One of the key elements that sets ARK: Survival Ascended apart from other survival games is its huge catalog of creatures. While this growing list of animals mainly consists of dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts, some maps bring mythological creatures to the roster, too.
Prior to ARK: Survival Ascended’s launch, community members were given opportunities to submit and vote for new creatures that would later be added to the game with each DLC. Fans battled it out through votes, until ultimately six creatures were crowned the winners. While some of the official creature abilities are still yet to be announced, the community has access to their original concepts, which detail interesting mechanics.
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1 Rhyniognatha
The Island’s Newest Insectile Horror
- Located in the Swamp Biome
- Resin-based projectile abilities
The Rhyniognatha is ARK: Survival Ascended’s latest creature, added as part of The Island’s inhabitants. Located primarily in the Swamp Biome, the Rhyniognatha is a gargantuan insect with an extremely aggressive temperament. The invertebrate can be a nuisance to fight thanks to its arsenal of resin-based projectiles that make it a long-range threat, allowing it to rain fire down on its helpless victims. Additionally, the Rhyniognatha has a unique taming method, like The Reaper King and Queen.
To obtain the helicopter-sized dragonfly, players first need to slay one. Once defeated, the dead Rhyno will drop a special Rhyniognatha Pheromone. Players will then need to decide on a large mount to sacrifice, and make it eat the pheromone. After this, players should locate a female Rhyniognatha and battle the creature, dropping its health to under 10%. Once the female Rhynio drops below 10%, it will begin a special animation, injecting her egg into the sacrificial dinosaur. Once impregnated, the tamed dinosaur will house the growing Rhynio until it eventually bursts out.
2 Fasolasuchus
A Sand-Crocodile Releasing Alongside Scorched Earth
- Located in the Sand Dunes
- Shreds high-armored opponents
The Fasolasuchus is a quadrupedal terror with the unique ability to swim through sand, much like the Deathworm. Armed with a strong tail that can whip up sand to blind opponents, the Fasolasuchus will likely be an important PvP creature. Additionally, the crocodile has acid glands in its mouth, enabling the Fasolasuchus to shred armored opponents with a caustic bite. This ability to melt the defenses of high-armored foes makes the Fasolasuchus fantastic at defeating otherwise impenetrable targets, such as the Rock Golemn.
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Due to its thick hide, the Fasolasuchus is immune to narcotics, meaning the classic tranquilizer method will be ineffective. Instead, players will need to hurl explosives at the Fasolasuchus to daze it, then quickly clamber aboard the creature and steer it into a rock. As if the caustic bite and tough hide weren’t enough to worry about, Fasolasuchus can also create sandy whirlpools that trap anything caught in the middle. Once locked in the sandy death-trap, victims become easy targets for the Fasolasuchus to defeat. Depending on which creatures can be trapped in the whirlpool, the Fasolasuchus has great potential to become a PvP menace against slower, larger dinosaurs.
3 Shastasaurus
An Exciting Ocean Creature For The Center
- Located in the Ocean Biome
- Has a unique submarine saddle
Shastasaurus was announced as the winner of The Center’s Community Creature Vote in August 2023. ARK: Survival Ascended's oceans are in desperate need of a new addition, so many were thrilled to see Shastasaurus win. The sea-creature’s appearance was pitched as a cross between a humpback whale and a blue whale, making it a colossal-sized dino. The Shastasaurus has been teased to have a curious temperament much like the Ichthyosaurus, allowing players to passively tame it. To tame a Shasta, players must swim close to the creature and use a special tool to scrape pesky barnacles off the whale’s side. Once enough barnacles are scrapped off, the Shatasaurus will become a loyal companion.
The core mechanic of the Shastasaurus that earned the creature so many votes during the Community Creature Vote was its saddle. The concept introduced a unique idea that would enable the whale to function like a submarine. When equipped with the unique saddle, players are effectively able to build a mobile, underwater base that can even house tamed dinosaurs. While information on how big the submarine is and how much the Shastasaurus can carry is yet to be announced, this unique submarine saddle is already a fan favorite.
4 Gigantoraptor
A Huge Territorial Omnivore Available With Ragnarok
- Adopts orphaned wild baby dinosaurs
- Functions as an effective travel mount
The Gigantoraptor won the fifth Community Creature Vote, and will be introduced alongside the launch of Ragnarok. A nurturing dinosaur with strong parental instincts, the Gigantoraptor has a quirky ability that enables it to adopt and protect dinosaur babies, including those outside its own species. Like the Therizinosaur, the Gigantoraptor is passive unless the player gets too close to it, its nest, or its young. On release, the Gigantoraptor will be the only dinosaur that can interact positively with wild dinosaur babies.
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Ostrich-like in appearance, the Gigantoraptor will be surprisingly fast for its large size, making it a great travel mount. Armed with sharp claws and strong legs, the Gigantoraptor will be a fierce fighter, especially when defending young creatures. While adult Gigantoraptors cannot be tamed, brave players can obtain one by sneaking into the creature's nest and earning the trust of their young. Depending on the base damage and health stats of the Gigantoraptor, it may become one of the best mounts to bring into the Ragnarok Boss Arena, taking less damage from The Dragon than its carnivorous cousins.
5 Yi Ling
Raptor-Like Dinosaur Debuts With Aberration
- Easily scales the steep cliffs of Aberration
- Unique diet provides different buffs
One of the most controversial winners of the Community Creature Vote, the Yi Ling received a less-than-impressed reaction from fans. Many questioned how it managed to win over the other concepts. Unfortunately, the Yi Ling shares many abilities with the existing Rock Drake, with some fans speculating that the creature will fall off in the later stages of the game. Still, the Yi Ling earned its place among ARK: Survival Ascended’s new roster of dinosaurs and will be released alongside the debut of Aberration.
Able to cling to walls and glide short distances, the Yi Ling is a miniature version of the Rock Drake in a much more raptor-like format. The Yi Ling can launch feathery projectiles at enemies, inflicting damage. Adapting to the Aberration Ark’s hostile climate, the Yi Ling has a strange diet, having developed a taste for Congealed Gas Balls and Nameless. In the creature’s Dossier, it is said that this unique diet may alter the creature’s fighting skills, teasing a new mechanic. The Yi Ling will be a great mount for the mid-stages of PvE on Aberration, allowing players to traverse the environment with greater ease.
6 Dreadnoughtus
A Ginormous Sauropod Perfect For Extinction
- Functions as a Titan-killing machine
- Platform saddle can house heavy artillery
The Dreadnoughtus will be a gargantuan sauropod capable of taking on Extinction’s Titans. The creature’s dossier says that the Dreadnoughtus was so large that it had nothing to fear. Primarily a PvP unit, the Dreadnoughtus will be able to carry heavy artillery on a platform saddle, much like the Brontosaurus. The Dreadnoughtus can even swallow boulders and cannonballs, coat the ammunition with acid, then hurl them back up for players to use.
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While the existing sauropods in ARK: Survival Ascended are passive creatures, the Dreadnoughtus is extremely territorial, though its dossier states it will not target anything smaller than a Spinosaur. The giant dino’s primary ability is to absorb incoming damage, charging up a special roar that disrupts element. Battles between the Titans ruling the Extinction Ark and the new Dreadnoughtus are sure to be legendary.
Ark: Survival Ascended
- Released
- October 26, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Studio Wildcard
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Open-World
