As I was adventuring about, capturing thralls and building my camp, one of them spoke to me saying “Winter is Coming.” I was shocked, since we were in a desert where it was never going to get cold. But alas, he was right and winter has come to Conan Exiles! The Frozen North expansion adds a plethora of new content from two new biomes, thrall types, white walkers, and even ice dragons! It’s like it came straight out of Game of Thrones. Lets go over what’s all new in Conan Exiles: The Frozen North.
Two Massive New Biomes!
First off, lets talk about the biggest part of the update, that being the Frozen North of course. Before, there was only one giant biome in the south, the desert. Sure, there was a river, some ponds, and caves to go with, but it was all pretty much a desert and that got boring to look at after awhile. This expansion adds in a nice green middle biome between the iceland and desert regions. This is what I’d call the paradise biome since that’s what it looks like. Here, you can find all types of new enemies and animals that strive within this green paradise. It even comes with an oasis for that perfect place to build at! The second biome is of course the iceland in the far north. Being double the size of the desert with the greenland, it is sure to give anyone daring enough to venture into it a challenge. The icey region is extremely cold, and is home to white walkers and frost giants as well as ice dragons that will munch on any intruders! Together, these two new biomes have tripled the game’s world giving much more replayability and exploration.
New Weapons and a New Diety
With the update, there are also changes to how equipment works and the addition of an entirely new branch of equipment. Star Metal, Black Ice, and Cimmerian Hardened Steel has been added to the game. This branch is for both weapons and armor and is needed if you’re to venture into the extremely hostile new biomes. There are also new building types being T2 Insulated Wooden, and T3 Black Ice-Reinforced. These two types are needed for building in the north due to it’s inhospitable freezing temperatures. You can also now utilize climbing, and climbing hooks to help break into all those enemy castles of to scale that new Ice Wall someone is sure to build in the north, just like a Wildling!
Another big point about this update is the addition of a brand new diety, Ymir, Lord of Storm and War. As with the other dieties, Ymir has buildings and altars dedicated to his worship style. You will also now be able to summon this diety at the final level altar to battle it out with the other dieties summoned by other players! This is big for some since it essentially adds in an entirely new faction for players to join at the creation of their character. After studying under Ymir, you can act a Viking and fight your foes with a mighty battleaxe! To unlock Ymir and his structures, you will have to find the priest in the frozen north.
Temperature System
Another huge part of this update is the new Temperature System. No longer will you be safe wearing the hottest armor in the desert. Desert regions harsh sun brings with it extreme heat forcing everyone to wear lighter clothing so counter the heat in order to survive. Else, they would get dehydrated really quick! In the north, it’s the opposite, you need to dress in warm furs and heavier clothing in order to combat the freezing temperatures that would otherwise leave you a frozen popsicle in moments! Be sure when travelling, that you can handle the temperature of the region you’re going to. Travelling is very risky now!
New Creatures to Battle
As mentioned before, a lot of new creatures have been spotted in these mysterious new biomes. You can be spotted by the stalking wolves who can quickly create a deadly situation by attacking as a large pack, or it could be a deadly new bear that comes running at you from the front in a fearless style. The Frost Giants pose a threat, stomping around aggressively in the distance, and the Mammoth passes by you with it’s large steps shaking the ground. But there’s not shortage of new creatures to run into in these new regions, so be on the lookout for those that may hide in shadows!
Either way, you will need to battle some of these creatures if you’re to survive in the cold environment. The fur is important when it comes to keeping warm afterall. You won’t be able to claim you rule the Exiled Lands if you can’t say you’ve beaten every challenge either, so fight on Exile, and claim you prize!
New Dungeon
The last major addition that comes with the Frozen North update is a new dungeon for all of us Exiles to explore and claim the treasures that lie within! The Abandoned Keep is filled with dangerous foes that will test even the best among us. Those who can reach the end of this chaotic dungeon can certainly feel the rewards just lining their pockets. Like with all the other dungeons, corruption is a risk and will slowly tick away at your combat capabilities and survival ratings. If you let it go too low, you may find yourself becoming one of those roaming skeletons that await inside the Keep.
Conclusion
Overall, the Frozen North update adds a ton of new content and a lot of fun things to do as a group. New camps of thralls that worship Ymir are also able to be found scattered all around the new biomes too. With all the new stuff, much of the old stuff has been fixed or changed to counter some of the earlier problems the game had at launch. They also changed the building system a little as well, to make snapping easier and more in line with the structures. Altars will no longer become larger than the T2 altar size, so you won’t have to worry about the altar cutting into your base at T3. But most importantly, there are a bunch of new challenges that lie in wait for us to conquer and reap the rewards. This update is definitely a good one. If you enjoyed the original concept of Conan Exiles, but were like me and unable to play without crashing, that’s also fixed now so we can finally enjoy the game!