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 careful management of mutations. 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 goal.
First, you need to understand the mechanics of breeding and stat inheritance. When two creatures breed, the offspring has a 70% chance to inherit the higher stat from either parent. This means if one parent has a high melee damage stat and the other has a low one, the baby has a good chance of inheriting the higher stat. To maximize this, you should start by taming or breeding creatures with naturally high melee damage stats. For example, creatures like the Rex, Spino, or Therizinosaurus are excellent candidates due to their naturally high base melee damage.
Once you have a pair of creatures with high melee damage stats, you can begin the breeding process. Place the two creatures close together and enable mating. Make sure they are well-fed and in a safe environment. After mating, the female will either lay an egg (for egg-laying species) or become pregnant (for mammals). The egg or baby will inherit stats from both parents, so ensure both parents have the desired high melee damage stat.
After the baby is born or hatched, you will need to care for it until it reaches adulthood. This involves feeding it the appropriate food and ensuring it is safe from predators. During this time, you can also imprint on the baby by interacting with it when it requests care. Imprinting increases the baby's stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat. For knockback damage, focus on imprinting bonuses that increase melee damage.
Mutations are a key part of breeding for high knockback damage. Mutations can randomly increase a stat, such as melee damage, or change the creature's color. To introduce mutations, you will need to breed multiple generations of creatures. Each mutation has a small chance to occur, so patience is required. When a mutation occurs, check if it affects the melee damage stat. If it does, you can incorporate that mutated creature into your breeding line to pass on the enhanced stat.
One common mistake is over-mutating a creature. Each creature can have a maximum of 20 mutations on the maternal and paternal sides combined. Once this limit is reached, further mutations will not occur. To avoid this, keep track of the number of mutations in your breeding line and focus on stacking mutations on one side (either maternal or paternal) to maximize the potential for further mutations.
Resource management is crucial for successful breeding. You will need a steady supply of food for both the parents and the babies. For carnivores, this means a lot of meat, and for herbivores, a lot of berries or crops. Additionally, you will need a safe and secure breeding area, preferably within a well-defended base. This ensures that your creatures are protected from wild predators and other players in PvP scenarios.
For tribes, breeding for high knockback damage can be a collaborative effort. Tribe members can help with taming high-stat creatures, gathering resources, and caring for babies. In solo play, you will need to manage all aspects of breeding on your own, so efficient time management and resource gathering are essential.
Advanced techniques include using external tools or spreadsheets to track stat inheritance and mutations. This helps you plan your breeding lines more effectively and avoid wasting time on creatures with undesirable stats. Additionally, you can use cryopods to store and transport creatures, making it easier to manage large breeding operations.
In summary, breeding for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selecting creatures with high melee damage stats, carefully managing stat inheritance and mutations, and ensuring proper care for the offspring. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can create powerful creatures with devastating knockback damage, whether you are playing solo or as part of a tribe.
First, you need to understand the mechanics of breeding and stat inheritance. When two creatures breed, the offspring has a 70% chance to inherit the higher stat from either parent. This means if one parent has a high melee damage stat and the other has a low one, the baby has a good chance of inheriting the higher stat. To maximize this, you should start by taming or breeding creatures with naturally high melee damage stats. For example, creatures like the Rex, Spino, or Therizinosaurus are excellent candidates due to their naturally high base melee damage.
Once you have a pair of creatures with high melee damage stats, you can begin the breeding process. Place the two creatures close together and enable mating. Make sure they are well-fed and in a safe environment. After mating, the female will either lay an egg (for egg-laying species) or become pregnant (for mammals). The egg or baby will inherit stats from both parents, so ensure both parents have the desired high melee damage stat.
After the baby is born or hatched, you will need to care for it until it reaches adulthood. This involves feeding it the appropriate food and ensuring it is safe from predators. During this time, you can also imprint on the baby by interacting with it when it requests care. Imprinting increases the baby's stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat. For knockback damage, focus on imprinting bonuses that increase melee damage.
Mutations are a key part of breeding for high knockback damage. Mutations can randomly increase a stat, such as melee damage, or change the creature's color. To introduce mutations, you will need to breed multiple generations of creatures. Each mutation has a small chance to occur, so patience is required. When a mutation occurs, check if it affects the melee damage stat. If it does, you can incorporate that mutated creature into your breeding line to pass on the enhanced stat.
One common mistake is over-mutating a creature. Each creature can have a maximum of 20 mutations on the maternal and paternal sides combined. Once this limit is reached, further mutations will not occur. To avoid this, keep track of the number of mutations in your breeding line and focus on stacking mutations on one side (either maternal or paternal) to maximize the potential for further mutations.
Resource management is crucial for successful breeding. You will need a steady supply of food for both the parents and the babies. For carnivores, this means a lot of meat, and for herbivores, a lot of berries or crops. Additionally, you will need a safe and secure breeding area, preferably within a well-defended base. This ensures that your creatures are protected from wild predators and other players in PvP scenarios.
For tribes, breeding for high knockback damage can be a collaborative effort. Tribe members can help with taming high-stat creatures, gathering resources, and caring for babies. In solo play, you will need to manage all aspects of breeding on your own, so efficient time management and resource gathering are essential.
Advanced techniques include using external tools or spreadsheets to track stat inheritance and mutations. This helps you plan your breeding lines more effectively and avoid wasting time on creatures with undesirable stats. Additionally, you can use cryopods to store and transport creatures, making it easier to manage large breeding operations.
In summary, breeding for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selecting creatures with high melee damage stats, carefully managing stat inheritance and mutations, and ensuring proper care for the offspring. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can create powerful creatures with devastating knockback damage, whether you are playing solo or as part of a tribe.