Mastering Thrall Capture in Conan Exiles: A Comprehensive Guide

Conan Exiles, a brutal survival game set in the harsh lands of Hyboria, offers players a wealth of opportunities for dominance and progression. One of the most vital aspects of establishing a thriving base and a powerful presence is the acquisition of thralls. These NPCs serve as laborers, defenders, and artisans, significantly boosting your efficiency and strength. While the game doesn’t explicitly use the term “kidnapping,” the process of capturing and enslaving thralls is a core mechanic. This article will provide a detailed guide on how to effectively capture thralls in Conan Exiles.

Table of Contents

Understanding The Thrall System

The thrall system in Conan Exiles allows you to capture various NPCs and force them into servitude. These thralls can be used for a variety of purposes, including crafting, combat, and defense. Different types of thralls excel in different roles, so understanding their specializations is key to maximizing their effectiveness.

Thralls are categorized into several types, each with unique skills and abilities:

Fighters: These thralls are your primary combatants, providing defense for your base and accompanying you on adventures. They come in varying tiers, with higher tiers possessing better stats and combat prowess.
Archers: Similar to fighters, archers defend your base from ranged attacks and can provide ranged support in combat.
Artisans: These thralls are essential for crafting. They include blacksmiths, armorers, carpenters, cooks, alchemists, and priests, each improving the crafting speed and quality of specific items.
Entertainers: Entertainers reduce corruption, a detrimental status effect that accumulates in certain areas and activities.
Bearers: These thralls act as mobile storage units, allowing you to carry significantly more weight than you normally could.

Why Thralls Are Essential

Thralls are not just optional additions to your base; they are crucial for progression. Artisans drastically reduce crafting times and unlock better crafting recipes, saving you countless hours of grinding. Fighters and archers provide essential defense against purges and enemy players, while entertainers help manage corruption. A well-managed thrall force is the backbone of any successful Conan Exiles player.

The Capturing Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

Capturing thralls in Conan Exiles requires a specific process that involves weakening, knocking out, and transporting your target. Here’s a breakdown of the steps involved:

Locate Your Target: Identify the thrall you want to capture. Different thralls spawn in different locations, so knowing where to look is essential. Higher-tier thralls are typically found in more dangerous areas.
Prepare Your Equipment: You will need specific equipment to capture thralls without killing them. The most important item is a truncheon, a blunt weapon designed to inflict concussion damage. You will also need bindings to tie up the unconscious thrall and a wheel of pain to break their will.
Weaken the Target: Engage the target in combat and reduce their health. Avoid using weapons that inflict significant damage, as you want to knock them unconscious, not kill them. Use a regular weapon until the thrall is at about 25% health.
Knock Out the Target: Switch to your truncheon and continue attacking the thrall. The truncheon inflicts concussion damage, which fills the target’s unconsciousness meter. Once the meter is full, the thrall will fall unconscious.
Secure the Target: Equip your bindings and use them on the unconscious thrall. This will tie them up and allow you to drag them.
Transport the Target: Drag the unconscious thrall back to your base. Be careful, as dragging slows you down and makes you vulnerable to attacks. Consider using a bearer thrall to help carry the unconscious thrall.
Place the Thrall on the Wheel of Pain: Once you reach your base, place the bound thrall on a wheel of pain. This device breaks their will, turning them into a loyal thrall.
Provide Fuel: The wheel of pain requires fuel to operate. Common fuels include gruel, exotic feast, and shadespiced food. The type of fuel you use affects the thralling time and the chance of the thrall surviving.
Wait for the Conversion: The thralling process takes time, depending on the tier of the thrall and the type of fuel used. Once the process is complete, the thrall will be ready for deployment.

Essential Equipment For Thrall Capture

Having the right equipment is crucial for successful thrall capture. Here’s a list of essential items:

Truncheon: The primary weapon for inflicting concussion damage. Different tiers of truncheons inflict more concussion damage. Steel truncheons are a good early-game option, while hardened steel truncheons and dragonbone truncheons are more effective later on.
Bindings: Used to tie up unconscious thralls. Simple rope is sufficient for low-level thralls, but higher-level thralls may require stronger bindings like chain bindings.
Wheel of Pain: The device used to convert captured NPCs into thralls. Different sizes of wheels of pain are available, with larger wheels being able to process more thralls simultaneously.
Armor: Protective gear to reduce damage taken during combat. Heavier armor provides more protection but reduces mobility.
Healing Items: Bandages, potions, or food to restore health during and after combat.
Torch or Light Source: Essential for navigating dark areas where thralls might be located.

