Depending on whether you prefer PVP or PVE, other lists may vary on which tames are looked at as the best. I’ve designed the ultimate list keeping both game modes in mind to introduce the top-tier dinos Ark has to offer as of 2023. Let’s dive right in!!
12. Gacha
A surprising mashup between a sloth and a crystal, this peaceful giant offers one of the more unique and helpful abilities!
I believe whether you are battling other players or casually exploring the many maps Ark has to offer, the Gacha is a handy companion! This creature has a unique crafting ability that allows the Gacha to transform a provided resource into various amounts of items. Owning a Snow Owl will ensure you get the most out of our friendly crystal sloth by feeding the Gacha Snow Owl pellets.
What Gacha Is Great For:
- Collecting hard-to-find materials such as; Black Pearls, Oil, Silk, and Congealed Gas Balls.
- Obtaining fully crafted items from special glowing crystals such as; Assault Rifles, Tools, And Wooden Tree Platforms.
- Acquiring DLC-exclusive resources and items otherwise impossible to acquire naturally on some maps.
- Being Adorable!
Gacha Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Gacha
How To Tame A Gacha:
11. Sinomacrops
Travel the dangerous Ark terrains with an adorable backpack companion that also acts as a jetpack and a glider all in one!
This little guy can come in handy no matter which game mode or map you decide to play! The Sinomacrops is a friendly and curious little creature that will surely heighten your gameplay experience with its unique abilities to carry your player away from danger, and it just so happens to be very easy to claim one of your own!
What Sinomacrops Is Great For:
- Escaping dangerous situations by using the creature’s gliding and flying abilities.
- Warding off smaller creatures such as; Ichthyornis and Pegomastax.
- Dealing good damage against most bugs including; Leeches, Titanomyrma, and Meganeura.
- The Sinomacrops can enter most caves.
- Has the ability to fly in Genesis 1 and Aberration.
- Will reduce the weight of every item in its inventory by 50%
Sinomacrops Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Sinomacrops
How To Tame A Sinomacrops:
10. Andrewsarchus
Definitely not the prettiest of tames to acquire but it doesn’t have to be cute to still be useful!
Andrewsarchus is a surprisingly fast and easy-to-tame creature that has a few versatile abilities for your many Ark needs! Though this creature is fast I will warn you, the Andrewsarchus is not great at taking sharp turns at full speed. I believe this beast may not be the best option to take into all battles but it holds its own in many ways and deserves a spot on this list.
What Andrewsarchus Is Great For:
- Includes a mounted minigun saddle design which keeps the player safe in an airtight armored enclosure.
- Has the ability to walk on ocean floors making it great for pearl gathering and ocean exploration.
- Can slide and jump paired with efficient stamina stats.
- Capable of destroying rocks at full speed with up to 3 speed boosting abilities.
- Stuns various creatures for a short period of time by kicking them.
Andrewsarchus Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Andrewsarchus
How To Tame A Andrewsarchus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz_JoDjIuMI
9. Yutyrannus
Seen as a favorite amongst many, the Yutyrannus is one of the OG must-have dinos on Ark.
The Yutyrannus has lived in the hearts of many players for a long time. This creature is both a powerful offensive and defensive ally to travel with. Whether you prefer using this fuzzy rex for boss fights or for boosting your dinos as you charge into battle, you are going to love having one or more of these guys on your side!
What Yutyrannus Is Great For:
- Has a Courage-inducing roar which temporarily boosts the attack damage allied creatures inflict by 25% and reduces incoming damage by 20% each.
- Can also terrify enemy creatures by using its Fear inducing roar. The affected creatures will receive a debuff increasing damage taken and reducing damage done by up to 50% and 30%
- Some terrified creatures will flee and will not respond to commands when affected by the Fear roar. When wild creatures reach the full fear effect they will not only flee but will also defecate in the process.
- Has the ability to buff a pack.
- Makes wild carnos fight on your side by using the boosting roar.
- Its roar and bite attack has a knock-back effect that makes it unable to be hit by small to mid-size creatures if deftly used.
- Eggs may be obtained passively and used for Extraordinary Kibble production.
Yutyrannus Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Yutyrannus
How To Tame A Yutyrannus:
8. Griffin
A well-known mythological creature often favored by many players.
Griffins are one of the fastest flyers in the game with valuable and unique abilities. The only downside to this magnificent creature is that Griffins are not breedable and it can only be obtained as a wild adult tame. I will say that this creature’s pros heavily outweigh its cons by a long shot.
