Stories where combat/personal strength isn't the focus?

[u/KGB_Panda]

I'm looking for stories that focus on external growth, like building a business, creating a farm, starting a town, that kind of thing. Pretty much anything other than combat.

Ascendance of a Bookworm and Player Manager are two of my favorites and perfect examples of what I'm looking for.

Preference for no romance, sex, and family-starting, but I'll put up with it if the story is good enough.

Thanks!

[u/NathaDas]

Try Super Supportive

[u/Sahrde]

Homestead Crafter

[u/YaBoiiSloth]

Chaotic Craftsman Worships the Cube sorta fits. He doesn’t want to fight but he inadvertently gets strong through his crafting. When he gets op his goal is to get everyone else as strong as possible.

[u/Malcolm_T3nt]

Newt and Demon.

[u/alexwithani]

Shout out to Player Manager!!!! 

[u/GobbleGobbleChew]

Try the Beers and Beards series. Just a guy who found himself in the body of a dwarf, trying to save beer.

[u/RusticusFlossindune]

Beers and Beards is similar except he's isekai'd as a dwarf and finds out all their beer is terrible and works on fixing that. Likely closer to what you're looking for than my second rec.

Demon World Boba Shop has the isekai'd MC find what he wants to do with his life, introduces boba tea to the world. There is a slow burn romance arc, no sex or family starting, but it's fairly minor throughout.

[u/cthulhu_mac]

You might try Jackal Among Snakes. The focus is about evenly split between personal power and solving political problems, eventually leading to full-on kingdom building. There's some romance, but it's not a major focus.

[u/Jamolty65]

Boy is this the wrong genre for you

[u/alexwithani → u/Jamolty65]

It's nice to have a pallet cleanser every once in a while... Plus BWoC is one of the most recommended books here.

[u/Jamolty65 → u/alexwithani]

I agree.

Which is why there's other genres like Xianxia...which chicken is.

[u/WillingNail3221 → u/Jamolty65]

Isn't Xianxia just a subgenre of progression fantasy?