Understanding melee damage in ARK: Survival Evolved is crucial for maximizing your effectiveness in combat, whether you’re battling wild creatures or engaging in player-versus-player (PvP) scenarios. This guide dives deep into the melee damage capabilities of various rideable dinos, providing valuable data to help you choose the best creatures for your needs. We’ll explore attack rates, damage per hit, and overall damage per second (DPS), equipping you with the knowledge to dominate the ARK.
Methodology and Limitations
To compile this comprehensive guide, a consistent testing methodology was employed. Each rideable creature was summoned at level 1, and their attacks were tested against a Training Dummy. “Cheat infinitestats” command was used to ensure unlimited stamina for special attacks. The goal was to determine a stable DPS number, dividing it by the damage per hit (DPH) to calculate rounds per second (RPS). This RPS was then multiplied by the dino’s base damage.
It’s important to acknowledge the limitations of this study:
- Mountable Creatures Only: Testing was restricted to creatures that can be ridden.
- 100% Melee Damage Assumption: DPS calculations assume 100% melee damage for simplicity. To adjust for your creature’s actual DPS, divide its melee damage by 100 and multiply by the theoretical DPS provided.
- Theoretical Maximums: Results represent maximum possible values achieved in an ideal environment. Actual combat scenarios may yield lower DPS due to factors like attack landing success.
- Ridden Creatures Only: Data is relevant to ridden creatures only. Unridden tames likely have different attack rates and DPS.
- Untested Attacks: Some attacks, like the Megalosaurus’s gnaw, couldn’t be tested.
Dino Melee Damage Guide: A Comprehensive List
Below is an alphabetical listing of various dinos and their melee damage statistics.
- Allo: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 35 DPH / 49 DPS. Alpha Primary: 1.4 RPS / 52.5 DPH / 73.5 DPS. Alpha Secondary: 1.0 RPS / 37.5 DPH / 37.5 DPS. The Alpha bonus is included in the calculations.
- Ankylo: Primary: 0.6 RPS / 50 DPH / 30 DPS. Secondary: 1.4 RPS / 30 DPH / 42 DPS.
- Angler: Primary: 1.0 RPS / 30 DPH / 30 DPS.
- Araneo: Primary: 2.0 RPS / 10 DPH / 20 DPS. The Araneo’s secondary attack deals no damage to the training dummy.
Alt: Araneo, also known as a spider, attacking a training dummy in ARK: Survival Evolved, showcasing its primary melee attack.
- Argentavis: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 25 DPH / 25 DPS. Landed Argentavis maintains the same attack rate and DPS.
- Arthropleura: Primary: 0.8 RPS / 18 DPH / 14.4 DPS. Secondary: 0.8 RPS / 30 DPH / 24 DPS.
- Baryonyx: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 35 DPH / 42 DPS. Secondary: 0.6 RPS / 25 DPH / 15 DPS
- Basilosaurus: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 47 DPH / 65.8 DPS.
- Beelzebufo: Primary: 1.6 RPS / 12 DPH / 19.2 DPS. Secondary: 1.6 RPS / 20 DPH / 32 DPS.
- Bronto: Primary: 0.6 RPS / 60 DPH / 36 DPS. Secondary attack mirrors the primary.
- Carbonemys: Primary: 1.0 RPS / 13 DPH / 13 DPS.
- Carno: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 35 DPH / 42 DPS. Secondary: 1.4 RPS / 35 DPH / 49 DPS.
- Castaroides: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 28 DPH / 33.6 DPS.
Alt: Icon of a Castaroides, also known as a giant beaver, showcasing its appearance in the inventory of ARK: Survival Evolved.
- Chalico: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 36 DPH / 43.2 DPS. Secondary: 0.4 RPS / 100 DPH / 40 DPS. Tertiary: 1.2 RPS / 36 DPH / 43.2 DPS.
- Daeodon: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 29 DPH / 34.8 DPS.
