Being stuck on an island full of dangerous and hungry dinosaurs in Ark: Survival Evolved is never ideal, especially when you’re alone. Luckily, if you’re brave and smart enough, you’ll be able to tame yourself your own personal prehistoric best friends, and live out your Jurassic Park fantasies. But in order to beat the game, escape the island, and get those sweet credits with music by the amazing band Nerdout, you need only the best Dinos to traverse the land to find the keys for your escape. With that said, I’m Chas Conway, and these are the Top 10 Land Mounts in Ark: Survival Evolved
10) Carbonemys
Image
Starting off our list is possibly one of your earlier tames of this game; the Carbonemys. This big old turtle is all over the beach areas that are near common starting areas. These passive herbivores are slow, and easy to either kill or knockout for taming, but once they’re yours, they have such great qualities for new players to use to make their survival a bit easier:
1) They’re walking damage soakers, so, if you level them up enough, don’t be afraid to send them into battle. They can take the hits you might be scared to
2) They can swim just as well as they walk on land, so feel free to take a dip with your new turtle to find some underwater treasure
Carbonemys Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Carbonemys
Video of how to tame Carbonemys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlzmuFaeV0E
9) Parasaur
Image
Another early game tame, the Parasaur is a pretty easy tame if they don’t outrun you first. They’re pretty skittish, and won’t fight back if you try and knock them out, but will bolt once the first strike is made. If you decide to trap them, or manage to keep up and knock them out, these lound honkers are pretty useful once they’re yours for the taking:
1) They’re disposable minions, if you don’t get attached to them. Get enough Parasaurs, send them at the enemy, and they’ll hold aggro enough for you to sneak up on the enemy
2) They’re great berry collectors
3) Parasaurs are living alarm systems, and will honk loudly if there’s an enemy close enough to you or your camp
Parasaur Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Parasaur
Video of how to tame a Parasaur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRRORr6dKTs
8) Beelzebufo
Image
Next is our own personal amphibious cousin to Gene Simmons. The Beelzebufo lives in the swamp areas, and won’t attack players unless provoked, so you don’t have to worry about getting that sticky tongue around your neck right off the bat. Best way to tame these guys isn’t an upfront attack, but hitting them from high enough to where they can’t reach you, considering they can jump pretty fast and far, keeping up with any player thinking they can outrun an expert leaper. And once these toads are yours, here’s everything they can do for you;
1) High jumping power, so you’ll be able to reach far and high up areas
2) Amphibious, so it’s just as good in water than on land, if not better
3)Leeches avoid them, which is one less headache to worry about when running around in a swamp
4)Powerful tongue attack (never thought I’d write those words in my entire life), which can inflict Torpor damage, which can possibly knock enemies out! It even has great range when dealing with foes that are a bit away, and even those pesky flying creatures that try and kill you by hovering just above your head. Just a quick aim, and letting lose that lasso rope of a toad tongue, and we have an enemy down.
Beelzebufo Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Beelzebufo
Video of how to tame Beelzebufo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJUfGC7oeho
7) Ankylosaurus
Image
One of the more well known dinos on our list is the living tank; the Ankylosaurus. They are durable enough to take tremendous amounts of damage, and are able to dish it back out with their sledgehammer of a tail. When trying to tame them, the best way is to use your speed and Naruto run around them, considering they aren’t the fastest dinos on the island. Now that this walking armored dino is yours, here’s everything it can do for you:
1)It’s a literal tank, can take damage like a champ and dish it back out with its tail attack
2)This thing can help gather items, mostly the heavier things like stone, metal, even crystals, using its tail attack to smash and gather materials in seconds that would normally take players a couple minutes.
3)Since the Ankylo is a heavy dino, it can carry quite a bit of weight, so don’t be afraid to use it as your personal pack mule for heavy items that usually drag you down
Ankylosaurus Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Ankylosaurus
Video of how to tame Ankylosaurus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3yOiyYe2RI
6) Baryonyx
Image
These relatives and unholy fusions of crocodiles and the fearsome Spinosaurus are all over beaches and swamps, looking for stragglers to take out and make a meal of, so be prepared when this thing catches you in its sights. It’s just as dangerous in water as it is on land, as it’s not only a fast swimmer, but it has a dazing tail attack which it likes to spam, creating the danger of drowning as well as being this things snack. Best option, in my opinion, is to make a stand on land and trap it, even using bolas to keep it from moving while you knock it out from a distance. Once it’s unconscious, it’s worth noting that this dino is a piscivore, not a standard carnivore, meaning it will only begin to be tamed if you feed it fish, not your standard meat.
1)But once it’s yours, here’s everything this scaly Michael Phelps is able to provide:
2)t’s a great swimmer, so be prepared to zip through the water with ease. And it never runs out of oxygen, so there’s no worry of it drowning on you.
3)It’s a standard starting mount, meaning the difficulty is not that high for starting levels
4)It can even follow you into most caves further down the line, when you’re at higher levels and are attempting to solve the puzzles to leave the Island
5)It’s tail attack can stun a great majority of dinos released, and is even instrumental in taking on the task of helping tame the whale dinosaur, Basilosaurus, when you’re at a high enough level
Baryonyx Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Baryonyx
Video of how to tame Baryonyx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdWbW3VLA9g
5) Raptor
Image
One of the most famous dinosaurs on our list, the Raptor, (technically a Utahraptor, and not a Velociraptor as the Jurassic Park franchise would like modern audiences to believe) the Raptor is the bane and ultimate prize of many beginning players. These things are never alone, always hunting in packs, and always seem to ambush new players when they least expect it. Fast and dangerous, having one will make any player ecstatic, but a whole pack of them? You’d feel like your own personal Chris Pratt, running around with these things sprinting beside you. The trick is getting a Raptor before one, or its whole crew, decide to tear you apart. Best ways is to either use bolas to keep them in place while you knock them out, kill all but one to knock out and make your own, or set your own personal trap, lure a whole pack of them in, and send down a volley of tranq arrows. The point is, always have a plan when dealing with any number of Raptors. And once a Raptor is yours, here’s everything this clever girl can give players once she’s yours:
1) Insanely fast, can be your own personal Usain Bolt as they sprint around places in record speed
2) They can immobilize smaller enemies, even other players, with a pounce like attack, dealing damage while your target can’t do anything but suffer (cue evil laugh)
3) It’s got pack tactics, meaning having more Raptors running alongside you gives them added damage and buffs. Besides, who doesn’t want a pack of Raptors?
