Ark Survival Evolved Crafting: Engrams, Resources & Skills

Ark Survival Evolved really throws you into the deep end as you try to survive on an island with dinosaurs, caves, and so many other dangers. If you’re going to survive, you’ll need to make use of the various resources around you to transform them into useful items and tools to aid you.

In other words, you’re going to need to know about Ark Survival Evolved crafting skills and how to craft in general. 

How To Craft in Ark Survival Evolved

If you’re new to the game, then perhaps you might not even be aware of the various mechanics that go behind crafting in the game. If that’s the case, then worry not, as this section will guide you through everything that you need to know about crafting in Ark.

Why Do You Need To Craft?

In Ark Survival Evolved, crafting is essential for gameplay. You need to craft items like Water Jars, foundations, and campfires. It involves three key elements:

1. Engrams: These are crafting instructions or recipes that you learn as you level up. Some may have prerequisites like specific levels or previously learned Engrams.

   

2. Blueprints: Alternatively, you can find Blueprints in Beacons scattered across the map. They don’t require learning and can provide advanced versions of Engrams.

   

3. Resources: Gather the necessary raw materials for crafting. Common early-game materials include wood, thatch, stone, flint, fiber, metal, oil, and more. Exotic resources become necessary as you progress.

   

4. Workstations: Use crafting stations like the Metal Foundry or Fabricator to create items. Some stations require others as prerequisites.

   

Tips for resource gathering:

• Resources respawn in the same spot unless a foundation is placed nearby.
• Use tools like the Stone Pick and Hatchet for gathering.
• Upgrade your tools and materials as you progress for more efficient resource gathering.

Another great way for resource gathering is through the aid of various dinosaurs. If you want to learn how to tame one, consider reading: ARK Crystal Wyvern.

Ark Survival Crafting Skill

We’ve looked at the basics of Evolved crafting. However, there are actually ways of improving your crafting, and that is through the crafting skill.

What is the Crafting Skill?

The Crafting Skill is one of the skills your character can invest points in. It offers several benefits:

1. Improved Item Quality: With higher crafting skill, there’s a chance to craft items that exceed the specified blueprint stats. For example, a weapon with 240% damage could be crafted with even greater damage, possibly up to 300%, depending on your crafting skill points.
2. Increased Crafting Speed: As you invest more points into the crafting skill, your crafting speed also improves, allowing you to create items more quickly.

To maximize the benefits of the crafting skill, some players respec their points to allocate them all into crafting, craft desired items with higher quality, and then return to their usual skill distribution. This method can yield significantly improved items but may be time-consuming.

With that, you know everything about crafting skills and overall crafting in Ark Survival Evolved. The island can be quite tricky to survive on at the start, but perhaps with the information we’ve given you on crafting, your survival chances will have increased.

Next: BEST Ark Single Player Settings