The Ultimate Guide to the Fjordhawk in ARK: Survival Evolved

The Fjordhawk in ARK: Survival Evolved is a unique and incredibly useful shoulder-mounted companion. Its primary function revolves around retrieving your inventory upon death, acting as a loyal retriever in the harsh ARK landscape. Beyond this core ability, the Fjordhawk assists in locating corpses, offering an invaluable advantage when searching for lost loot or hunting elusive prey.

Understanding the Fjordhawk: Your Personal Retriever

The Fjordhawk is more than just a feathered friend; it’s a vital survival tool. Here’s a breakdown of its key functions:

• Inventory Retrieval: This is the Fjordhawk’s signature ability. When you die, it will swoop in, grab as much of your inventory as it can carry (and it can carry A LOT!), and then locate you upon respawn to return your belongings. This significantly reduces the frustration and time lost after an untimely demise.
• Corpse Location: The Fjordhawk can locate nearby corpses, highlighted by a distinctive skull and crossbones icon. This is particularly useful for finding the bodies of tames that have fallen in battle or locating lost loot caches.
• Taming Assistance: To tame a Fjordhawk, you must allow it to follow you while you kill creatures. It eats the corpse, and the taming bar rises with each bite it takes. The type of creature you kill affects how fast the taming bar increases.
• Unlimited Weight Capacity (Indirectly): While technically not “unlimited,” the Fjordhawk can be used in conjunction with strategies like death-teleporting to effectively bypass weight restrictions. Fill yourself with resources, die (intentionally!), let the Fjordhawk retrieve everything, respawn at your base, and then recall the Fjordhawk.

Taming and Care

Taming a Fjordhawk requires patience and the willingness to sacrifice creatures for its palate. Here’s what you need to know:

• The Taming Process: The Fjordhawk is a passive tame, meaning you don’t knock it unconscious. Instead, you let it follow you as you kill creatures. The Fjordhawk will then eat the corpse, and the taming bar will rise with each bite.
• Favorite Food: The Ovis is considered the most effective creature to feed a Fjordhawk for taming. The Phiomia also tames it very well in comparison to other easy-to-hunt dinos (even outperforming the Allosaurus and the Therizinosaurus).
• Level Doesn’t Matter: A key detail: the level of the creature it eats does not affect the taming progress. A level 1 Dodo is just as effective as a level 150 Rex.
• Post-Tame Care: Once tamed, treat your Fjordhawk well! While they don’t require constant feeding, they appreciate attention. Engaging in “fetch” with your Fjordhawk is a great way to build a strong bond.

Leveling and Utility

How you level your Fjordhawk significantly impacts its usefulness. Here are some key stats to focus on:

• Weight: Prioritize Weight. This allows it to carry more of your inventory upon death. A good starting point is to level Weight until it matches or slightly exceeds your own carry capacity.
• Movement Speed: Increasing Movement Speed enables the Fjordhawk to quickly locate and return to you. This is crucial for minimizing downtime after respawning.
• Stamina: More Stamina will allow it to retrieve bags faster.
• Health: While less critical, increasing Health can help your Fjordhawk survive encounters with aggressive creatures while retrieving your belongings.

Advanced Strategies

• Death Teleporting: As mentioned earlier, use the Fjordhawk’s retrieval ability to circumvent weight restrictions. Overload yourself with resources, die intentionally (e.g., by eating a piece of polymer or using a sleeping bag to fast travel), and let the Fjordhawk bring everything back to your base.
• Corpse Runs: Use the Fjordhawk to quickly locate the bodies of fallen tames, especially in dangerous environments. This can save valuable time and resources when retrieving saddles or other important items.
• Scouting: While not its primary function, the Fjordhawk can provide a limited form of scouting due to its ability to highlight corpses.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the best Dino to feed a Fjordhawk for taming?

The Ovis is the most effective creature to feed it. The Phiomia tames it very well in comparison to other easy-to-hunt dinos (even outperforming the Allosaurus and the Therizinosaurus).

2. How do I send my Fjordhawk to get a bag on Xbox?

On Xbox, double tap Y with the bag in your line of sight and the Fjordhawk will retrieve it for you.

3. How much can a Fjordhawk carry?

The Fjordhawk, essentially, has unlimited weight capacity for your items upon death. Its weight is only limited by your inventory.

4. Will a Fjordhawk take my stuff if I die around a wild one?

Yes, if you die around a wild Fjordhawk, it will pick up your stuff, and you’ll have to find and kill it to retrieve your belongings. Tame one instead!

5. What stats should I level on a Fjordhawk?

Prioritize Weight, then Movement Speed, Stamina, and Health.

6. Does the Fjordhawk have a cooldown?

Yes, there is a one-hour cooldown after the retrieval of the player’s inventory.

7. How do I get runes in Fjordur?

Explore the map and locate Fjordur runes scattered across the terrain to enjoy temporary level enhancements for your dino.

8. Why isn’t my Fjordhawk taming?

Ensure that the Fjordhawk is actively following you while you kill creatures. If it’s not eating the corpses, it won’t tame. Also, make sure you’re killing creatures that provide sufficient taming progress.

9. Does the level of the creature I kill affect taming?

No, the level of the creature you kill does not affect the taming bar. A level 1 Dodo increases the taming bar just as much as a level 150 Rex.

10. Can a Fjordhawk retrieve items from a death cache (beacon)?

No, the Fjordhawk is designed to retrieve your inventory only after you die. It does not interact with death caches or beacons.

11. How do I know if my Fjordhawk is ready to retrieve my items after the cooldown?

Unfortunately, there is no explicit indicator in-game. You’ll need to track the cooldown timer yourself.

12. What happens if my Fjordhawk dies while carrying my inventory?

If your Fjordhawk dies while carrying your inventory, the items will drop at its location, just as if you had died yourself.

13. Can other players steal my items from my Fjordhawk?

Yes. If another player kills your Fjordhawk while it’s carrying your items, they can loot the corpse.

14. Does the Fjordhawk’s inventory retrieval work in caves?

Yes, the Fjordhawk’s inventory retrieval works in caves, provided the cave allows creatures. However, navigating narrow passages with a Fjordhawk can be challenging.

15. How does the Fjordhawk interact with mods that alter death mechanics?

The Fjordhawk’s behavior with mods that alter death mechanics can vary. It’s best to test its functionality with specific mods to ensure compatibility.

The Fjordhawk is a game-changer in ARK: Survival Evolved, offering unparalleled convenience and mitigating the often-frustrating consequences of death. By understanding its abilities and utilizing effective strategies, you can significantly enhance your survivability and streamline your gameplay experience. For those interested in how games can be used for educational purposes, consider exploring the resources available at the Games Learning Society website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. Its utility and loyalty makes it a true companion in the unforgiving world of Ark!