Breeding & Genetics — Ark: Survival Evolved Guide

Master breeding and genetics in Ark: Survival Evolved. Learn the mechanics to produce creatures with superior stats and valuable mutations for your tribe.

Breeding and genetics are a complex but incredibly rewarding aspect of Ark: Survival Evolved. By understanding the underlying mechanics, you can produce offspring with superior stats, desirable mutations, and specialized traits, creating a formidable army of tamed creatures. This guide will walk you through the fundamentals of breeding and genetics.

The Basics of Breeding

To breed creatures, you need a male and a female of the same species. Both creatures must be of a mature age and have their Gender set correctly. Once these conditions are met, you can initiate breeding:

• Set to Wander: For many creatures, setting both the male and female to 'Wander' will allow them to find each other and begin the breeding process.
• Enable "Set to Mate": Alternatively, you can manually set one creature to "Set to Mate" and the other to "Wander."
• Proximity: The creatures need to be within a certain range of each other for breeding to occur.

When breeding is successful, the female will eventually produce an Egg. The type of egg (fertilized or unfertilized) depends on whether the creatures were set to "Mate" or "Wander." Fertilized eggs can be hatched to produce baby creatures.

Hatching Eggs

Hatching fertilized eggs requires careful temperature control:

• Incubation: Place the fertilized egg in an area with the correct temperature range for hatching. This can be achieved using Campfires, Air Conditioners, or by placing the egg in a warm or cool biome.
• Temperature Gauge: A temperature gauge will appear on the egg's UI, indicating if it's too hot, too cold, or just right.
• Hatching Time: The time it takes to hatch varies depending on the creature species and server settings.

Creature Stats and Genetics

Every creature in Ark has a set of stats, including Health, Stamina, Oxygen, Food, Weight, Melee Damage, Movement Speed, and Torpor. These stats are determined by:

• Base Stats: Each creature has a base value for each stat.
• Level-Up Stats: When a creature levels up, it gains bonus points in certain stats. These are the points you want to inherit and improve.
• Wild Stats: When a creature spawns in the wild, it has a random distribution of points in its stats.

When two creatures breed, the offspring inherits stats from both parents. The game randomly selects which parent's stat value is passed down for each stat. This is where the pursuit of perfect stats begins.

Mutations

Mutations are random genetic changes that occur during breeding. When a mutation happens, a specific stat will gain a significant bonus (usually 2 levels worth of points), and a new color region may appear or change on the creature. Mutations are tracked by the game and are indicated by a "Mutation Count" in the creature's stats. A mutation on the parent's side will increase the mutation count for that stat.

The Breeding Loop

The goal of advanced breeding is to create creatures with maximized stats and desirable mutations. This typically involves a multi-step process:

1. Find Good "Breeders": Tame high-level creatures with good base stats.
2. "Stack" Stats: Breed creatures repeatedly until you have a male and female that possess the best possible stats from their lineage. You'll often "stack" stats by only keeping offspring that have improved stats over their parents.
3. Introduce Mutations: Once you have "stacked" your desired stats, you begin breeding the best male and female together, hoping for mutations in the stats you want to improve further.
4. "Clean" Breeders: It's crucial to keep your "stacked" breeders free of unwanted mutations. If a mutation occurs on a stat you don't want, you discard that offspring and try again.
5. "Mutated" Breeders: Once you achieve desired mutations, you'll use these mutated creatures to breed with your "clean" breeders to pass on the mutations.

Kibble and Imprinting

Kibble is the preferred food for most creatures and significantly speeds up the taming process. For breeding, the type of kibble used can influence the offspring's stats, though this is a more advanced mechanic. Imprinting on baby creatures provides a significant stat boost and damage multiplier, making imprinted creatures far superior.

Breeding Tools and Tips

• Breeding Dinos: Certain dinosaurs, like the Oviraptor, can increase egg laying rates.
• Egg Incubators: Structures like the Egg Incubator (from the Eco's Stable Structures Mod, if applicable) can help maintain ideal hatching temperatures.
• Stat Trackers: Use external tools or in-game methods to track the stats and mutation counts of your creatures.
• Patience: Breeding is a time-consuming process that requires patience and dedication.

Mastering Ark's breeding system allows you to create truly exceptional creatures, giving you a significant advantage in combat, resource gathering, and boss encounters.