Unleashing the Beast Within: Mastering the Colossal Giganotosaurus of ARK
As an experienced survivor and researcher on the mysterious ARK, I‘ve studied and mastered taming many spectacular prehistoric creatures. But none compare to encountering the towering leviathan that is Giganotosaurus. This mighty dinosaur embodies raw primal power – a true behemoth to be respected and feared. Are you ready to untame this epic beast? Let‘s delve deep into the world of breeding, mutating, and maximizing the gargantuan Giga.
Reawakening the Ancient Terror
While skeletal remains reveal Giganotosaurus stood up to 45 ft long and weighed 8-10 tons, seeing this carnivore resurrected in the flesh is a chilling sight. Those soulless reptilian eyes, the cavernous maw lined with 8-inch serrated fangs, the muscular legs that propel its 7-ton bulk at frightening speed. The very ground shakes when Giganotosaurus unleashes its earth-shattering roar.
My fellow survivors will never forget our first Giga encounters on the ARK – heart pounding, palms sweating, pure primal fear. And for good reason – with over 80,000 health and 1,200% melee damage, a max-level wild Giga can shred even the mightiest tamed beast in seconds. Their power is matched only by their temper – provoke one and you risk triggering its unstoppable rage!
Now imagine controlling that prehistoric wrath – having your own Giga obey your every command. Let‘s discuss how to capture this magnificent monster.
Scouting and Trapping Wild Gigas
Gigas inhabit ARK‘s mountainous snow regions, so take an Argentavis or Pteranodon and scout the snow biome from the air. Look for a high-level wild Giga roaming the area – anything over level 100 has potential for breeding.
Once spotted, you need to lead it into a taming pen. Build a trap from dinosaur gates and ramps, at least 3 gates high and 5 foundations wide. Gigas can smash through regular gates and walls like tissue paper! Stone or metal is best. Lead the wild Giga up the ramp and into the pen, then block the entrance behind it.
Now comes the dangerous part – knocking it out for taming…
Tranquilizing the Beast
With the Giga trapped, you can begin shooting it with tranq darts. I recommend using shocking darts fired from a 250%+ longneck rifle for quick torpor gain.
Aim for the head and keep your distance! Even trapped, an angry Giga can smash gates and destroy buildings to get at you.
- 100-150 shots may be needed for a lvl 150. Have extra rifles and plenty of ammo!
- Use a bird like Griffin to carry extra supplies and provide air support.
- Track its torpor closely and be ready to repair the trap as needed.
- Kite the Giga around the pen to avoid its attacks – it will collapse once torpor is maxed.
Finally, the giant stumbles and crashes to the ground, unconscious. Now to feed this hungry beast…
Taming With Exceptional Kibble
A KO tamed Giga eats Exceptional Kibble for fastest taming. This recipe needs giganotosaurus egg, citronal, sap, rockarrot, rare flower, and fiber. Having lots of kibble ready is crucial!
- A level 150 Giga needs about 350 kibble total over a 4.5 hour tame.
- Fill the Giga‘s inventory to reduce spoilage.
- Stay nearby – it wakes up fast if food runs out!
- Adding kibble constantly and keeping it asleep minimizes taming time.
At long last, the ferocious predator is tamed. But to unlock its full potential, we need to breed and mutate it into a true boss monster!
Breeding Your Alpha Giganotosaurus
Breeding lets you combine stats from two high-level tamed parents to produce offspring better than either one alone. With diligent breeding over generations, we can create near-perfect "boss" Gigas tailored for combat. Here are the stats we aim for:
- Health: 30,000+
- Melee damage: 700%+
- Stamina: 5,000+
The babies inherit random stats from each parent. Breed adults with the best stats together until you get a male and female with both parents‘ good stats. Then breed them!
| Generations | Health | Melee | Stamina |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female Parent | 28,000 | 500% | 4,000 |
| Male Parent | 24,000 | 800% | 6,000 |
| 1st Gen Baby | 24,000 | 800% | 4,000 |
| 2nd Gen Baby | 28,000 | 800% | 6,000 |
Each breeding can also introduce mutations which give 2 extra levels and random stat boosts! Stack up multiple good mutations through careful breeding into "boss" lines.
