How do I breed for high crafting speed in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Breeding for high crafting speed in ARK: Survival Evolved involves a deep understanding of the game's breeding mechanics, stat inheritance, and mutation systems. Crafting speed is a stat that affects how quickly a creature can craft items in its inventory, and it is particularly useful for creatures like the Argentavis or the Beaver, which have crafting bonuses. To breed for high crafting speed, you need to focus on selectively breeding creatures with high base crafting speed stats and potentially introducing mutations to further enhance this stat.

The first step is to identify creatures with high crafting speed stats. Crafting speed is one of the seven stats that creatures can inherit from their parents, so you need to find parents with high crafting speed to pass it on to their offspring. Start by taming multiple creatures of the same species and checking their stats. Use the creature's inventory screen to view its stats, and note down the crafting speed values. Once you have a few creatures with high crafting speed, you can begin the breeding process.

To breed, place two creatures of the same species close to each other and enable the "Enable Wandering" option. This will initiate the mating process, and after a short time, the female will either lay an egg or become pregnant, depending on the species. Once the egg is laid or the pregnancy begins, you need to ensure the egg or baby is kept in a suitable environment. Eggs require specific temperatures to hatch, so you may need to use air conditioners, standing torches, or campfires to maintain the correct temperature. For live births, ensure the mother is safe and well-fed.

After the baby is born or hatched, it will require constant care. Baby creatures need to be fed regularly, and you must ensure they have enough food in their inventory to survive. As the baby grows, you will have the opportunity to imprint on it. Imprinting involves interacting with the baby at specific intervals, such as feeding it or taking it for a walk. Successful imprinting will increase the baby's stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat or other tasks. Imprinting is crucial for maximizing the crafting speed stat, as it can provide a significant boost to the creature's overall effectiveness.

To achieve high crafting speed, you need to focus on stat inheritance and mutations. Stat inheritance is random, with each stat having a chance to be inherited from either parent. To increase the chances of inheriting high crafting speed, breed creatures with the highest crafting speed stats together. Over multiple generations, you can selectively breed creatures to combine the best stats into a single offspring. This process requires patience and careful tracking of each creature's stats.

Mutations can further enhance the crafting speed stat. Mutations are rare and random, but they can provide significant boosts to a creature's stats or change its appearance. To introduce mutations, continue breeding your creatures and monitor the offspring for any stat increases or color changes. Each mutation increases the creature's mutation counter, and there is a limit to the number of mutations a creature can have. However, with careful planning, you can stack mutations to achieve extremely high crafting speed stats.

Resource management is crucial for successful breeding. You will need a steady supply of food, such as meat or berries, to keep your creatures fed. Additionally, you will need materials to build and maintain a breeding facility, such as walls, gates, and temperature control devices. For tribes, coordinating breeding efforts can be more efficient, as multiple players can share the workload of caring for babies and managing resources. Solo players will need to plan carefully to ensure they have enough time and resources to manage their breeding projects.

Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting imprinting, failing to track stat inheritance, and not maintaining a suitable environment for eggs and babies. Imprinting is essential for maximizing stats, so make sure to interact with your baby creatures regularly. Tracking stat inheritance is crucial for selective breeding, so keep detailed records of each creature's stats. Finally, ensure your breeding facility is secure and well-maintained to protect your creatures from predators or environmental hazards.

Advanced techniques include using cryopods to store and transport creatures, which can save time and resources. Cryopods allow you to freeze creatures and store them in your inventory, making it easier to manage large breeding projects. Additionally, you can use breeding calculators or spreadsheets to track stat inheritance and mutation counters, helping you plan your breeding lines more effectively.

In summary, breeding for high crafting speed in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selectively breeding creatures with high crafting speed stats, introducing mutations, and carefully managing resources and imprinting. With patience and careful planning, you can create powerful creatures with exceptional crafting speed, making them invaluable for crafting and other tasks in the game.