What is the best way to breed for creatures with high oxygen levels in ARK: Survival Evolved?
Breeding creatures with high oxygen levels in ARK: Survival Evolved involves understanding the game's breeding mechanics, stat inheritance, and mutation systems. Oxygen is a stat that determines how long a creature can stay underwater before needing to surface for air. While oxygen is not a priority for most land-based creatures, it is crucial for aquatic tames like the Basilosaurus, Ichthyosaurus, or Megalodon, as it directly impacts their underwater efficiency. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to breed for high oxygen levels effectively.
First, you need to understand how stat inheritance works. When two creatures breed, the baby has a 70% chance to inherit the higher stat from either parent. For example, if one parent has 30 points in oxygen and the other has 20, the baby has a 70% chance to inherit the 30-point stat. This means you should start by taming or breeding creatures with naturally high oxygen stats. Use a tool like the ARK Smart Breeding app or in-game stat calculators to identify creatures with the best oxygen stats. Once you have a pair with high oxygen, breed them to create offspring with the desired stat.
Next, focus on mutations. Mutations can increase a stat by 2 points and also change the creatureÔÇÖs color. However, mutations are rare, with only a 2.5% chance per stat per baby. To maximize your chances, breed a large number of creatures and keep track of their stats. Mutations can stack up to 20 times per stat, so you can potentially increase oxygen by 40 points through mutations alone. However, be cautious of the mutation cap, which limits the total number of mutations a creature can have to 20 per stat and 20 for colors. Once a creature reaches this cap, it can no longer gain new mutations.
To start breeding, prepare a safe and controlled environment. Build a breeding pen with enough space for the parents and the baby. Ensure you have a steady supply of food, such as raw meat or berries, to keep the parents fed and the baby nourished. For aquatic creatures, consider building a water pen or using a platform saddle with a water enclosure. Once the baby is born or hatched, you must care for it until it reaches adulthood. This involves feeding it regularly and ensuring it is safe from predators. Imprinting is also crucial, as it increases the babyÔÇÖs stats and loyalty. To imprint, interact with the baby during its growth stages and complete the requested tasks, such as walking or feeding.
Resource management is key to successful breeding. You will need a large amount of food, especially for carnivores, as babies consume food rapidly. For aquatic creatures, you may also need a supply of fish meat or prime fish meat. Additionally, ensure you have enough space and resources to house multiple generations of creatures. If you are playing solo, this can be challenging, so consider automating some tasks using feeding troughs or air conditioners for egg incubation. In a tribe, coordinate with other members to share the workload and resources.
Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting imprinting, which can significantly reduce the creatureÔÇÖs effectiveness, and overbreeding without tracking stats, which can lead to wasted time and resources. Another mistake is not preparing for the babyÔÇÖs needs, such as running out of food or failing to protect it from threats. Always have a plan in place for each stage of the breeding process.
Advanced techniques include using clean breeding lines to isolate specific stats. For example, you can breed a pair of creatures with high oxygen and no mutations to create a clean line. Then, introduce mutations into this line to further boost the oxygen stat. This method ensures that you are only increasing the desired stat without diluting it with unwanted mutations. Additionally, consider using cryopods to store and manage your breeding stock, as this saves space and makes it easier to organize your creatures.
In summary, breeding for high oxygen levels in ARK: Survival Evolved requires careful planning, resource management, and patience. Start by identifying creatures with high oxygen stats, breed them to create a strong foundation, and then introduce mutations to further enhance the stat. Prepare a safe breeding environment, manage resources effectively, and avoid common mistakes. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, these strategies will help you create powerful aquatic creatures with exceptional oxygen levels.
First, you need to understand how stat inheritance works. When two creatures breed, the baby has a 70% chance to inherit the higher stat from either parent. For example, if one parent has 30 points in oxygen and the other has 20, the baby has a 70% chance to inherit the 30-point stat. This means you should start by taming or breeding creatures with naturally high oxygen stats. Use a tool like the ARK Smart Breeding app or in-game stat calculators to identify creatures with the best oxygen stats. Once you have a pair with high oxygen, breed them to create offspring with the desired stat.
Next, focus on mutations. Mutations can increase a stat by 2 points and also change the creatureÔÇÖs color. However, mutations are rare, with only a 2.5% chance per stat per baby. To maximize your chances, breed a large number of creatures and keep track of their stats. Mutations can stack up to 20 times per stat, so you can potentially increase oxygen by 40 points through mutations alone. However, be cautious of the mutation cap, which limits the total number of mutations a creature can have to 20 per stat and 20 for colors. Once a creature reaches this cap, it can no longer gain new mutations.
To start breeding, prepare a safe and controlled environment. Build a breeding pen with enough space for the parents and the baby. Ensure you have a steady supply of food, such as raw meat or berries, to keep the parents fed and the baby nourished. For aquatic creatures, consider building a water pen or using a platform saddle with a water enclosure. Once the baby is born or hatched, you must care for it until it reaches adulthood. This involves feeding it regularly and ensuring it is safe from predators. Imprinting is also crucial, as it increases the babyÔÇÖs stats and loyalty. To imprint, interact with the baby during its growth stages and complete the requested tasks, such as walking or feeding.
Resource management is key to successful breeding. You will need a large amount of food, especially for carnivores, as babies consume food rapidly. For aquatic creatures, you may also need a supply of fish meat or prime fish meat. Additionally, ensure you have enough space and resources to house multiple generations of creatures. If you are playing solo, this can be challenging, so consider automating some tasks using feeding troughs or air conditioners for egg incubation. In a tribe, coordinate with other members to share the workload and resources.
Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting imprinting, which can significantly reduce the creatureÔÇÖs effectiveness, and overbreeding without tracking stats, which can lead to wasted time and resources. Another mistake is not preparing for the babyÔÇÖs needs, such as running out of food or failing to protect it from threats. Always have a plan in place for each stage of the breeding process.
Advanced techniques include using clean breeding lines to isolate specific stats. For example, you can breed a pair of creatures with high oxygen and no mutations to create a clean line. Then, introduce mutations into this line to further boost the oxygen stat. This method ensures that you are only increasing the desired stat without diluting it with unwanted mutations. Additionally, consider using cryopods to store and manage your breeding stock, as this saves space and makes it easier to organize your creatures.
In summary, breeding for high oxygen levels in ARK: Survival Evolved requires careful planning, resource management, and patience. Start by identifying creatures with high oxygen stats, breed them to create a strong foundation, and then introduce mutations to further enhance the stat. Prepare a safe breeding environment, manage resources effectively, and avoid common mistakes. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, these strategies will help you create powerful aquatic creatures with exceptional oxygen levels.