Ark: Survival of The Fittest: The Definitive Guide

Ark: Survival of the Fittest is a spin-off DLC for Ark: Survival Evolved and is solely based on Online Gameplay. It is developed and published by Studio Wildcard. We will discuss all the changes that this DLC brings in contrast to the Vanilla Ark game. The DLC features Ark Survival’s take on the famous Battle royale mode, where players and beasts compete against each other.

What is Ark: Survival of the Fittest

Survival of the Fittest is basically a battle-royale mode for Ark where the last man/team standing wins. Not only do you have to fight the ferocious beasts on the island but also have to take on other players simultaneously. Players will spawn on the same island and their goal will be to survive.

Unfortunately, Survival of the Fittest has stopped receiving any updates since Studio Wildcard wanted to focus on their mainline Ark game. However, the battle royale aspect of Ark is still enjoyable in Survival Evolved as a separate game mode. You can either play online as a solo or with a squad of your friends.

Release Date and Price

Ark: Survival of the Fittest was released on 30 August 2017 for Steam. It cannot be however played on consoles. It had a launch price of 59.99$ but you can get the game on sale easily on Steam. Survival of the Fittest has faster matches and combat compared to Ark Survival Evolved.

Taming creatures and crafting have been given a huge boost. However, the tamed creatures have been balanced for PVP making them weaker than their vanilla counterparts. Fast traveling is also unavailable and once a player dies, they cannot be respawned.

Game Modes

Ark: Survival of the fittest can be played in many different ways. The battle royale mode can either be played solo or with friends. But all of it happens online against other players on the same island. Following are the modes in Survival of Fittest spin-off of Ark;

• Free for All (one-player tribes)
• 2 player tribes
• 4 player tribes

The game also features leaderboards where players can see their rankings. The island where players spawn is similar to islands from Survival Evolved, however, there are some noticeable changes in Survival of the Fittest. When a match begins, players will spawn in the middle of the Island.

A lot of loot and weapons can be obtained at the spawn location, but you’ll have to fight other players for it. So it is best to just run off and craft your own things rather than risking a death early game. Like Fortnite‘s Storm circles, areas get smaller in Survival of the Fittest known as The Wall getting closer as matches progress in Ark.

Free For All

• Size of Tribe: 1
• Maximum Duration of Game: 35 minutes
• Total Number of Starting Players: 25
• Maximum Starting Tribes in a Game: 1 per player (25)

The wall in free for all game mode will move continuously throughout the match. Although, it will start to move more quickly during the endgame.

2 Player Tribes

• Size of Tribe: 2
• Maximum Duration of Game: 45 minutes
• Total Number of Starting Players: 40
• Maximum Starting Tribes in a Game: 40

The Wall will actually stay still for the entirety of the game mode. However, it will move very quickly in the last 10 minutes of the match.

4 Player Tribes

• Size of Tribe: 4
• Maximum Duration of Game: 1 hour
• Total Number of Starting Players: 60
• Maximum Starting Tribes in a Game: 60

Similar to the 2 Player Tribes, the wall will stay still here as well except for the last 10 minutes of the match.

Character Creation

You can create your own character in Survival of the Fittest game mode of Ark. The character creation is almost similar to Souls Games and there are different sliders that you can play around with. You can even choose your skin color, the features of your character, and the name of your character.

It is recommended to make a small female character with the darkest skin color. Not only will that reduce your hitbox in Survival of the Fittest but it will also help you hide more efficiently in shrubs. Make sure to save your character preset because the game asks you to create a character at the start of every match.

Tools, Weapons, and Recipes in Ark Survival of the Fittest

Tools can be used for harvesting resources whereas weapons are used to defend yourself against other players and creatures. Recipes can be used to make stews and brews that give you certain buffs and heal your health. We will discuss them in detail below.

Tools

Tools are used for harvesting in Survival of the Fittest and they are also specific for certain materials. Following is the list of Tools in Ark;

• Stone Pick
• Metal Pick
• Stone Hatchet
• Metal Hatchet
• Metal Sickle

Stone Pick

• Damage: 16
• It is used to harvest Thatch, Raw Meat, and Flint.

Stone Hatchet

• Damage: 20
• It can harvest Wood, Hide, and Stone.

