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, also known as Crafting Speed, is a stat that affects how quickly a creature can craft items in its inventory, such as saddles or other crafted goods. While this stat is not as commonly prioritized as health or melee damage, it can be useful for certain creatures like the Argentavis or the Beaver, which are often used for crafting purposes. 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. This means 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 maximize this, you should start by taming multiple creatures of the same species and checking their stats. Look for individuals with naturally high crafting skill, as this will serve as the foundation for your breeding line.
Once youÔÇÖve identified creatures with high crafting skill, youÔÇÖll need to set up a breeding area. This area should be secure, with enough space for the creatures to move around, and ideally close to a source of food like a feeding trough. Breeding requires the creatures to be set to "Enable Wandering," but you can use a mating pen to keep them contained. After initiating the breeding process, the female will lay an egg (for egg-laying species) or become pregnant (for mammals). The egg or baby will inherit stats from both parents, so ensure both have high crafting skill.
After the egg is laid or the baby is born, youÔÇÖll need to care for it. This involves keeping it fed and ensuring it doesnÔÇÖt die from starvation or environmental hazards. For eggs, youÔÇÖll need to maintain the correct temperature, either by using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature-regulating items. Once the baby hatches or is born, it will require constant attention, as it will need to be fed manually until it reaches the juvenile stage. At this point, you can use a feeding trough to automate the feeding process.
Imprinting is another crucial aspect of breeding. By interacting with the baby during its growth stages, you can increase its imprinting percentage, which boosts its stats and makes it more loyal to you. While imprinting doesnÔÇÖt directly affect crafting skill, it can improve other stats like health and melee damage, making the creature more versatile. To maximize imprinting, youÔÇÖll need to be available every few hours to perform the required interactions, such as cuddling or feeding specific foods.
Mutations can also play a role in breeding for higher crafting skill. Mutations are random and can affect either stats or colors. While mutations are rare, they can provide significant boosts to stats, including crafting skill. To increase your chances of getting a mutation, youÔÇÖll need to breed multiple generations of creatures. Keep track of each generationÔÇÖs stats and mutations to ensure youÔÇÖre making progress toward your goal. However, be aware that there is a limit to the number of mutations a creature can have, so plan your breeding lines carefully.
Resource management is critical when breeding. YouÔÇÖll need a steady supply of food, such as meat for carnivores or berries for herbivores, to keep the baby alive during its early stages. Additionally, youÔÇÖll need materials like narcotics or biotoxin to keep the baby unconscious if itÔÇÖs a creature that requires taming after hatching. For egg-laying species, youÔÇÖll need to ensure you have the correct temperature-regulating items to incubate the eggs.
For tribes, breeding can be a collaborative effort. Assigning roles, such as one person managing the breeding pairs and another handling baby care, can make the process more efficient. Solo players will need to be more organized, as theyÔÇÖll have to manage all aspects of breeding on their own. Using timers or alarms to remind yourself of feeding and imprinting times can help.
Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting to check the stats of the parents before breeding, which can result in offspring with lower crafting skill than desired. Another mistake is not preparing enough resources, which can lead to the baby starving or dying. Additionally, failing to imprint the baby can result in a weaker creature overall.
Advanced techniques include using external tools or spreadsheets to track breeding lines and mutations. This can help you visualize the progress youÔÇÖre making and plan future breeding pairs more effectively. Another advanced technique is stacking mutations, where you breed mutated creatures with non-mutated ones to keep the mutation counter low while still benefiting from the stat boosts.
In summary, breeding for higher crafting skill in ARK: Survival Evolved involves careful selection of parent creatures, proper care of eggs and babies, and strategic use of mutations. By understanding the mechanics and planning your breeding lines, you can create creatures with exceptional crafting skill, making them more effective for crafting tasks. Whether youÔÇÖre playing solo or in a tribe, proper preparation and resource management are key to success.
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. This means 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 maximize this, you should start by taming multiple creatures of the same species and checking their stats. Look for individuals with naturally high crafting skill, as this will serve as the foundation for your breeding line.
Once youÔÇÖve identified creatures with high crafting skill, youÔÇÖll need to set up a breeding area. This area should be secure, with enough space for the creatures to move around, and ideally close to a source of food like a feeding trough. Breeding requires the creatures to be set to "Enable Wandering," but you can use a mating pen to keep them contained. After initiating the breeding process, the female will lay an egg (for egg-laying species) or become pregnant (for mammals). The egg or baby will inherit stats from both parents, so ensure both have high crafting skill.
After the egg is laid or the baby is born, youÔÇÖll need to care for it. This involves keeping it fed and ensuring it doesnÔÇÖt die from starvation or environmental hazards. For eggs, youÔÇÖll need to maintain the correct temperature, either by using air conditioners, standing torches, or other temperature-regulating items. Once the baby hatches or is born, it will require constant attention, as it will need to be fed manually until it reaches the juvenile stage. At this point, you can use a feeding trough to automate the feeding process.
Imprinting is another crucial aspect of breeding. By interacting with the baby during its growth stages, you can increase its imprinting percentage, which boosts its stats and makes it more loyal to you. While imprinting doesnÔÇÖt directly affect crafting skill, it can improve other stats like health and melee damage, making the creature more versatile. To maximize imprinting, youÔÇÖll need to be available every few hours to perform the required interactions, such as cuddling or feeding specific foods.
Mutations can also play a role in breeding for higher crafting skill. Mutations are random and can affect either stats or colors. While mutations are rare, they can provide significant boosts to stats, including crafting skill. To increase your chances of getting a mutation, youÔÇÖll need to breed multiple generations of creatures. Keep track of each generationÔÇÖs stats and mutations to ensure youÔÇÖre making progress toward your goal. However, be aware that there is a limit to the number of mutations a creature can have, so plan your breeding lines carefully.
Resource management is critical when breeding. YouÔÇÖll need a steady supply of food, such as meat for carnivores or berries for herbivores, to keep the baby alive during its early stages. Additionally, youÔÇÖll need materials like narcotics or biotoxin to keep the baby unconscious if itÔÇÖs a creature that requires taming after hatching. For egg-laying species, youÔÇÖll need to ensure you have the correct temperature-regulating items to incubate the eggs.
For tribes, breeding can be a collaborative effort. Assigning roles, such as one person managing the breeding pairs and another handling baby care, can make the process more efficient. Solo players will need to be more organized, as theyÔÇÖll have to manage all aspects of breeding on their own. Using timers or alarms to remind yourself of feeding and imprinting times can help.
Common mistakes to avoid include neglecting to check the stats of the parents before breeding, which can result in offspring with lower crafting skill than desired. Another mistake is not preparing enough resources, which can lead to the baby starving or dying. Additionally, failing to imprint the baby can result in a weaker creature overall.
Advanced techniques include using external tools or spreadsheets to track breeding lines and mutations. This can help you visualize the progress youÔÇÖre making and plan future breeding pairs more effectively. Another advanced technique is stacking mutations, where you breed mutated creatures with non-mutated ones to keep the mutation counter low while still benefiting from the stat boosts.
In summary, breeding for higher crafting skill in ARK: Survival Evolved involves careful selection of parent creatures, proper care of eggs and babies, and strategic use of mutations. By understanding the mechanics and planning your breeding lines, you can create creatures with exceptional crafting skill, making them more effective for crafting tasks. Whether youÔÇÖre playing solo or in a tribe, proper preparation and resource management are key to success.