Introduction
With its comically oversized claws and surprisingly feathery appearance, the Therizinosaurus is one of the most striking dinosaurs in the survival game *ARK: Survival Evolved*. Often referred to affectionately as the “Tickle Chicken” by the player base, this creature is far more than just an amusing sight. The Therizinosaurus is a powerhouse of resource gathering and a formidable combatant, making it a highly desirable tame for both novice and experienced players alike. However, taming this feathered beast is no easy feat. Its aggressive nature, combined with its high torpor requirements, presents a significant challenge. This guide provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Therizinosaurus taming process, focusing specifically on the best food choices to maximize taming efficiency and ultimately secure your very own Tickle Chicken.
Understanding the Therizinosaurus
The Therizinosaurus, though fictionalized in *ARK: Survival Evolved*, draws inspiration from the real-life dinosaur of the same name. Within the game, it’s commonly found in wooded areas, often near water sources. These regions provide it with the vegetation it needs to survive as a herbivore. While herbivores are often seen as docile, the Therizinosaurus is anything but. It boasts an aggressive temperament and will readily attack anything that gets too close, making caution paramount when approaching one.
Several key statistics make the Therizinosaurus a creature worth understanding before attempting a tame. Its health pool is considerable, meaning it can withstand a substantial amount of damage. More importantly for taming purposes, its torpor stat is also high, requiring a significant amount of tranquilizing ammunition to bring it down. Successfully managing this torpor level is crucial to a successful and safe taming.
The Therizinosaurus possesses a range of unique abilities, further enhancing its desirability as a tame. Its claws are exceptionally versatile, allowing it to efficiently harvest various resources, from wood and thatch to berries and fiber. Different “bite” attacks with its claws determine what resources are harvested. Furthermore, its combat abilities are nothing to scoff at. While not the tankiest of creatures, its damage output is high, making it a capable fighter, especially when dealing with armored opponents, due to its claw attacks ignoring a percentage of armor.
The Therizinosaurus isn’t just about raw power; it offers exceptional utility. Its ability to harvest a wide array of resources makes it an invaluable asset for base building and crafting. Its combat prowess allows it to defend your base from predators or other players. Finally, its decent speed and carrying capacity make it a viable option for transporting goods across the map, a benefit that should not be underestimated when establishing operations in remote or resource-rich regions. This diverse range of benefits is what makes successfully acquiring a Therizinosaurus well worth the effort involved.
The Taming Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
Successful Therizinosaurus taming hinges on careful planning and meticulous execution.
Preparation is Key
Before you even set foot in Therizinosaurus territory, thorough preparation is essential. First, carefully scout the area where you intend to attempt the tame. Identify potential hazards, such as other aggressive creatures or environmental dangers. Ensure the location provides enough space to maneuver and potentially construct a taming pen. Gather all the necessary equipment: a ranged weapon capable of inflicting torpor (tranquilizer darts or arrows are a must), a reliable weapon for self-defense, sturdy armor to mitigate damage, and sufficient quantities of narcotics or bio toxin to maintain the Therizinosaurus’s torpor. Most importantly, gather an ample supply of the correct food for taming; selecting an optimal food source is a game-changer.
Knocking Out the Therizinosaurus
The next step involves knocking out the Therizinosaurus without killing it. This is where accuracy and patience come into play. The recommended method is to use a ranged weapon with tranquilizer ammunition. Aim for the head or body, avoiding excessively close ranges to minimize the risk of taking damage. A backpedaling strategy is highly recommended; keep moving while firing to maintain distance. Remember that the Therizinosaurus’s torpor builds up over time with each shot, so avoid firing too rapidly, as this could lead to its death. Observe the creature’s behavior carefully, adjusting your firing rate as needed.
Maintaining Torpor
Once the Therizinosaurus is down, the work is far from over. Maintaining its torpor is crucial for successful taming. Regularly administer narcotics or bio toxin to keep the torpor bar from depleting. The rate at which the torpor drops depends on various factors, including the creature’s level and the surrounding environment. Continuously monitor the torpor bar, and reapply narcotics or bio toxin as necessary to keep it elevated. Letting the torpor drop to zero will cause the taming process to reset, wasting valuable time and resources.
Protecting the Tame
To further protect your investment, build a taming pen around the unconscious Therizinosaurus. A simple enclosure made of stone or metal will suffice to keep out most other creatures. Clear the surrounding area of any potential threats, such as raptors or carnos. The last thing you need is an interruption from another creature while you’re trying to tame.
