I've been running around with pretty much only loot drops for the last couple of months on 1961. The Champion armour set is reasonably easy to get. Cimmerian heavy is super easy once you have a decent weapon. Legendary weapons are better than most of the things you can craft, but i still use the weapon drops from mounds and serpent man weapons from volcano. The improved dismantling bench is my main crafting table.
Prior to recent updates, I had to rely on the legendary chests. But now, I do a run to Asagard with as many poison orbs as I can find early, gas a group, and use their drops to carry me for quite some time. I like the crafting system, but skipping some steps is nice after so many playthroughs also.
I just fugged up when trying to use my Thugra by forgetting about my armor. I was level 30 and still focusing on my thrall when out in front to the south west of the Refuge one of the Hyenas spawned as a Corrupted and ended me. It was supported by another hyena and when I respawned didnt have reserve weapons or armor in my near by base which allowed the corrupted to both kill my Thugra but delay me long enough for his body and Hyborean armor set and all else to despawn. Gotta keep watch on ones self not just our fresh thralls. 😔
Dogs of the Desert camp is also the best spot to farm bearers, there's three guaranteed bearer spawns (can be T4), those supply materials boxes can help a lot.
good question on the hours, at a rough guess, its around the 10k mark but as its over a few accounts and consoles, i lost track tbh. but in short, probably too many hours. Its nice to hear off others with similar numbers. and I learn new stuff all the time about this game, and constantly blows my mind when its something thats old or obvious! eg recently learned of blood in campfire makes blood sausage.... the more you know hahaha
its thats plus mad prophet top (currently dont know how to get other than spawn in, was sold at caravan merchants) and I think siptah slaver gloves and silver circlet crown, but maybe not in this episode.. i change the last two often
I also have spent quite a while there just in the past few days. I did finally manage to get a named bearer and an entertainer but not a named blacksmith or carpenter to be seen. And they always seem to be tier 1/2s lately as well. Oh well...
