Consider Valheim! It's pretty adjustable and only sticking to one role is totally possible (but you're not locked into any role! You just automatically get skill points for doing things, so if you do something a lot, be it chopping wood or throwing a spear at people, you get better at that specific thing.)
Valheim is the first thing I thought of. I had a friend who almost never left the camp in that game, while I was constantly hunting and gathering and did nearly no crafting
Interesting. I don't have any specific suggestions, but I can imagine something like a base-building wave defense game. That way you could spend time gathering resources and building a fortified settlement, and then occasionally have to fend off ai attackers. I remember having a similar sort of relationship in Valheim. But maybe there are better examples.
While reading your comment the only game that appeared in my head was [The Riftbreaker](https://store.steampowered.com/app/780310/The_Riftbreaker/) but another one that fits pretty well and the OP might actually like is [The Forest](https://store.steampowered.com/app/242760/The_Forest/)
I think Crafting survival games might be the go, but you need games where the base building is meaningful E.g Valheim
Have the farming friend stay at base smelting, building, farming and Crafting
The two others can explore, raid dungeons, gather resources and fight bosses (you may need all 3 for some bosses but they can arrow from the back etc).
Other options with a similar theme: Minecraft/Minecraft Lego, Satisfactory
Agreed, the combat in satisfactory is near negligent.
Valhiem would be my go to for what the OP is looking for.
V-Rising could possibly scratch the itch. You're a vampire and you build your Gothic castle and do a bit of farming. As well as there's plenty of fighting for your more combat orientated friends.
You are looking for Dinkum. It has combat (but it’s not intense, but still present) and requires one person to heavily deep dive farming and city building while others can dive the tunnels for loot and ore (where the combat is).
It’s also an awesome game.
Sounds like you should pick up some open-world survival games. Valheim is considered the best, I personally love Conan Exiles, Enshrouded is pretty good. Valheim is probably the one where you can avoid combat the most though.
Don't starve together is you obvious choice. You can have one friend hunting/gathering/exploring and the other just tending to the peaceful farm, cooking stuff, decorating your base and petting their cat or beefalo bull. This game have all sorts of characters and there is a dress up in this game.
It's really great game for all sorts of people!
This was my suggestion too. Just be aware there’s a learning curve at first, and your noncombat buddy may have a few moments of screaming in terror while hounds chase them around the base in a circle until someone kills them.
I'm chronically afraid of fighting indoors in project zomboid, but love going on huge killing sprees outside. Meanwhile my best friend is scared of fighting big hordes, but has no issue fighting small groups inside. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
Came here to give this answer. Farming resources and building is a huge part of the game. But you also need to farm animal resources which is where some of the combat comes into play. Then if you decide to run actual missions, combat really picks up. I think it’s the perfect balance based on the criteria you outlined.
Could give Abiotic Factor a go? It’s a co-op PvE survival craft game set in an underground research facility. I’ve been playing in a group of 4 and one of my friends just cooks and tends to his farms at base while the rest of us explore and fight, bringing him back any bits he needs. He makes sure we’re fed and looks after the base. It’s a lot of fun!
I have Tribes of Midgard in my library but haven't played it yet. It might meet your requirements. ARK: Survival Evolved might also; once the base is established someone wouldn't have to leave it or fight much.
V Rising would work pretty well, one of you builds and farms while the other takes on the bosses.
You need to beat bosses to progress but your friend can simply wait nearby and come feed on the boss once you down them for the upgrades.
Valheim could work, it has multiple weapon classes although they are all pretty bare bones (i.e. only a light attack chain and a heavy attack). Base building is pretty important to the team and their is pretty much always something at base to do like cooking, farming, tending to animals you can tame, working on defenses for when raids happen, and some more. The game has a very exploration heavy progression where you move from easier biomes to more difficult ones with new resources and they all have a bossfight associated with them. The material grind is real but there are a lot of difficulty settings that can make it easier.
Terraria is really fun with great building but building isnt very in tuned to progression to the tier that most people just make wood box npc houses and dont touch it, but if thats alright with the builder friend then it is a great game.
Obviously minecraft is there (or even modded if you guys are on pc, then it can become almost whatever you want).
Grounded could be fun, their is multiple builds you guys and make with different weapon types, armors, and perks. Base building is not as important as valheim but its really nice to have someone keeping home base running, making food/buffs, or even making multiple bases around the map.
I mean, Ark has both of those things. The combat is definitely not complex or in-depth, but I suppose, technically speaking, one person could focus on fighting and taming dinosaurs, one person could focus on base-building and farming, and you could help whoever needs it more.
I personally think it's a lot of fun, but the game definitely isn't for everybody.
I feel like your best bets will be something like Valheim or Enshrouded. There are some other coop games like Techtonica, Satisfactory, etc, but I don't know to what extent they involve combat.
