Learning how to tame dinosaurs in ARK Survival Ascended is the cornerstone of survival and progression in this reimagined prehistoric adventure. Whether you’re a newcomer or a veteran transitioning from Survival Evolved, mastering the taming mechanics—from knockout taming to passive feeding—will unlock mounts, resource gatherers, and formidable combat allies essential for thriving in ARK’s unforgiving ecosystems.
Understanding Taming Fundamentals in ARK Survival Ascended
ARK Survival Ascended introduces refined taming mechanics built on Unreal Engine 5, offering smoother interactions and enhanced visual feedback. Every dinosaur falls into one of two core taming categories: knockout taming (violent) and passive taming (non-violent). Understanding which method applies to your target creature is critical before you begin the process.
Knockout Taming Essentials
Knockout taming requires rendering a creature unconscious through torpor damage. Torpor is a hidden stat that accumulates when hit by tranquilizer arrows, darts, or blunt weapons like clubs. Once unconscious, you place appropriate food in the creature’s inventory and wait for the taming bar to complete. Key considerations include:
- Torpor management: Torpor drains over time. Administer Narcotics or Narcoberries to maintain unconsciousness throughout the taming process.
- Food preference: Carnivores prefer Raw Prime Meat or Cooked Prime Fish Meat; herbivores favor Mejoberries, Rockarrot, or Advanced Crops. Using preferred foods accelerates taming and improves post-tame stats.
- Taming effectiveness: Displayed as a percentage, effectiveness decreases if the creature takes damage or wakes prematurely. Higher effectiveness yields bonus levels upon completion.
- Weapon choice: Tranquilizer Arrows (Bow or Crossbow) work early-game; Tranquilizer Darts (Longneck Rifle) are mid-to-late game and deal less health damage per torpor point.
Passive Taming Mechanics
Passive taming eliminates combat entirely. Approach the creature cautiously, place the required food in the last slot of your hotbar, and feed it when the prompt appears. Wait for the feeding interval to reset, then repeat until tamed. Critical tips:
- Stealth and positioning: Crouch (default: C key) and approach from behind or the side to minimize detection risk.
- Specific foods: Creatures like the Ichthyornis demand Honey or Fish Meat; the Equus requires Rockarrot or other vegetables. Check the creature’s dossier or community wikis.
- No interruptions: If attacked by predators or hit accidentally, the taming progress resets. Build temporary taming pens or clear the area first.
Step-by-Step Knockout Taming Process
To tame dinosaurs in ARK Survival Ascended via knockout, follow this proven workflow for maximum efficiency and safety.
Step 1: Preparation and Resource Gathering
Before engaging any creature, assemble the following materials:
| Item | Quantity (Recommended) | Purpose |
| Tranquilizer Arrows | 20–50 | Induce torpor (early game) |
| Longneck Rifle + Tranq Darts | 10–30 darts | Efficient torpor (mid-late game) |
| Narcotics | 50–100 | Maintain torpor |
| Raw Prime Meat / Mejoberries | 100–200 | Primary taming food |
| Taming Pen Materials | Varies | Stone Foundations, Doorframes, Ramps |
Step 2: Isolate Your Target
Wild creatures often roam in packs or near aggressive predators. Construct a simple stone taming pen—a 2×2 or 3×3 foundation layout with doorframes stacked three high. Lure the creature inside using a flying mount or by running through on foot, then seal the entrance. This prevents escape and protects against third-party interference.
Step 3: Apply Torpor and Monitor Stats
Aim for the creature’s head to maximize torpor-per-shot. Space your shots 5–10 seconds apart to allow torpor accumulation without overkill damage. Watch the creature’s health bar; if it drops below 30%, switch to less damaging methods or wait for natural health regeneration (if safe). Once unconscious, open its inventory:
1. Access creature inventory (default: E key while looking at it).
2. Transfer food items (Raw Prime Meat for carnivores, Mejoberries for herbivores).
3. Monitor Torpor bar in the creature's stats.
4. Add Narcotics as needed to keep Torpor above 50%.Step 4: Optimize Taming Effectiveness
Taming effectiveness degrades with each feeding cycle and any damage taken. To preserve effectiveness:
- Use Kibble specific to the creature species (e.g., Dodo Kibble for Pteranodon). Kibble offers the fastest taming and highest effectiveness retention.
- Avoid letting the creature wake up mid-tame. Set a timer for Narcotic administration every 2–3 minutes.
- Clear nearby threats before starting. A single predator attack can ruin hours of preparation.
Step 5: Completion and Imprinting
Once the taming bar reaches 100%, the creature is yours. It will gain bonus levels based on taming effectiveness (up to +75 levels at 100% effectiveness). Name your new companion via the radial menu, and assign it to a behavior group (Passive, Neutral, or Aggressive) to control its AI.
Advanced Taming Strategies and Server Optimization
Serious survivors and server administrators benefit from advanced techniques that reduce downtime and scale taming operations across tribes or communities.