The Best Food for Taming: A Detailed Comparison
The type of food you offer a Therizinosaurus significantly impacts the taming process.
Introduction to Taming Food Mechanics
Taming effectiveness refers to how well the creature retains its stats after the taming process is complete. A higher taming effectiveness results in a creature with better base stats and more bonus levels. Taming speed, on the other hand, determines how quickly the taming process progresses. Using the correct food increases both the taming effectiveness and taming speed, ultimately saving you time and resources.
Preferred Food Options (Ranked)
The absolute best food for taming a Therizinosaurus is Exceptional Kibble. This kibble provides the highest taming effectiveness and taming speed bonus. However, acquiring Exceptional Kibble can be challenging, as it requires specific ingredients and a high-level cooking pot. The recipe involves a special egg laid by certain creatures, along with other rare ingredients. While it’s the most effective option, its difficulty to acquire may make it impractical for some players.
A very viable second option is various crops, in particular, vegetables such as carrots, longrass, rockarrot, and savoroot. These provide a decent taming effectiveness and taming speed bonus, although not as high as Exceptional Kibble. However, crops are much more readily available than kibble, as they can be grown in a farm plot. While the taming process will take longer with crops, their accessibility makes them a solid choice for many players.
The most accessible food option, but also the least effective, is berries. Mejo berries offer the best taming effectiveness and speed compared to other berries. Berries are easy to gather in large quantities, but they provide the lowest taming effectiveness and the slowest taming speed. Using berries will result in a lower-level creature with potentially worse stats. This option is best reserved for situations where other food sources are unavailable or when taming a low-level Therizinosaurus.
Optimal Food Strategy
The optimal food strategy depends on your current situation and resources. If you can reliably acquire Exceptional Kibble, it’s the clear choice for maximizing taming effectiveness and speed. If kibble is out of reach, focus on farming crops to provide a more readily available alternative. If you’re in a pinch and only have berries, use them as a last resort, but be aware that the resulting tame will likely be weaker.
Post-Taming Care and Training
Once the Therizinosaurus is successfully tamed, it’s crucial to provide proper care to ensure its continued health and effectiveness.
Initial Feeding and Imprinting
After taming, ensure your new companion has a full belly by immediately feeding it its preferred food. Immediately after taming, there is an imprinting window where the creature will need to be taken care of. Performing those tasks correctly will increase its stats as well as give the survivor an imprint bonus. Imprinting increases the bond between the survivor and the dinosaur to increase its stats when around that survivor.
Leveling Up
When leveling up your Therizinosaurus, focus on allocating points to key stats. Health is essential for survivability in combat. Melee damage increases its damage output, making it more effective at both resource gathering and combat. Weight increases its carrying capacity, allowing it to haul more resources. A balanced approach is often the best strategy.
Using the Therizinosaurus Effectively
To maximize its utility, learn the nuances of its resource gathering and combat abilities. Experiment with different attacks to determine which resources they harvest most efficiently. In combat, utilize its armor-piercing attacks to deal significant damage to heavily armored opponents. Practice maneuvering and positioning to avoid taking unnecessary damage.
Troubleshooting Taming Issues
Despite your best efforts, taming can sometimes go wrong.
Common Problems
One common problem is the Therizinosaurus waking up prematurely due to insufficient torpor. To prevent this, monitor the torpor bar closely and administer narcotics or bio toxin as needed. Another issue is the Therizinosaurus dying during the taming process. This can be caused by excessive damage from tranquilizer weapons or attacks from other creatures. Avoid firing too rapidly and clear the surrounding area of any potential threats.
Solutions and Prevention
To mitigate these problems, employ preventative measures. Maintain a safe distance when firing tranquilizers. Build a sturdy taming pen to protect the unconscious creature. Continuously monitor the surrounding area for any signs of danger.
Conclusion
Taming a Therizinosaurus in *ARK: Survival Evolved* is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. Understanding the creature’s behavior, preparing adequately, selecting the optimal food, and diligently maintaining its torpor are all essential for success. The best food choices are Exceptional Kibble, crops, and finally berries. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, you can increase your chances of successfully taming a Tickle Chicken and adding this powerful and versatile creature to your arsenal.
Now it’s your turn! Share your own Therizinosaurus taming experiences in the comments below. What strategies have worked best for you? What challenges have you faced? Your insights can help other players conquer this formidable beast and experience the many benefits it offers.
