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How To Craft In Ark Survival Evolved

Are you constantly running from predators with nothing but a pointy rock in your hand? Then you need to learn how to create the weapons, armor, and tools necessary for survival in Ark Survival Evolved. Crafting is the key skill that transforms your experience from frantic running to confident exploration.

Crafting is how you advance from the primitive survival stage to the advanced Tek tier of the game. It is the core mechanic that allows you to unlock craftable items, create sophisticated shelters, and start equipping saddles on your powerful mounts.

This guide is for beginners and will take you through the entire crafting process step by step. We will cover everything from gathering wood to smelting metal ingots and utilizing advanced crafting stations to create the best gear for your Ark Survival.

Crafting Basics

How do you get from punching trees to building an industrial cooker? The secret lies in mastering the fundamental process of crafting. Crafting in Ark: Survival Evolved involves unlocking recipes with experience, gathering the required resources, and using your inventory or specialized crafting stations to create items. You must first learn these skills before you can hope to survive beyond the primitive early game.

The core of crafting is the system of Engrams. Engram points (EP) are gained by leveling up your character with XP through activities like killing dinosaurs and harvesting resources. Simple items are crafted directly in the inventory crafting tab, but most advanced items require a specialized crafting station like the Smithy. Mastering this flow will allow you to craft every item in the game.

Engrams and unlocking recipes

  • Engram points (EP) are gained by leveling up with XP through activities like killing dinosaurs and harvesting resources.

  • Each Engram has specific level requirements and may require prior Engrams to be learned.

  • Crafting provides players with experience points (XP), creating a positive feedback loop to gain more EP to unlock more recipes.

Handcrafting vs using stations

  • Handcrafting refers to crafting directly in your character’s inventory crafting tab. This is used for primitive items like simple tools and basic cloth armor.

  • Complex items require specific crafting stations such as the Smithy or Fabricator. You must move materials to the station’s inventory to craft.

  • You can craft items while being idle, moving, or riding a mount, but not while jumping.

Crafting Stations

Are you tired of building primitive thatch shacks? You need to upgrade your crafting stations to unlock better structures and gear. Your progression in Ark Survival is literally tied to the crafting stations you have built, as they enable the refinement of raw materials into construction-ready metal ingots.

Your journey starts with the Campfire and Cooking Pot for basic refinement and consumables, but quickly escalates. The Refining Forge is the most vital mid-game crafting station for converting raw metal into metal ingots. Eventually, you will progress to the Fabricator for firearms and the Tek Replicator for end-game items with immense power.

Campfire and Cooking Pot

  • The Campfire refines raw meat into cooked meat.

  • The Cooking Pot allows you to craft complex foods and brews for buffing your character stats.

Smithy and Fabricator

  • The Refining Forge is essential for converting raw metal into metal ingots. You must have unlocked the Refining Forge before you can craft metal ingots.

  • The Smithy requires metal ingots and other materials to craft advanced primitive weapons, armor, and the saddles needed for larger dinosaurs.

  • The Fabricator is powered by gasoline and is used to craft industrial items like firearms and advanced metal structures.

Tek Replicator (endgame)

  • The Tek Replicator is used to craft all Tek-tier equipment, including armor and sophisticated structures.

  • It requires Element as fuel to power its massive crafting speed.

  • You must have unlocked the Industrial Forge before you can unlock the Tek Replicator, as the Industrial Forge is an upgraded version of the Refining Forge for mass metal ingot production.

Essential Materials

What separates a beginner from a veteran in Ark Survival? It is the ability to acquire and process the rarest materials. While your primitive survival relies on wood, thatch, and stone from the island, true power requires refining metal and acquiring rare resources.

Every high-level item you craft will demand sophisticated materials like metal ingots, Polymer, and Crystal. You can mainly get metal by destroying rocks with a pickaxe, but converting that metal into usable metal ingots requires the Refining Forge. For end-game gear like Tek armor, you will need Element, which is often a difficult drop from bosses or found on advanced maps like Lost Island.

Common (wood, stone, fiber, thatch)

  • Players can gather raw materials such as wood, thatch, stone, fiber, and flint for crafting.

  • Stone and wood are primarily used for primitive tools and shelters.

Advanced (metal, crystal, polymer)

  • You can mainly get metal by destroying rocks with a pickaxe, a mining drill, or an Ankylosaurus.

