🦖 Ceratosaurus — The Horned Lizard
The Ceratosaurus is one of the most recognizable predators of the Late Jurassic period and a valuable addition to any collection. Here’s what makes it special.
Unique Mechanics:
⚡ Speed Buildup — the Ceratosaurus accelerates over time and becomes faster and faster, making it one of the fastest creatures in ARK.
🩸 Blood Attack — its horn or tail applies the «Toxic Blood» effect, which deals damage and heals nearby allied carnivores.
💉 Ally Healing — while the effect is active or the Ceratosaurus is attacking a target, it receives healing and heals nearby allied carnivores.
🎯 Useful in Boss Fights — considered a viable option for fights against the Broodmother, though Megatheriums are still more effective.
Taming:
The Ceratosaurus is tamed passively, but with a unique «intoxication» mechanic:
- Kill wild Ceratosauruses to collect Cerato-Venomous Spikes (about 10 needed per cocktail).
- Craft a Hemoglobin Cocktail (unlocked at level 60): 25 blood packs + 10 spikes + 10 narcotics.
- Give the cocktail to a tank creature (a Stego with a good saddle, Carbonemys — minimum 15,000 HP).
- Let the Ceratosaurus attack your dinosaur — it will begin to get «drunk» (the text «Drunk __%» will appear).
- When intoxication reaches 100%, the Ceratosaurus becomes passive — feed it Exceptional Kibble (best option) or Raw Mutton.
⚠️ Important: on official servers, the Ceratosaurus sobers up at ~54% taming progress — repeated intoxication will be required. For a high-level Ceratosaurus, stock up on 8–10+ cocktails.
💡 Alternative method: kill an adult Ceratosaurus and take the baby — this is much easier and saves time.
Variants:
- Normal Ceratosaurus — spawns on many maps in biomes: dark zone, desert, mountains, oasis, wasteland.
📖 Why It Deserves a Place in the Collection
The Ceratosaurus represents an archaic branch of theropods — it is older and more primitive than the Allosaurus, yet possesses a unique set of adaptations: a nasal horn, osteoderms, and a fish-eating specialization. In ARK, it stands out for its acceleration mechanic and blood healing of allies, making it not just a combat pet but a support for a pack of predators. For collectors, it’s a creature that demonstrates the evolutionary path from ancient ceratosaurs to more advanced theropods, while also offering a unique gameplay experience thanks to its complex but rewarding taming process.