- Diplocaulus: Primary: 1.0 RPS / 10 DPH / 10 DPS. Trilobite buff: 1.0 RPS / 330 DPH / 330 DPS.
- Direbear: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 50 DPH / 60 DPS. Secondary: 1.2 RPS / 65 DPH / 78 DPS.
- Direwolf: Primary: 1.6 RPS / 33 DPH / 52.8 DPS. Pack/Alpha buff: 1.6 RPS / 79 DPH / 126.4 DPS.
- Doedicurus: Primary: 0.6 RPS / 32 DPH / 19.2 DPS.
- Dunkleosteus: Primary: 0.8 RPS / 60 DPH / 48 DPS.
- Equus: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 9 DPH / 10.8 DPS. Secondary: 1.6 RPS / 11 DPH / 17.6 DPS.
- Gallimimus: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 8 DPH / 11.2 DPS.
- Giganotosaurus: Primary: 1.0 RPS / 400 DPH / 400 DPS.
- Giganto: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 40 DPH / 56 DPS. Secondary attack ejects the rider.
- Griffin: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 27 DPH / 37.8 DPS. Landed: 1.2 RPS / 27 DPH / 32.4 DPS.
- Human: Primary: 3.0 RPS / 8 DPH / 24 DPS. (Without weapons)
- Ichthy: RPS could not be reliably calculated.
- Iguanodon: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 25 DPH / 35 DPS.
Alt: A person riding an Iguanodon in a lush environment in ARK: Survival Evolved, showcasing its riding capabilities.
- Kaprosuchus: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 25 DPH / 30 DPS.
- Liopleurodon: Primary: 1.0 RPS / 40 DPH / 40 DPS.
- Mammoth: Primary: 1.0 RPS / 42 DPH / 42 DPS. Secondary: 0.8 RPS / 60 DPH / 48 DPS.
- Manta: Primary: 1.0 RPS / 28 DPH / 28 DPS.
- Mantis: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 34 DPH / 47.6 DPS. Secondary: 0.8 RPS / 120 DPH / 96 DPS.
- Megalania: Primary: 1.0 RPS / 16 DPH / 16 DPS.
- Megaloceros: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 30 DPH / 36 DPS.
- Megalodon: Primary: 0.8 RPS / 40 DPH / 32 DPS.
- Megalosaurus: Day: 0.6 RPS / 37.5 DPH / 22.5 DPS. Night: 1.4 RPS / 75 DPH / 105 DPS.
- Megatherium: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 32 DPH / 38.4 DPS. (Enraged): 1.2 RPS / 80 DPH / 96 DPS. (vs Bugs): 1.2 RPS / 48 DPH / 57.6 DPS. (Enraged vs Bugs): 1.2 RPS / 120 DPH / 144 DPS. Secondary: 0.8 RPS / 49 DPH / 39.2 DPS. (Enraged): 0.8 RPS / 122.5 DPH / 98 DPS. (vs Bugs): 0.8 RPS / 73.5 DPH / 58.8 DPS. (Enraged vs Bugs): 0.8 RPS / 183.75 DPH / 147 DPS.
- Morellatops: Primary: 1 RPS / 32 DPH / 32 DPS. Secondary: 0.8 RPS / 32 DPH / 25.6 DPS.
- Mosasaurus: Primary: 1 RPS / 100 DPH / 100 DPS.
- Ovis: Primary: 1 RPS / 5 DPH / 5 DPS.
- Pachy: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 10 DPH / 12 DPS.
- Pachyrhino: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 28 DPH / 39.2 DPS.
- Paracer: Primary: 1 RPS / 45 DPH / 45 DPS.
- Parasaur: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 12 DPH / 14.4 DPS.
- Pelagornis: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 16 DPH / 22.4 DPS. Landed/Swimming: 1.2 RPS / 16 DPH / 19.2 DPS. vs Fish: 1.2 RPS / 160 DPH / 192 DPS.
