How do I craft a mortar and pestle in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Crafting a mortar and pestle in ARK: Survival Evolved is a crucial step in your progression, as it allows you to create advanced items like narcotics, gunpowder, and other essential resources. The mortar and pestle is a crafting station that unlocks at level 5, and it is one of the first major milestones in the game. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to craft and use it effectively.

To craft a mortar and pestle, you first need to unlock its engram. This is done by leveling up to level 5 and spending 9 engram points. Once unlocked, you can craft it using the following resources: 65 stone, 35 fiber, and 5 hide. These materials are relatively easy to gather early in the game. Stone can be collected by hitting rocks with a pickaxe or by hand, fiber is obtained by harvesting bushes, and hide is acquired by killing small creatures like dodos or dilophosaurs.

Once you have the required materials, open your inventory and navigate to the crafting tab. Locate the mortar and pestle in the list of craftable items and select it. The crafting process is instant, and the mortar and pestle will appear in your inventory. To use it, place it on the ground by selecting it from your inventory and clicking on a suitable location. It is a small, portable crafting station, so you can place it almost anywhere, but itÔÇÖs best to keep it in a secure location like your base to avoid losing it to predators or other players in PvP.

The primary use of the mortar and pestle is to craft advanced items. One of the most important early-game recipes is narcotics, which are essential for taming dinosaurs. To craft narcotics, you need 5 narcoberries and 1 spoiled meat. Narcoberries can be gathered from bushes, and spoiled meat is obtained by letting raw meat spoil in your inventory. Place these items in the mortar and pestle, and after a short crafting time, you will receive narcotics. Narcotics are used to keep dinosaurs unconscious during the taming process, so having a steady supply is crucial.

Another important recipe is gunpowder, which is used to craft ammunition and explosives. Gunpowder requires 1 charcoal and 1 sparkpowder. Charcoal is obtained by burning wood in a campfire or industrial forge, and sparkpowder is crafted from flint and stone in the mortar and pestle. Gunpowder is a key resource for mid to late-game progression, so itÔÇÖs important to start stockpiling it early.

When using the mortar and pestle, there are a few common mistakes to avoid. One is placing it in an unsafe location where it can be destroyed by predators or other players. Always keep it inside your base or in a secure area. Another mistake is not gathering enough resources to craft the items you need. Make sure to collect plenty of stone, fiber, and hide before attempting to craft the mortar and pestle, and always keep a stockpile of narcoberries and spoiled meat for narcotics.

For advanced players, optimizing the use of the mortar and pestle can save time and resources. One strategy is to use tamed dinosaurs to gather resources more efficiently. For example, a trike or stegosaurus can gather large amounts of berries, including narcoberries, while a doedicurus can collect stone quickly. This allows you to focus on other tasks while your dinosaurs handle resource gathering.

In a tribe setting, the mortar and pestle can be shared among members, but itÔÇÖs important to communicate and coordinate resource usage. Assigning specific roles, such as one player gathering narcoberries and another collecting stone, can streamline the process and ensure that everyone has access to the items they need.

In summary, crafting a mortar and pestle is a key step in ARK: Survival Evolved that unlocks advanced crafting options. By gathering the necessary resources, placing it in a secure location, and using it to craft essential items like narcotics and gunpowder, you can significantly improve your chances of survival and progression. Avoid common mistakes, optimize resource gathering with tamed dinosaurs, and coordinate with your tribe to make the most of this versatile crafting station.