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 mechanics. 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 high knockback damage, 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 the higher stat parent and a 45% chance from the lower stat parent. This means that if you have two creatures with high melee damage, their offspring has a good chance of inheriting that high 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, you can begin the breeding process. Place the two creatures close together and enable mating. Ensure they are well-fed and in a safe environment. After mating, the female will either lay an egg or, in the case of mammals, become pregnant. For egg-laying creatures, you will need to incubate the egg at the correct temperature, which can be achieved using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature control methods. For mammals, simply wait for the gestation period to complete.
After the baby is born or hatched, it will require constant care. This includes feeding it the appropriate food, such as meat for carnivores or berries for herbivores. 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. To maximize knockback damage, prioritize imprinting on melee damage when possible.
To further enhance the melee damage stat, you can introduce mutations. Mutations are rare and random, but they can significantly boost a creature's stats. Each mutation increases a stat by 2 points and can also change the creature's color. To increase the chances of a melee damage mutation, breed multiple generations of creatures and keep track of their stats. When a mutation occurs, check if it affects the melee damage stat. If it does, use that creature in future breeding to pass on the mutation.
One common mistake to avoid is over-mutating. 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 mutation count and focus on breeding creatures with the desired mutations. Another mistake is neglecting imprinting. Imprinting not only increases stats but also improves the creature's overall effectiveness, so it is crucial to imprint on every baby.
Advanced techniques include stacking mutations and using breeding lines. Stacking mutations involves breeding multiple generations to accumulate multiple melee damage mutations. This can result in a creature with significantly higher knockback damage. Breeding lines refer to the process of selectively breeding creatures over multiple generations to achieve specific goals. For example, you might create a line of creatures with high melee damage and another line with high health, then combine the two to create a well-rounded creature with both high knockback damage and survivability.
Resource requirements for breeding include a steady supply of food, such as meat or berries, and materials for temperature control, such as air conditioners or standing torches. You will also need a safe and secure breeding area to protect the baby creatures from predators. If you are playing solo, consider setting up a small base near your breeding area to monitor the creatures and provide care. In a tribe, you can divide responsibilities, with some members focusing on breeding and others on resource gathering and defense.
In summary, breeding for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selecting creatures with high melee damage stats, carefully managing stat inheritance, and introducing mutations to further enhance the stat. Proper care, including feeding and imprinting, is essential to maximize the creature's effectiveness. Avoid common mistakes such as over-mutating and neglecting imprinting, and consider advanced techniques like stacking mutations and creating breeding lines. With careful planning and execution, you can create powerful creatures with devastating knockback damage.
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 the higher stat parent and a 45% chance from the lower stat parent. This means that if you have two creatures with high melee damage, their offspring has a good chance of inheriting that high 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, you can begin the breeding process. Place the two creatures close together and enable mating. Ensure they are well-fed and in a safe environment. After mating, the female will either lay an egg or, in the case of mammals, become pregnant. For egg-laying creatures, you will need to incubate the egg at the correct temperature, which can be achieved using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature control methods. For mammals, simply wait for the gestation period to complete.
After the baby is born or hatched, it will require constant care. This includes feeding it the appropriate food, such as meat for carnivores or berries for herbivores. 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. To maximize knockback damage, prioritize imprinting on melee damage when possible.
To further enhance the melee damage stat, you can introduce mutations. Mutations are rare and random, but they can significantly boost a creature's stats. Each mutation increases a stat by 2 points and can also change the creature's color. To increase the chances of a melee damage mutation, breed multiple generations of creatures and keep track of their stats. When a mutation occurs, check if it affects the melee damage stat. If it does, use that creature in future breeding to pass on the mutation.
One common mistake to avoid is over-mutating. 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 mutation count and focus on breeding creatures with the desired mutations. Another mistake is neglecting imprinting. Imprinting not only increases stats but also improves the creature's overall effectiveness, so it is crucial to imprint on every baby.
Advanced techniques include stacking mutations and using breeding lines. Stacking mutations involves breeding multiple generations to accumulate multiple melee damage mutations. This can result in a creature with significantly higher knockback damage. Breeding lines refer to the process of selectively breeding creatures over multiple generations to achieve specific goals. For example, you might create a line of creatures with high melee damage and another line with high health, then combine the two to create a well-rounded creature with both high knockback damage and survivability.
Resource requirements for breeding include a steady supply of food, such as meat or berries, and materials for temperature control, such as air conditioners or standing torches. You will also need a safe and secure breeding area to protect the baby creatures from predators. If you are playing solo, consider setting up a small base near your breeding area to monitor the creatures and provide care. In a tribe, you can divide responsibilities, with some members focusing on breeding and others on resource gathering and defense.
In summary, breeding for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selecting creatures with high melee damage stats, carefully managing stat inheritance, and introducing mutations to further enhance the stat. Proper care, including feeding and imprinting, is essential to maximize the creature's effectiveness. Avoid common mistakes such as over-mutating and neglecting imprinting, and consider advanced techniques like stacking mutations and creating breeding lines. With careful planning and execution, you can create powerful creatures with devastating knockback damage.