Tips And Tricks For Efficient Thrall Capture

Capturing thralls can be challenging, especially in dangerous areas. Here are some tips and tricks to improve your efficiency and success rate:

Scout the Area: Before engaging any thralls, scout the area to identify potential threats, such as enemy players or dangerous creatures.
Use a Shield: A shield can block attacks and reduce damage taken, making it easier to survive encounters.
Bring a Companion: Having a friend or a strong fighter thrall can significantly increase your chances of success.
Target Weaker Thralls First: Start by capturing lower-tier thralls to gain experience and resources before attempting to capture higher-tier thralls.
Use the Environment to Your Advantage: Lure thralls into enclosed spaces or use terrain to break line of sight and avoid ranged attacks.
Manage Your Stamina: Avoid running out of stamina during combat, as this will leave you vulnerable to attacks.
Choose the Right Fuel: Experiment with different types of fuel to optimize thralling time and survival chances. Gruel is a common early-game option, while exotic feast and shadespiced food offer better results.
Protect Your Wheel of Pain: Build walls and defenses around your wheel of pain to protect it from enemy attacks.
Consider Server Settings: Some servers have adjusted thrall capture rates or timers. Be aware of these settings to adjust your strategy accordingly.

Choosing The Right Thrall Type

Not all thralls are created equal. Selecting the right type of thrall for the job is crucial.

For Combat: Focus on acquiring fighter and archer thralls with high strength and vitality. Look for named thralls, as they typically have better stats and perks.
For Crafting: Prioritize artisan thralls who specialize in the crafts you need. A T4 blacksmith, for example, will significantly improve the quality of your weapons and armor.
For Defense: Place fighter and archer thralls strategically around your base to defend against purges and enemy players. Consider using archer thralls on elevated platforms for better coverage.
For Resource Gathering: While not directly involved in resource gathering, bearer thralls can greatly increase your carrying capacity, allowing you to transport more resources back to your base.

Advanced Thrall Management

Once you have a stable of thralls, effective management is key to maximizing their potential.

Equipping Thralls: Equip your thralls with appropriate weapons and armor to improve their combat effectiveness. Experiment with different gear combinations to find what works best for each thrall.
Leveling Up Thralls: Thralls gain experience and level up as they fight and work. Leveling up improves their stats and unlocks new perks.
Thrall Placement: Position your thralls strategically around your base to maximize their effectiveness. Place archer thralls on high towers, fighter thralls near entrances, and artisan thralls near their respective crafting stations.
Thrall Potency: Potency affects how quickly the thrall breaks on the wheel of pain. Increasing potency will break the thrall faster.
Thrall Perks: Thralls gain perks as they level. Some perks are beneficial, while others are detrimental. Choose thralls with beneficial perks whenever possible.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. Here are some solutions to common problems encountered during thrall capture:

Thrall Dies During Capture: Reduce the damage you inflict before switching to the truncheon. Use a weaker weapon or remove damage-enhancing perks.
Thrall Escapes: Use stronger bindings or knock the thrall out again if they start to wake up.
Thrall Won’t Convert: Ensure the wheel of pain is powered and that you have the correct type of fuel. Check for any server settings that might affect thrall conversion.
Thrall is Too Weak: Equip the thrall with better weapons and armor. Level up the thrall by having them fight alongside you.
Purge keeps killing Thralls: Place the thralls in a protected position, far from the purge path and ensure that the area is well-defended.

Conclusion

Mastering the art of thrall capture in Conan Exiles is essential for establishing a powerful base and dominating the Exiled Lands. By understanding the different types of thralls, preparing the right equipment, and following the steps outlined in this guide, you can build a formidable force of loyal servants. Remember to scout carefully, manage your resources wisely, and adapt your strategy as needed. With practice and perseverance, you will become a master of thrall capture, ensuring your survival and dominance in the brutal world of Conan Exiles.

What Is The Most Efficient Way To Knock Out A Thrall?

The most efficient way to knock out a thrall is to use a blunted weapon designed for dealing concussive damage, combined with the correct ammunition for your truncheon. Truncheons are the primary weapon for knocking out thralls, but their effectiveness is greatly increased with blunt weapon fittings like bindings, and ammunition that adds concussive damage. The greater the concussive damage, the faster you’ll fill the thrall’s unconsciousness meter.

