How do I craft a crossbow and use it for hunting in ARK: Survival Evolved?
Crafting and using a crossbow in ARK: Survival Evolved is a key step in progressing from early-game survival to more advanced hunting and combat. The crossbow is a powerful ranged weapon that offers greater damage and accuracy compared to the basic bow, making it ideal for taking down larger creatures or defending yourself in dangerous situations. HereÔÇÖs a detailed guide on how to craft and use a crossbow effectively.
To craft a crossbow, you first need to unlock its engram. The crossbow engram becomes available at level 25 and costs 12 engram points. Once unlocked, youÔÇÖll need to gather the required resources: 75 wood, 50 fiber, 15 hide, and 10 metal ingots. Wood and fiber are easily obtained by harvesting trees and bushes with your hands or a tool like a pickaxe. Hide is collected by killing creatures such as dodos, dilos, or raptors. Metal ingots are crafted by smelting metal ore in a refining forge, which requires you to gather metal ore from rocks, usually found in mountainous areas or near riverbeds.
Once you have the resources, open your inventory and navigate to the crafting tab. Select the crossbow and craft it. The crossbow will then appear in your inventory, ready to be equipped. To use the crossbow, equip it in your hotbar and select it. YouÔÇÖll need to craft arrows separately. Stone arrows are the basic ammunition and require 2 wood, 1 stone, and 1 fiber per arrow. Tranquilizer arrows, which are used for taming, require 1 stone arrow, 1 narcotic, and 1 spoiled meat. Narcotics are crafted from 5 narcoberries and 1 spoiled meat in a mortar and pestle.
When hunting with a crossbow, aim for the head or weak spots of creatures to maximize damage. The crossbow has a slower firing rate than the bow, so accuracy is crucial. For larger creatures like trikes or stegosauruses, aim for their heads to deal critical damage. Smaller creatures like dilos or raptors can be taken down with a few well-placed shots. Always keep a safe distance, as the crossbowÔÇÖs range allows you to engage enemies from afar without putting yourself in immediate danger.
One common mistake is running out of arrows during a hunt or combat situation. Always carry extra arrows in your inventory, as running out of ammunition can leave you vulnerable. Another mistake is underestimating the crossbowÔÇÖs reload time. Unlike the bow, the crossbow takes longer to reload, so plan your shots carefully and avoid engaging multiple enemies at once unless you have a clear advantage.
Advanced techniques include using the crossbow for taming. Tranquilizer arrows are highly effective for knocking out creatures, especially when paired with a longneck rifle or other taming tools. When taming, aim for the body rather than the head to avoid killing the creature. Use a taming calculator to determine how many arrows are needed for each creature, as over-shooting can result in death. Additionally, consider using a taming pen or trap to immobilize the creature, making it easier to land shots without risking injury.
Resource management is critical when using a crossbow. Always gather extra materials for arrows and repair the crossbow when its durability drops. Metal ingots can be scarce early in the game, so prioritize gathering metal ore and crafting a refining forge as soon as possible. If youÔÇÖre playing in a tribe, assign roles to members to streamline resource gathering and crafting. For example, one player can focus on gathering wood and fiber, while another collects metal and hide.
In solo play, efficiency is key. Use tamed dinosaurs like the Ankylosaurus for gathering metal and the Therizinosaurus for wood and fiber. These creatures can significantly reduce the time spent gathering resources, allowing you to focus on crafting and hunting. When exploring, always carry a backup weapon like a spear or pike in case you run out of arrows or need to defend yourself in close combat.
Specific scenarios where the crossbow shines include hunting alpha predators or taming high-level creatures. For example, using tranquilizer arrows to knock out a high-level Rex requires careful planning and a good supply of narcotics to keep it unconscious. In PvP, the crossbow can be used to snipe enemies from a distance, especially when paired with a scope attachment, which becomes available later in the game.