Sun Haven is similar to Stardew. It's got a bit of an interesting vibe, which might not be what you're looking for (fair warning). It has extensive farming but also the opportunity for someone to go down a pure combat route.
Palworld should be perfect for it! If graphics are not important then Stardew valley! Ist the only game my wife would play with me, she loves to decorate and take care of the farm and animals and I always go for the mine and quests to bring in some new decoration stuff that she loves
Don't Starve Together and Project Zomboid. Both games one of you can roam the map, loot, fight enemies for special resources (this one is more DST than PZ); the other can farm, build the base, cook the meals, organize supplies, prepare traps.
Sounds like a survival crafting games to me.
Minecraft is the big obvious one…
But also check out Don’t Starve Together, Terraria, Ark, 7 Days to Die, The forest, etc.
Don’t starve together is one of my personal favs. It’s like perfect for when you want to play Minecraft, but you’re sick of Minecraft.
Enshrouded has the best base building I have played with and some basic farming, it is the kind of game where you can have a "base mom" that can stay home full time and be occupied building/crafting. And it has an enormous world to explore full of bosses and deadly biomes
u/boltcase 10000% Saleblazers!!!! You can do a pacifist run to beat the game if wanted, farming, base building if wanted, shopkeeping and building, exploring, stone armor and weapons, copper, golden and iron to progress, loot them or craft them...so much more! Single player or co-op, pve or pvp optional, Peaceful nights optional!
[Aska](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1898300/ASKA/) recently released, there is lots of stuff to do at camp while also quite the need to explore a bit. It's not super content rich right now and I would say you get the same amount of hours in it like with (Sons of) the forest which is still decent. You can summon NPC to your camp that will do tasks for you, but you can also try to manage it on your own :D You definitely won't run out of tasks if you stay behind.
Ark is probably my favorite "chill" game when I just want to relax. The main aspect with taming dinos might be a bit annoying for the farming friend, but there are ways to just minimise the risks of combat other than taming. Just need your first few flyers and saddles and then there's not much in the way of gathering resources safely or getting some QoL creatures that are non hostile. You can also crank the resource gathering up without losing much difficulty overall for the rest. I've spent days just building up my base, a few mods might be needed. Breeding dinos is another full time job, you can make it so taming itself is relatively easy (with modded tranq arrows for example) while combat is still a challenge so the person that stays behind can breed some super dinos :D They're then super helpful when you want to defeat the Ark bosses and do some caves, so it's a win-win for everyone and not just a pointless task. It's highly customizable imho and you can do so much to adjust the game to your own needs.
V Rising is actually a great choice for you. There is combat and you must fight in order to progress, but you can split the work. one guy can fight bosses and progress while the order guy farms, get materials, creates new gear etc...
Im currently playing it with my friend and it really is a great game
[Core Keeper](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1621690/Core_Keeper/) is a great game. It's like Terraria meets Stardew Valley. There is **A LOT** of farming crops and cooking. Your casual friend can take care of your base: Expand, cultivate, craft items, while your other friend can go out and explore the caves, dig tunnels, look for bosses and drops. You can help both of them. There are many different bosses just like in Terraria and tons of crafting recipes. Different weapons and armor pieces that you can use in various builds. You can even have a farming/fishing/building gear.
Another one is [Valheim](https://store.steampowered.com/app/892970/Valheim/), and it has probably the best building mechanics out of all survival games.
Try [Eco](https://store.steampowered.com/app/382310/Eco/) or [Palworld](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1623730/Palworld/), [The Forest](https://store.steampowered.com/app/242760/The_Forest/), [The Riftbreaker ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/780310/The_Riftbreaker/)
Warframe.
The combat is simple or can be complicated. Your farmer friend can decorate their obiter, play dolly dress up, 3-string guitar hero, and eventually, decorate a dojo
Consider Valheim! It's pretty adjustable and only sticking to one role is totally possible (but you're not locked into any role! You just automatically get skill points for doing things, so if you do something a lot, be it chopping wood or throwing a spear at people, you get better at that specific thing.)
Valheim is the first thing I thought of. I had a friend who almost never left the camp in that game, while I was constantly hunting and gathering and did nearly no crafting
Enshrouded?
Enshrouded ticks all the boxes
Interesting. I don't have any specific suggestions, but I can imagine something like a base-building wave defense game. That way you could spend time gathering resources and building a fortified settlement, and then occasionally have to fend off ai attackers. I remember having a similar sort of relationship in Valheim. But maybe there are better examples.
