How do I breed for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Breeding for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved involves a combination of selective breeding, stat inheritance, and mutation management. Knockback damage is primarily determined by the melee damage stat of a creature, as higher melee damage increases the knockback effect when attacking. To achieve this, you will need to focus on breeding creatures with high melee damage stats and potentially introduce mutations to further enhance this stat. Below is a detailed guide on how to achieve this.

First, you need to understand the mechanics of breeding and stat inheritance. When two creatures breed, the offspring inherits stats from either parent. Each stat, including melee damage, has a 55% chance to be inherited from one parent and a 45% chance from the other. This means you need to start with a pair of creatures that have high melee damage stats. The higher the base melee damage of the parents, the better the chances of the offspring inheriting a high melee damage stat.

To begin, you should tame or acquire multiple creatures of the same species with high melee damage stats. For example, if you are breeding Rexes, you would want to tame several Rexes and check their stats after taming. Look for Rexes with naturally high melee damage. Once you have a few candidates, you can start breeding them to combine their stats. The goal is to create a breeding pair where both parents have high melee damage stats, increasing the likelihood of the offspring inheriting those stats.

Next, you need to consider mutations. Mutations can randomly occur during breeding and can increase a stat by 2 points or change the creature's color. Mutations are rare, with only a 2.5% chance per stat per baby. To maximize your chances of getting a melee damage mutation, you should breed as many offspring as possible. This requires a lot of time and resources, so be prepared for a long-term project.

When a mutation occurs, it will either increase the melee damage stat or another stat. If the mutation increases melee damage, you should keep that offspring and use it in your breeding line. If the mutation affects another stat, you can choose to keep it for future breeding or discard it. Over time, you can stack multiple melee damage mutations to create a creature with extremely high knockback damage.

One important tip is to keep track of your breeding lines. Use a spreadsheet or notes to record the stats and mutations of each generation. This will help you identify which creatures to breed together to achieve the best results. Additionally, make sure to imprint the babies. Imprinting increases the baby's stats and makes it more effective in combat. To imprint, you need to interact with the baby during its growth stages and fulfill its requests, such as feeding it specific foods or taking it for a walk.

Resource management is crucial for successful breeding. You will need a steady supply of food, such as meat or berries, to keep the parents and babies fed. You will also need a safe and secure breeding area to protect the babies from predators. Consider building a dedicated breeding pen with plenty of space, feeding troughs, and air conditioners to regulate temperature for eggs.

Common mistakes to avoid include breeding creatures with low melee damage stats, not tracking mutations, and neglecting imprinting. Breeding low-stat creatures will result in weaker offspring, making it harder to achieve high knockback damage. Not tracking mutations can lead to confusion and wasted effort, as you may lose track of which creatures have the desired mutations. Neglecting imprinting will result in weaker creatures that are less effective in combat.

Advanced techniques include using a breeding calculator to predict stat inheritance and mutation chances. These tools can help you plan your breeding lines more efficiently. Additionally, you can use cryopods to store and transport creatures, making it easier to manage large breeding operations. Cryopods also allow you to pause the growth of babies, giving you more time to prepare resources.

Tribe considerations are important if you are playing with others. Breeding can be a time-consuming process, so dividing tasks among tribe members can make it more manageable. For example, one member can focus on taming high-stat creatures, another on breeding, and another on resource gathering. Solo players will need to manage all aspects of breeding themselves, so efficient time management is key.

In conclusion, breeding for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved requires careful planning, resource management, and patience. By focusing on high melee damage stats, tracking mutations, and imprinting babies, you can create powerful creatures with devastating knockback damage. Whether you are playing solo or with a tribe, following these strategies will help you achieve your breeding goals and dominate the ARK.