What Griffin Is Great For:
- While a player is flying a Griffin, you can pick up other players and small creatures like Otters or Compy’s.
- You do not need a saddle to ride or fly it.
- Has the ability to perform a divebomb attack that thrusts you toward the ground, dealing quite a bit of damage.
- The Griffin is able to carry two riders.
- Comes with the unique ability that allows players to pull out and use their weapons while still riding their tame, which greatly helps with various battles and taming processes.
- Can strafe sideways unlike many other flyers.
Griffin Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Griffin
How To Tame A Griffin:
7. Reaper
A creature made out of nightmares that has the strength and abilities to make it all the more terrifying.
The Reaper has one of the more interesting methods of taming as you’ll need to find a Reaper Queen to impregnate you… but let’s focus more on why letting a living nightmare impregnate you at all is worth all of the effort and seekers you’ll have to face on your journey to get one.
What Reaper Is Great For:
- Has natural armor that highly reduces damage by 80%
- Can be utilized in a variety of different roles for combat; either as a tank, an armor shredder, or as a crowd cleaner.
- For its size, the Reaper is faster and can sprint farther than most large predators, paired with it’s jumping you are able to travel long distances very quickly.
- Besides the Rock Drake, Reapers are easily the second best choice for traveling in radiation zones as they are also immune to radiation damage.
- Able to burrow underground and you can either choose to hide from sight or ambush unsuspecting enemies. The rubble created by the buried reaper cannot be seen by enemy players, increasing the chances of being undetected.
- Has the ability to use an acid shrapnel attack that slows all enemies down regardless of size.
- While not capable of harvesting wood, the Reaper has a unique feature; Any trees it comes into contact with will immediately fall. Perfect for quickly clearing land for your base.
- Can take on the Forest Titan and the Ice Titan while tanking their attacks.
Reaper Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Reaper
How To Tame A Reaper:
6. Rock Drake
A beautiful creature that will lead you to the more dangerous parts of Ark in order to get one.
Arguably the most versatile flyer in the game. The Rock Drake has many helpful and unique abilities that almost make it impossible not to have one. Stealthy and dangerous, this creature makes the trouble of acquiring, and raising one worth it!
What Rock Drake Is Great For:
- Has the ability to camouflage itself and the player riding it by going almost completely invisible.
- Able to swim at decently fast speeds while not dismounting the rider upon entering the water paired with the ability to launch itself back out of the water and directly into a glide.
- Extremely mobile as it can climb any surface, up, down, diagonal, and can go upside down while climbing.
- Fast gliding for long distances.
- Capable of holding its own in combat against many creatures, even a Reaper.
- No matter the environment; caves, Aberration, other maps, and even the depths of oceans, the Rock Drake can tackle them all.
- One of the only mounts that can get in and out of cave systems to explore the surface on its own without needing any additional equipment.
- Its natural ability for travel and stealth makes it great at stealing eggs from its own kind and other species.
- The creature itself is immune to radiation damage.
- Can detect buried player’s Reapers by flaring up the feathers on its head when you are close.
Rock Drake Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Rock_Drake
How To Tame A Rock Drake:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnPJwxGvXSo&t=468s
5. Maewing
Possibly one of the cutest dinos in Ark Also happens to be the best nanny anyone could ever ask for.
The Maewing is definitely one of the most helpful creatures you can find on Ark. This platypus-looking companion will help you with one of the most time-consuming aspects of the game; raising baby dinos. It doesn’t matter what style you prefer to play, the Maewing will prove to be extremely helpful to your Ark gaming experience in every way.
What Maewing Is Great For:
- Acts as a feeding trough for baby dinos, as long as you provide the Maewing with food the babies would normally eat.
- Maewings can carry babies with its saddle and can carry up to 4 baby creatures at a time.
- Has the ability to steal baby creatures from enemies.
- Lays eggs of random quality at random times, it does have a 2.5% chance of laying extraordinary eggs.
- Reaches great speeds when running, swimming, and gliding.
- Does Not have an oxygen stat when underwater.
- A great gatherer of berries, hide, meat, and fiber.
- Reduces the weight of meat and berries by 50% while the items are in its inventory.
Maewing Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Maewing
How To Tame A Maewing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYt6HzJ6ytg&t=168s
4. Therizinosaurus
Is it a duck? Is it a chicken? Nope! It’s a Theri.
