Unlocking the Level Cap: A Comprehensive Guide to Dino Levels in Ark: Survival Evolved
The question of what the level cap is for creatures in Ark: Survival Evolved is surprisingly complex, as it’s influenced by several factors. In essence, the maximum level a wild creature can spawn at is typically 150 for standard creatures and 180 for Tek creatures on official servers, before taming. However, this is only the beginning of the level story in Ark. Post-taming, creatures can gain a substantial number of levels, and the ultimate level cap can be significantly higher, influenced by settings, boss fights, and other unique elements of the game.
Understanding Wild Dino Levels Before Taming
Base Wild Levels
As mentioned, the most commonly seen maximum wild creature levels are 150 for standard dinos and 180 for Tek dinos. These are the highest levels you’ll encounter roaming the map before interacting with them. These levels are determined by the server’s difficulty settings. For official servers the standard difficulty is usually set to level 5, which is the default level that the wild dinos spawn at.
The Exception: Dinopithecus
It’s crucial to note the exception to the rule: the Dinopithecus has a hard-cap of 500 before taming. This makes them a significant challenge to encounter and tame, reflecting their unique power.
The Post-Taming Level Journey
Taming Effectiveness and Bonus Levels
Once a creature is successfully tamed, its level doesn’t remain static. The taming effectiveness plays a vital role. A perfect tame will result in bonus levels, usually around half of the creature’s wild level, which boosts the creature immediately. Post taming, wild dinos can reach levels of 224 for standard dinos and 269 for tek dinos. These levels are generally determined by how high their wild levels were before taming.
Leveling Up After Taming
Beyond the initial taming bonus, creatures can gain additional levels through experience. Creatures can gain 88 levels after taming by leveling up, further increasing their power and stats. This means a tamed level 150 creature, after a perfect tame and leveling to max will reach levels significantly above the wild cap.
Reaching Higher Levels: Difficulty Overrides and Server Settings
Difficulty Overrides
For players wanting to push the boundaries, server owners can use difficulty overrides. This feature allows you to modify the maximum level of wild creatures spawning on the map. The override command is “OverrideOfficialDifficulty=x.x“, where “x.x” represents a numerical value.
How to Calculate Maximum Level
The OverrideOfficialDifficulty value should be your desired maximum level divided by 30. For instance, to achieve a maximum wild dino level of 300, the override value should be set to 10 (300 / 30 = 10). You can override the difficulty above the standard 4.0, using “?OverrideOfficialDifficulty=5.0” or any value you wish. This allows for much higher level spawns. The game will attempt to reach this value, therefore some levels will be lower.
The Impact of Difficulty on Loot and Dino Levels
Difficulty not only impacts creature levels but also influences the quality range of loot drops. Higher difficulty settings will increase the likelihood of finding high quality gear as well as stronger creatures. So it’s a good idea to increase the difficulty as you get higher in level.
The Absolute Level Cap: Official vs. Unofficial Servers
The Official Server Cap
On official servers, the absolute maximum level a creature can reach is 450. This limit accounts for wild levels, taming bonuses, and post-taming experience leveling. This cap means your creatures cannot exceed 450, regardless of overrides or experience.
Unofficial Servers and Increased Caps
Unofficial servers have greater flexibility. Through the use of server settings and difficulty overrides, players can achieve level caps far beyond the official limit, leading to creatures with much more powerful stats. This can go as high as is manageable for the server being used, but usually it is not higher than 600.
FAQs About Creature Levels in Ark: Survival Evolved
1. What is the maximum level for wild creatures on official servers?
The maximum level for wild creatures on official servers is 150 for standard creatures and 180 for Tek creatures. Dinopithecus have a special exception and can be found with a wild level of 500.
2. How many levels can a creature gain after taming?
Creatures can gain a maximum of 88 levels after taming, through experience leveling.
3. How can I get creatures to spawn at higher levels?
You can get higher level creatures by increasing the server difficulty settings using the OverrideOfficialDifficulty command.
4. Can Alpha creatures be tamed?
No, Alpha creatures such as Alpha Rexes, Alpha Raptors, and Alpha Carnos are not tameable.
5. Do Explorer Notes increase creature levels?
No, Explorer Notes increase player levels, not creature levels.
6. Can you increase creature level cap in single player?
Yes, you can use the OverrideOfficialDifficulty command in single-player mode to increase creature level caps.
7. How do I use the OverrideOfficialDifficulty command?
Add the command “?OverrideOfficialDifficulty=x.x” to your command line or server configuration file. Replace x.x with the desired value.
8. What does increasing difficulty do to loot drops?
Increasing difficulty also increases the quality range of loot drops, leading to higher-tier gear.
9. How can I tell if a dino is a Tek variant?
Tek variants are metallic looking and are more powerful than standard counterparts. They also tend to spawn with a slightly higher wild level cap.
10. What is the maximum level achievable by a player?
As of December 2022, the maximum player level is 205. This comes from base levels, boss fights, explorer notes, and leveling a Chibi pet.
11. How do you get Mjolnir in Ark?
Mjolnir is obtained by defeating Alpha Fenrir. You need to use Alpha Trophies to create a portal to the Fenrir fight.
12. Can you bring Wyverns to boss fights?
Yes, Wyverns can be used in boss fights and are often used as a good alternative to Rexes.
13. What does it mean when I see a glowing raptor?
A glowing orange cloud around a raptor means that it ate recently and can be passively tamed.
14. Can you tame a wild Alpha Rex?
No, wild Alpha Rexes cannot be tamed. You can only get them by force-taming using admin commands, but cannot be tamed through traditional means.
15. Can you use admin commands to ascend?
Yes, most ascensions are possible through admin commands even on maps that don’t support ascension through normal means, like Ragnarok.
Conclusion
Understanding creature levels in Ark: Survival Evolved is vital for success. Whether you are playing on official servers or custom servers, it’s important to know how wild levels, taming effectiveness, leveling, and difficulty settings all contribute to the overall level cap. With the right knowledge and strategy, you can breed and train a formidable army of creatures to help you dominate the Ark.