What is the best way to breed for higher oxygen in creatures in ARK: Survival Evolved?
Breeding for higher oxygen in creatures 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 or semi-aquatic creatures like the Ichthyosaurus, Megalodon, or Basilosaurus. Breeding for higher oxygen can make these creatures more efficient for underwater exploration, resource gathering, or combat.
To begin, you need two creatures of the same species with decent oxygen stats. The first step is to tame or acquire these creatures. Look for wild creatures with naturally high oxygen levels, as this will give you a better starting point. Once you have your breeding pair, place them in a secure and controlled environment, such as a breeding pen or enclosed area. This ensures they are safe from predators and environmental hazards during the breeding process.
To initiate breeding, set both creatures to "Enable Wandering" mode. This allows them to mate, but be cautious, as wandering creatures can move around and potentially escape. To prevent this, you can use a mating pen with walls or fences. Once breeding starts, a mating bar will appear, showing the progress. After mating, the female will either lay an egg (for egg-laying species) or become pregnant (for live-bearing species). Ensure the environment is suitable for the egg or baby, as temperature and safety are critical during this stage.
When the egg hatches or the baby is born, it will inherit stats from both parents. Each stat, including oxygen, has a 55% chance to be inherited from the higher-stat parent and a 45% chance from the lower-stat parent. This means you have a slight advantage in passing down higher oxygen levels if one parent has a significantly higher oxygen stat. However, stat inheritance is still somewhat random, so you may need to breed multiple generations to achieve the desired result.
Mutations can also play a role in increasing oxygen levels. Mutations are rare and random, but they can add up to two points to a stat or change the creature's color. To maximize the chance of mutations, breed creatures that have not reached the mutation cap. Each creature can have up to 20 mutations from each parent, totaling 40 mutations. Once this cap is reached, further mutations are impossible. To avoid hitting the cap too quickly, keep track of your breeding lines and avoid over-mutating.
Baby care is another critical aspect of breeding. After hatching or birth, the baby requires constant attention, including feeding and protection. Use a feeding trough to store food for the baby, as hand-feeding can be time-consuming. For imprinting, interact with the baby during its growth stages to increase its stats and loyalty. Imprinting bonuses can significantly enhance the creature's effectiveness, so prioritize this step.
Resource management is essential for successful breeding. You will need a steady supply of food, such as meat or berries, depending on the species. Additionally, ensure you have enough space and materials for breeding pens, incubators (for eggs), and feeding troughs. If you are playing solo, this process can be resource-intensive, so plan accordingly. In a tribe, tasks can be divided among members, making the process more manageable.
Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting baby care, failing to monitor stat inheritance, and over-mutating. Always keep an eye on the baby's food levels and imprinting progress. Use spreadsheets or notes to track stat inheritance and mutations, as this will help you make informed breeding decisions. Avoid breeding creatures that have already reached the mutation cap, as this will waste time and resources.
Advanced techniques include stacking mutations and using clean breeding lines. Stacking mutations involves breeding mutated creatures with non-mutated ones to pass down the mutation while keeping the mutation count low. Clean breeding lines refer to breeding creatures with no mutations to reset the mutation counter, allowing for more mutations in the future. These techniques require careful planning and tracking but can yield powerful results.
In summary, breeding for higher oxygen in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selecting the right creatures, understanding stat inheritance, managing mutations, and providing proper care for the offspring. With patience and careful planning, you can create creatures with exceptional oxygen levels, making them ideal for underwater tasks. Whether you are playing solo or in a tribe, this process can be rewarding and significantly enhance your gameplay experience.
To begin, you need two creatures of the same species with decent oxygen stats. The first step is to tame or acquire these creatures. Look for wild creatures with naturally high oxygen levels, as this will give you a better starting point. Once you have your breeding pair, place them in a secure and controlled environment, such as a breeding pen or enclosed area. This ensures they are safe from predators and environmental hazards during the breeding process.
To initiate breeding, set both creatures to "Enable Wandering" mode. This allows them to mate, but be cautious, as wandering creatures can move around and potentially escape. To prevent this, you can use a mating pen with walls or fences. Once breeding starts, a mating bar will appear, showing the progress. After mating, the female will either lay an egg (for egg-laying species) or become pregnant (for live-bearing species). Ensure the environment is suitable for the egg or baby, as temperature and safety are critical during this stage.
When the egg hatches or the baby is born, it will inherit stats from both parents. Each stat, including oxygen, has a 55% chance to be inherited from the higher-stat parent and a 45% chance from the lower-stat parent. This means you have a slight advantage in passing down higher oxygen levels if one parent has a significantly higher oxygen stat. However, stat inheritance is still somewhat random, so you may need to breed multiple generations to achieve the desired result.
Mutations can also play a role in increasing oxygen levels. Mutations are rare and random, but they can add up to two points to a stat or change the creature's color. To maximize the chance of mutations, breed creatures that have not reached the mutation cap. Each creature can have up to 20 mutations from each parent, totaling 40 mutations. Once this cap is reached, further mutations are impossible. To avoid hitting the cap too quickly, keep track of your breeding lines and avoid over-mutating.
Baby care is another critical aspect of breeding. After hatching or birth, the baby requires constant attention, including feeding and protection. Use a feeding trough to store food for the baby, as hand-feeding can be time-consuming. For imprinting, interact with the baby during its growth stages to increase its stats and loyalty. Imprinting bonuses can significantly enhance the creature's effectiveness, so prioritize this step.
Resource management is essential for successful breeding. You will need a steady supply of food, such as meat or berries, depending on the species. Additionally, ensure you have enough space and materials for breeding pens, incubators (for eggs), and feeding troughs. If you are playing solo, this process can be resource-intensive, so plan accordingly. In a tribe, tasks can be divided among members, making the process more manageable.
Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting baby care, failing to monitor stat inheritance, and over-mutating. Always keep an eye on the baby's food levels and imprinting progress. Use spreadsheets or notes to track stat inheritance and mutations, as this will help you make informed breeding decisions. Avoid breeding creatures that have already reached the mutation cap, as this will waste time and resources.
Advanced techniques include stacking mutations and using clean breeding lines. Stacking mutations involves breeding mutated creatures with non-mutated ones to pass down the mutation while keeping the mutation count low. Clean breeding lines refer to breeding creatures with no mutations to reset the mutation counter, allowing for more mutations in the future. These techniques require careful planning and tracking but can yield powerful results.
In summary, breeding for higher oxygen in ARK: Survival Evolved involves selecting the right creatures, understanding stat inheritance, managing mutations, and providing proper care for the offspring. With patience and careful planning, you can create creatures with exceptional oxygen levels, making them ideal for underwater tasks. Whether you are playing solo or in a tribe, this process can be rewarding and significantly enhance your gameplay experience.