal Sag and his deep connection to the wild.
For more insight into the lore surrounding werewolves, check out this video: All Werewolves in Conan Lore (Study and Theory Crafting).
Additionally, there is also vampire lore in Conan, which could be tied to Derketo, the Goddess of Fertility, Death, and Lust. While Derketo is commonly associated with fertility, her domains of death and lust make her a fitting deity for vampiric transformations. Players could follow a similar quest line, gaining the ability to become vampires, with traits such as increased strength, regeneration, or the ability to mesmerize enemies.
For a deep dive into vampire lore in Conan, this video is a great resource: All Vampires in Conan Lore (Study and Theory Crafting).
Expanding on the religious aspects of Conan Exiles could greatly enhance the game’s depth and variety. Linking beast transformations to Jhebbal Sag and vampiric powers to Derketo would provide players with powerful yet lore-appropriate abilities while deepening the spiritual and mystical aspects of the game.
All of this would provide a much deeper, more engaging survival experience, especially if offered as an option on private servers. This way, players who want the added challenge can enjoy it, while others can stick to the current balance.