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 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. 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. After mating, the female will either lay an egg (for egg-laying species) or become pregnant (for mammals). Ensure you have a safe and controlled environment for this process, as both the parents and the offspring will be vulnerable during this time. For egg-laying species, you will need to incubate the egg at the correct temperature, which can be achieved using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature-regulating items.
After the egg hatches or the baby is born, you will need to care for it until it reaches adulthood. This involves 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 creature's stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat. For knockback damage, focus on imprinting bonuses that increase melee damage, as this will directly enhance the knockback effect.
To further optimize your breeding for high knockback damage, you can introduce mutations. Mutations are random and can affect either a creature's stats or its colors. Each mutation increases a stat by two levels, so if you get a mutation in melee damage, it will significantly boost the creature's knockback potential. However, mutations are rare, and there is a limit to how many mutations a creature can have. Each creature can have up to 20 mutations on the maternal and paternal sides combined, so plan your breeding carefully to avoid hitting this cap.
One common mistake to avoid is neglecting the other stats of your creatures. While focusing on melee damage is important, you should also ensure that your creatures have decent health, stamina, and weight stats to make them viable in combat and other tasks. Additionally, avoid inbreeding, as this can lead to weaker offspring and reduce the overall effectiveness of your breeding line.
Advanced techniques for optimizing your breeding include using a breeding calculator to track stat inheritance and mutations. This can help you plan your breeding lines more effectively and ensure that you are making progress toward your goal. You can also use cryopods to store and manage your breeding stock, making it easier to organize and rotate your creatures.
Resource requirements for breeding include a steady supply of food, such as meat or berries, as well as materials for building a secure breeding area. You will also need resources for temperature regulation, such as air conditioners or standing torches, especially if you are breeding egg-laying species. For tribes, coordinating breeding efforts can be more efficient, as multiple players can share the workload of caring for babies and managing breeding lines. Solo players will need to be more organized and may need to use cryopods to manage their breeding stock effectively.
In summary, breeding for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selecting creatures with high melee damage, carefully managing stat inheritance, and introducing mutations to further enhance the melee stat. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can create powerful creatures with high knockback damage that are effective in combat and other tasks.
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. 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. After mating, the female will either lay an egg (for egg-laying species) or become pregnant (for mammals). Ensure you have a safe and controlled environment for this process, as both the parents and the offspring will be vulnerable during this time. For egg-laying species, you will need to incubate the egg at the correct temperature, which can be achieved using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature-regulating items.
After the egg hatches or the baby is born, you will need to care for it until it reaches adulthood. This involves 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 creature's stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat. For knockback damage, focus on imprinting bonuses that increase melee damage, as this will directly enhance the knockback effect.
To further optimize your breeding for high knockback damage, you can introduce mutations. Mutations are random and can affect either a creature's stats or its colors. Each mutation increases a stat by two levels, so if you get a mutation in melee damage, it will significantly boost the creature's knockback potential. However, mutations are rare, and there is a limit to how many mutations a creature can have. Each creature can have up to 20 mutations on the maternal and paternal sides combined, so plan your breeding carefully to avoid hitting this cap.
One common mistake to avoid is neglecting the other stats of your creatures. While focusing on melee damage is important, you should also ensure that your creatures have decent health, stamina, and weight stats to make them viable in combat and other tasks. Additionally, avoid inbreeding, as this can lead to weaker offspring and reduce the overall effectiveness of your breeding line.
Advanced techniques for optimizing your breeding include using a breeding calculator to track stat inheritance and mutations. This can help you plan your breeding lines more effectively and ensure that you are making progress toward your goal. You can also use cryopods to store and manage your breeding stock, making it easier to organize and rotate your creatures.
Resource requirements for breeding include a steady supply of food, such as meat or berries, as well as materials for building a secure breeding area. You will also need resources for temperature regulation, such as air conditioners or standing torches, especially if you are breeding egg-laying species. For tribes, coordinating breeding efforts can be more efficient, as multiple players can share the workload of caring for babies and managing breeding lines. Solo players will need to be more organized and may need to use cryopods to manage their breeding stock effectively.
In summary, breeding for high knockback damage in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selecting creatures with high melee damage, carefully managing stat inheritance, and introducing mutations to further enhance the melee stat. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can create powerful creatures with high knockback damage that are effective in combat and other tasks.