Ark: Survival Evolved is an open-world survival game developed by Studio Wildcard, offering a unique blend of adventure, exploration, and survival mechanics. Players are stranded on a mysterious island populated by prehistoric creatures and must learn to survive by gathering resources, crafting equipment, taming dinosaurs, and building secure bases.
Whether you are a beginner struggling to stay alive or an experienced player aiming to dominate the island, this Ark Survival Evolved guide will provide step-by-step strategies, tips, and tricks to enhance your survival experience.
In this guide, we will cover essential survival tactics, crafting strategies, dinosaur taming methods, base building, PvP strategies, resource farming, and multiplayer tips. By following these tips, you can maximize your chances of survival and thrive in the challenging world of Ark: Survival Evolved.
1. Starting Out in Ark: Survival Evolved
1.1 Character Creation
When you first spawn on the island, you need to create your character. This may seem trivial, but Ark Survival Evolved allows customization that impacts your gameplay experience. Focus on the following:
- Stat Allocation: For beginners, distribute points evenly between Health, Stamina, and Weight to ensure survivability.
- Engram Points: Save early engram points for essential tools like Stone Pick, Stone Hatchet, and Campfire.
1.2 Understanding Your Environment
Ark’s environment is both beautiful and dangerous. Learn the following:
- Biomes: Each biome has unique resources and dangers. For example, the Redwoods provide metal nodes but are home to dangerous predators.
- Weather: Cold weather reduces health gradually unless you have proper clothing.
- Resource Nodes: Identify and prioritize flint, stone, fiber, wood, and thatch sources.
2. Essential Early Game Tools and Crafting
Crafting is the backbone of survival in Ark: Survival Evolved. Start by crafting these essential items:
- Stone Pick and Stone Hatchet: Essential for mining stone, flint, and wood efficiently.
- Torch: Crucial for exploring caves and dark areas at night.
- Spears: Your first weapon to defend against low-level predators.
- Campfire: Allows cooking meat, which restores more health than raw meat.
- Cloth Armor: Provides basic protection while crafting and exploring.
Tip: Gather fiber from bushes, thatch from trees, and stone/flint from rocks. Combining these resources lets you survive longer and craft better equipment quickly.
3. Survival Tactics in Early Game
Surviving the first few days is crucial. Use these strategies:
- Avoid Large Predators: Stay away from high-level raptors and carnivores until you have weapons and tamed creatures.
- Scout Safe Zones: Establish your first base near water sources but away from predator-heavy zones.
- Collect Food and Water: Harvest berries, hunt small creatures, and craft a Water Jar or Canteen for hydration.
- Level Up Smartly: Focus on Health, Stamina, Weight, and Melee Damage early on. Health and Stamina increase survivability, while Weight allows more resource gathering.
4. Taming Dinosaurs in Ark: Survival Evolved
One of the most exciting aspects of Ark is dinosaur taming. Dinosaurs aid in transportation, combat, resource farming, and base defense.
4.1 Taming Methods
- Passive Taming: Feed a dinosaur its preferred food while avoiding attacks. Ideal for herbivores like Triceratops.
- Knockout Taming: Knock out aggressive creatures using tranquilizer arrows or clubbing and feed them to tame. Ideal for Raptors, Carnotaurus, and Rex.
- Rideable Benefits: Tamed dinosaurs like Stegosaurus are excellent for gathering berries, while Therizinosaurus gathers fiber efficiently.
4.2 Dinosaur Priorities
Early game, focus on taming:
- Dodo: For eggs and food supply.
- Parasaur: Excellent scout and early transport.
- Trike: Collects berries and provides defense.
- Raptor: Fast travel and early combat support.
Tip: Keep taming narcotics or Bio Toxin ready to keep creatures unconscious during knockout taming.
5. Base Building Strategies
Base building is essential for survival and progression. Ark’s building system allows customization and defense against predators and players.
5.1 Location Selection
- Water Access: Essential for farming and hydration.
- Resources Nearby: Build near metal, stone, or rare plant spawn points.
