What are the best creatures to breed for long-distance travel in ARK: Survival Evolved?
Breeding creatures for long-distance travel in ARK: Survival Evolved requires careful planning and understanding of the game's breeding mechanics. The goal is to create offspring with high stamina, speed, and weight capacity, as these stats are crucial for efficient travel. Below is a detailed guide on how to achieve this, covering mechanics, strategies, tips, and more.
To start, you need to select the right creatures for breeding. Some of the best options for long-distance travel include the Argentavis, Wyvern, Snow Owl, and Managarmr. These creatures are known for their speed, stamina, and utility in traversing large distances. For example, the Argentavis is a versatile flyer with good stamina and weight reduction for certain resources, making it ideal for long trips. Wyverns, on the other hand, are faster and have unique abilities like fire breath or ice attacks, which can be useful in combat during travel. Snow Owls are excellent for cold regions and have a glide ability that conserves stamina, while Managarmrs are incredibly fast and can jump great distances, making them perfect for quick travel across the map.
Once you have chosen the creatures, the next step is to breed them. Breeding involves pairing two creatures of the same species and ensuring they are in close proximity. You must enable the "Enable Wandering" option for both creatures, but make sure they are enclosed in a secure area to prevent them from wandering off. After mating, the female will either lay an egg or, in the case of mammals, produce a live baby. For egg-laying creatures, you need to incubate the egg by maintaining the correct temperature. This can be done using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature-regulating items. For live births, you simply need to wait for the baby to appear.
After the baby is born or hatched, it requires constant care. This includes feeding it the appropriate food, such as meat for carnivores or berries for herbivores. Babies have a high food consumption rate, so you need to stockpile resources beforehand. As the baby grows, you must interact with it to imprint. Imprinting increases the creature's stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat and travel. To imprint, follow the prompts that appear above the baby, such as cuddling, walking, or feeding it a specific item. Imprinting is crucial for maximizing the creature's potential, so prioritize it during the growth stages.
Stat inheritance plays a significant role in breeding. Each stat has a chance to be inherited from either parent, so it is important to breed creatures with high stamina, speed, and weight. To achieve this, you may need to breed multiple generations, selecting the offspring with the best stats to continue the breeding line. Mutations can also enhance these stats, but they are rare and random. Mutations can affect a creature's stats, colors, or both, so keep an eye out for beneficial mutations that improve travel efficiency.
Resource management is critical during the breeding process. You will need a steady supply of food, such as raw meat, berries, or kibble, depending on the creature. Additionally, you need materials for building a secure breeding area, such as walls, gates, and temperature-regulating items. For tribes, coordinating resource gathering and baby care can make the process more efficient. Solo players should focus on preparing resources in advance to avoid running out during critical moments.
Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting imprinting, failing to secure the breeding area, and not preparing enough resources. Imprinting is essential for maximizing stats, so do not skip it. A secure breeding area prevents creatures from escaping or being attacked by predators. Running out of food or materials can lead to the baby's death, so always have extra supplies on hand.
Advanced techniques include stacking mutations and optimizing stat inheritance. Stacking mutations involves breeding creatures with multiple beneficial mutations to create offspring with even better stats. This requires careful tracking of mutations and selective breeding over multiple generations. Optimizing stat inheritance involves pairing creatures with complementary stats to create offspring with the best possible combination. For example, if one parent has high stamina and the other has high speed, the offspring may inherit both, making it ideal for long-distance travel.
In conclusion, breeding creatures for long-distance travel in ARK: Survival Evolved is a rewarding but complex process. By selecting the right creatures, managing resources, and focusing on stat inheritance and imprinting, you can create powerful offspring capable of traversing the map efficiently. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, careful planning and execution are key to success. With the right strategies, you can breed creatures that excel in speed, stamina, and utility, making long-distance travel a breeze.
To start, you need to select the right creatures for breeding. Some of the best options for long-distance travel include the Argentavis, Wyvern, Snow Owl, and Managarmr. These creatures are known for their speed, stamina, and utility in traversing large distances. For example, the Argentavis is a versatile flyer with good stamina and weight reduction for certain resources, making it ideal for long trips. Wyverns, on the other hand, are faster and have unique abilities like fire breath or ice attacks, which can be useful in combat during travel. Snow Owls are excellent for cold regions and have a glide ability that conserves stamina, while Managarmrs are incredibly fast and can jump great distances, making them perfect for quick travel across the map.
Once you have chosen the creatures, the next step is to breed them. Breeding involves pairing two creatures of the same species and ensuring they are in close proximity. You must enable the "Enable Wandering" option for both creatures, but make sure they are enclosed in a secure area to prevent them from wandering off. After mating, the female will either lay an egg or, in the case of mammals, produce a live baby. For egg-laying creatures, you need to incubate the egg by maintaining the correct temperature. This can be done using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature-regulating items. For live births, you simply need to wait for the baby to appear.
After the baby is born or hatched, it requires constant care. This includes feeding it the appropriate food, such as meat for carnivores or berries for herbivores. Babies have a high food consumption rate, so you need to stockpile resources beforehand. As the baby grows, you must interact with it to imprint. Imprinting increases the creature's stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat and travel. To imprint, follow the prompts that appear above the baby, such as cuddling, walking, or feeding it a specific item. Imprinting is crucial for maximizing the creature's potential, so prioritize it during the growth stages.
Stat inheritance plays a significant role in breeding. Each stat has a chance to be inherited from either parent, so it is important to breed creatures with high stamina, speed, and weight. To achieve this, you may need to breed multiple generations, selecting the offspring with the best stats to continue the breeding line. Mutations can also enhance these stats, but they are rare and random. Mutations can affect a creature's stats, colors, or both, so keep an eye out for beneficial mutations that improve travel efficiency.
Resource management is critical during the breeding process. You will need a steady supply of food, such as raw meat, berries, or kibble, depending on the creature. Additionally, you need materials for building a secure breeding area, such as walls, gates, and temperature-regulating items. For tribes, coordinating resource gathering and baby care can make the process more efficient. Solo players should focus on preparing resources in advance to avoid running out during critical moments.
Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting imprinting, failing to secure the breeding area, and not preparing enough resources. Imprinting is essential for maximizing stats, so do not skip it. A secure breeding area prevents creatures from escaping or being attacked by predators. Running out of food or materials can lead to the baby's death, so always have extra supplies on hand.
Advanced techniques include stacking mutations and optimizing stat inheritance. Stacking mutations involves breeding creatures with multiple beneficial mutations to create offspring with even better stats. This requires careful tracking of mutations and selective breeding over multiple generations. Optimizing stat inheritance involves pairing creatures with complementary stats to create offspring with the best possible combination. For example, if one parent has high stamina and the other has high speed, the offspring may inherit both, making it ideal for long-distance travel.
In conclusion, breeding creatures for long-distance travel in ARK: Survival Evolved is a rewarding but complex process. By selecting the right creatures, managing resources, and focusing on stat inheritance and imprinting, you can create powerful offspring capable of traversing the map efficiently. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, careful planning and execution are key to success. With the right strategies, you can breed creatures that excel in speed, stamina, and utility, making long-distance travel a breeze.