Ark Arena Guide
Welcome to the Ark Arena! This guide will help you get started and learn everything you need to know to kick ass in the arena.
Contents
Joining the server
Visit Connecting to the server for full instructions including a video tutorial
Home Base
After spawning into the map, all players will be in Home Base. This is the main game lobby where you can access several structures and interact with other players who are waiting for a game, and also queue up for games.
Structures
Home base will give you access to several important structures which look like structures we are all familiar with and serve a similar purpose.
Structures in the Arena Mod differ from typical Ark structures in that each player has a unique, personal inventory. This means when you access the structure, you will only see your own items, and no one else’s.
- NOTE - These structures cannot currently be accessed using the “Access Inventory” Hotkey (F by default). You must use the Action button (E by default) to access these structures. This will be resolved in the future.
The structures available are as follows:
Arena Replicator
This is where all items are crafted and repaired. All items can only be bought with Element Shards. You will earn Element Shards from participating in the Arena.
Arena Teleporter
Access this structure in order to queue for random games within the arena. In order to earn Element Shards from winning, you must queue up through the Arena Teleporter.
Vault
Pretty straight forward. Store your stuff in here.
Spawning Chamber
Looks like a Tek Sleeping Pod, but you can’t lie down in this one. The Spawning Chamber controls which items you will receive upon respawning. Place a Blueprint into this structure and every time you respawn, you will receive an item based on that Blueprint. Every player will start with the same default items, and you can customize it as you see fit.
Blueprinter
It looks like a fabricator, but it’s very different. This structure will allow you to create a blueprint from any item except Tek items at 5x the base item cost. These blueprints can then be placed into the Spawning Chamber. Once this is done, you will receive the item every time you respawn. Take note though, that regardless of quality, Blueprints will only come out as Primitive.
Grinder
Much like the Grinder you are familiar with, use this to destroy items you don’t want. Only Armor and Weapon items can be destroyed in the Grinder.
Item Upgrades
It is possible to upgrade existing items using special item upgrade tokens.
There are two token types:
- Armor Upgrades
- Weapon Upgrades.
Additionally, the upgrades exist for each of the quality ranks:
- Ramshackle
- Apprentice
- Journeyman
- Mastercraft
- Ascendant.
Each upgrade will provide an incremental improvement at a much higher cost than previous tier.
- Items can be upgraded to a higher tier even if they have already been upgraded.
- Upgrading an item also repairs it.
- To use an item upgrade, drag the upgrade token onto a compatible item to upgrade it.