ARK: Survival Evolved Game Tips guide screenshot

Game Tips

Overview



Welcome to the ultimate tips guide for ARK: Survival Evolved. Whether you're a fresh survivor or a seasoned veteran, these tips will help you survive, thrive, and dominate the island. The guide is organized by category, covering combat, exploration, resource gathering, base building, economy/trading, taming, and advanced optimizations. Each tip includes a clear explanation and deeper analysis of why it works and when to use it.

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Combat Tips



Beginner: Use Melee and Ranged Wisely


  • Tip: Start with a simple spear or bow. For early dinosaurs (Dilos, Dodos), kiting and headshots work best.

  • Why: The spear has a thrown attack that deals high damage. The bow allows safe distance. Headshots on most creatures deal extra damage.

  • When: First few days on the beach. Avoid taking on Raptors or larger creatures without a bola.


    • Intermediate: Master the Bola


  • Tip: Craft bolas early. They immobilize small to medium creatures (like Raptors, Pteranodons) for 30 seconds.

  • Why: Bolas are cheap (fiber, hide, thatch) and give you time to land arrows or run. They are essential for taming and escape.

  • When: Use against pack hunters, fleeing threats, or to pin down a tame. Always carry 5+.


    • Advanced: Exploit Hitboxes and Movement


  • Tip: Larger creatures have blind spots (e.g., under a Bronto or behind a Trike). Use sprint and slide to dodge attacks.

  • Why: Many creatures have slow turning speed. Circle strafing with a fast mount (e.g., Raptor) lets you avoid damage while dealing melee hits.

  • When: Fighting Rexes, Spinos, or Golems. Use terrain (rocks, trees) to block charges.


    • Advanced: Taming Combat Mounts


  • Tip: Tame a high-level utility mount for combat (e.g., Baryonyx for its stun attack, Thylacoleo for leaping, or Mantis for tools).

  • Why: These mounts have unique abilities that turn fights in your favor. Baryonyx stun locks aquatic enemies; Thylacoleo can climb and pin.

  • When: After establishing a small base and a flyer. Use these for caves, deep sea, or PvP.


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    Exploration Tips



    Beginner: Stick to the Beach and River Valleys


  • Tip: The southern beaches (e.g., the easy zones on The Island) are safest. Avoid swamps, snow, and redwoods early.

  • Why: Fewer aggressive predators; abundant resources (berries, wood, stone, fiber).

  • When: First 10–20 levels. Venture inland only when you have flak armor and a ranged weapon.


    • Intermediate: Use Landmarks and Coordinate Systems


  • Tip: Enable coordinates in settings (hold H on PC, or use a GPS mod). Learn to recognize key landmarks: red obelisk, green obelisk, volcano, mountain peaks.

  • Why: The island is huge and easy to get lost. Coordinates help you return to base or meet friends.

  • When: Always. For multiplayer, place sleeping bags or beds at strategic spots.


    • Advanced: Map Exploitation and Cave Runs


  • Tip: Use the "jump" feature with an Otter or a flying mount to reach hidden crates (loot crates) on cliffs. For underwater caves, wear SCUBA and use a Baryonyx or Basilosaurus.

  • Why: Deep sea loot crates and cave artifacts give high-tier blueprints and resources.

  • When: After you can craft quality weapons and armor. Bring grappling hooks and cryopods for escape.


    • Exploration General: Always Carry Survival Kit


  • Tip: Essential items: 2× water jars, cooked meat stack, sleeping bag, parachute, spyglass, grapnel, stimulants (for torpor), and a ranged weapon with ammo.

  • Why: Parachute saves you from falling; grapnel lets you climb cliffs; stims keep you awake if attacked by troodons.

  • When: Every trip outside your base.


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    Resource Gathering Tips



    Beginner: Gather by Hand and with Basic Tools


  • Tip: Use the stone pick for thatch and flint; the stone axe for wood and hide. Punch trees for berries (or use a trike for mass berry).

  • Why: Tools give different yields. Picking right reduces wasted stamina.

  • When: Early levels until you tame a resource dino.


    • Intermediate: Use Dinos for Bulk Harvest


  • Tip: Tame an Ankylosaurus for metal/flint/crystal, a Doedicurus for stone, a Mammoth or Castoroides for wood, and a Therizinosaurus for fiber/berries/wood.

