How 'hermit-friendly' is the game in its current state?

[wildair]

Used to play this game a lot when I was younger and have peeped in at major updates every once in a while just to see how the game get changed. I've rarely ever played with a faction or group and mostly as a hermit. I want to get back into game, however, at least in my experience in the past, you can't progress your character/base very far as a hermit unless you spend countless hours grinding the game or using bots. I'm now in uni and I don't have as much time as I used to when I was younger - is it still possible to have an enjoyable time in the game playing alone + not mindlessly grinding?

[bumfrog]

no.

[Sevenless]

Used to play this game a lot when I was younger and have peeped in at major updates every once in a while just to see how the game get changed. I've rarely ever played with a faction or group and mostly as a hermit. I want to get back into game, however, at least in my experience in the past, you can't progress your character/base very far as a hermit unless you spend countless hours grinding the game or using bots. I'm now in uni and I don't have as much time as I used to when I was younger - is it still possible to have an enjoyable time in the game playing alone + not mindlessly grinding?

Being a hermit is about managing expectations. Progress for hermits is roughly the same now as it's been in the past. You can have a pretty little palisade and some animals if you know what you're doing fairly easily. You will likely have to trade for metal, certainly anything quality wise. Most of the quality aspects of the game are heavily dependant on economy of scale that hermits will always lack. Crops are about the only thing they can stay relatively competitive on.

If anything, more mechanics have been added that aren't hermit accessible. Nothing's been taken away, but things like alchemy and quality gems just aren't accessible in a reasonable timeframe for hermits due to lacking the mining power to find precious metal.

[pawnchito]

^ good post.

Hermit life is fine depending on what you consider a hermit. Enjoy the game and learn efficiencies to make your time fun and productive and you'll feel the satisfaction of character progression.

[wonder-ass]

with spiraling back i expect hermiting to be very profitable selling low q cast.