How do I breed for higher melee damage in carnivores in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Breeding for higher melee damage in carnivores in ARK: Survival Evolved involves a combination of selective breeding, stat inheritance, and mutation management. The process requires patience, planning, and a good understanding of the game's breeding mechanics. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide to help you achieve this goal.

First, you need to understand the basics of stat inheritance. 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 melee damage stat and the other has a low one, the baby has a good chance of inheriting the higher stat. To maximize this, you should start by taming multiple carnivores of the same species and checking their stats. Look for individuals with high melee damage and other desirable stats like health or stamina. Keep these creatures separate from your general population to use as breeding stock.

Once you have identified your breeding stock, you need to set up a breeding area. This area should be secure, with walls and gates to prevent wild creatures from interfering. You should also have plenty of food on hand, as breeding and raising babies require a lot of resources. Carnivores typically eat raw meat or prime meat, so stockpile these in feeding troughs. You will also need a steady supply of narcotics or biotoxin to keep the babies unconscious if you plan to imprint them.

To start breeding, place a male and female carnivore close to each other and enable mating. Make sure they are on wander or use a mating boost item like a pheromone dart to speed up the process. Once the female is pregnant, you will need to wait for the gestation period to complete. For egg-laying species, you will need to incubate the egg at the correct temperature. Use air conditioners, standing torches, or campfires to maintain the required temperature.

After the baby is born or hatched, it will require constant care. You need to feed it regularly and ensure it stays safe from predators. Imprinting is a crucial part of raising a strong carnivore. Imprinting involves interacting with the baby at specific intervals to increase its stats and loyalty. Each imprint gives a percentage boost to the creature's stats, including melee damage. To maximize imprinting, you should be ready to respond to the baby's requests, which can include walking, cuddling, or feeding specific foods.

Mutations are another key factor in breeding for higher melee damage. Mutations can randomly increase a stat or change the creature's color. Each mutation adds two levels to a stat, which can significantly boost melee damage. However, mutations are rare, and each creature can only have 20 mutations total, split between paternal and maternal lines. To manage mutations effectively, you should keep detailed records of your breeding lines. Use spreadsheets or notes to track which creatures have mutations and which stats are affected.

One common mistake is breeding creatures with too many mutations too quickly. This can lead to a dead end where further mutations are impossible. To avoid this, you should focus on stacking mutations in one stat, like melee damage, while keeping other stats clean. This allows you to continue breeding for higher melee damage without hitting the mutation cap.

Advanced techniques involve creating separate breeding lines for different stats. For example, you might have one line focused on melee damage and another on health. Once you have strong creatures in each line, you can breed them together to combine the best stats. This requires careful planning and a lot of time but can result in extremely powerful creatures.

Resource requirements for breeding are significant. You will need a steady supply of meat, narcotics, and other resources to keep your breeding stock and babies fed and healthy. If you are playing solo, this can be challenging, but in a tribe, you can divide the workload. Tribe members can take turns imprinting babies or gathering resources, making the process more manageable.

In summary, breeding for higher melee damage in carnivores involves selecting the right breeding stock, managing stat inheritance, and carefully handling mutations. It requires a secure breeding area, plenty of resources, and a lot of patience. By following these steps and avoiding common mistakes, you can create powerful carnivores with high melee damage, ready to dominate the ARK.