Created by Roberto Turati / Designed by TheFictionalLawyer & DILONG
The world of ARK: Survival Ascended will soon be enriched by a spooky attraction: the Megaraptor! With the planned release of the Valguero map in August 2025, this prehistoric hunter will be added to the game as a free dinosaur. In addition to the Megaraptor, another previously unknown DLC dino from the Fantastic Tames series is set to be released.
While ARK already offers a variety of theropods, there has not been a megaraptorid until now. This changes with the new community winner of the creature vote. With over 32,000 votes, the Megaraptor has been chosen as the next dino for Valguero, and its debut promises to elevate hunting and fighting in ARK to a whole new level.
The Megaraptor was inspired by dark, eerie creatures like the Night Feeder from Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal and Lobo/Death from Puss in Boots 2. The goal is to bring a truly fearsome monster into the game that not only attacks with its claws but also introduces a whole new gameplay mechanic.
Gameplay Mechanics
Warning! This is just a suggestion for the gameplay mechanics, and Wildcard will adapt and integrate it appropriately.
Wilderness Behavior: A Master of Shadow Hunting
The Megaraptor is an adaptable yet rarely encountered hunter that can be found in various biomes of Valguero. However, its way of hunting sets it apart from all previous creatures:
- Day Mode:
- Moves stealthily towards its prey.
- Once close enough, it prepares for a jumpscare leap.
- The attack triggers a Fear effect, similar to the Yutyrannus.
- Players experience a shock and hallucination mechanic, being plagued by ghostly visions for up to 10 minutes.
- Night Mode:
- Acts like a ruthless stalker.
- Creates fear with screams from the darkness.
- Follows tracks and leaves victims with little chance of escape.
The only way to keep it at bay? Fire! The Megaraptor has an extreme fear of flames, so torches, campfires, and flamethrowers will deter it.
Taming Mechanics: A Duel with the Beast
Taming a Megaraptor is not for the faint of heart. Here are the steps:
- Defeat a wild Megaraptor and collect its claws.
- Craft Megaraptor Blades – a special weapon needed for taming.
- Confront the Megaraptor with drawn blades to initiate a duel.
- Parry its attacks until its stamina is exhausted.
- Feed it Battle Tartare or Shadow Steak Sauté to continue the taming process.
- Repeat the process until the Megaraptor is tamed.
Special Abilities and Combat Techniques
The Megaraptor brings some unique mechanics that make it a fearsome companion:
- Jumpscare Lunge: Triggers fear and hallucination effects.
- Double Claw Strike: Causes a wound effect that slowly bleeds out opponents.
- Hunting Pounce: Can latch onto large dinos or take out small enemies directly.
- 360° Mobility: Can sprint, dodge, and even perform parkour on walls.
- Darkness Buff: In caves or at night, it is always in stealth mode.
- Blood Rage Mode: If it kills too many opponents, it goes into a frenzy and attacks everything – including its rider!
Source: https://survivetheark.com/index…
