You wake up. You're naked, starving, and pinned to a wooden cross in a wasteland that looks like it wants to eat you. Welcome to the Exiled Lands. The first thing you're going to do—after grabbing that water skin and some fiber—is pull up the map of Conan Exiles. It looks huge. Honestly, it is. But if you think this is just a standard open-world sandbox where you can wander anywhere from minute one, you’re going to end up as hyena bait before the sun sets.
The map isn't just a background. It's a progression system. Funcom designed the Exiled Lands as a series of difficulty rings. The further north or east you go, the more the world hates you. It’s a vertical slice of brutal environmental storytelling where the terrain itself tells you if you're ready to be there or not.
Survival Starts in the Southern Desert
The "Noob River." That’s what everyone calls the southern waterway. It’s where you start. It’s safe-ish. You’ve got shalebacks that move like molasses and crocodiles that are scary until you realize they have the turning radius of a freight train.
Most people hang out here way too long. They build a massive sandstone castle and wonder why they can’t find iron. Look, the south is for learning how to breathe. It’s for getting your first thrall. But the map of Conan Exiles is gated by resources. You need iron. You need coal. You won't find the good stuff if you're staring at the Sentinels all day.
If you look at the grid system, you’re basically hovering around rows 3 and 4. It’s pretty. It’s tropical. It’s also a trap for players who are afraid of the dark.
The Iron Rush and the Highlands
Once you cross that invisible line into the middle of the map, the color palette shifts. Everything turns green and grey. This is the Highlands. If you're looking at your map, aim for the area around New Asagarth.
Why? Because steel.
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In Conan Exiles, you don't just find steel; you make it. But to make it, you need brimstone and tar. The map layout forces you to commute. You might live in the lush Highlands, but you’ll be making runs down to the Sinner’s Refuge or the Shattered Springs just to get the chemicals needed for better gear. It’s a logistical nightmare that makes the game world feel lived-in. You start planning expeditions. "Okay, I need to hit the Obelisk at the Unnamed City, grab some fragments, then swing by the sulfur pits." That’s the real gameplay loop.
Navigating the Biomes: More Than Just Scenery
The map of Conan Exiles is divided into distinct biomes, each with its own "temperature" mechanic. This is where the game gets crunchy.
- The Desert: Your starting point. Hot, dry, but manageable.
- The Jungle: Located to the far east. It’s humid. You’ll find the Forgotten City of Xel-ha here. It’s a vertical nightmare of vines and raptors.
- The Snow/Tundra: To the north. If you go here in light armor, you’ll freeze to death in minutes. Literally. Your health bar just ticks down while you shiver.
- The Volcano: The endgame. It sits at the very top of the map. It’s the hottest place in the game, filled with high-tier resources like obsidian and gold.
Think of the map as a thermometer. You need to dress for the occasion. You can't just wear "the best armor" everywhere. You need a wardrobe. One set of Flawless Epic Epicurean gear for the cold, maybe some Silent Legion stuff for the heat.
The Unnamed City: The Map's Rotten Heart
Right in the middle-left of the map sits a giant, orange-tinted crater of suck. The Unnamed City. Don't go there early. Just don't.
It’s a high-level zone filled with bosses that drop "Fragments of Power." These are the currency for the endgame. You use them in the Library of Esoteric Artifacts to learn recipes you can't get anywhere else. The map design here is brilliant because it puts the hardest content right next to the starting zones, separated only by a few cliffs. It’s a constant reminder of how weak you are.
Secrets of the Isle of Siptah
We can't talk about the map of Conan Exiles without mentioning Siptah. This was the big expansion. It’s a completely different map. While the Exiled Lands is a big circle with a hole in the middle, Siptah is an island focused on a central tower.
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Siptah feels "sharper." The verticality is intense. Instead of the slow burn of the Exiled Lands, Siptah uses "Surges." You literally watch the sky tear open and thralls fall out of the clouds. It’s wild. But honestly? Most purists still prefer the original map. The Exiled Lands has a soul to it—a sense of ancient history—that Siptah struggles to replicate. The original map feels like a place where empires actually died.
Using Map Markers Effectively
You have a limited number of custom markers. Use them. Seriously.
The game won't tell you where the best thrall spawns are. It won't mark the "Cimmerian Berserker" spot or the specific cave that’s overflowing with crystal. You have to do the legwork. A veteran player’s map is covered in icons. One for "Gold Dust," one for "T4 Alchemist," and one for "That guy who killed me three times."
Common Misconceptions About Travel
People complain about the lack of mounts. Well, we have horses now, which helps. But the real "fast travel" is the Map Room.
This is a massive stone table you build in your base. It’s attuned to the Obelisks scattered across the map of Conan Exiles. But here’s the kicker: it’s a one-way trip. You can warp to an Obelisk, but you have to walk or ride back. This keeps the world feeling big. You can't just teleport around like a wizard without consequences. You still have to navigate the terrain, dodge the sandstorms, and avoid the corrupted wolves.
It’s also worth noting that the map is static. Unlike Minecraft or Valheim, the Exiled Lands doesn't change. This is a double-edged sword. It means you can memorize the exact location of every chest and iron node. But it also means that once you know the map, you know the map. The mystery fades, replaced by the efficiency of a seasoned survivalist.
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The Importance of the Obelisks
If you’re planning your base location, look at the Obelisk locations on a community map. Living near one is a godsend for endgame travel. Popular spots include the "Mounds of the Dead" for thrall farming or near "The Sinkhole" for quick access to the middle of the map.
But be careful. On PvP servers, people love to "Obi-trap." They’ll build walls around the teleport exit. You load in, the screen fades from black, and you’re already dead. It’s brutal. It’s Conan.
The Verticality of the Map
Most players think in 2D. They look at the map and see "Distance A to B."
In Conan Exiles, you need to think in 3D. The climbing mechanic is one of the best things about the game. See a mountain? You can climb it. This changes how you view the map. That shortcut through the mountains might look impossible, but if you have enough stamina, it’s a five-minute climb instead of a twenty-minute walk around the base.
This is especially true in the Frozen North. The bridges are broken, the paths are narrow, and the cliffs are lethal. Your ability to read the terrain is just as important as your ability to read the map UI.
Actionable Steps for Mastering the Map
If you want to stop dying and start thriving, follow this path through the world:
- Follow the Journey Steps: They actually act as a hidden tutorial for map progression. If the game tells you to find iron, it’s nudging you toward the center-north.
- Locate the Brimstone Early: You’ll need it for steel. The "Shattered Springs" (the big yellow area on the west side) is the gold mine, but it’s toxic. Bring a sandstorm mask.
- Find the Dungeons: There are several major dungeons like the "Dregs" (south), the "Black Keep" (north), and "The Well of Skelos" (volcano). They aren't marked with big icons. You have to find the entrances.
- Master the Temperature: Don't just look at the map; look at your buffs. If you're heading to the snow, eat spicy food. Heading to the volcano? Drink ice water. The map is a physical challenge, not just a guide.
- Build Multiple Outposts: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Have a small hut in the jungle, a shack in the snow, and your main fortress in the Highlands. It makes resource gathering significantly less painful.
The map of Conan Exiles is a masterpiece of environmental design. It’s cruel, beautiful, and absolutely massive. Stop treating it like a GPS and start treating it like a puzzle. The more you respect the geography, the longer you’ll survive. Be smart, pack extra water, and for Crom's sake, don't pet the spiders in the Silkwood.