Metal Pick

• Damage: 34.3
• It is used to harvest metal and other resources at a faster speed.

Metal Hatchet

• Damage: 40
• It will harvest additional resources at a faster speed.

Metal Sickle

• Damage: 50
• It is especially useful to harvest the fiber.

Melee Weapons and Shields

Melee weapons are used for close-range combat whereas shields can be used for defending yourself in Ark Survival of the Fittest. Following is the list of Shields and Melee Weapons in Ark;

• Wooden Spear
• Pike
• Wooden Shield
• Metal Shield

Wooden Spear

• Damage: 30
• It also has a chance of breaking when used.

Pike

• Damage: 55
• It is much sturdier than the wooden spear.

Wooden Shield

• It has less durability
• It will protect you from damage when you are blocking
• You can unlock the wooden shield at Level 10
• It weighs very less and can be easily carried by the player during the whole match

Metal Shield

• It has higher durability
• It is stronger than the wooden shield
• You can unlock the metal shield at Level 30
• It will protect you from damage when you are using it to block

Ranged Weapons and Firearms

Such weapons are very useful in Survival of the Fittest game mode of Ark. You can use them to fight your opponents at range. However, these weapons will break down after a certain number of uses. Following is the list of ranged weapons and firearms in Ark;

• Slingshot 
• Wooden Bow
• Crossbow
• Simple Pistol
• Long Neck
• Shotgun
• Fabricated Pistol
• Pump Action Shotgun
• Assault Rifle
• Fabricated Sniper Rifle

Slingshot

• Damage: 14
• Ammo: Stones
• Use: It can make your enemies unconscious

Wooden Bow

• Damage: 55 (Stone Arrow), 20 (Tranquilizer Arrow)
• Ammo: Stone Arrows or Tranquilizer Arrows
• Use: You can use the tranquilizer ammo to make your targets unconscious

Crossbow

• Damage: 95 (Stone Arrow), 35 (Tranquilizer Arrow)
• Ammo: Stone Arrows or Tranquilizer Arrows
• Use: Use the tranquilizer ammo to knock your targets

Simple Pistol

• Damage: 100
• Ammo: Simple Bullets
• Ammo use before breaking: 48

Long Neck

• Damage: 280
• Ammo: Simple Rifle Bullets or Tranquilizer Darts
• Ammo use before breaking: 10

Shotgun

• Damage: 630 (10 pellets)
• Ammo: Simple Shotgun Bullets
• Ammo use before breaking: 22

Fabricated Pistol

• Damage: 28
• Ammo: Advanced Bullets

Pump Action Shotgun

• Damage: 494 (10 pellets)
• Ammo: Simple Shotgun Bullets
• Ammo use before breaking: 20

Assault Rifle

• Damage: 29.4
• Ammo: Advanced Rifle Bullets
• Ammo use before breaking: 100

Fabricated Sniper Rifle

• Damage: 165
• Ammo: Advanced Sniper Bullets

Recipes

Recipes are used to create soups, stews, and brews which can give you certain buffs in Survival of the Fittest. However, soups, stews, and steaks can also be found in Red supply crates. Following is the list of soups, brews, and steaks that you can make from recipes in Ark;

• Calien Soup
• Fria Curry
• Enduro Stew
• Focal Chilli
• Lazarus Chowder
• Shadow Steak Saute
• Medical Brew
• Energy Brew

Calien Soup

• Increases Hyperthermic Insulation by 50%
• Slows down consumption of Water by 25%
• Effects last for 300 seconds

Fria Curry

• Increases Hypothermic Insulation by 50%
• Slows down consumption of Food by 25%
• Effects last for 300 seconds

Enduro Stew

• Buffs Melee damage by 35%
• Will heal 1.2% of your total Hp every second
• Effects last for 300 seconds

Focal Chilli

• Buffs movement speed by 25%
• Increases crafting speed by 100%
• Effects last for 600 seconds

Lazarus Chowder

• Decreases the amount of oxygen consumed underwater by 85%
• Regenerates stamina by 1.2% every second
• Effects last for 300 seconds

Shadow Steak Saute

• Increases Hypothermic Insulation by 50%
• Increases Hyperthermic Insulation by 50%
• Buffs your vision in the dark
• Decreases weapon recoil by 80%
• Effects last for 300 seconds

Medical Brew

• Will heal 40 Hp
• Effects last for 300 seconds

Energy Brew

• Will regenerate 40 stamina
• Effects last for 300 seconds

New Events and Bosses in Ark Survival of the Fittest

A lot of new bosses have been added to Survival of the Fittest game mode of Ark to keep things interesting and fresh. Many new events also happen throughout the matches leading to competitive gameplay. Now we will discuss these Events and Bosses in detail.

