What are the best ways to farm charcoal for base building in ARK: Survival Evolved?
Farming charcoal in ARK: Survival Evolved is essential for crafting gunpowder, which is used in ammunition, explosives, and other advanced items. Charcoal is obtained by burning wood in structures like campfires, standing torches, forges, or industrial forges. The most efficient way to farm charcoal depends on your progression level, available resources, and whether you are playing solo or in a tribe. Below is a detailed guide on how to farm charcoal effectively.
To start, you need a reliable source of wood. Wood is gathered by chopping down trees using tools like a stone hatchet, metal hatchet, or a tamed creature such as a Beaver, Mammoth, or Therizinosaurus. Tamed creatures are far more efficient at gathering wood than tools, so prioritize taming a wood-gathering dinosaur early in your playthrough. A Therizinosaurus, for example, can gather large amounts of wood quickly and is also versatile for other resource gathering tasks.
Once you have a steady supply of wood, you need a structure to burn it. Early in the game, a campfire or standing torch is sufficient, but these are slow and inefficient for large-scale charcoal farming. As you progress, upgrading to a refining forge or industrial forge is highly recommended. The refining forge burns wood faster than a campfire and can hold more wood at once, making it a good mid-game option. The industrial forge, unlocked at level 89, is the most efficient method for charcoal farming. It burns wood extremely quickly and can process large quantities in a short time.
To maximize charcoal production, always use the highest-tier burning structure available to you. For example, if you have access to an industrial forge, prioritize using it over a refining forge or campfire. Industrial forges require gasoline to operate, so ensure you have a steady supply of gasoline by crafting it in a fabricator using oil and hide. Oil can be gathered from underwater nodes, oil rocks in the Snow Biome, or tamed creatures like the Dunkleosteus or Ankylosaurus.
When farming charcoal, it is important to manage your wood supply efficiently. If you are playing solo, consider setting up a dedicated wood-gathering and charcoal-burning station near a dense forest. This minimizes travel time and allows you to gather and burn wood in one location. If you are in a tribe, assign roles to tribe members to streamline the process. For example, one player can focus on gathering wood while another manages the burning process.
A common mistake is underestimating the amount of wood needed for large-scale charcoal farming. Always gather more wood than you think you will need, as burning wood consumes it quickly, especially in industrial forges. Additionally, avoid using low-tier burning structures like campfires for large-scale farming, as they are too slow and inefficient. Another mistake is neglecting to stockpile gasoline for industrial forges, which can halt production if you run out.
Advanced techniques for charcoal farming include using tamed creatures to automate the process. For example, a Beaver or Mammoth can gather wood while you focus on burning it. You can also set up multiple burning structures to increase production. If you have access to an industrial forge, consider building multiple forges to process wood simultaneously. This is especially useful for tribes with large resource needs.
Resource requirements for charcoal farming include a steady supply of wood, fuel for burning structures, and tools or creatures for gathering. Early-game players will need stone hatchets or metal hatchets, while mid- and late-game players should prioritize taming wood-gathering creatures. For industrial forges, you will need a significant amount of gasoline, so plan accordingly.
In terms of tribe versus solo considerations, tribes have the advantage of dividing labor and scaling production more easily. Solo players should focus on efficiency by setting up a dedicated farming area and using the best tools and structures available. Both solo players and tribes should prioritize taming creatures like the Therizinosaurus or Beaver to maximize wood gathering.
A specific example of efficient charcoal farming is setting up a base near the Redwood Forest on The Island map. This area has dense trees and is ideal for wood gathering. You can tame a Therizinosaurus to gather wood quickly and set up multiple industrial forges near your base. This setup allows you to gather and burn wood efficiently, producing large amounts of charcoal for crafting gunpowder and other advanced items.
In summary, farming charcoal in ARK: Survival Evolved requires a reliable source of wood, efficient burning structures, and proper resource management. Prioritize taming wood-gathering creatures, upgrade to industrial forges as soon as possible, and avoid common mistakes like underestimating wood needs or neglecting gasoline supplies. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, efficient charcoal farming is essential for progressing in the game and crafting advanced items.
To start, you need a reliable source of wood. Wood is gathered by chopping down trees using tools like a stone hatchet, metal hatchet, or a tamed creature such as a Beaver, Mammoth, or Therizinosaurus. Tamed creatures are far more efficient at gathering wood than tools, so prioritize taming a wood-gathering dinosaur early in your playthrough. A Therizinosaurus, for example, can gather large amounts of wood quickly and is also versatile for other resource gathering tasks.
Once you have a steady supply of wood, you need a structure to burn it. Early in the game, a campfire or standing torch is sufficient, but these are slow and inefficient for large-scale charcoal farming. As you progress, upgrading to a refining forge or industrial forge is highly recommended. The refining forge burns wood faster than a campfire and can hold more wood at once, making it a good mid-game option. The industrial forge, unlocked at level 89, is the most efficient method for charcoal farming. It burns wood extremely quickly and can process large quantities in a short time.
To maximize charcoal production, always use the highest-tier burning structure available to you. For example, if you have access to an industrial forge, prioritize using it over a refining forge or campfire. Industrial forges require gasoline to operate, so ensure you have a steady supply of gasoline by crafting it in a fabricator using oil and hide. Oil can be gathered from underwater nodes, oil rocks in the Snow Biome, or tamed creatures like the Dunkleosteus or Ankylosaurus.
When farming charcoal, it is important to manage your wood supply efficiently. If you are playing solo, consider setting up a dedicated wood-gathering and charcoal-burning station near a dense forest. This minimizes travel time and allows you to gather and burn wood in one location. If you are in a tribe, assign roles to tribe members to streamline the process. For example, one player can focus on gathering wood while another manages the burning process.
A common mistake is underestimating the amount of wood needed for large-scale charcoal farming. Always gather more wood than you think you will need, as burning wood consumes it quickly, especially in industrial forges. Additionally, avoid using low-tier burning structures like campfires for large-scale farming, as they are too slow and inefficient. Another mistake is neglecting to stockpile gasoline for industrial forges, which can halt production if you run out.
Advanced techniques for charcoal farming include using tamed creatures to automate the process. For example, a Beaver or Mammoth can gather wood while you focus on burning it. You can also set up multiple burning structures to increase production. If you have access to an industrial forge, consider building multiple forges to process wood simultaneously. This is especially useful for tribes with large resource needs.
Resource requirements for charcoal farming include a steady supply of wood, fuel for burning structures, and tools or creatures for gathering. Early-game players will need stone hatchets or metal hatchets, while mid- and late-game players should prioritize taming wood-gathering creatures. For industrial forges, you will need a significant amount of gasoline, so plan accordingly.
In terms of tribe versus solo considerations, tribes have the advantage of dividing labor and scaling production more easily. Solo players should focus on efficiency by setting up a dedicated farming area and using the best tools and structures available. Both solo players and tribes should prioritize taming creatures like the Therizinosaurus or Beaver to maximize wood gathering.
A specific example of efficient charcoal farming is setting up a base near the Redwood Forest on The Island map. This area has dense trees and is ideal for wood gathering. You can tame a Therizinosaurus to gather wood quickly and set up multiple industrial forges near your base. This setup allows you to gather and burn wood efficiently, producing large amounts of charcoal for crafting gunpowder and other advanced items.
In summary, farming charcoal in ARK: Survival Evolved requires a reliable source of wood, efficient burning structures, and proper resource management. Prioritize taming wood-gathering creatures, upgrade to industrial forges as soon as possible, and avoid common mistakes like underestimating wood needs or neglecting gasoline supplies. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, efficient charcoal farming is essential for progressing in the game and crafting advanced items.