What are the best ways to farm metal ingots for base building in ARK: Survival Evolved?
Farming metal ingots is one of the most important tasks in ARK: Survival Evolved, as metal is essential for crafting advanced tools, weapons, and structures. To efficiently gather and process metal, you need to understand the mechanics, prepare the right tools and dinosaurs, and optimize your farming routes. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide to help you farm metal ingots effectively.
First, you need to locate metal-rich areas. Metal nodes are found in specific locations across the map, often in mountainous or rocky regions. On The Island, for example, the best metal farming spots are in the mountains near the Volcano, the Frozen Tooth, and the Frozen Fang. On other maps, such as Ragnarok or Valguero, metal nodes are abundant in high-altitude areas and caves. Use a map or explore to identify these locations.
To gather metal efficiently, you need the right tools. A metal pickaxe is the best tool for harvesting metal nodes, as it yields more metal than a stone pickaxe. Crafting a metal pickaxe requires some initial metal, so you may need to gather a small amount of metal with a stone pickaxe first. Once you have a metal pickaxe, you can start farming metal nodes in bulk.
Using tamed dinosaurs can significantly speed up metal farming. Ankylosaurus is the best dinosaur for gathering metal, as it has a high metal yield and can carry a large amount of weight. To use an Ankylosaurus effectively, level up its melee damage and weight capacity. Other dinosaurs, such as the Argentavis or Quetzal, can be used to transport the Ankylosaurus to metal-rich areas or carry the harvested metal back to your base. For example, you can load the Ankylosaurus onto a platform saddle on a Quetzal and fly it to a mountain, then use the Ankylosaurus to gather metal while the Quetzal carries the weight.
Once youÔÇÖve gathered metal ore, you need to smelt it into metal ingots. Smelting requires a refining forge or an industrial forge. A refining forge can smelt small amounts of metal ore using wood or thatch as fuel, but it is slow and inefficient for large-scale farming. An industrial forge is much faster and can smelt large quantities of metal ore at once. To craft an industrial forge, you need a significant amount of resources, including cementing paste, metal ingots, and electronics, so itÔÇÖs a mid-to-late-game item. If youÔÇÖre in the early game, use multiple refining forges to speed up the smelting process.
Efficient resource management is crucial for metal farming. Always carry a weight-reducing dinosaur like an Argentavis or a Quetzal to transport large amounts of metal ore. If youÔÇÖre playing solo, consider building a small outpost near a metal-rich area with a refining forge and storage boxes. This allows you to smelt metal on-site and reduce the number of trips back to your main base. If youÔÇÖre in a tribe, coordinate with your teammates to maximize efficiency. For example, one player can gather metal while another smelts it, and a third player transports the ingots back to the base.
Common mistakes to avoid include overloading your dinosaurs or yourself with metal ore, as it is extremely heavy. Always monitor your weight capacity and use weight-reducing dinosaurs or storage solutions to avoid being encumbered. Another mistake is not protecting your farming area. Metal-rich regions are often dangerous, with aggressive creatures like Carnotaurus or Raptors. Bring a strong combat dinosaur, such as a Rex or Spino, to defend yourself while farming.
Advanced techniques include using a mining drill, which is a late-game tool that can harvest metal nodes quickly. However, it requires gasoline and is less efficient than an Ankylosaurus for large-scale farming. Another optimization is to use a Tek Transmitter or a Tek Dedicated Storage to teleport metal ingots directly to your base, saving time on transportation.
In summary, farming metal ingots requires preparation, the right tools and dinosaurs, and efficient resource management. Locate metal-rich areas, use an Ankylosaurus for gathering, and smelt the ore using forges. Protect yourself from dangers, avoid overloading, and consider building outposts for solo players or coordinating with your tribe for maximum efficiency. With these strategies, youÔÇÖll have a steady supply of metal ingots for all your base-building needs.
First, you need to locate metal-rich areas. Metal nodes are found in specific locations across the map, often in mountainous or rocky regions. On The Island, for example, the best metal farming spots are in the mountains near the Volcano, the Frozen Tooth, and the Frozen Fang. On other maps, such as Ragnarok or Valguero, metal nodes are abundant in high-altitude areas and caves. Use a map or explore to identify these locations.
To gather metal efficiently, you need the right tools. A metal pickaxe is the best tool for harvesting metal nodes, as it yields more metal than a stone pickaxe. Crafting a metal pickaxe requires some initial metal, so you may need to gather a small amount of metal with a stone pickaxe first. Once you have a metal pickaxe, you can start farming metal nodes in bulk.
Using tamed dinosaurs can significantly speed up metal farming. Ankylosaurus is the best dinosaur for gathering metal, as it has a high metal yield and can carry a large amount of weight. To use an Ankylosaurus effectively, level up its melee damage and weight capacity. Other dinosaurs, such as the Argentavis or Quetzal, can be used to transport the Ankylosaurus to metal-rich areas or carry the harvested metal back to your base. For example, you can load the Ankylosaurus onto a platform saddle on a Quetzal and fly it to a mountain, then use the Ankylosaurus to gather metal while the Quetzal carries the weight.
Once youÔÇÖve gathered metal ore, you need to smelt it into metal ingots. Smelting requires a refining forge or an industrial forge. A refining forge can smelt small amounts of metal ore using wood or thatch as fuel, but it is slow and inefficient for large-scale farming. An industrial forge is much faster and can smelt large quantities of metal ore at once. To craft an industrial forge, you need a significant amount of resources, including cementing paste, metal ingots, and electronics, so itÔÇÖs a mid-to-late-game item. If youÔÇÖre in the early game, use multiple refining forges to speed up the smelting process.
Efficient resource management is crucial for metal farming. Always carry a weight-reducing dinosaur like an Argentavis or a Quetzal to transport large amounts of metal ore. If youÔÇÖre playing solo, consider building a small outpost near a metal-rich area with a refining forge and storage boxes. This allows you to smelt metal on-site and reduce the number of trips back to your main base. If youÔÇÖre in a tribe, coordinate with your teammates to maximize efficiency. For example, one player can gather metal while another smelts it, and a third player transports the ingots back to the base.
Common mistakes to avoid include overloading your dinosaurs or yourself with metal ore, as it is extremely heavy. Always monitor your weight capacity and use weight-reducing dinosaurs or storage solutions to avoid being encumbered. Another mistake is not protecting your farming area. Metal-rich regions are often dangerous, with aggressive creatures like Carnotaurus or Raptors. Bring a strong combat dinosaur, such as a Rex or Spino, to defend yourself while farming.
Advanced techniques include using a mining drill, which is a late-game tool that can harvest metal nodes quickly. However, it requires gasoline and is less efficient than an Ankylosaurus for large-scale farming. Another optimization is to use a Tek Transmitter or a Tek Dedicated Storage to teleport metal ingots directly to your base, saving time on transportation.
In summary, farming metal ingots requires preparation, the right tools and dinosaurs, and efficient resource management. Locate metal-rich areas, use an Ankylosaurus for gathering, and smelt the ore using forges. Protect yourself from dangers, avoid overloading, and consider building outposts for solo players or coordinating with your tribe for maximum efficiency. With these strategies, youÔÇÖll have a steady supply of metal ingots for all your base-building needs.