Can You Merge Two Tribes in Ark? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, merging two tribes in Ark: Survival Evolved is absolutely possible, and it’s a common tactic used by players to consolidate their forces, share resources, and grow their collective power. Whether you’re looking to join up with friends or absorb a smaller tribe, understanding the mechanics of tribe merging is crucial. The process involves careful consideration of leadership, structure, and resource allocation, and it’s important to know the specific steps involved. This article will guide you through the ins and outs of tribe merging, and also include related FAQs, so you can confidently manage your tribe dynamics.
How to Merge Tribes in Ark
The process of merging tribes, while straightforward, requires a clear understanding of the hierarchy and permissions within Ark. Essentially, one tribe will “absorb” the other, with the former acting as the parent tribe. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:
Step 1: The Initial Invite
The owner of the parent tribe (the tribe intending to absorb another) must initiate the merging process. They will do this by sending a regular tribe invite to the owner of the tribe that wishes to merge. This is a critical first step because the invite will determine which tribe takes precedence and absorbs the other’s resources and assets. This first step is not a “merge tribe” invitation, it is a regular tribe invite.
Step 2: Accepting the Merge Invitation
The owner of the tribe receiving the invite then needs to accept this regular tribe invite. This acceptance will transfer that specific player, and only that specific player, over to the other tribe and their other tribal members will not be brought over with them. This is an important point, as it differs from how some players might expect a merge to happen.
Step 3: Merging Structures and Dinos
Once the merging tribe owner has joined the parent tribe, the game will automatically transfer all structures and dinos of the old tribe into the new tribe as long as personal ownership is not enabled. Note that this transfer of buildings and dinos does not apply to non-admin tribal members from the merging tribe, meaning that only the merging tribe’s admin and all of their assets are transferred. It is important that the other tribal members also join in order to be part of the new tribe.
Step 4: Recruiting Former Tribe Members
The final, and often most crucial step after the merge is to invite the other former members from the merging tribe over. This is done via the standard in-game tribe invite system. Members of the merged tribe must be recruited into the new tribe one at a time, in the same fashion that players normally invite other players into tribes.
Admin-Specific Merge Procedure
If you are the admin of the tribe and want to initiate a merge for others, the process is slightly different:
- Kick All Members: The admin of the tribe to be merged needs to kick all members out of the tribe except themselves.
- Merge Tribe: The admin of the takeover tribe can then use the ‘merge tribe’ option from the ‘invite to tribe’ menu.
- Transfer Complete: This will transfer all the structures to the new tribe, although the members of the former tribe are still in their respective tribe. This is again important because the other members will still need to be invited into the new tribe via the standard invite function.
Important Considerations When Merging Tribes
- Personal Ownership: If personal ownership is enabled, the structures and dinos owned by individual players will not transfer to the new tribe.
- Rank System: The rank system in Ark will impact the ability of newly recruited members to use tribe assets, so you need to adjust their ranks accordingly.
- Tribe Limits: Pay attention to the structure limits, which on official servers is 10,500 in a given area and can be altered by server admins on unofficial servers.
- Server Rules: On small tribes servers, where tribe size is limited to six players, alliances are not allowed, thus you must absorb the smaller tribe to grow beyond the tribe limit.
- Communication: Clear communication between the tribes about their ranks and expectations before and during the merge is essential to minimize confusion and frustration for all parties involved.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Tribe Merging in Ark
Here are some frequently asked questions to help clarify the merging process in Ark:
1. What happens to my personal items when my tribe merges?
Your personal items will remain with you after a tribe merge, as personal inventory does not transfer. Only the structures and dinos of the tribe are merged when merging, but not the tribal members. The tribal members of the merged tribe are left in their old tribe and must be manually re-invited into the new tribe.
2. Can I keep my structures if I leave a tribe that has been merged?
No, any structures and objects built while you were a member of the original tribe belong to the tribe, and will remain after you leave the tribe. If you leave, or are kicked after a merge, you must rebuild a new base.
3. What if we have different building styles in each tribe?
When merging, all structures transfer to the new tribe, which can cause some visual differences. You will want to work out how to best consolidate your builds after the merge and perhaps relocate.
4. How does the tribe rank system work after a merge?
The founder or admin of the new parent tribe will need to assign ranks to all members of the merged tribe. This will allow for the appropriate members to have access to specific dinos, items, structures, and so forth.
5. Can tribe alliances transfer over in a merge?
There are no official alliances in ARK. Therefore, they cannot be transferred. If you are on a server that has made allowance for "alliances" via server rule, they are not a feature built into the game.
6. What if the merged tribe has many dinos?
All dinos belonging to the tribe will transfer during the merge, provided personal ownership was not enabled. This can create logistical problems if a tribe has a vast amount of creatures, so plan ahead.
7. Can I merge tribes on different servers?
No, tribe merging is a process that can only occur within a single server.
8. What happens if I have a cryopodded dino when merging?
Cryopods will transfer, but be aware transferring cryopods can reset the timer if not on the same server as it was podded, causing it to lose experience points since it was podded.
9. How does the structure limit work when tribes merge?
Structure limits in ARK are area-specific. Merging will increase the structure total of the new tribe, so it is possible that you will need to expand your build area to accommodate the merger.
10. Can the admin of a merged tribe control permissions for new tribe members?
No, the admin of the parent tribe is responsible for setting new tribe members to proper ranks.
11. Can you merge cross-platform tribes?
Provided the platform you are playing on is not one of the platforms that cross-play is not available for, it should be possible to merge tribes cross-platform.
12. Can you merge a tribe with personal ownership enabled?
Yes, however, the merging will not move over any structures or dinos that are set to personal ownership. Only assets that are tribe owned are merged over.
13. Can you undo a tribe merge?
No, once a tribe has been merged, there is no official method to revert it.
14. What happens if a tribe member has a Mindwipe Tonic active?
The Mindwipe Tonic cooldown is reset upon character transfer to a new server, so a tribal merge will not cause it to go off cooldown or otherwise be used.
15. What are the specific rules for merging tribes on a Small Tribes server?
On Small Tribes servers, tribe limits are capped at six players. Merging in this scenario will essentially absorb the smaller tribe and the total number of players in the new tribe may not exceed six players.
Conclusion
Merging tribes in Ark: Survival Evolved is a powerful tool for players looking to grow their influence and resources. Understanding the process, and the related mechanics, is critical to successfully navigating the merge and avoiding common pitfalls. By carefully planning your approach and paying attention to all the considerations, you can effectively merge your tribe and become a dominant force in the ARK.