In summary, the crossbow is a versatile and powerful tool in ARK: Survival Evolved. By mastering its use, you can improve your hunting efficiency, tame stronger creatures, and defend yourself against threats. Always prepare thoroughly by gathering resources, crafting extra arrows, and planning your engagements. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, the crossbow is an essential weapon for survival and progression in the game.
To craft a crossbow, you first need to unlock its engram. The crossbow engram becomes available at level 25 and costs 12 engram points. Once unlocked, youÔÇÖll need to gather the required resources: 75 wood, 50 fiber, 15 hide, and 10 metal ingots. Wood and fiber are easily obtained by harvesting trees and bushes with your hands or a tool like a pickaxe. Hide is collected by killing creatures such as dodos, dilos, or raptors. Metal ingots are crafted by smelting metal ore in a refining forge, which requires you to gather metal ore from rocks, usually found in mountainous areas or near riverbeds.
Once you have the resources, open your inventory and navigate to the crafting tab. Select the crossbow and craft it. The crossbow will then appear in your inventory, ready to be equipped. To use the crossbow, equip it in your hotbar and select it. YouÔÇÖll need to craft arrows separately. Stone arrows are the basic ammunition and require 2 wood, 1 stone, and 1 fiber per arrow. Tranquilizer arrows, which are used for taming, require 1 stone arrow, 1 narcotic, and 1 spoiled meat. Narcotics are crafted from 5 narcoberries and 1 spoiled meat in a mortar and pestle.
When hunting with a crossbow, aim for the head or weak spots of creatures to maximize damage. The crossbow has a slower firing rate than the bow, so accuracy is crucial. For larger creatures like trikes or stegosauruses, aim for their heads to deal critical damage. Smaller creatures like dilos or raptors can be taken down with a few well-placed shots. Always keep a safe distance, as the crossbowÔÇÖs range allows you to engage enemies from afar without putting yourself in immediate danger.
One common mistake is running out of arrows during a hunt or combat situation. Always carry extra arrows in your inventory, as running out of ammunition can leave you vulnerable. Another mistake is underestimating the crossbowÔÇÖs reload time. Unlike the bow, the crossbow takes longer to reload, so plan your shots carefully and avoid engaging multiple enemies at once unless you have a clear advantage.
Advanced techniques include using the crossbow for taming. Tranquilizer arrows are highly effective for knocking out creatures, especially when paired with a longneck rifle or other taming tools. When taming, aim for the body rather than the head to avoid killing the creature. Use a taming calculator to determine how many arrows are needed for each creature, as over-shooting can result in death. Additionally, consider using a taming pen or trap to immobilize the creature, making it easier to land shots without risking injury.
Resource management is critical when using a crossbow. Always gather extra materials for arrows and repair the crossbow when its durability drops. Metal ingots can be scarce early in the game, so prioritize gathering metal ore and crafting a refining forge as soon as possible. If youÔÇÖre playing in a tribe, assign roles to members to streamline resource gathering and crafting. For example, one player can focus on gathering wood and fiber, while another collects metal and hide.
In solo play, efficiency is key. Use tamed dinosaurs like the Ankylosaurus for gathering metal and the Therizinosaurus for wood and fiber. These creatures can significantly reduce the time spent gathering resources, allowing you to focus on crafting and hunting. When exploring, always carry a backup weapon like a spear or pike in case you run out of arrows or need to defend yourself in close combat.
Specific scenarios where the crossbow shines include hunting alpha predators or taming high-level creatures. For example, using tranquilizer arrows to knock out a high-level Rex requires careful planning and a good supply of narcotics to keep it unconscious. In PvP, the crossbow can be used to snipe enemies from a distance, especially when paired with a scope attachment, which becomes available later in the game.
In summary, the crossbow is a versatile and powerful tool in ARK: Survival Evolved. By mastering its use, you can improve your hunting efficiency, tame stronger creatures, and defend yourself against threats. Always prepare thoroughly by gathering resources, crafting extra arrows, and planning your engagements. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, the crossbow is an essential weapon for survival and progression in the game.