Furthermore, your own strength attribute significantly impacts the amount of concussive damage you inflict. Investing points into strength directly increases your damage output, thus improving your ability to knock out thralls quickly. Experiment with different weapon/fitting/ammo combinations and observe the thrall’s unconsciousness bar to determine what works best for your current level and equipment.

What Are The Best Thrall Locations On The Exiled Lands Map?

Prime thrall locations vary depending on the type of thrall you’re seeking. For example, Sepermeru, the City of Relics, is a consistently good location for finding artisan, fighter, and archer thralls. New Asgarth is well-known for its abundance of Nordheimer fighter thralls, typically stronger than those found elsewhere. The Den is another great place to find various fighter and dancer thralls.

For specialist thralls like smelters, alchemists, cooks, and armorers, consider searching near named NPC camps and settlements scattered throughout the map. These locations often have specific spawns that are more likely to yield the desired thrall type. Using a reliable interactive map resource can help you pinpoint specific locations with higher spawn rates for particular thrall types, making your search more efficient.

How Do I Build A Wheel Of Pain And What Is It Used For?

The Wheel of Pain is crafted using specific crafting recipes unlocked as you level up. You’ll need basic resources like wood, stone, and iron to construct the frame and supporting structures. Ensure you have enough space for the Wheel as they can be quite large, especially the Greater Wheel of Pain. The crafting recipe requires a journeyman crafter feat. The wheel also requires fuel.

The Wheel of Pain is crucial for converting unconscious thralls into loyal followers. Once you’ve knocked out a thrall, you must place them inside the Wheel and provide fuel, such as plant fiber or coal. The Wheel will then slowly “break” the thrall’s will, converting them into a useful crafting thrall, combat thrall, or entertainer. The type of thrall depends on their original profession and the breaking time needed.

What Is The Difference Between A T1, T2, T3, And T4 (named) Thrall?

Thrall tiers represent their overall quality and capabilities. T1 thralls are the most common and the weakest, offering minimal bonuses and stats. T2 and T3 thralls are progressively stronger, providing better stat boosts and crafting bonuses compared to T1. Their crafting speed and resourcefulness are also improved.

T4 thralls, especially named thralls, are the rarest and most powerful. They offer the best bonuses, stats, and unique crafting recipes (depending on their profession). Named thralls have predetermined fixed stats and bonuses, unlike lower tier thralls with varying stats, making them highly sought after for crafting or combat roles. They also provide improved crafting efficiency in crafting stations.

How Do I Equip A Thrall Once They’re Broken?

Once a thrall has been broken on the Wheel of Pain, you can place them in a crafting station or assign them as a guard or companion. To equip a combat thrall, approach them and interact with them to open their inventory screen. From there, you can transfer weapons, armor, and food into their inventory.

The thrall will automatically equip the best available items based on their preferences and skill set. For example, a fighter thrall will prioritize melee weapons and heavy armor, while an archer thrall will prefer bows and light armor. Keep in mind that thralls need to be fed to maintain their health and loyalty. Placing food in their inventory will allow them to consume it automatically.

What Kind Of Food Should I Give To My Thralls?

The best food to give your thralls depends on the type of thrall you have. For combat thralls, cooked meat, gruel, and exotic foods like feasts are excellent choices as they provide significant bonuses to strength, agility, and vitality. These buffs boost their combat effectiveness, making them more durable and powerful in battles.

For crafting thralls, the type of food is less crucial as the bonuses they receive from food are less impactful on their crafting speed. However, feeding them simple foods like cooked fish, honey, or berries will ensure they stay healthy and maintain their loyalty. Keeping your thralls well-fed is essential for preventing them from deserting or losing effectiveness.

How Do I Keep My Thralls Alive In Combat?

Keeping your thralls alive in combat requires strategic planning and preparation. Equipping them with high-quality armor and weapons is paramount. Make sure they have armor appropriate for their role, such as heavy armor for melee fighters or light armor for archers. Equip weapons that complement their skill set and fighting style. Also, ensure they have a reasonable amount of food in their inventory to passively heal during combat.

Additionally, pay attention to your own positioning and the overall battlefield. Try to draw aggro away from your thralls, allowing them to focus on dealing damage without taking excessive hits. Use thralls strategically, pulling them back when they are low on health and repositioning them to avoid dangerous situations. Properly managing your thrall’s health and tactical deployment will greatly increase their survivability.