The Majestic Snow Owl: A Comprehensive Guide to Its Role in Ark: Survival Evolved
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The Snow Owl in Ark: Survival Evolved is not just another aerial mount; it’s a versatile creature that offers a unique blend of combat prowess, support capabilities, and utility, making it one of the most useful tames in the game. In essence, the Snow Owl is a support powerhouse capable of healing allies, damaging enemies, and navigating the Ark with impressive agility. Its abilities, especially its healing power, make it invaluable for both solo players and tribes. Its ability to essentially replace wyvern milk for raising baby wyverns is crucial. Its maneuverability and surprising combat potential makes it formidable on the battle field.
The Snow Owl’s Key Abilities and Roles
The Snow Owl’s primary role revolves around its healing ability. It can heal not only itself, but also allies, including other tamed creatures and the rider. This healing ability is crucial for tackling difficult bosses, surviving prolonged engagements, and even raising baby creatures that require frequent care. This healing capability sets it apart from many other mounts and makes it an essential component of any tribe’s roster. Furthermore, the Snow Owl’s diverse skillset extends beyond pure healing, encompassing several key areas:
Healing Prowess
The most vital aspect of the Snow Owl is its healing capacity. It possesses two main healing abilities:
- Direct Healing: The Owl can directly heal a percentage of a target’s health per second, up to a maximum cap. This ability allows it to rapidly restore lost health during combat or exploration. While the healing per second is capped, this can be incredibly beneficial during prolonged fights.
- Ice Shield Healing: When flying, the Snow Owl can transform into a mobile ice cube, emitting healing energy in an area of effect. This not only heals nearby dinos and players, but also the owl itself. This move acts as both a defensive shield and offensive burst of healing to all nearby allies. This makes the owl both offensively and defensively versatile.
Combat and Maneuverability
While not a dedicated combat mount, the Snow Owl is more than capable in battle:
- Dive Bomb: It can dive rapidly, allowing for quick escapes, and the ability to outmaneuver slower creatures like Wyverns. This makes it exceptionally mobile.
- Imprinting Bonus: An imprinted Snow Owl gains a significant 20% speed boost, making it incredibly fast in flight and thus able to evade danger while repositioning for healing. With adequate stat investment, and careful flying tactics, they are capable of defeating Wyverns.
- Combat Utility: Though not a damage-focused creature, their ability to dive and evade effectively, while healing during battle, makes them a valuable asset in both player versus player (PvP) and player versus environment (PvE) encounters.
Utility and Resource Management
Beyond combat and healing, the Snow Owl offers unique utility:
- Wyvern Raising: The Snow Owl’s healing can be used to raise baby Wyverns without needing Wyvern Milk. By healing the babies every 15-20 minutes, they can be raised to adulthood.
- Owl Pellets: By freezing itself and drastically lowering its hunger, the Snow Owl can produce multiple owl pellets, which act as an instant fertilizer for long-lasting crop plots. This allows for quick and reliable crop growth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How does the Snow Owl’s healing compare to the Daedon?
The Daedon heals a higher percentage of maximum HP per second (capped at 400), whereas the Snow Owl has a lower healing cap (~40 HP/sec). However, the Snow Owl’s healing is not restricted to a single target, meaning it can heal multiple creatures at once with its area-of-effect Ice Shield ability. This makes the Snow Owl more versatile in large engagements.
2. Can the Snow Owl heal other tamed dinosaurs?
Yes, the Snow Owl can heal all allied dinos, including itself and the rider. Its healing ability is not limited to specific species, making it an invaluable support creature for any tribe.
3. Can the Snow Owl heal baby Wyverns?
Absolutely! The Snow Owl’s healing can be used to raise baby Wyverns, negating the need for Wyvern Milk. Healing them every 15-20 minutes will allow them to mature successfully.
4. What is the purpose of the Snow Owl’s ice cube ability?
The ice cube ability is a unique mechanic where the Snow Owl turns into a stationary ice structure. While in this form, the owl emits healing pulses, healing itself and all nearby allies. It acts as both a shield and a burst heal, making it a very powerful ability when used correctly.
5. Can the Snow Owl pick up other creatures?
No, the Snow Owl cannot pick up other creatures. Its focus is on mobility, healing, and support, not carrying capacity.
6. Can you use a Bola on a Snow Owl?
No, a Bola does not work on the Snow Owl. The best approach to taming involves using traps.
7. What are Owl Pellets used for?
Owl Pellets are used to quickly start long-lasting crop plots. They act as an instant fertilizer, allowing for faster and more reliable crop growth.
8. Is the Snow Owl faster than a Wyvern?
With the imprint bonus, the Snow Owl can be faster than a Wyvern. Its dive bombing capability allows it to gain momentum, and with good stat management, can out maneuver and outpace a wyvern.
9. Can the Snow Owl heal a Magmasaur?
The Snow Owl can heal a Magmasaur, but it comes with a drawback. When the Snow Owl uses its Ice Shield ability, it might heal the Magmasaur, dragging out the fight. This healing is negligible, but players need to be aware of it.
10. What happens if you don’t give a Wyvern Milk?
If you do not have Wyvern Milk, you can use the Snow Owl to raise the baby. Once they are fully matured they will start eating meat, and milk will not be necessary. You can even safely cryopod the Wyvern if you need to temporarily store them, releasing them to imprint when the time is right.
11. Can the Snow Owl heal the rider?
Yes, the Snow Owl’s healing abilities heal both the rider and the mount. This makes it a valuable asset for solo players.
12. How does the Snow Owl create Owl Pellets?
The Owl creates Owl Pellets by self-freezing and regenerating stamina which drastically reduces its hunger. During this time it defecates, producing 2-3 pellets at a time. Repeat the process for multiple crop plots.
13. Can Wyverns knock you off your mount?
Yes, a Wyvern’s lightning attack can increase your torpidity, making you vulnerable to being knocked unconscious, which will dismount you. This is why fast, agile mounts are essential when dealing with them, such as the Snow Owl.
14. Can you raise Wyverns with a Maewing?
Yes, the Maewing can be used to raise Wyverns, however this requires the maewing to be manually controlled and carefully managed as it is unable to heal or feed the baby.
15. Is the Snow Owl useful in PVP combat?
Absolutely. Its mobility, diving ability, and healing capability make it a valuable asset in PVP, allowing players to heal allies, evade attacks, and reposition for combat effectively, but are best used as a support unit, not as a front line fighter.
Conclusion
The Snow Owl in Ark: Survival Evolved is more than just a flying mount. It’s a versatile support creature with incredible healing capabilities, surprising combat utility, and unique resource management benefits. Whether you’re raising Wyverns, engaging in combat, or managing your base, the Snow Owl is an invaluable tame that offers a significant advantage in the harsh world of Ark. Its role in almost every facet of survival makes it one of the most useful and sought-after tames in the game.