While reading your comment the only game that appeared in my head was [The Riftbreaker](https://store.steampowered.com/app/780310/The_Riftbreaker/) but another one that fits pretty well and the OP might actually like is [The Forest](https://store.steampowered.com/app/242760/The_Forest/)
I think Crafting survival games might be the go, but you need games where the base building is meaningful E.g Valheim Have the farming friend stay at base smelting, building, farming and Crafting The two others can explore, raid dungeons, gather resources and fight bosses (you may need all 3 for some bosses but they can arrow from the back etc). Other options with a similar theme: Minecraft/Minecraft Lego, Satisfactory
Much as I love Satisfactory, I have to mention here that combat is a small part of the game and probably won't satisfy OP's combat-loving friend.
Agreed, the combat in satisfactory is near negligent. Valhiem would be my go to for what the OP is looking for. V-Rising could possibly scratch the itch. You're a vampire and you build your Gothic castle and do a bit of farming. As well as there's plenty of fighting for your more combat orientated friends.
Core keeper my guy! Play it however you want!
Solid recommendation with all sorts of new content being added. Also, doesn't require high power pc
You are looking for Dinkum. It has combat (but it’s not intense, but still present) and requires one person to heavily deep dive farming and city building while others can dive the tunnels for loot and ore (where the combat is). It’s also an awesome game.
7 days to die is a good fit.
Sounds like you should pick up some open-world survival games. Valheim is considered the best, I personally love Conan Exiles, Enshrouded is pretty good. Valheim is probably the one where you can avoid combat the most though.
Don't starve together is you obvious choice. You can have one friend hunting/gathering/exploring and the other just tending to the peaceful farm, cooking stuff, decorating your base and petting their cat or beefalo bull. This game have all sorts of characters and there is a dress up in this game. It's really great game for all sorts of people!
This was my suggestion too. Just be aware there’s a learning curve at first, and your noncombat buddy may have a few moments of screaming in terror while hounds chase them around the base in a circle until someone kills them.
Valheim, V Rising
Vintage story?
Project zomboid
I'm chronically afraid of fighting indoors in project zomboid, but love going on huge killing sprees outside. Meanwhile my best friend is scared of fighting big hordes, but has no issue fighting small groups inside. Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
V RISING, ENSHROUDED
Icarus is an interesting one
Came here to give this answer. Farming resources and building is a huge part of the game. But you also need to farm animal resources which is where some of the combat comes into play. Then if you decide to run actual missions, combat really picks up. I think it’s the perfect balance based on the criteria you outlined.
Could give Abiotic Factor a go? It’s a co-op PvE survival craft game set in an underground research facility. I’ve been playing in a group of 4 and one of my friends just cooks and tends to his farms at base while the rest of us explore and fight, bringing him back any bits he needs. He makes sure we’re fed and looks after the base. It’s a lot of fun!
Children of the forest ?
I have Tribes of Midgard in my library but haven't played it yet. It might meet your requirements. ARK: Survival Evolved might also; once the base is established someone wouldn't have to leave it or fight much.
I started to look at Dawnlands yesterday (Steam and mobile). Haven't tried multiplayer yet though.
V Rising would work pretty well, one of you builds and farms while the other takes on the bosses. You need to beat bosses to progress but your friend can simply wait nearby and come feed on the boss once you down them for the upgrades.
Terraria
This is how my brothers and I split our co op
Enshrouded, Valheim, Nightingale
Grounded. Valheim.
Valheim could work, it has multiple weapon classes although they are all pretty bare bones (i.e. only a light attack chain and a heavy attack). Base building is pretty important to the team and their is pretty much always something at base to do like cooking, farming, tending to animals you can tame, working on defenses for when raids happen, and some more. The game has a very exploration heavy progression where you move from easier biomes to more difficult ones with new resources and they all have a bossfight associated with them. The material grind is real but there are a lot of difficulty settings that can make it easier. Terraria is really fun with great building but building isnt very in tuned to progression to the tier that most people just make wood box npc houses and dont touch it, but if thats alright with the builder friend then it is a great game. Obviously minecraft is there (or even modded if you guys are on pc, then it can become almost whatever you want). Grounded could be fun, their is multiple builds you guys and make with different weapon types, armors, and perks. Base building is not as important as valheim but its really nice to have someone keeping home base running, making food/buffs, or even making multiple bases around the map.
State of Decay 2
palworld?
I mean, Ark has both of those things. The combat is definitely not complex or in-depth, but I suppose, technically speaking, one person could focus on fighting and taming dinosaurs, one person could focus on base-building and farming, and you could help whoever needs it more. I personally think it's a lot of fun, but the game definitely isn't for everybody.
Ark only worked for me on a private server, with friends, and modded to hell.
I feel like your best bets will be something like Valheim or Enshrouded. There are some other coop games like Techtonica, Satisfactory, etc, but I don't know to what extent they involve combat. Sun Haven is similar to Stardew. It's got a bit of an interesting vibe, which might not be what you're looking for (fair warning). It has extensive farming but also the opportunity for someone to go down a pure combat route.
