In Ark: Ascended Survival, Caves are among the most dangerous places, so it’s crucial to understand how to survive them. In a way, caves Ark They’re like mini dungeons, full of worthy adversaries who have no problem dominating players, especially new ones. This is doubly true, since many creatures domesticated in Ark they are too large to enter caves unless brought in with a cryopod. Even so, some Ascendedthe best creatures would probably be too large to maneuver easily in many of these tight spaces.
The difficulty of the cave can also depend greatly on the map. On the Island, many caves are full of vanilla Ark creatures that, with some experience, become easier to handle, but still require adequate preparation. Whereas later DLC maps have caves that play by their rules with new mechanics and creatures. Additionally, caves are divided into those that reward artifacts and those that only reward resources.
How to Explore Caves in the Ark
Experience trumps everything
There are two main ways to explore caves in Ark which depend on the player’s experience level. For new survivors, this means taking things slow and checking every corner of the cave. Many cave dwellers, especially insects, hide in walls or ceilings waiting for unexpected prey. One creature to especially watch out for is Megalania. These large prehistoric reptiles will cling to the ceiling and wait for players to come within range, and while their impact damage is nothing spectacular, the Rage debuff they give will quickly drain health and stamina.
Experienced players who know where to look and what to take have much more freedom when exploring caves. Pace becomes a personal preference based on how quickly someone is able to kill or avoid creatures. With the right equipment or dinosaurs, it’s also possible to sneak through the caves and retrieve the Artifact with minimal interaction. However, it will never hurt to be prepared for any fight or eliminate any annoying threats beforehand.
The best gear to take to Ark Caverns
Preparation at its best
For best results, it would be ideal to wait at least until Flak Armor before exploring the caves. This will give greater resistance to attacks and can be acquired relatively early in the game for those who know where to find metal. For weapons, a Sword or Pike will be the best option, as clubs and spears will be less effective weapons against the larger cave opponents. A Longneck rifle or better would be ideal to help kill things from a distance, but a high-tier bow could also do the trick..
For any underwater cave, diving equipment will be mandatoryas there will rarely be a chance to replenish the air naturally. These caves would also benefit from a Harpoon Gun, one of the Ark: Ascended Survivalthe darkest engrams of, to help you stay safe. Normal melee weapons can work here, but they’re not as ideal against many aquatic enemies.
Any gear level above the recommended level makes caves even easier. The moment players start to have modern equipment or even Tek level, individual strength will have grown tenfold. For movement, climbing hooks and pickaxes can be of great help, especially in later DLC maps. It also becomes easier to fight and traverse caves when players have the means to tame them.
The best dinosaurs to take to Ark Caves
Cave Exploration Partners
Fortunately, there is no end of options for wonderful animals to take to the caves. Two great recommendations and some of the most underused domestications in Ark: Ascended Survivalare Megalania and Megatherium. Even though Megalania can be dangerous, a tamed region allows players to easily scale any cave surface and avoid fights if desired. About that, the Megatherium is the best bug killer, having a passive damage boost for them and another large temporary bonus when it kills a bug.
Some options are also map dependent, a perfect example of this being the versatile Baryonyx for The Island. However, other maps benefit more from the newer creatures made for themlike Rock Drake or Reapers in Aberration. The size of the cave also plays an important role in this as it can limit the size of the dinosaur it can accommodate, which is why small and medium sizes are better options.
A final option, albeit locked behind the Bob’s Great Tales DLC and limited spawns, it’s Aberrationthe best new mechanic in the game, the Cosmo Spider. This pet arachnid collects cobwebs and you can then use them as an organic hook. This frees up a spot on the player’s hotbar and can also serve as a pseudo weapon to slow down any approaching enemies.
Overall, although caves may seem daunting at first, they get easier with time and preparation. Some late-game caves are intended to be challenging, but can still be simplified. In addition to bosses, conquering caves can be one of the most rewarding progression points in the game. Ark: Ascended Survivalproving that a player’s efforts are being rewarded.