Raptor Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Raptor
Video of how to Tame a Raptor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYlRvlF8wek
4) Equus
Image
One of the less extravagant dinos on our list, the Equus seems to be your standard prehistoric horse. And like all horses, there’s tricks to making sure it’s a companion for life. Firstly, these guys will bolt if anyone gets too close, so wearing a set of Ghillie armor will camouflage you enough to get in close. Then, giving it some of its preferred berry foods will let it lower its guard enough for you to jump up and mount it. Now, no one likes being suddenly piggybacked, so it will buck and freak out, attempting to knock you off, and if it does, it will run away. Best way to tame it is to trap it somehow, either with a bola or placing some sort of fencing/boundary around it, then feed it and mount it. Rinse and repeat until it's yours. Once it is, you’re able to ride around on it without a saddle, but once you give it a saddle, the Equus becomes your own personal walking smithy, and you’re able to craft items on the go!
The Equus is fast! One of the fastest early mounts of the game!
As stated before, its saddle is a portable smithy, so you can craft items anywhere!
Equus Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Equus
Video of how to Tame an Equus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e23otn6Jr2M
3)Dire Bear
Image
Remember that saying “Don’t mess with Mama Bear”? That applies to our next entry, the Dire Bear. These dangerous, yet cuddly creatures, are found in the forested areas of the Island, mostly the redwood area or the colder, wooded regions. These guys are territorial, and will attack players if they don’t respect their personal bubble, but they’re slower than the average bear, so you’d be able to keep your distance if you’re fast enough. Taming them takes the good old knockout method, and, once they’re down, you can feed these omnivores any kind of food to start the taming. When these deadly, yet fluffy, beings are yours, here’s everything to look forward to that they can provide:
They’re great at gathering fiber, and even can collect berries, hide, and chitin
If you need honey, but can’t get close enough to a beehive without getting stung, the Dire Bears are able to naturally collect honey from the hive without triggering any bee attacks. Your allergies will thank us later.
Never get into a fist fight with these guys, their claws deal tons of damage.
Despite being on the heavy side, the Dire Bears can travel long distances while using very little stamina, and can take quite a bit of carry weight
Dire Bear Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Dire_Bear
Video of how to Tame a Dire Bear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyEZm7DGw9E
2) Carnotaurus
Image
Next on our list is the very villain from Disney’s Dinosaur; the Carnotaurus. These dinos are the scaly equivalent to a pissed off bull seeing red. They deal tons of damage with their jaws and horned head, and always look for a fight, so watch out if you managed to catch one, because chances are they see you too. Not only that, but they sometimes travel in packs, like angry dogs, so you may have to deal with more than one. Best way to tame one of these angry lizards is to get enough distance away from them, or even take them on from higher up where it can’t reach you. Once this rage machine is yours, here’s everything that it can contribute to your survival;
This thing deals so much damage, it is a one man army if high enough level. It could even possibly take on a Rex in a fight!
It’s also quite fast, going fast and far using very little stamina
Great guard dogs! Smaller creatures and other enemy players will think twice if they see a Carno watching over your house.
Leeches are a huge headache when playing the game in swamp areas, but they can’t seem to latch onto the Carnotaurus that easy due to its horned head being too far from the base of its legs, giving you a chance to wipe away those annoying blood suckers
Carnotaurus Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Carnotaurus
Video of how to Tame a Carnotaurus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DwW5OSCtIc
1) Triceratops
Image
At the top of our list is probably the most well known dinosaur aside from the T-Rex; the Triceratops. These dinos are like walking bulldozers, able to deal loads of damage with their spearlike horns, and are able to run you down when you piss them off. The Triceratops, or Trikes as known in the game, are able to use a charging ability that not only buffs their damage, but forces them to go faster towards their target. They also have a knockback ability, pushing targets a considerable distance, making them dangerous if you’re cornered against a wall or on the edge of a cliff. Once you knock them out, feed these bulls some berries and boom, a living demolition team is yours.
They’re great at gathering berries using its basic attacks, if you run low on food
Can travel quite a distance using low stamina, despite not being quite the sprinter
Great in combat! Can deal loads of damage, and can even take damage from enemy dinos and other players like a champion! A must dino when fighting multiple enemies or a big bad.
An easier dino to tame in your earlier days of playing, and, if you have a pair of them guarding your house, will keep you safe from invading carnivores like Raptors, or even Carnotaurus’ while taking little damage!
Triceratops Full Details: https://ark.gamepedia.com/Triceratops
Video of how to Tame a Triceratops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzUl7h8b0Zo
And that’s our list. Did your favorite dinosaur make it on the list? Do you think there are other better dinos I should have included? Please let us know, and, until then, I’m Chas Conway, and I’ll see you on the Ark.
Coming out of the womb knowing whats WASD is, I have spent my entire life tackling man's greates challenge; to become the ultimate gamer... and hopefully get paid for it
Gamer Since:
2000
Favorite Genre:
RPG
Currently Playing:
Ark: Survival Evolved
Top 3 Favorite Games:
Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
