Conquering Caves: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Dinosaur for Ark’s Caverns
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The caverns of Ark: Survival Evolved are treacherous landscapes, teeming with dangers and valuable resources. Navigating these tight spaces requires a mount that is both powerful and agile. So, the burning question is: What is the best dinosaur for caves in Ark? The answer, while not a single definitive choice, leans heavily towards the Thylacoleo. This marsupial predator combines excellent mobility, strong combat capabilities, and the ability to fit into most cave entrances. However, other creatures excel in specific cave types or roles. This article delves deep into why the Thylacoleo is often crowned the king of cave exploration and explores alternative options.
Why the Thylacoleo Reigns Supreme in Caves
The Thylacoleo, often nicknamed the “Thyla,” stands out for several crucial reasons when it comes to cave exploration. Its unique climbing ability allows it to scale vertical surfaces with ease, circumventing many obstacles that would hinder other creatures. This maneuverability makes navigating tricky pathways and escaping dangerous situations much more manageable.
Strengths of the Thylacoleo:
- Mobility: The Thylacoleo’s climbing ability is unparalleled in caves, allowing access to areas other mounts can’t reach.
- Combat Prowess: They are powerful predators with a strong bite, capable of dispatching most cave creatures.
- Size: Their relatively compact size allows them to navigate most cave entrances and tight passageways without issue.
- Versatility: They are not just combat-focused; Thylas are also decent for gathering meat and hides.
- Bite Strength: Thylacoleo possesses the most powerful bite force of any mammal, living or extinct, allowing them to take down larger prey.
While the Thyla is an exceptional cave mount, it’s not invincible. Large, open areas within certain caves might not be its specialty, and its relatively lower health pool compared to larger theropods can be a weakness if not played carefully. This is where considering alternatives becomes important.
Alternative Cave Explorers: Filling Different Niches
Although the Thylacoleo is a fantastic all-rounder, several other creatures can thrive in specific cave scenarios:
Sabertooth: The Stalwart Starter
The Sabertooth is a solid early-to-mid-game cave mount. It’s essentially an upgraded raptor, boasting better stats and a more robust build. While not as agile as the Thyla, its speed and damage make it suitable for more straightforward cave runs. Its smaller size also allows it to fit into tight spaces, making it a good alternative. Sabertooths are also valuable for taming other dinos and collecting resources.
Baryonyx: The Aquatic Specialist
For water caves, the Baryonyx is a stellar choice. These creatures are adept at both land and aquatic combat, are quick in water, and can enter caves that have watery entrances. They are slim enough to navigate most narrow waterways and powerful enough to take down the hostile creatures you’ll encounter in the water. Although they are not as common as some other tames, they are effective and very strong in water caves.
Megalosaurus: The Nighttime Powerhouse
The Megalosaurus is a powerful option if you’re willing to explore caves at night. During the night, they become faster and stronger, making them incredibly formidable. The caveat, however, is that they become slow and sluggish during the day, meaning you need to strategize if taking this cave mount for a daytime trip. If you plan to do a night run, they can be a great option.
Direwolf: The Yeti Cave Specialist
For the Yeti Cave (Cave of the Strong) specifically, the Direwolf is a fantastic option. They can be tamed in the vicinity of this cave (outside, as they can’t be tamed inside) and are very well suited to the artic tundra. It has good mobility, can fit through tighter spaces, and has great damage for a medium-sized creature. Direwolves also make a valuable early-mid game tame.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Cave Dinosaurs in Ark
1. Are Rexes good for caves in Ark?
While Rexes are powerful, they’re usually too large for most cave entrances and corridors. Their size makes them difficult to maneuver, and they often get stuck. However, for very large caves, they can be useful, although not very agile. It’s recommended to use a smaller mount for most cave expeditions.
2. Are Argentavis good for caves?
Argentavis are exceptional for exploring the map but are generally not suited for cave exploration. They are too large to fit inside most caves. However, they can be very useful for carrying smaller dinos, like a Thyla, to a specific cave entrance for a run.
3. Can you use a Giganotosaurus in caves?
Like the Rex, the Giganotosaurus is simply too large to fit into most caves and is not practical at all for that purpose. They’re best used in open areas for large-scale fights or resource gathering.
4. Are Snow Owls good in caves?
Snow Owls are powerful and versatile, but their size makes them cumbersome for many caves. They are best used in open areas. They have excellent healing and are able to freeze enemies, but they are not ideal for most cave environments.
5. Can you tame creatures inside caves in Ark?
Most creatures cannot be tamed inside caves. Usually, any tames will need to happen outside the cave itself. The exception to this rule is often the Yeti Cave which offers high-level Direwolves.
6. What is the best water cave tame?
A well-leveled Tusoteuthis (Tuso) is usually the best choice for water caves. They can clear most underwater areas with relative ease, killing most enemies as they go. The Basilo is also a valid alternative. However, for speed runs through, a Manta or Ichthy can be useful.
7. How strong are Thylacoleos in Ark?
Thylacoleos are incredibly powerful, with the strongest bite force of any mammal. They are agile, excellent climbers, and can easily take down many of the creatures you’ll encounter in caves.
8. Do bolas work on Sabertooths?
Yes, bolas work on Sabertooths. Bolas are a very effective way to immobilize them before using tranq arrows for taming.
9. How many tranq arrows does it take to tame a Sabertooth?
The amount of tranq arrows needed varies. A wild, high-level Saber may take close to 20 shocking darts or 36 tranq arrows.
10. What are the easiest caves in Ark?
The Lower South Cave is typically considered the easiest cave on The Island, making it a great starting point for new players.
11. What should I bring for a cave run in Ark?
Essential gear for a cave run includes a strong mount, reliable weapons, armor, a grappling hook, bug repellent, and extra food and water. Also, having multiple torches and a bedroll is highly recommended.
12. How do you avoid overheating in caves?
Some caves, especially volcanic ones, will require protection from the heat. Green crystals can be used to cool down if you’re in a pinch. The right armor and equipment choices can also significantly help with this.
13. Are there any caves you can tame in?
Most caves do not permit taming. The exception to this is found in the Yeti Cave and sometimes the Carnivorous Caverns.
14. What are the best bug killing dinos in Ark?
The Beelzebufo are among the best for killing bugs due to the melee buff they receive when killing bugs. This also makes them excellent for fighting the Broodmother.
15. Can you breed to max level on Ark?
The game caps level at 450, but going above this can cause a dino to disappear. Also, mutation stacking beyond 254 will cause the same issues.
Conclusion
While the Thylacoleo is a prime choice for cave exploration, the best dino often depends on the specific cave and your personal preferences. Knowing your options and understanding their strengths and weaknesses will drastically improve your success rate in the dangerous caverns of Ark. Whether it’s the climbing prowess of the Thyla, the underwater speed of the Baryonyx, or the nighttime power of the Megalosaurus, there’s a dinosaur perfectly suited to your caving needs. So, gear up, tame your chosen mount, and conquer those caves!