  • Metal ingots are crafted in the Refining Forge or Industrial Forge.

  • Metal ingots are necessary for all mid-game crafting recipes.

Rare (element, black pearls)

  • Black pearls are used to craft certain items and are primarily found by killing deep-sea creatures.

  • Element is the source of Tek power and is essential for crafting advanced equipment and vehicles.

Weapons, Armor, and Tools

Ready to trade your primitive spear for a powerful assault rifle? Crafting new gear is the only way to gain the protection and power needed to fight the biggest dinosaurs on the island. Your early game tool set is simple, but it quickly evolves into sophisticated technology.

Your progression moves from the basics, like the simple pickaxe tool and easy-to-craft cloth armor, to more specialized items. Mid-game gear includes Flak armor and the Crossbow, which allows you to knock out creatures from a distance. Crafting these weapons requires metal ingots and the Smithy crafting station.

Early game tools (pick, hatchet, spear)

  • The pickaxe is the best tool for harvesting metal from rocks and converting wood to thatch.

  • Spears are great for early hunting and defense, as you can craft them in stacks.

  • Cloth armor is the first armor you will craft and provides very basic defense.

Mid-game gear (crossbow, flak armor, firearms)

  • Flak armor is durable armor that requires metal ingots to craft in the Smithy.

  • Firearms require the Fabricator to craft, along with metal ingots for ammunition.

  • Equipping saddles on strong mounts like the Argentavis is a massive advantage.

Tek tier equipment

  • The Tek Rifle is a powerful energy weapon.

  • Tek saddles are specialized saddles that give your dinos mounted weapons.

  • Tek armor allows you to jump higher, run faster, and access night vision.

Consumables

Think you only need food and water to survive? Consumables are literally the difference between a successful tame and a heartbreaking failure in your ark survival evolved experience. These items provide essential buffs or effects that directly enhance your character's stats and capabilities.

The most critical consumable you will craft is the Narcotic, which is the base material for Tranquilizer Arrows. These are necessary to knock out dinosaurs for taming. You also need to make the proper Kibble for taming creatures efficiently, as kibble is one of the best foods for maximum tame effectiveness.

Food and medical brews

  • Medical Brews instantly heal a large portion of your health.

  • Custom consumables can be created in the Cooking Pot to gain XP or other useful stats.

Narcotics and tranquilizers

  • Narcotics are crafted by combining Narcoberries and Spoiled Meat using a Mortar and Pestle.

  • Tranquilizer Arrows are crafted by combining Arrows and Narcotics in your inventory. They are essential for knocking out large creatures.

Kibble for taming

  • Kibble recipes are tiered and require different eggs and materials.

  • Crafting large batches of kibble should only be done in an Industrial Cooker for speed.

Crafting Tips

Do you want to stop wasting time and resources? Efficiency is everything when dealing with the enormous demands of Ark Survival. Mastering crafting speed and organization will save you countless hours in the long run.

The best tips for efficient crafting involve automation and quality control. Use dinosaurs like the Ankylosaurus to gain metal faster, ensuring a constant supply of metal ingots for the Refining Forge. Furthermore, always utilize blueprints whenever possible, as your crafting skill stat will provide bonuses to the quality of the final armor or saddle.

Farming resources with dinos

  • Use the Ankylosaurus to gain metal and the Castoroides to gain wood.

  • The long-run benefit of a good metal farming dino is a continuous supply of metal ingots.

Organizing stations

  • Place all your Refining Forges side by side for efficient transfer of metal and fuel.

  • Use designated storage boxes next to the appropriate crafting station.

Using blueprints for higher-quality gear

  • Blueprints are single-use recipes for items with improved stats.

  • The Crafting Skill stat allows players to craft items faster and provides bonuses to the stats of items made from blueprints.

  • Gaining XP to level up your crafting skill is the best way to improve your gear.

Conclusion

Crafting is the undeniable foundation of your entire Ark Survival Evolved journey. By learning to unlock craftable items with engram points and utilizing advanced crafting stations like the Refining Forge to produce metal ingots, you transition from a survivor to a master builder. Crafting everything from basic primitive tools to advanced Tek armor is essential for success. We hope these crafting tips will help you expertly craft the essential saddles, weapons, and gear you need to gain mastery over the Ark world.