u/tbag2022

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I’ve been playing Conan Exiles for a long time but I’m honestly kind of a recluse player, so I’m weirdly slow when it comes to advanced building techniques and mixing DLC pieces together lol.

Right now my favorite DLC is the Blood and Sand pack because I absolutely love the barbarian/gladiator armor and especially the arena building pieces and vaulted stuff. Recently I started realizing that a lot of the really amazing castle builds people make seem to combine at least 2 DLCs together instead of sticking to one style.

I only really build ancient/medieval castles, fortresses, keeps, walls, etc. Not really into fancy eastern builds or modern-looking stuff.

So my question is:

If Blood and Sand is my main building set, which DLC do you think pairs best with it for medieval or ancient castle builds?

Right now I only own:

• Blood and Sand
• Debaucheries of Derketo

And yeah… money’s kinda tight right now lol, so I’m trying to make sure the next DLC I buy gives the best combo potential with Blood and Sand before I commit.

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Not just lore or systems, but the way the author described places, environments, and scenery to the point where you could vividly imagine them in your head.

The reason I ask is because I’m always mesmerized by those random AI-generated fantasy/scifi videos on Facebook or Reddit. You know the ones — someone walking, riding a bike, or flying through impossible places that feel straight out of fantasy or sci-fi movies. Like skies filled with massive spiral clouds that look like you’re entering heaven, or a lone person walking across a glowing pathway in the middle of space.

Whenever I see those videos, I immediately remember scenes from books.

So I’m curious: what book series made you truly see the world? Which ones made you stop and admire the setting because of how well it was described?

For me, one of the best examples was Book 6 of Divine Apostasy. The parts where Ruwen was alone in space were incredible to me. Just him, the emptiness, that distant star he kept looking at like it was his anchor… I could completely picture it. Then later, when he started learning those new abilities and summoning minions, I loved the atmosphere even more. The setting just felt unforgettable.

Another one that really comes to mind is Defiance of the Fall, especially Book 3 during the Limited Hunt arc. That world stuck with me — bright and alive during the day with those massive mountains and hidden paths, but when night fell, the darkness wasn’t just normal night… it felt deeper, heavier, almost unnatural, like it swallowed light differently.

I especially loved those mountain sections, and that hidden back path leading into a secret garden-like area tucked behind the lower slope, with those carefully kept crop mounds. That contrast between the wild, ruined world and something quietly preserved was just really memorable.

You know the kind of fight I mean.

The MC finally reaches someone important — a rival, villain, arrogant noble, future ally, whatever — after dozens or even hundreds of chapters of buildup. Training arcs, power-ups, traveling, side quests, hype from other characters, constant teasing that “this person is on another level.”

Then the fight finally happens.

And after all that?

Draw. Interrupted. “We were both holding back.” Someone steps in. Sudden teleport. Political reason they can’t continue. Hidden injury. The enemy smirks and leaves. The MC “earns respect” instead of actually winning or losing.

And the worst part is it usually takes ANOTHER massive number of chapters before they fight again.

I’m not even asking for the MC to always win. A brutal loss can actually be great if it changes something. But these endless non-conclusive fights start feeling like the author is terrified to let the status quo move forward.

Especially when the opponent clearly has insane plot armor.

Sometimes it feels like the author wants to keep every “cool character” permanently available, so nobody meaningful can lose, die, or decisively fail. The result is tension just evaporates because you already know the fight will somehow end in a stalemate.

I just want an actual outcome.

• MC loses
• MC wins

That’s it.

Not another 20-chapter fight ending with:
“Interesting… we’ll finish this another day.”

Man, finish it NOW.

For me, I realized I really enjoy stories where the MC has some kind of overwhelming advantage that separates them from everyone else. Not necessarily just raw power, though that counts too.

Sometimes it’s political influence, like being backed by a king, god, powerful faction, or ancient being. Other times it’s the MC constantly staying far ahead of everyone else in progression, where the gap never really closes and other characters are struggling just to keep up.

At the same time, I also enjoy stories where the MC is consistently at a disadvantage and has to struggle their way through the world. But if the story isn’t going that route, then I prefer the opposite extreme instead — where the MC is clearly operating on a completely different level from everyone else.

I know some people dislike overpowered protagonists, but honestly I find it comforting. I like that feeling that the MC exists in a completely separate tier from the rest of the world.

What about you guys? What recurring element in a LitRPG or progression fantasy series gives you that “comfort read” feeling and keeps you invested?

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its been like this for about 4-5 hours hours

For me, I actually love it when the MC massively outlevels everyone — I do that myself in JRPGs all the time, where my main character ends up way ahead of the rest of the party.

That’s why it always feels weird when the MC nearly dies nonstop, takes insane risks, gets absurdly ahead… then later the story casually says people/characters (who are usually close to him in levels) back in safer zones somehow “caught up a bit.”

…How?

I’m still enjoying it overall, but that thing always makes me pause a little.

What small things like that annoy you?

I’m looking for progression fantasy with strong sci-fi elements where technology is actually a part of the story. I mean stuff where advanced gear, power suits, AI, cybernetics, robotics, weapons systems, ships, or specialized machines directly impact character growth, combat, survival, or rank progression. I really liked Quest Academy, Warformed Stormweaver, Titan Hoppers, and Stargazer's War because the technology feels essential to the progression system and world building.

Thanks in Advance!