What Gives the Most Hide in ARK: Survival Evolved? A Comprehensive Guide

The pursuit of hide is a constant in the harsh world of ARK: Survival Evolved. Whether you’re crafting armor, saddles, or building structures, you’ll find yourself needing a steady supply of this vital resource. So, what creatures yield the most hide, and what methods can you employ to maximize your harvest? The answer is multi-faceted, and the ‘best’ method often depends on your stage in the game and the resources available to you. Let’s dive in.

The Ultimate Hide Harvesting Guide

While many creatures provide hide, certain species and methods stand out. In the early game, the Phiomia is a standout resource. This pig-like creature offers an unexpectedly large amount of hide and raw meat for their size, making them a great choice for beginners. While they may flee upon attack, trapping them or using a Bola to restrain them can make the hunt easier.

However, as you progress, the focus shifts to larger game. For mass hide harvesting, nothing beats taking down larger herbivores, particularly Brontos, Paracers, and Diplodocus. These behemoths yield significant quantities of hide when harvested with the right tools. The most effective method for this is to utilize a powerful predator like a Rex to bring them down, followed by using a Chainsaw for harvesting. This combination significantly increases both the amount of hide and the speed of collection.

The key to efficient hide farming lies not just in the choice of prey, but also the tools used for harvesting and the presence of multiple people who can split up the work. Two players working in tandem, one to eliminate large creatures and the other to harvest with a chainsaw, can gather huge amounts of hide in a short amount of time.

Maximizing Your Hide Yield

Here are some critical factors to consider:

• Weapon Choice: Using a high-damage melee weapon like a Rex is essential to efficiently bring down large herbivores, especially at higher levels. Using a Chainsaw is essential for quick and higher yields.
• Harvesting Tool: The Chainsaw is by far the most efficient tool for maximizing hide output. It significantly outperforms axes and picks.
• Creature Type: Larger herbivores, such as Brontos, Paracers, and Diplos, generally give the most hide per kill.
• Multiplayer Synergy: Having a team allows for efficient hunting and harvesting. One player can focus on killing, while the other can focus on harvesting.
• Tamed Creature Buffs: Some tames have harvesting buffs. The Therizinosaurus provides increased yields for plant-based resources like fiber, but doesn’t directly improve hide harvesting. The use of Magmasaur can melt down corpses for a higher amount of raw resources.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Hide in ARK

Here are some common questions about harvesting and using hide in ARK: Survival Evolved:

1. Is Phiomia really the best for early-game hide?

Yes, Phiomia are surprisingly efficient for hide when you’re starting out. Their relatively high hide yield, coupled with their early accessibility, makes them an excellent choice before you have access to larger predators or advanced tools.

2. What is the best mid-game creature for hide?

In mid-game, you should focus on herbivores like Stegosaurus and Triceratops. They offer a reasonable amount of hide and are easier to take down than larger creatures like Brontos.

3. What are the best tools for harvesting hide?

The best tool for harvesting hide is the Chainsaw. The Metal Hatchet is a good early-game alternative, but it does not compare to the chainsaw.

4. Does a high melee damage stat affect hide harvesting?

Yes, the melee damage stat of your harvesting tool and your tames will directly influence how much hide you collect per harvest. Level up the melee damage on your Rex for maximum efficiency.

5. Do any tames directly improve hide harvesting rates?

While no tame directly increases hide yield, tames with high melee damage and tames that can effectively kill and harvest quickly such as Rex’s and Magmasaur’s indirectly improve your ability to gather hide quickly.

6. Is there a creature that gives a very low amount of hide?

Yes, some creatures like Dodo’s and Lystrosaurus give minimal amounts of hide. Focus on larger creatures for efficiency.

7. Does harvesting efficiency differ between carnivores and herbivores?

No, the amount of hide does not vary based on whether it’s a carnivore or herbivore. The deciding factor is the size of the animal.

8. Can you get hide from bosses?

While you might get some hide from bosses, it’s generally not an efficient way to farm it, as boss encounters aren’t repeatable as quickly as normal hunts.

9. How does the server settings affect the amount of hide I get?

Server settings for resource gathering can dramatically increase or decrease the amount of hide you collect. Check your server settings to ensure they are appropriate.

10. What are the primary uses of hide in ARK?

Hide is crucial for crafting armor, saddles, building structures, and a variety of other tools and items.

11. Can you get hide from smaller creatures like Compys or Ichthyornis?

Yes, but the amount is negligible. It’s not an efficient use of your time to hunt such small creatures for hide.

12. Is there an area of the map that’s best for farming hide?

Areas with a high concentration of large herbivores are ideal. Look for places where Brontos, Paracers, and Diplos commonly spawn.

13. How does a Magmasaur increase hide collection?

Magmasaurs can melt corpses, which greatly increases the amount of resources you receive from them. When using a magmasaur on large corpses you will get more hide, meat, etc.

14. Can I use a Mantis for Hide farming?

A high-level Mantis with a Chainsaw equipped can efficiently harvest corpses as a strong alternative to larger tames.

15. Are there any single-player advantages for hide farming?

The most impactful thing you can do on singleplayer to improve hide farming is adjust your resource gather multiplier in the settings to increase hide collection rates.