ARK Survival Ascended Archaeopteryx taming guide

Archaeopteryx is one of the most unique proto-birds you can find in Ark Survival Ascended. Like in the original 2017 game, this meter-long creature is a fledgling compared to the average flying tames. Its small size allows it to be used as a pet, perching on your player's shoulder and accompanying you on your journey. Taming creatures is the primary route of progressing in Ark Survival Ascended.

Even though tamed dinos are a major part of combat in both PvP and PvE, not all creatures in this survival MMO are meant to slaughter and plunder. The Archaeopteryx is a great example that showcases the utility a tame can bring even with no combat prowess.

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How to find and tame an Archaeopteryx in Ark Survival Ascended

Archaeopteryx may be spotted on the ground in Redwood Forest (Image via Studio Wildcard)

Archaeopteryx are timid birds, preferring to keep to the skies where they can escape from danger easily. Nevertheless, they will still occasionally be found on the ground in the forest biome. In Ark Survival Ascended's Island map, you are more likely to find them in Redwood Forest.

If you haven't found any after exploring Redwood Forest for a while, try resetting spawns via console commands and start afresh. Note that you may be able to do this only when in solo mode or hosting your own private server.

Despite not having any combat abilities, there are still many uses you can find for Archaeopteryx in the early game of Ark Survival Ascended. Their main schtick is that you can hold onto their legs and use them as a paraglider. Here are some tips:

• While this is not as good as a proper flying tame like Argentavis, having a paraglider at the ready can be useful in certain scenarios.
• It functions similarly to a parachute, ensuring a soft landing if you accidentally exit your flying tame.
• It also makes for an excellent getaway vehicle when looking to escape danger, as you can conveniently trigger the gliding mechanic even from small bumps on the terrain.

A Redwood tree in Ark Survival Ascended (Image via Studio Wildcard)

Archaeopteryx are generally on the bark of Redwood and Joshua trees and sometimes climb down. You should scout them out with a spyglass beforehand and then approach them cautiously when they are on the ground. At this point, you can:

• Use a Bola to incapacitate it.
• Once it is pinned down, shoot at it with a Tranquilizer dart. Its torpor is very low, meaning one well-placed headshot will put it to sleep.
• Alternatively, you can punch it.
• Be wary about using crossbows, arrows, or clubs, as they can one-shot this fragile creature.

Once it is put to sleep, transfer Simple Kibble to its inventory to tame it. Note that if you do not have any Simple Kibble on you, its dietary preference is solely towards Chitin, which is often found by harvesting corpses.