How do I craft and use a mortar and pestle for advanced crafting in ARK: Survival Evolved?

Crafting and using a mortar and pestle in ARK: Survival Evolved is a crucial step in advancing your crafting capabilities. The mortar and pestle is a station used to create advanced items such as gunpowder, narcotics, and other refined resources. 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 available at level 5 and costs 9 engram points. Once unlocked, you can craft it using the following resources: 65 stone, 35 fiber, and 20 hide. These materials are relatively easy to gather early in the game. Stone can be collected by hitting rocks with a pickaxe, 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. Select the mortar and pestle and craft it. The mortar and pestle is a portable item, meaning you can place it in your inventory and deploy it wherever you need it. However, itÔÇÖs best to place it in a secure location, such as your base, to avoid losing it to predators or other players in PvP.

Using the mortar and pestle involves combining specific resources to create advanced items. For example, to craft gunpowder, you need to combine 1 charcoal and 1 sparkpowder. Charcoal is obtained by burning wood in a campfire or industrial forge, while sparkpowder is crafted from 1 flint and 1 stone in your inventory. To craft narcotics, you need 5 narcoberries and 1 spoiled meat. Narcoberries are harvested from certain bushes, and spoiled meat is obtained by letting raw meat spoil in your inventory.

One important tip is to always keep a steady supply of the basic resources needed for crafting. For example, always gather narcoberries and spoiled meat when you can, as narcotics are essential for taming dinosaurs. Similarly, stockpile flint and stone for sparkpowder, as gunpowder is used in many advanced recipes, including ammunition for firearms.

A common mistake is not protecting your mortar and pestle. In PvP, other players can destroy or steal your crafting stations, so itÔÇÖs important to build a secure base with walls and doors. In PvE, wild creatures can still pose a threat, so placing your mortar and pestle inside a structure is advisable.

Advanced techniques involve using tamed dinosaurs to gather resources more efficiently. For example, a doedicurus is excellent for gathering stone, while a therizinosaur can gather large amounts of fiber and berries. Using these dinosaurs can save you a lot of time and effort, allowing you to focus on crafting and other tasks.

Resource management is key when using the mortar and pestle. Always plan ahead and gather more resources than you think youÔÇÖll need. This is especially important when preparing for large-scale projects, such as building a base or taming a high-level dinosaur. Having a surplus of materials ensures you wonÔÇÖt run out mid-crafting.

Tribe considerations are also important. In a tribe, you can assign roles to different members, such as one person gathering resources while another focuses on crafting. This division of labor can greatly increase efficiency. However, in solo play, youÔÇÖll need to manage all aspects yourself, so time management and resource prioritization become even more critical.

Specific scenarios where the mortar and pestle is essential include preparing for boss fights or taming high-level dinosaurs. For example, crafting large amounts of narcotics is necessary for taming creatures like the rex or spino, as they require significant amounts of tranquilizers. Similarly, gunpowder is needed for crafting ammunition, which is crucial for defending your base or hunting dangerous creatures.

In summary, the mortar and pestle is a vital tool in ARK: Survival Evolved that allows you to craft advanced items necessary for progression. By understanding the mechanics, gathering the right resources, and protecting your crafting station, you can efficiently use the mortar and pestle to enhance your survival and combat capabilities. Whether playing solo or in a tribe, proper planning and resource management will ensure you make the most of this essential crafting station.