Evolution Events

Evolution Events can be considered as some changes that happen throughout a match of Survival of the Fittest. It makes the game more interesting and players need to strategize how to combat such changes. Some of these events either are in favor of the players or make things tougher for the players. Following is the list of Evolution Events in Survival of the Fittest spin-off of Ark;

• Acid Rain
• ARKtic Monkeys
• Beast Within
• Carno Drop
• Daytime Swap
• Double Taming
• Food of the Gods
• Hail to the King
• Harvest Bounty
• Harvest Famine
• Herbivore Drop
• Mega Cold
• Mega Fog
• Predator’s Night
• Mega Heat
• Super Loot Crate
• Supply Overload
• Survivor Reveal
• Survivor Tracker
• The Swarm

Now we will discuss these events briefly.

Acid Rain

Acid rain has harmful effects on both your health and your armor. Not only does the acid rain slowly drain your health but it also reduces the durability of your equipped armor. It is recommended to find shelter as soon as you see acid rain happening on the map.

ARKtic Monkeys

It is one of those events that will affect the players in a bad way. Two Mesopithecus are spawned on the player and they are very aggressive. These are poop-throwing creatures that you’ll have to fight off. They just act as another obstacle for the player in Survival of the Fittest.

Beast Within

Now, this Evolution Event will make the game harder for everyone and considerably increases the difficulty of Ark Survival of the Fittest. Basically, Beast Within will make each and every creature on the island more aggressive towards the player. Even the herbivores will attack you if they spot you. 

Carno Drop

It is similar to ARKtic Monkeys but instead of Mesopithecus, carnivore dinosaurs will spawn on the player. Additionally, as many as four dinos can spawn on a single-player making their survival very difficult. You can either run away from these dinos or fight them. If you do not do anything, the dinos will kill you.

Daytime Swap

Daytime Swap is an evolution event in Ark that affects the environment of the island in Survival of the Fittest. Basically, whenever the event happens, the time on the island will get reversed. If it is daytime then nightfall will occur and vice versa. Players will need to adapt quickly to the change.

Double Taming

Double Taming is actually an event that helps the players in Survival of the Fittest. It will increase the speed of taming in Ark by 100%, doubling it and making it more viable. It is advised to tame as many creatures as you can when the event happens. 

Food of the Gods

During the event, a supply crate will spawn on the platform in the middle of the island. The crate itself contains three superfoods. They are very useful items that not only help you tame other creatures but will also heal the player. You can use a superfood to either instantly tame a creature or heal yourself back to full health.

Hail to the King

Explosive Weapons will fall from the sky when Hail to the King event is active. Players can pick these weapons up and use them against either other creatures or players during battle. They are very powerful and can even help you dominate the battlefield in Ark Survival of the Fittest.

Harvest Bounty

Harvest Bount is another one of those events that help the player in their matches of Survival of the Fittest in Ark. Basically, you will get resources more often when the event happens. That will help you craft things much more quickly than before.

Harvest Famine

Harvest Famine is the exact opposite of Harvest Bounty. Not only is the event a debuff for the player but it will also negatively affect your crafting. Resources will get collected at a speed slower than the normal rate, making crafting hard for the players. You should be ready in advance for when the event happens.

Herbivore Drop

Herbivore Drop is the opposite of the Carno Drop Event. Any kind of herbivore species will spawn on a player and there can be up to four spawns per player. However, herbivores are much easier to deal with than carnivores. You can easily kill them for XP or just tame them to fight for you.

Mega Cold

Mega Cold affects the island’s weather in Survival of the Fittest mode of Ark. Basically, the weather will become extremely cold to bear and players will have to protect themselves or their health will slowly drain. You can do the following to protect yourself from Mega Cold;

• Eat more food
• Wear armor that protects against the cold
• Find a source of heat and take shelter

Mega Fog

It is another weather-related event that happens on the island. Almost the whole island gets covered by a dense fog. It will reduce the visibility of each and every player on the island. Not only will it make it harder for you to spot the enemy but you will not be able to see most creatures on the island as well.