- Phiomia: Primary: 1 RPS / 10 DPH / 10 DPS.
- Plesiosaur: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 75 DPH / 105 DPS.
- Procoptodon: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 20 DPH / 28 DPS.
- Pteranodon: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 18 DPH / 21.6 DPS. Landed: 1.4 RPS / 18 DPH / 25.2 DPS.
- Pulmonoscorpius: Primary: 1.8 RPS / 15 DPH / 27 DPS.
- Quetzal: Primary: 1 RPS / 32 DPH / 32 DPS. Landed Quetzal maintains the same attack rate and DPS.
- Raptor: Primary: 2.2 RPS / 15 DPH / 33 DPS.
- Rex: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 62 DPH / 74.4 DPS.
- Rock Elemental: Primary: 0.8 RPS / 120 DPH / 96 DPS. Secondary: 0.4 RPS / 300 DPH / 120 DPS. Tertiary: 0.4 RPS / 80 DPH / 32 DPS.
- Sabertooth: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 29 DPH / 34.8 DPS
- Sarco: Primary: 0.8 RPS / 35 DPH / 28 DPS
- Spino: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 50 DPH / 70 DPS
Alt: A Spinosaurus standing in a swampy area in ARK: Survival Evolved, illustrating its habitat and size.
- Stego: Primary: 0.6 RPS / 41 DPH / 24.6 DPS
- Tapejara: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 18 DPH / 21.6 DPS. Landed Tapejara maintains the same attack rate and DPS.
- Terror Bird: Primary: 1.8 RPS / 18 DPH / 32.4 DPS
- Therizino: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 52 DPH / 62.4 DPS. Tertiary: 1.2 RPS / 52 DPH / 62.4 DPS.
- Thorny Dragon: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 40 DPH / 56 DPS
- Thylacoleo: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 40 DPH / 48 DPS
- Titan: Primary: 0.6 RPS / 1000 DPH / 600 DPS. Secondary: Same as Primary.
- Trike: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 32 DPH / 44.8 DPS
- Tuso: Primary: 2.4 RPS / 65 DPH / 156 DPS. (0.8 RPS, 3 hits per attack)
- Woolly Rhino: Primary: 1.2 RPS / 40 DPH / 48 DPS
- Wyvern: Primary: 1.4 RPS / 80 DPH / 96 DPS.
- Yutyrannus: Primary: 0.8 RPS / 55 DPH / 44 DPS
Key Takeaways and Surprising Findings
- RPS Increments: Attack rates (RPS) appear to increment in multiples of 0.2.
- Average DPS Range: Most creatures at 100% melee damage deal between 25 and 40 DPS.
- DPS Leaders: Creatures like the Titan, Giga, and Rex dominate the DPS charts, but unexpected contenders like the Mantis, Direwolf, and Megatherium also perform well.
- Older Creature DPS: Older creatures tend to have lower DPS compared to newer additions.
- Flyer DPS Variance: Some flyers exhibit different DPS values when landed compared to flying. For example, the Pteranodon deals more DPS while grounded, whereas the Pelagornis and Griffin deal less.
- Rock Elemental Paradox: The Rock Elemental’s low RPS results in a surprisingly modest DPS despite its high DPH.
- Underestimated Powerhouses: The Plesiosaur outperforms the Mosasaur, and the Thorny Dragon and Mantis surpass many commonly used fighters. The Direwolf’s pack and alpha bonuses also make it a formidable DPS dealer.
Conclusion
This guide provides a detailed overview of melee damage and DPS for rideable creatures in ARK: Survival Evolved. While these numbers offer valuable insights, remember that they represent theoretical maximums and don’t account for the utility and specific combat roles of each creature. Use this information to make informed decisions about which dinos to tame and breed for your specific needs, and adapt your strategies based on the dynamic nature of ARK combat.