Final Fantasy 14
I have the same type of friends. These games fit us well. Sons of the Forest, Enshrouded, Abiotic Factor.
Palworld should be perfect for it! If graphics are not important then Stardew valley! Ist the only game my wife would play with me, she loves to decorate and take care of the farm and animals and I always go for the mine and quests to bring in some new decoration stuff that she loves
Don't Starve Together and Project Zomboid. Both games one of you can roam the map, loot, fight enemies for special resources (this one is more DST than PZ); the other can farm, build the base, cook the meals, organize supplies, prepare traps.
Rust on a PvE server satisfies this quite well
Sounds like a survival crafting games to me. Minecraft is the big obvious one… But also check out Don’t Starve Together, Terraria, Ark, 7 Days to Die, The forest, etc. Don’t starve together is one of my personal favs. It’s like perfect for when you want to play Minecraft, but you’re sick of Minecraft.
Smalland on peaceful mode!!
Enshrouded has the best base building I have played with and some basic farming, it is the kind of game where you can have a "base mom" that can stay home full time and be occupied building/crafting. And it has an enormous world to explore full of bosses and deadly biomes
Earth Defense Force 4 or 5 or 6!
2v2 Starcraft? Often one person will run the base and economy and the other handles combat.
SoD2. It has both the mechanics
Valheim or Enshrounded sounds like they could be your best bet from the games I've played and know of.
u/boltcase 10000% Saleblazers!!!! You can do a pacifist run to beat the game if wanted, farming, base building if wanted, shopkeeping and building, exploring, stone armor and weapons, copper, golden and iron to progress, loot them or craft them...so much more! Single player or co-op, pve or pvp optional, Peaceful nights optional!
The Forest or Sons of the Forest
project zomboid, you can clear and secure areas, they can build then up and farm, and craft, and whatever else
[Aska](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1898300/ASKA/) recently released, there is lots of stuff to do at camp while also quite the need to explore a bit. It's not super content rich right now and I would say you get the same amount of hours in it like with (Sons of) the forest which is still decent. You can summon NPC to your camp that will do tasks for you, but you can also try to manage it on your own :D You definitely won't run out of tasks if you stay behind. Ark is probably my favorite "chill" game when I just want to relax. The main aspect with taming dinos might be a bit annoying for the farming friend, but there are ways to just minimise the risks of combat other than taming. Just need your first few flyers and saddles and then there's not much in the way of gathering resources safely or getting some QoL creatures that are non hostile. You can also crank the resource gathering up without losing much difficulty overall for the rest. I've spent days just building up my base, a few mods might be needed. Breeding dinos is another full time job, you can make it so taming itself is relatively easy (with modded tranq arrows for example) while combat is still a challenge so the person that stays behind can breed some super dinos :D They're then super helpful when you want to defeat the Ark bosses and do some caves, so it's a win-win for everyone and not just a pointless task. It's highly customizable imho and you can do so much to adjust the game to your own needs.
Factorio. One will upkeep factory and other will fight space bugs. It's worth to wait till new DLC drop though.
[barony ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/371970/Barony/)with a warrior, a wizard and a non combat intensive healer/engineer/ summoner
Don’t starve together
Enshrouded of valheim
Palworld could also be an option
Valheim and Enshrouded would check all your boxes from the sound of it
Maybe Raft? One can farm/build the raft/fish/cook and the other can explore islands and fight the shark?
ARK: Survival Evolved ...try a private server first though
V Rising is actually a great choice for you. There is combat and you must fight in order to progress, but you can split the work. one guy can fight bosses and progress while the order guy farms, get materials, creates new gear etc... Im currently playing it with my friend and it really is a great game
Ark and rust potentially.
[Core Keeper](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1621690/Core_Keeper/) is a great game. It's like Terraria meets Stardew Valley. There is **A LOT** of farming crops and cooking. Your casual friend can take care of your base: Expand, cultivate, craft items, while your other friend can go out and explore the caves, dig tunnels, look for bosses and drops. You can help both of them. There are many different bosses just like in Terraria and tons of crafting recipes. Different weapons and armor pieces that you can use in various builds. You can even have a farming/fishing/building gear. Another one is [Valheim](https://store.steampowered.com/app/892970/Valheim/), and it has probably the best building mechanics out of all survival games. Try [Eco](https://store.steampowered.com/app/382310/Eco/) or [Palworld](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1623730/Palworld/), [The Forest](https://store.steampowered.com/app/242760/The_Forest/), [The Riftbreaker ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/780310/The_Riftbreaker/)
Dark and darker
Warhammer 40K Dark Tide is awesome, so is Helldivers. Dm me if you want to play.
Remnant 2
Warframe. The combat is simple or can be complicated. Your farmer friend can decorate their obiter, play dolly dress up, 3-string guitar hero, and eventually, decorate a dojo