  • Why: These dinos multiply your gather rate and carry weight. Anky can gather metal in one swing equal to 20 pickaxes.

  • When: As soon as you can craft a saddle (usually level 30–60).


    • Advanced: Resource Node Locations and Trips


  • Tip: Metal nodes are primarily on mountains and in caves (e.g., Volcano, Frozen Fang). The best metal spawns are at the top of the volcano. Use a Quetzal or a skiff to transport.

  • Why: Mountains have rich nodes that respawn quickly. Setting up a small outpost on the volcano lets you grind metal without hauling far.

  • When: Mid-game; after you have an argy (Argentavis) for long-distance carry.


    • Ultimate Resource Tip: The Fishing Basket


  • Tip: Use a fishing rod with leech blood or honey as bait. Fishing can give you prime fish meat, high-level blueprints, and rare resources (silica pearls, black pearls).

  • Why: Fishing is a passive but powerful way to get rare items. Best done in deep water.

  • When: After you have a raft or water mount. Fish in the ocean or rivers.


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    Base Building Tips



    Beginner: Start Small and Expand Gradually


  • Tip: Build a 2×2 thatch hut with a refining forge and bed. Upgrade to wood, then stone, then metal as you level.

  • Why: Early resources are limited. Thatch huts are quick to place but weak. Stone is explosion resistant. Metal is near impenetrable.

  • When: First base at level 1–20. Move to stone around level 30.


    • Intermediate: Choose Location Wisely


  • Tip: Build near water and resources, but not directly on a beach (Tsunami). Common spots: Herbivore Island (safe), Hidden Lake (beautiful, defensible), or the rocky hills near the volcano.

  • Why: Proximity to water for thirst and farming; resources reduce travel time. Defensible locations (cliffs, islands) reduce raiding risks.

  • When: When you decide on a permanent base (around level 40+).


    • Advanced: Design and Defense


  • Tip: Use multiple layers of walls, plant turrets (species X), and automatic turrets. Build a "pillar base" to prevent foundation spam.

  • Why: Layers slow raiders. Species X slows enemies. Turrets kill players and tames. Pillars prevent others from building on your claim.

  • When: For PvP or high-value servers. In PvE, focus on aesthetics and functionality.


    • Building General: The 2+1 Rule


  • Tip: Always build foundations at least 2 tiles high off the ground with pillars. Use foundations to snap ceiling for upper floors.

  • Why: Prevents creatures from clipping through, adds stability, and allows water pipes/cables below.

  • When: All builds, especially multi-story.


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    Economy & Trading Tips



    Beginner: Use the Obelisk for Transfers


  • Tip: Upload items and creatures to the Ark Data or creature terminals at the obelisks (or supply drops). This allows cross-ARK transfer in official clusters.

  • Why: Move resources between maps or store items safely for later.

  • When: When you plan to move bases or transfer to another server.


    • Intermediate: The "Kibble" Economy


  • Tip: Craft kibble using specific eggs. Each kibble is used to tame certain creatures faster. Trade extra kibble with other players.

  • Why: High-tier kibble (e.g., Rex kibble) is valuable. You can trade it for metal ingots, polymer, or blueprints.

  • When: Mid-game after you have a dino farm (several females for eggs).


    • Advanced: Structure and Blueprint Trading


  • Tip: Farm swamp cave or deep sea loot crates for high-level saddles, weapons, and armor blueprints. Trade duplicates for bullets, materials, or tames.

  • Why: Rare blueprints (e.g., Ascendant Sword, Mastercraft Flak) are end-game currency. Many players will overpay for them.

  • When: After you have a reliable farming route.


    • Economy General: The Value of Metal


  • Tip: Metal ingots are the universal currency. Gather metal, smelt it, and use it as trade. Bulk selling 10k ingots can net you a good tame or base materials.

  • Why: Everyone needs metal. It doesn't spoil, and it's used for all advanced structures.

  • When: Always, but especially during server events or new map releases.


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    Taming Tips



    Beginner: Knockout Taming Basics


  • Tip: Use a slingshot or tranq arrows (narcotic arrows) for early tames. Make narcotics from spoiled meat and narco berries.

  • Why: Tranq darts (for crossbow) are more efficient but require higher level. Slingshot is free but low damage.