- Defensive Positioning: Avoid open plains; cliffs and elevated terrain provide better defense.
5.2 Building Materials
- Thatch: Early game, cheap but weak against predators.
- Wood: Moderate durability, good for mid-game bases.
- Stone: Strong against creatures, recommended for permanent bases.
- Metal: End-game, very durable, ideal for PvP defense.
5.3 Base Design Tips
- Include storage rooms for resources.
- Traps and spikes outside your base deter predators.
- Dino pens inside the base provide protection and easy access.
- Elevated platforms prevent most ground attacks.
6. Advanced Crafting and Resource Management
6.1 Gathering High-Level Resources
- Metal: Found in caves and mountains. Mine with pickaxes or Doedicurus.
- Obsidian and Crystal: Useful for advanced weapons and crafting.
- Chitin and Keratin: Harvest from insects or creatures for armor and saddles.
6.2 Crafting Priorities
- Weapons: Crossbows, rifles, and grenades increase survival chances.
- Armor: Flint or hide armor in early game; advanced armor later.
- Tools: Upgraded pickaxes, hatchets, and fishing rods for efficiency.
Tip: Organize storage into categories: weapons, armor, resources, consumables, and dinosaur supplies. This saves time and prevents resource waste.
7. Survival Tips for PvP and Multiplayer
Ark: Survival Evolved thrives in multiplayer. PvP servers add challenges from other players.
- Scout Enemy Bases: Learn enemy patterns before engaging.
- Tame Aggressive Dinosaurs: Use carnivores for defense.
- Traps and Turrets: Protect your base from raids.
- Alliances: Join tribes to pool resources and coordinate defenses.
8. Advanced Dinosaur Combat Strategies
Combat in Ark is more than weapons; it involves tactical use of tamed creatures.
- Ranged Support: Use a spinosaur or raptor to flank enemies while using long-range weapons.
- Tank Roles: Rex or Giga absorb damage while you attack from distance.
- Dino vs Dino: Know your creature’s strengths; Therizinosaurus excels against large herbivores, while Rex dominates most predators.
9. Farming and Resource Optimization
Efficient resource farming is key to long-term survival.
- Crop Plots: Grow berries, vegetables, and crops for taming and crafting.
- Dino Harvesters: Use Therizinosaurus for fiber, Ankylosaurus for metal, and Castoroides for wood.
- Fishing and Hunting: Provides meat and fish oil, crucial for cooking and crafting.
10. Mid to Late Game Strategies
10.1 Advanced Base Features
- Auto Turrets: Defend against high-level predators and PvP raids.
- Vaults and Secret Rooms: Protect rare resources and blueprints.
- Bridges and Gates: Facilitate easy access while maintaining defense.
10.2 Boss Battles
- Preparation: Craft high-tier weapons, armor, and bring tamed dinosaurs.
- Strategy: Focus fire on weak points, avoid traps, and rotate combatants.
- Rewards: Defeating bosses unlocks Tek Tier equipment, providing ultimate survival advantages.
11. Ark Survival Evolved Tips and Tricks
- Always Carry Narcotics: Taming and knockouts depend on keeping creatures unconscious.
- Night Exploration: Use torches and armor for safer night exploration.
- Map Awareness: Know where resource-rich zones, caves, and enemy tribes are located.
- Weight Management: Avoid overloading; use pack dinos to carry resources.
- Blueprints: Craft items via blueprints for advanced gear.
Conclusion
Ark: Survival Evolved is a vast, complex game requiring strategy, patience, and skill. From early survival tactics to advanced dinosaur taming, base building, and PvP strategies, mastering these elements ensures your dominance on the island.
By following this guide, players can navigate Ark’s dangerous biomes, craft essential gear, tame powerful dinosaurs, and build secure bases to survive and thrive. Whether you are exploring caves, battling apex predators, or competing with other players, these strategies provide a solid foundation for success in Ark: Survival Evolved.
Remember: Consistent planning, efficient resource management, and tactical combat are the keys to surviving the ultimate challenge of Ark: Survival Evolved.
