Taming a Pteranodon in ARK: Survival Evolved is often the moment a player truly feels they have mastered the sky. This majestic pterosaur offers unparalleled mobility for scouting, fast travel, and raiding, but securing one requires significant preparation and understanding of the game’s mechanics. Unlike simpler creatures, the Pteranodon demands a specific approach to taming that combines aerial superiority with ground-based strategy.
Locating and Securing the Creature
Finding a Pteranodon is the first challenge, as they spawn primarily in the mountainous regions and specific islands of the map. The Ragnarok map, for example, features several prominent peaks where these creatures nest. Players must approach cautiously, as a Pteranodon will instantly take to the air if disturbed, making it difficult to tranquilize. Using a long-range rifle or bow with tranquilizer arrows is essential to bring one down without engaging in direct combat.
The Importance of a Proper Saddle
Before even considering the taming process, you must have a ready Pteranodon Saddle. This item requires specific materials to craft, including chitin from insects, cementing paste, and polymer or metal fragments. Attempting to tame a Pteranodon without this saddle is impossible, so ensure you have the necessary resources and an Obelisk or Tek Replicator to unlock the higher-tier versions if you seek the best stats.
Taming Mechanics and Strategy
Once knocked out, the taming process itself is straightforward but resource-intensive. Pteranodons have a relatively low base food stat, meaning they starve quickly compared to other large creatures. You must constantly feed them to maintain the taming effectiveness. Raw Meat is the most common food source, but higher-quality foods like Prime Meat or even Kibble can drastically speed up the process and preserve more of the creature's potential stats.
Use Narcotics to keep the torpor (health) high during the feeding process.
Monitor the starvation meter closely to avoid losing the creature.
Utilize a large inventory space to automate feeding with an automated trough if possible.
Utilizing the Tek Replicator
For players utilizing the Tek tier of the game, the process shifts significantly. Instead of using traditional food, you must utilize TEKgrams and charge your TEK Saddle at a Tek Replicator. This method bypasses the need for Narcotics and raw food, instead relying on electrical charge to sustain the creature. This is generally faster and safer, as it eliminates the risk of the Pteranodon starving or being poisoned during the lengthy traditional taming phase.
Advantages of a Tamed Pteranodon
The effort required to tame a Pteranodon is substantial, but the rewards are immense. A fully imprinted and leveled Pteranodon becomes the ultimate exploration tool. It allows players to survey vast territories of the map for resources, locate valuable caves, and escape danger instantly. Furthermore, they are essential for raiding, as they can carry a gatherer and a melee fighter to the top of even the tallest obsidian cliffs, bypassing the majority of base defenses.
Key Stats to Focus On
When leveling your Pteranodon, players should prioritize specific stats depending on their goal. For scouting, Speed and Stamina are paramount to ensure the creature can reach any location quickly without tiring. For raiding and general utility, Health and Melee Damage become crucial to survive encounters with other high-level creatures or opposing players. Weight is generally a low priority for this creature due to its primary role as a mount.
