The Ultimate Guide to Rifle Damage in Ark: Survival Evolved
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
The question of which rifle does the most damage in Ark: Survival Evolved is a common one, and the answer isn’t always straightforward. While base damage numbers provide a starting point, several factors, such as damage multipliers, creature resistances, and headshots, heavily influence the actual damage output you’ll see in-game. However, when considering pure damage potential, the Tek Rifle stands out as a heavy hitter.
While the Longneck Rifle is often hailed for its ease of use and availability, the Tek Rifle is arguably the rifle that achieves the highest damage potential. The Tek Rifle stands out as a formidable weapon capable of dealing significant damage to various targets, including structures, and is further boosted by having explosive damage potential, it’s only competitor being the Rocket Launcher. Unlike other firearms, the Tek Rifle does not use conventional ammunition but rather its own resource, Element, making it a more late-game weapon.
The Longneck Rifle: A Solid Starting Point
The Longneck Rifle is frequently recommended for beginners due to its ease of acquisition and cost-effectiveness. It has a base damage of 280, but keep in mind that most creatures in the game take only 70% damage from firearms, reducing the effective damage to 196 against non-human targets. Despite this reduction, the Longneck Rifle remains a reliable and effective option for early-to-mid-game encounters, particularly for taming creatures with tranq darts due to their efficiency at inflicting torpor.
Advantages of the Longneck Rifle:
- Easy to Craft: Requires relatively simple materials, making it accessible early in the game.
- Cost-Effective Ammo: The ammunition is cheap and easy to craft, so you can afford to use it often.
- Good Range: Enables you to engage targets at a safe distance.
- Versatile: Works with both regular bullets and tranquilizer darts, providing flexibility.
Limitations of the Longneck Rifle:
- Lower Damage Output: Compared to some of the higher-tier weapons, the Longneck Rifle does have a lower damage ceiling.
- Reduced Damage Against Creatures: The 70% damage reduction is a significant factor against most creatures.
- Cannot Be Used Underwater: Meaning it cannot be used for taming certain aquatic creatures like the Plesiosaurus or Mosasaurus.
The Tek Rifle: Unleashing Devastating Power
The Tek Rifle is a late-game weapon that utilizes Element as ammunition. It’s important to note that the maximum damage potential of most weapons is capped at 755.3%, while Tek weapons are capped at 296.6%. Although the Tek Rifle’s damage cap is lower than regular weapons, it’s high base damage paired with its explosive damage potential, makes it incredibly effective against both creatures and structures. It also deals explosive damage that makes it capable of damaging both stone and metal structures, except auto turrets.
Advantages of the Tek Rifle:
- High Base Damage: The Tek Rifle boasts the highest base damage amongst all rifles, making it the most lethal rifle by far.
- Explosive Damage: The explosive damage bypasses some defenses and deals area-of-effect damage.
- Penetrates Structures: Can effectively damage both stone and metal structures (excluding turrets).
- No Conventional Ammo: Utilizes Element, which is a high-tier resource but can be farmed, therefore never having to worry about crafting regular bullets.
Limitations of the Tek Rifle:
- Element Ammunition: Requires Element, a high-end resource, as ammunition.
- Late-Game Acquisition: Only accessible in the late game or via console commands, making it difficult for beginners to obtain.
- Cannot Be Used in Boss Arenas: Like all Tek technologies, it’s restricted from use in boss fights.
- Lower Damage Cap: Has a lower damage cap of 296.6% compared to other weapons.
Other Rifles and Their Role
While the Longneck Rifle and Tek Rifle are prominent, other rifles in Ark have specific uses:
-
Fabricated Sniper Rifle: This rifle shares the same base damage and 70 durability as the Longneck Rifle, but it’s generally considered inferior due to higher resource cost and no significant advantage.
-
Assault Rifle: Despite using fabricated materials, the Assault Rifle is not as effective against dinosaurs as other alternatives.
Damage Calculation Considerations
It’s important to remember that damage in Ark isn’t simply a product of the weapon’s base damage. Several factors come into play:
- Damage Multipliers: Various buffs and debuffs can temporarily increase or decrease your damage output.
- Headshots: Many creatures have head hitboxes, which triple the damage and torpor.
- Creature Resistances: Different creatures have different levels of resistance to certain types of damage. Most creatures take only 70% damage from firearms.
- Melee Damage Stat: Player melee damage stat increases their damage modifier by 5% per point, which applies to ranged weapons too.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the best weapon for knocking out dinosaurs in Ark?
The best weapons for knocking out dinosaurs are those that inflict torpor, such as tranq arrows, tranq darts, Pulmonoscorpius, or even your fists for very low-level creatures.
2. Is the Assault Rifle good against Dinos?
No, the Assault Rifle, simple pistol, and regular shotgun are generally weak against dinosaurs and are not optimal for taming or combat purposes.
3. What is the maximum damage percentage for weapons in Ark?
Most weapons have a damage cap of 755.3%, while Tek weapons have a lower cap of 296.6%.
4. Does a flare gun do damage in Ark?
No, a flare gun does not do any damage. It is primarily used for signaling and providing light.
5. What is the best armor in Ark?
The best armor sets in Ark include Tek Armor, Riot Gear, SCUBA Armor, Flak Armor, Hazard Suit, Chitin Gear, and Ghillie Gear.
6. What does the AR in AR-15 stand for?
The “AR” in “AR-15” stands for ArmaLite Rifle, the company that developed it. It does not stand for “assault rifle” or “automatic rifle.”
7. What is the best carry animal in Ark?
The Argentavis is one of the best carry animals in Ark due to its health, stamina, and ability to carry smaller creatures.
8. What are the toughest dinos in Ark?
Without considering bosses, the toughest creatures are wild Gigantosaurus, wild Titanosaur, Reaper Queen, Alpha Mosa, Alpha Tusoteuthis, Lightning Wyvern, and Reaper King.
9. Are there headshots in Ark?
Yes, headshots are a crucial mechanic in Ark. They deal significantly more damage and torpor, usually three times more than a regular shot, against the creatures with head hitboxes.
10. What is the strongest melee dino in Ark?
The Rex is among the most powerful melee dinosaurs in Ark, boasting high health and melee attack stats.
11. Can a Tek Rifle damage stone and metal structures?
Yes, the Tek Rifle can damage stone and metal structures, except for auto turrets, due to its explosive damage.
12. What rifle does the US military use?
The US military uses the M16, which is a military-grade variant of the AR-15.
13. What size ammo does an AK-47 use?
The AK-47 uses 7.62 x 39mm rounds, which are different from the 7.62 x 51mm NATO rounds.
14. What is the maximum armor rating achievable in Ark?
The maximum armor rating achievable varies by set with Tek Armor having the highest potential, followed by Riot Armor.
15. How does melee damage increase damage of rifles?
Each point invested in the player’s melee damage stat increases the damage modifier by 5%, which is applied to ranged weapons, such as rifles, as well.
Conclusion
The Tek Rifle offers the highest damage potential among rifles in Ark: Survival Evolved, excelling in both creature combat and structure destruction, although it comes at the cost of requiring high-end resources and late-game accessibility. The Longneck Rifle remains an excellent all-rounder for early-to-mid game, while other rifles like the Assault Rifle and Fabricated Sniper Rifle have niche uses, but are not as useful as the Tek Rifle or the Longneck Rifle. Understanding the nuances of damage calculation, including damage multipliers, headshots, and creature resistances, will empower you to choose the most appropriate weapon for each situation.