The Therizinosaurus is a strong companion to have on ark! This creature is one of the best at gathering in the game as well as a superb fighter. Whatever your needs may be, the Therizinosaurus can surely provide
What Therizinosaurus Is Great For:
- Capable of harvesting anything, although it does not possess any weight reduction for the materials it gathers, it is very often able to outpace its competitors.
- Gathers Wood, Thatch, Rare Mushrooms, Berries, Meat, Prime Meat, Prime Fish Meat, Hide, Chitin, Keratin, Leech Blood, Fiber, Silk, Rare Flowers, Plant Species X and Y seeds, Sap, Cactus Sap, and Organic Polymer.
- Has the ability to gather various materials when set to wander and left alone in resource-rich areas.
- Great at combat and is able to attack slightly faster than a Rex or a Spino.
- With Sweet Vegetable Cake in its inventory, it can restore up to 10% health every 30 seconds, making it a great option in boss battles.
Therizinosaurus Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Therizinosaur
How To Tame A Therizinosaurus:
3. Rex
Still in the hearts of almost every player is the original beast of Ark.
The well-known apex predator is still one of the most useful tanks and damage-producing creatures in Ark. Known for being the most reliable companion to take into boss battles, the Rex is useful in any combat scenario. The only thing the Rex can’t do is go into smaller caves.
What Rex Is Great For:
- Has the ability to have very high damage, health, weight, and many other stats created for almost all of your various needs.
- Moves at great speeds compared to bulkier tanks such as the Brontosaurus.
- One of the best dinos at harvesting meat and other resources off of deceased creatures.
- Few are better at intimidation, with the Rex being one of the best for warding off anyone or anything that dares to attack you and your powerful tame.
- Remains the #1 best choice for boss battles without needing any guns or ammunition.
- Almost just as effective as the Giga with none of the risks and all of the benefits.
Rex Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Rex
How To Tame A Rex:
2. Argentavis
Without a doubt, no flyer is more important to have than the Argentavis.
A fan-favorite flyer, this creature may not be the fastest amongst its competitors but it is surely a tank in the sky and very useful. The Argentavis provides the most adored ability in Ark and is everyone’s go-to traveling companion.
What Argentavis Is Great For:
- The saddle works as a smithy, it cannot repair items, it can only craft them.
- Has great stamina stats.
- Amazing weight stats and reduces the weight of metal greatly among other resources and items.
- Feeding Stimberry or Stimulant in-flight can allow you to fly for longer periods.
- The easiest, beginner-friendly flyer to have on your side.
- Capable of carrying most smaller creatures such as; Raptors, Direwolves, Dung Beetles, and Dodos.
- Heals quickly when eating corpses.
- Can be found on almost all maps.
- Has decent damage output.
Argentavis Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Argentavis
How To Tame A Argentavis:
1. Shadowmane
The most deserving #1 spot of any dino in Ark is the beloved aquatic lion.
Shadowmanes are by far the most versatile creatures in the game. Anything you can dream of needing besides flying, this creature can not only provide but it does its job very well. There is no competition in which dino deserves the #1 spot, the Shadowmane destroys the competition.
What Shadowmane Is Great For:
- Can enter a frenzied, aggressive state when the combo bar is fully charged by successfully hitting creatures, causing the regular melee attack to deal 4 times its regular damage.
- A great underwater explorer who can travel swiftly throughout oceans while not having an oxygen stat.
- The Shadowmane has a teleporting element-charged burst that briefly stuns targets upon impact.
- Travels quickly on land allowing exploration to come with ease.
- Has the ability to turn itself and the player invisible.
- Male Shadowmane roars, boosts all survivors and creatures for 30 seconds, boosted allies recover 50 stamina and torpidity per second, and have their speed increased by 50%
- All Shadowmanes have varying amounts of natural armor in place of a saddle, so you do not need a saddle to ride this creature.
- Invisibility can be used while underwater.
- Able to jump at incredible heights and is immune to fall damage for a duration after activating the Shadowmanes boosted jump.
- Shadowmanes have a hydrated buff which increases their speed, health regeneration, and damage while in contact with water and for 30 seconds after leaving it.
Shadowmane Details: https://ark.wiki.gg/wiki/Shadowmane
How To Tame A Shadowmane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-HemnsB3QY&t=709s