Taming Multipliers and Server Configuration
If you’re hosting a private ARK Survival Ascended server, adjust taming speeds and resource consumption via the GameUserSettings.ini file. Popular multipliers include:
TamingSpeedMultiplier=2.0
DinoCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier=2.0A TamingSpeedMultiplier of 2.0 doubles taming speed, while increasing food drain accelerates the feeding cycle. For a balanced experience, test values between 1.5× and 3.0×. When running a high-performance ARK server on infrastructure powered by AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processors (16 cores / 32 threads, up to 5 GHz boost), DDR5 ECC RAM (32–128 GB), and NVMe SSD storage, you can support dozens of simultaneous tames without lag or desync issues. Explore ARK Survival Ascended hosting options optimized for large-scale taming operations and modded environments.
Utilizing Mods for Enhanced Taming
ARK Survival Ascended supports mods via CurseForge integration. Popular taming mods include:
- Awesome Teleporters: Move tamed creatures across the map instantly, reducing travel time.
- Dino Storage v2: Capture and store dinosaurs in item form, freeing server resources and simplifying logistics.
- Super Structures: Build advanced taming pens with automated gates and feeding systems.
When hosting with a provider that offers one-click modpack installation, deploying these tools is straightforward. Simply browse the mod library in your control panel, select your desired mods, and restart the server. For optimal performance, ensure your server runs on dedicated hardware with anti-DDoS protection and 24/7 uptime guarantees.
Tribe Coordination and Mass Taming
Coordinate with tribe members to execute simultaneous tames. Assign roles:
- Scouts: Locate high-level creatures using spyglasses or GPS coordinates.
- Trappers: Build taming pens and lure targets into position.
- Suppliers: Harvest and stockpile Narcotics, Prime Meat, and Kibble.
- Guards: Defend the taming site from predators and rival tribes.
Mass taming events (e.g., taming five Rex simultaneously for a boss run) require robust server hardware to handle entity updates, inventory transactions, and AI pathfinding without frame drops. Modern hosting solutions leverage KVM virtualization for dedicated CPU cores and guaranteed RAM allocation, ensuring smooth gameplay even during resource-intensive operations.
Leveraging Breeding and Imprinting
Once you tame dinosaurs in ARK Survival Ascended, breeding unlocks superior stats and mutations. Tamed creatures can mate to produce offspring with inherited traits. During the maturation phase, perform imprinting tasks (cuddles, walks, feeding) to boost the baby’s stats by up to 30% and rider bonus by 30%.
For detailed breeding mechanics and mutation guides, consult the official ARK Wiki.
Common Taming Mistakes and Troubleshooting
Avoid these frequent pitfalls to streamline your taming workflow:
Overkilling Targets
Firing too rapidly causes excessive health damage. Torpor has a 4-second application delay; shooting faster wastes ammo and risks killing the creature. Wait at least 5 seconds between shots.
Ignoring Torpor Drain
Torpor decays at a species-specific rate. Large creatures like Giganotosaurus or Quetzal drain torpor rapidly. Prepare 200+ Narcotics for high-level tames and monitor every 2–3 minutes.
Using Incorrect Food
Feeding a carnivore berries or an herbivore meat extends taming time exponentially and tanks effectiveness. Always verify the creature’s preferred diet before beginning.
Neglecting Server Performance
Lag spikes during taming can cause creatures to teleport, reset progress, or disappear. Host on servers with 1 Gbps network bandwidth, low-latency routing, and Game Anti-DDoS protection to eliminate these issues.
Conclusion: Mastering how to tame dinosaurs in ARK Survival Ascended transforms your gameplay from reactive survival to proactive dominance. By combining knockout and passive taming techniques, optimizing server configurations, and leveraging high-performance hosting infrastructure, you’ll assemble a versatile army of prehistoric allies ready to conquer bosses, defend bases, and explore every corner of the ARK.
FAQ
What is the fastest way to increase torpor for knockout taming?
Use a Longneck Rifle with Tranquilizer Darts for maximum torpor-per-shot efficiency. Aim for headshots (2× torpor multiplier on most creatures) and space shots 5–7 seconds apart to allow torpor accumulation. Pair with a flying mount like a Pteranodon to maintain safe distance from aggressive targets.
How do I prevent taming effectiveness from dropping?
Avoid letting the creature take any damage after it falls unconscious. Use only preferred foods (Kibble is best), maintain torpor above 50% at all times, and clear the area of predators. Each feeding cycle reduces effectiveness slightly, so faster tames (via Kibble or server multipliers) preserve higher final stats.
Can I adjust taming speed on a private ARK Survival Ascended server?
Yes. Edit the GameUserSettings.ini file and set TamingSpeedMultiplier=2.0 (or higher) to double taming speed. Combine with DinoCharacterFoodDrainMultiplier=2.0 to accelerate feeding cycles. Restart the server to apply changes. High-performance hosting platforms with AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPUs and DDR5 ECC RAM ensure smooth configuration management and zero downtime restarts.
