What is the best way to breed for high speed in creatures like the Gasbags in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Breeding for high speed in creatures like the Gasbags in ARK: Survival Evolved involves a combination of understanding breeding mechanics, stat inheritance, and mutation systems. Gasbags are unique creatures known for their ability to inflate and glide, making speed a valuable trait for mobility and evasion. To achieve high-speed Gasbags, you need to focus on selective breeding, stat stacking, and careful management of mutations.

First, you need to understand the mechanics of breeding. Breeding involves pairing two Gasbags of the opposite sex. When they mate, they produce an egg or live baby, depending on the species. For Gasbags, they lay eggs, so you need to ensure you have a suitable environment for incubation. The baby Gasbag will inherit stats from its parents, with each stat having a chance to be inherited from either parent. This means you need to start with Gasbags that have high base stats in speed. You can check the stats of wild Gasbags by knocking them out and using a spyglass or by taming them and checking their stat distribution.

To begin, tame multiple Gasbags and check their stats. Focus on those with high movement speed. Once you have a pair with desirable speed stats, place them in a breeding pen and enable mating. Make sure they are well-fed and in a safe environment. After mating, the female will lay an egg. You need to incubate the egg at the correct temperature, which for Gasbags is slightly cold. Use air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature control methods to maintain the right environment.

Once the egg hatches, you will have a baby Gasbag. The baby will require constant care, including feeding and protection. Baby Gasbags have a high food consumption rate, so prepare plenty of food, such as berries or cooked meat. As the baby grows, you will need to interact with it to imprint. Imprinting increases the baby's stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat and other tasks. Imprinting involves tasks like cuddling, walking, or feeding specific items. Completing these tasks will give you a percentage of imprinting, which boosts the baby's stats.

To achieve high speed, you need to focus on stat inheritance and mutations. Stat inheritance is random, but you can increase your chances by breeding Gasbags with high speed stats. Mutations are rare and random, but they can significantly boost a stat. Mutations can affect stats, colors, or both. Each mutation adds two levels to a stat, so if you get a mutation in speed, it will increase the speed stat by two levels. However, mutations are limited to 20 per stat, so you need to plan carefully.

To optimize your breeding, keep track of your breeding lines. Use spreadsheets or notes to record the stats of each Gasbag and their offspring. This will help you identify which Gasbags to breed to combine the best stats. Over multiple generations, you can stack mutations and high stats to create a Gasbag with exceptional speed.

Resource management is crucial for breeding. You need a steady supply of food, resources for temperature control, and materials for building breeding pens. Prepare in advance by gathering resources like metal, wood, and thatch. If you are in a tribe, coordinate with your tribe members to share resources and responsibilities. Solo players need to be extra prepared, as breeding can be resource-intensive.

Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting imprinting, not tracking breeding lines, and over-mutating. Imprinting is essential for maximizing stats, so make sure to complete imprinting tasks. Tracking breeding lines helps you avoid inbreeding and ensures you are making progress. Over-mutating can lead to diminishing returns, as each mutation increases the chance of negative mutations.

Advanced techniques include using cryopods to store and transport Gasbags, which can save time and resources. Cryopods allow you to freeze and store creatures, making it easier to manage your breeding stock. You can also use mods or server settings to speed up breeding and maturation times, but this depends on your server settings.

In summary, breeding for high speed in Gasbags involves understanding breeding mechanics, stat inheritance, and mutations. Start with high-speed Gasbags, breed them, and carefully manage their offspring. Focus on imprinting and track your breeding lines to combine the best stats. Prepare resources in advance and avoid common mistakes. With patience and careful planning, you can create a high-speed Gasbag that excels in mobility and evasion.