What is the best way to breed for higher crafting skill in creatures in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Breeding for higher crafting skill in creatures in ARK: Survival Evolved involves a deep understanding of the game's breeding mechanics, stat inheritance, and mutation systems. Crafting skill, often referred to as Crafting Speed or Crafting Bonus, is a stat that affects the quality of items crafted by certain creatures, such as the Argentavis, Therizinosaurus, or Megatherium. This stat is particularly important for players who want to maximize the effectiveness of their creatures in crafting high-quality items like saddles or weapons. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to breed for higher crafting skill.

First, itÔÇÖs important to understand how stat inheritance works. When two creatures breed, the offspring has a 70% chance to inherit the higher stat from either parent for each individual stat, including crafting skill. This means that if one parent has a high crafting skill and the other has a low one, thereÔÇÖs a good chance the baby will inherit the higher stat. To start, youÔÇÖll need to find or tame creatures with high crafting skill. This can be done by taming multiple creatures of the same species and checking their stats after taming. The crafting skill stat is hidden, so youÔÇÖll need to use external tools or mods to view it, or you can infer it by crafting items and observing the results.

Once you have identified creatures with high crafting skill, the next step is to breed them. Place the two creatures close together and enable mating. Make sure they are well-fed and in a safe environment. After mating, the female will either lay an egg or become pregnant, depending on the species. For egg-laying creatures, youÔÇÖll need to incubate the egg at the correct temperature, which can be achieved using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature control methods. For live-bearing creatures, youÔÇÖll need to wait for the gestation period to complete.

When the baby is born or hatched, it will require constant care. This includes feeding it the appropriate food, such as meat for carnivores or berries for herbivores. YouÔÇÖll also need to imprint on the baby by interacting with it during its growth stages. Imprinting increases the babyÔÇÖs stats and loyalty, making it more effective in combat or other tasks. To maximize the crafting skill, youÔÇÖll want to ensure that the baby inherits the high crafting skill stat from its parents and that it receives a high imprinting bonus.

Mutations can also play a role in breeding for higher crafting skill. Mutations are rare and random, but they can increase a creatureÔÇÖs stats or change its colors. Each mutation adds two levels to a stat, which can include crafting skill. However, mutations are limited to 20 per stat, so itÔÇÖs important to track them carefully. To introduce mutations, youÔÇÖll need to breed multiple generations of creatures and hope for a mutation in the crafting skill stat. This can be a time-consuming process, but it can result in significantly higher stats.

Resource management is crucial for successful breeding. YouÔÇÖll need a steady supply of food for both the parents and the babies, as well as materials for building incubators, air conditioners, and other necessary structures. ItÔÇÖs also important to have a secure base to protect your breeding creatures from predators or other players in PvP servers. Consider building a dedicated breeding area with plenty of space and resources.

Common mistakes to avoid include not checking the stats of the parents before breeding, neglecting to imprint on the baby, and not providing enough food or resources. ItÔÇÖs also important to avoid over-mutating, as this can lead to diminishing returns and wasted effort. Advanced techniques include using breeding calculators to track stat inheritance and mutations, as well as selectively breeding only the best offspring to continue the line.

In terms of tribe versus solo considerations, breeding can be more manageable in a tribe due to the shared workload and resources. However, solo players can still achieve success with careful planning and resource management. Specific examples include breeding a line of Argentavis with high crafting skill to craft high-quality saddles, or breeding Therizinosaurus for their crafting bonus when harvesting resources.

In conclusion, breeding for higher crafting skill in ARK: Survival Evolved requires a combination of careful stat selection, resource management, and patience. By understanding the mechanics of stat inheritance, mutations, and imprinting, and by avoiding common mistakes, you can create powerful creatures with exceptional crafting abilities. Whether youÔÇÖre playing solo or in a tribe, the rewards of a well-bred creature are well worth the effort.