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

Breeding for high movement speed in ARK: Survival Evolved is a complex but rewarding process that involves understanding the game's breeding mechanics, stat inheritance, and mutation systems. Movement speed is a stat that can be inherited or mutated, but it requires careful planning and patience to achieve the desired results. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to breed for high movement speed, covering all the necessary steps, tips, and considerations.

First, itÔÇÖs important to understand how stat inheritance works in ARK. When two creatures breed, the offspring has a 55% chance to inherit the higher stat from either parent for each individual stat, including movement speed. This means that if one parent has a higher movement speed stat than the other, thereÔÇÖs a good chance the baby will inherit that higher stat. However, movement speed is a bit unique because wild creatures do not have variable movement speed stats. All wild creatures of the same species have the same base movement speed, which means you cannot find a wild creature with a naturally higher movement speed stat. Instead, you must rely on mutations to increase this stat.

To begin breeding for high movement speed, you need to start with a pair of creatures that have the best possible stats in other areas, such as health, stamina, or melee damage. This is because movement speed mutations are rare, and you want to ensure that the rest of the creatureÔÇÖs stats are strong. Once you have a pair of creatures with good stats, you can start breeding them to produce offspring. Each time you breed, there is a small chance (around 7.6%) that a mutation will occur. Mutations can affect either a stat or a color, and they are random, so you need to be patient.

When a mutation occurs, it will increase one of the creatureÔÇÖs stats by 2 points. If the mutation affects movement speed, this is what youÔÇÖre looking for. However, mutations can also affect other stats, so you need to carefully check each baby to see if it has a movement speed mutation. If it does, you can use that baby as part of your breeding line to pass on the higher movement speed stat to future generations. Over time, you can stack multiple movement speed mutations to create a creature with significantly higher movement speed than normal.

One important consideration is the mutation cap. Each creature can have a maximum of 20 mutations on the maternal side and 20 on the paternal side, for a total of 40 mutations. Once a creature reaches this cap, it can no longer receive new mutations. To avoid hitting the cap too quickly, itÔÇÖs a good idea to keep one parent with no mutations and use it to breed with mutated offspring. This allows you to continue stacking mutations without hitting the cap prematurely.

Resource management is also crucial when breeding for high movement speed. Breeding requires a lot of time and resources, including food for the parents and babies, as well as a safe environment for raising the offspring. YouÔÇÖll need a well-stocked base with plenty of food, such as meat for carnivores or berries for herbivores. YouÔÇÖll also need a secure area to keep the babies safe from predators or other players in PvP servers. Additionally, imprinting is important for maximizing the babyÔÇÖs stats and loyalty. Imprinting involves interacting with the baby during its growth stages, such as feeding it or taking it for walks. Proper imprinting can significantly boost the creatureÔÇÖs effectiveness.

Common mistakes to avoid include breeding too quickly without checking for mutations, which can lead to wasted time and resources. ItÔÇÖs also important to avoid inbreeding, as this can cause stat degradation over time. Always keep track of your breeding lines and mutations to ensure youÔÇÖre making progress toward your goal. Advanced techniques include using external tools or spreadsheets to track mutations and stats, which can help you optimize your breeding process.

In terms of tribe or solo considerations, breeding for high movement speed is easier in a tribe because you can share the workload and resources. However, itÔÇÖs still possible to do it solo with proper planning and resource management. Specific examples include breeding a high-speed Raptor for quick travel or a high-speed Argentavis for faster resource gathering. These creatures can be extremely useful in both PvE and PvP scenarios, making the effort well worth it.

In conclusion, breeding for high movement speed in ARK: Survival Evolved requires a deep understanding of the gameÔÇÖs breeding mechanics, patience, and careful planning. By following the steps outlined above, you can create a creature with exceptional movement speed that will give you a significant advantage in the game.