Conan Exiles Black Ice: Where to Farm It and What It's For
- What is Black Ice in Conan Exiles?
- Where to find Black Ice
- The most efficient Black Ice farming route
- Frost giants: the underrated source
- Alternative: craft Black Ice at the altar
- What do you need Black Ice for?
- How much Black Ice do you need?
- Tips for farming Black Ice efficiently
- โ FAQ about Conan Exiles Black Ice
- Related resource guides
- Bottom line
The fastest way to farm Conan Exiles Black Ice is the Temple of Frost (C13) in the frozen north: mine the glowing nodes there, and according to community guides, kill frost giants and harvest their corpses with a pick. You need Black Ice for Hardened Steel, Star Metal, certain building pieces and the Black Ice weapons.
Black Ice is one of the rarest resources in Conan Exiles and one of the most important in the endgame. Without it there is no Hardened Steel, no Star Metal and no Black Ice weaponry. The catch is that you can only mine it in the frozen north, and that area is dangerous. This guide shows where to find Conan Exiles Black Ice and how to farm it efficiently.
What is Black Ice in Conan Exiles?
Black Ice is a material found deep in the snow biome of the north. It glows dark blue under the ice and stands out clearly against the white surroundings. To mine it you need a pick. The better the tool, the more you get from each node.
Where to find Black Ice
๐๏ธ Temple of Frost (C13/D13): the best farming spot
The Temple of Frost is the center of Black Ice in the Exiled Lands. You find plenty of nodes inside and around the temple. Frost giants and other cold creatures patrol the area, but the yield is worth the risk.
โ๏ธ The slopes around D13
Black Ice nodes are spread across the slopes between the obelisk and the Temple of Frost. Good for a first run before you take on the temple.
๐จ๏ธ The snow biome in general
The whole northern snow biome has smaller deposits, but nothing comes close to the density around the temple.
๐ Creature corpses
Some creatures in the north give Black Ice when you harvest their corpse with a pick. Community guides single out the frost giants at the temple as especially rewarding.
The most efficient Black Ice farming route
Instead of wandering around the north, this route gets you the most Black Ice in the least time:
- Start at the obelisk near D13. Teleport to the northernmost obelisk and head west toward the slopes. You will pass the first nodes on the way.
- Clear the slopes. Work your way across and mine every dark node you see. The black glint is easy to spot against the snow.
- Enter the Temple of Frost (C13). The densest deposits are in and around the temple. Fight through the guards and mine every node.
- Kill the frost giants. According to community guides, the big frost giants in the temple give up to 10 Black Ice per corpse when you harvest them with a pick. Kill first, harvest second.
- Head back. Inventory full? Return to your base and repeat after the next respawn.
Frost giants: the underrated source
Most guides only talk about the nodes. Community guides say the frost giants at the Temple of Frost are often more rewarding than the nodes themselves, though the amount is not officially confirmed. One giant is said to give up to 10 Black Ice when you harvest it with a pick, and several of them spawn in the temple. Combine node mining and giant hunting for the best yield per run.
Alternative: craft Black Ice at the altar
You can also craft Black Ice at the Exalted Altar of Ymir, the third tier of the Ymir altar. That makes sense if you follow Ymir anyway:
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ice | 100 |
| Ice Shard | 5 |
| Manifestation of Zeal | 1 |
If you make sacrifices regularly and collect Manifestations of Zeal, you can get Black Ice without a farming run. Do the math, though: 100 Ice for a single Black Ice is a poor trade as long as you can reach the nodes in the north. Where the Ice Shards come from is covered in our Ice Shards guide.
Watch out for an outdated number: several older guides list 20 Ice Shards for this recipe. On the Enhanced version it is 5, checked against the Enhanced database conanexiles.gaming.tools.
What do you need Black Ice for?
๐ฉ Hardened Steel
One Steel Bar plus one Black Ice makes one Hardened Steel Bar in the furnace. This is where most of your Black Ice goes. Amounts and smelting are covered in the steel guide.
๐๏ธ Building pieces
According to the Enhanced database, the Black Ice-Reinforced building set (walls, frames, roofs, foundations, doors and gates) needs between 5 and 15 Black Ice per piece.
โญ Star Metal
Black Ice is a key ingredient for Star Metal Bars, one of the best metals in the game. No Black Ice, no Star Metal.
โ๏ธ Frost Temple Smithy
The Black Ice weapons are crafted at the Frost Temple Smithy in the Temple of Frost. They are valuable for melee builds.
๐ก๏ธ Armor
Some sets also call for Black Ice. The Pride of Aesir chestpiece, for example, needs 15 Black Ice alongside Star Metal Bars.
How much Black Ice do you need?
| Crafting goal | Black Ice (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 Star Metal Bar | 1 |
| 1 Hardened Steel Bar | 1 |
| Black Ice-Reinforced building piece (wall, frame, roof, foundation, door) | 5 to 15 per piece |
| Weapon from the Frost Temple Smithy (for example Broadsword, Spear, War-Axe) | 40 |
| Black Ice Javelin / Black Ice Throwing Axe | 2 / 5 |
Tips for farming Black Ice efficiently
- Bring warming food. You will freeze in the north. Warm meals or cold-resistant armor are a must.
- Use a good pick. The better the tool, the more Black Ice per node.
- Take a follower. The temple is dangerous, and a strong thrall makes a real difference. Our thralls guide explains how to get one.
- Farm in the evening. On official servers there is often less going on in the evening, so fewer players compete for the nodes.
โ FAQ about Conan Exiles Black Ice
Where is the fastest place to farm Black Ice?
The Temple of Frost (C13/D13) in the north. The nodes are densest there, and according to community guides the frost giants give up to 10 extra Black Ice per corpse when harvested.
Can I craft Black Ice?
Yes, at the Exalted Altar of Ymir from 100 Ice, 5 Ice Shards and one Manifestation of Zeal. That route is mainly useful for followers of Ymir.
What is Black Ice used for?
Hardened Steel, Star Metal Bars, Black Ice-Reinforced building pieces, weapons from the Frost Temple Smithy and some armor sets such as Pride of Aesir.
Related resource guides
Black Ice is often the last missing piece in the endgame crafting chain. For the rest of it, see the Hardened Leather guide and the resources overview.
Bottom line
Black Ice is rare and risky to farm, but you can't skip it in the endgame. The Temple of Frost is your best spot, and the frost giants are worth a look. Go well equipped, take a strong thrall and pack something warm.
Checked against Conan Exiles Enhanced with Hotfix 3.0.1 as of October 2026. Recipes for Star Metal Bars, Hardened Steel Bars and Black Ice at the altar, plus the amounts for building pieces and weapons, come from the Enhanced database conanexiles.gaming.tools. Farming spots, the route and the frost giant yield come from community guides and are not officially confirmed.