  • When: For Dodos, Dilos, Parasaurus, or Pteranodon.


    • Intermediate: The Bola & Crossbow Method


  • Tip: Bola a creature, then shoot it with tranq arrows from a crossbow. For larger creatures, use a trap (two gateways with doorways).

  • Why: Bolas immobilize, preventing escape. Traps allow safe taming of Rexes, Spinos, etc.

  • When: Taming Raptors, Sabertooths, etc. For Rexes, build a 3×3 stone pen with ramps.


    • Advanced: The "Passive Tame" & "Tribe Taming"


  • Tip: Some creatures (e.g., Oviraptor, Moschops) must be passive-tamed by dropping favorite food (e.g., rare flowers, honey). For fast taming, use a high-level tame with kibble and a tribe mate to guard.

  • Why: Passive tames require patience; your presence must stay steady. Tribe mates can fend off threats while you feed.

  • When: For utility tames that are otherwise difficult to knock out.


    • Taming General: The Taming Effectiveness


  • Tip: Keep the creature unconscious and eat the preferred kibble or food. Avoid letting it wake up or take damage. Use narcotics regularly (every 30–60 seconds for large tames).

  • Why: Higher effectiveness means more levels added and better stats after tame. A perfect tame (with best food & no damage) yields the most levels.

  • When: Always, especially for combat mounts. Use a taming calculator (online) to time narcotics.


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    Advanced Optimizations



    1. Breeding: The Superstats


  • Tip: Breed high-stat parents (HP, Stamina, Melee) to get mutations. Mutations give bonus levels and color changes. Focus on a male with all best stats and breed with many females.

  • Why: Stacking mutations produces dinos with 50+ extra levels, perfect for boss fights. Each mutation adds either a stat increase or a color region.

  • When: End-game, after you have a breeding pair with desired stats.


    • 2. Cryopods: Portable Dinos


  • Tip: Craft cryopods and a cryofridge. Cryopods store dinos in your inventory; cryofridge charges them. Use them to carry multiple tames easily.

  • Why: Cryopods let you transport tames without mounting or flying slow. They are essential for cave runs, boss arenas, and PvP raids.

  • When: After you unlock engrams (level 50+). Always keep a charged pod.


    • 3. Tek Tier: End-Game Power


  • Tip: Defeat bosses (Broodmother, Megapithecus, Dragon) to earn element. Use element to craft Tek structures, armor, and saddles. Tek allows flight, teleportation, and super weapons.

  • Why: Tek rex saddle with shield, Tek chest with jetpack – these make you nearly invincible. Teleporters let you travel instantly between locations.

  • When: After you have a good boss battle team (e.g., 19 Rexes + 1 Yuty).


    • 4. S+ Mods (PC) or QoL+ Settings


  • Tip: On PC, install Super Structures mod (S+) for better building: snapping, pull system, automated crafting, and stacking storage. On console, use structure placement preview and toggle snap points.

  • Why: Reduces frustration and saves hours. S+ also includes a gardener that auto-fertilizes crops.

  • When: Immediately after setting up your server or single-player game.


    • 5. Dino GPS and Telemetry


  • Tip: Use a Tek Helmet with element to see creature stats and taming effectiveness percentage. Or use a mod like "Dino Tracker" (PC) to find lost tames.

  • Why: Knowing the exact stat values helps with breeding decisions.

  • When: Late mid-game onward.


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    Final Pro Tips



  • Never leave your base without a sleeping bag in your inventory. Place it at your destination to avoid long corpse runs.

  • Always carry a spyglass. It reveals creature level and gender (for breeding).

  • Use the "Hide HUD" key (default: Backspace) to take screenshots or spot enemies better.

  • Build a greenhouse for crop plots. Greenhouse effect (+300%) yields massive amounts of narco berries and crops.

  • In PvP, hidden storage crates are your friend. Dig a hole with a shovel (if modded) or place a vault inside a hidden room behind a bookshelf.

  • Learn the command "EnableCheats" (single-player) or "Cheat God" for testing builds. On official, stick to the rules.

  • Watch your temperature! Desert and snow biomes require insulation. Craft ghillie (cool) or fur (warm) armor.


This guide covers the most impactful tips for every stage of ARK. Remember: the island is unforgiving, but with these strategies you’ll conquer it. Good luck, survivor!