Evolving Gigas Through Mutations
Mutations randomly occur during breeding and pass down new colors and stat boosts. Stacking multiple mutations is key!
- Each baby has a 7% chance to mutate on one of the paternal sides.
- Mutations add 2 levels and increase a random stat by 2%.
- Useful mutations are rare – only keep babies with good stat mutations!
- Breed mutations into separate male and female lines, then breed those lines together.
With diligent breeding and mutation stacking, we can produce level 450+ Gigas with hyper-optimized stats and unique colors!
Imprinting for Bonus Power
Raise babies yourself and imprint them for big bonuses. With 100% imprinting:
- +30% more damage and damage resistance
- +30% faster maturation
- Extra rider damage resistance
Fully imprint your combat Gigas for a huge advantage in battle!
Saddling Up Your Giga
Crafting a quality saddle is vital to amplify your Giga‘s power:
- Regular saddle provides 58 armor. Upgrade to Primitive (124 armor) or Riot (303 armor)!
- Saddles reduce damage taken and allow carrying multiple riders.
- High-level crafted saddles add huge buffs to health, resistance, and damage.
- A journeyman riot saddle adds 1365 armor and 119% melee damage!
| Saddle Type | Armor | Damage Buff |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | 58 | 0% |
| Primitive | 124 | 10% |
| Riot | 303 | 25% |
| Ascendant | 1365 | 119% |
Get your hands on the best blueprint possible and craft a saddle worthy of your ultimate Giga!
Leveling Gigas for Specialization
With endless options for leveling, how should you distribute your Giga‘s points? Here are some common specializations:
Boss Fighting: Focus on melee damage, health, and some stamina. Melee for big bites, health for survival, stamina for extended fights.
Harvesting: Max out melee damage for huge AoE harvests of meat and hide. Some weight helps carry more.
PvP: Balance of health, melee, stamina. Speed is useless since full-grown Gigas can‘t sprint!
Transport: Stamina and weight are key. Oxygen for underwater travel. Speed helps while maturing.
Customize your Giga‘s build to your needs! An all-rounder with balanced stats works well too.
Mods To Make Gigas Colossal
Think regular Gigas aren‘t big enough? Some mods let you scale dinos to gargantuan proportions!
- Gigas Awesome Stat Mods: Spawns super-sized level 1000 Gigas with insane stats! Controversial…
- Dino Overhaul X: Allows breeding and leveling beyond normal limits. Make Gigas however strong you want!
- Primal Core: Adds new higher-level Drake saddle so you can ride boss Gigas into combat!
Just beware – some boosted Gigas end up severely unbalancing gameplay. But the power can be intoxicating…
Among The Dinosaurs, None Rule With More Absolute Power
As we‘ve seen, taming, training, and mutating Giganotosaurus is an immense undertaking, but one that pays off in spades. Once bonded with these apex predators, our power as survivors rises to untold new heights.
Just make sure to show respect – one temper tantrum from your lofty beast can still bring fiery doom! Yet despite their destructive potential, I‘ve found my journey with Gigas to be incredibly rewarding.
Saddling up and riding out on my personal colossus, seeing it unleash primal fury upon our enemies, bonding deeply through imprinting…it‘s magical. Truthfully, I don‘t just see my Giga as a weapon, but as a cherished companion whose clawed hands I‘ve held since birth.
So if you seek a true beastly symbol of domination on the ARK, look no further than the king himself – the magnificent Giganotosaurus. Just be sure you‘re ready to handle it!
Stay strong out there, survivor. May your future hold untold wonders. This is Terry signing off for now…