Crafting and placing defenses in ARK: Survival Evolved is crucial for protecting your base and resources from hostile creatures and enemy players. Here’s a guide to help you craft and strategically place defenses:
1. Crafting Defenses: To craft defenses, you’ll need to gather the necessary resources and use the appropriate crafting stations. Here are some common defenses and their crafting requirements:
- Spike Walls: Crafted in the Smithy or Fabricator using metal ingots and wood.
- Plant Species X: Grown in large crop plots using Plant Species X Seeds, which can be obtained from the Swamp biome or other players.
- Auto Turrets and Heavy Auto Turrets: Crafted in the Fabricator using metal ingots, electronics, polymer, and cementing paste.
- Ballista Turrets: Crafted in the Smithy or Fabricator using metal ingots, wood, hide, and fiber.
- Bear Traps and Tripwire Alarms: Crafted in the Smithy using metal ingots, wood, and fiber.
- Electric Generators and Cables: Crafted in the Fabricator using metal ingots, electronics, and polymer.
Explore the Engrams menu to unlock the necessary blueprints for crafting defenses.
2. Placing Defenses: Strategic placement of defenses is crucial for maximizing their effectiveness. Consider the following tips:
- Cover Vulnerable Areas: Identify vulnerable points in your base, such as entrances, chokepoints, or areas with valuable resources, and place defenses accordingly.
- Line of Sight: Position your defenses in a way that provides a clear line of sight to potential threats. Remove obstacles or structures that may obstruct their field of view.
- Overlapping Coverage: Arrange your defenses in a way that ensures overlapping coverage, creating a network of protection. This prevents enemies from bypassing or disabling individual defenses easily.
- Elevated Positions: Place defenses on elevated platforms or structures to gain a better vantage point and increase their range and visibility.
- Diverse Defense Types: Use a combination of different defenses to create layers of protection. For example, complement turrets with spike walls or Plant Species X to deter and slow down attackers.
- Dino Gate Defense: Position large Dino Gates strategically to control access points and create a fortified entrance. Combine them with turrets or spike walls for added security.
- Hidden Defenses: Consider placing hidden or camouflaged defenses, such as Plant Species X behind rocks or turrets inside foliage, to surprise and confuse attackers.
3. Powering Defenses: Some defenses, such as Auto Turrets and Electric Generators, require power to function. Here’s what you need to know:
- Electricity Generation: Craft and place Electric Generators near your defenses. Connect them to the defenses using electrical cables.
- Cable Placement: Plan your cable routes efficiently to connect multiple defenses without excessive cable length. Use electrical junction boxes to create organized cable connections.
- Fuel Consumption: Electric Generators require fuel to generate electricity. Stock up on gasoline or craft and use a Tek Generator for an unlimited power source.
4. Maintenance and Upkeep: Regular maintenance is necessary to ensure your defenses remain effective. Consider the following:
- Ammunition and Fuel: Keep your defenses stocked with the necessary ammunition, such as bullets for turrets, and fuel for generators. Regularly check and refill their inventory.
- Repair and Replacement: Monitor the durability of your defenses. Repair or replace damaged or destroyed defenses promptly to maintain a strong defense system.
Crafting and placing defenses requires strategic thinking and adaptation to the specific needs of your base. Experiment with different combinations, observe the behavior of attackers, and make adjustments as necessary to create a formidabledefense system in ARK: Survival Evolved. Regularly evaluate and upgrade your defenses to stay one step ahead of potential threats and protect your base effectively. Good luck!