Mega Heat

Mega Heat is the exact opposite weather effect of Mega Cold. Basically, the whole island becomes extremely hot in weather making survival difficult. Players will need to quickly strategize to protect themselves against the scorching heat or they will slowly lose all their health. You can do the following to protect yourself from Mega Heat;

• Drink more water
• Remove any and all armor

Predator’s Night

Whenever Predator’s Night happens in a match of Survival of the Fittest, it will instantly change the time to night in Ark. Not only will it become nightfall but the aggressiveness of other creatures on the island is greatly boosted. You will have to navigate while protecting yourself from these creatures.

Super Loot Crate

It is another supply crate that appears on the platform present in the middle of the island. The supply crate contains both supplies and weapons for the players. However, you will need to fight other players for the loot as it is not going to be easy getting those supplies.

Supply Overload

Red supply crates will spawn during the Supply Overload event. These crates are however not restricted to the platform in the middle of the island. Instead, you’ll find them scattered throughout the map. These red crates contain some special supplies and loot for the players.

Survivor Reveal

The Survival Reveal event will basically make each and every player vulnerable on the map by revealing their locations. It will happen at midnight and a yellow light will appear atop every player revealing their current locations. You can either run away to avoid getting spotted or use the opportunity to hunt down other players.

Survivor Tracker

Survivor Tracker makes the game very difficult for the player it happens to. The event itself will only target a single player on the whole map. Only the location of that player will be revealed to others. A yellow beam will spawn near that player and will keep following the player until Survivor Tracker is over. So, if you get targeted by the event, make sure to keep running.

The Swarm

It is another event that will negatively affect the player in Survival of the Fittest. A swarm of Meganeura will spawn and aggressively attack the player. Not only will their attacks drain your health but they will also lower your stamina in Ark Survival of the Fittest. However, they drop chitin when killed.

Boss Creatures

Bosses will spawn on the platform present in the middle of the island in Survival of the Fittest and they spawn passively in Ark. Players can tame these bosses and then use them against other players. Taming bosses will defiantly help you dominate the battlefield. 

However, boss creatures only remain in-game for 15 to 20 minutes and after that, they will despawn. You can even level up the bosses if you end up taming them. Although, only their weight stat can be improved. Following is the list of Boss Creatures in Ark Survival of the Fittest;

• Dragon
• Broodmother
• Megapithecus

Now we will briefly discuss these bosses.

Dragon

Once you tame the dragon, you can use it to breathe fire on your enemies. You can even use the dragon for fast traversals around the map with its flying ability. This makes the dragon one of the best bosses to tam in Survival of the fittest.

Broodmother

Another boss that you can tame in Survival of the Fittest is Broodmother in Ark. It can give birth to many minions that help you in battle and increase your chances of winning. The minions themselves will stay alive even after Broodmother has despawned.

Megapithecus

It can be very easily tamed and is a more aggressive boss than others. It is also one of the strongest creatures that can both throw boulders and also wreak havoc on buildings in Survival of the Fittest mode of Ark.

Rewards For Winning Matches in Ark Survival of the Fittest

Players get different rewards in Survival of the Fittest. However, there are cosmetic rewards for First and Second Place holders in the match. These are the Trike Bone Costume and Trike Bone Helmet Skin. In conclusion;

• First Place Prize: Trike Bone Costume
• Second Place Prize: Trike Bone Helmet Skin

Difference between Ark Survival of the Fittest and Survival Evolved

Survival of the Fittest is based on single-timed matches whereas Survival Evolved has a massive campaign to follow. In conclusion, things will happen more swiftly in Survival of the Fittest as compared to Survival Evolved. The following mechanics are different between the two games;

• Harvesting
• Crafting
• Taming
• Creatures on the Island

Summary

Ark Survival of the Fittest is an amazing battle royale mode set in the world of Ark and its beautiful Islands. Players fight against each other and also various other creatures in order to survive. This concludes our guide on the Survival of the Fittest Game Mode of Ark. Let us know what you think about Ark Survival of the Fittest in the comments below.