THE ISLAND

Getting Started

The Island is the quintessential ARK map, offering a balanced progression curve. It's highly recommended for all new players to begin their journey here.

Best Spawn Locations

• South Zone 1 (Easy) The safest starting area. Abundant resources (wood, stone, berries) and mostly harmless herbivores. Minimal predator spawns (mostly Dilophosaurs and the occasional Raptor). Perfect for building your first thatch/wood base.
• West Zone 2 (Medium) Offers faster progression with closer access to metal nodes (on the small hill) and crystal. However, you will encounter more dangerous predators, including Carnotaurs, Alpha Raptors, and Sarcosuchus near the rivers.
• Hidden Lake (Northeast - Hard) A beautiful, highly defensible crater lake surrounded by three natural pillars. Extremely resource-rich (beaver dams for cementing paste nearby). However, it's surrounded by high-level predators, including Rexes and Therizinosaurs. Do not spawn here at level 1; travel here once established.

Artifact Caves

To challenge the Guardians (Bosses), you must collect 10 Artifacts hidden deep within challenging cave networks scattered across the map.

The Guardians (Bosses)

Take the required Artifacts and Tributes (Dinosaur drops like Rex Arms or Megalodon Teeth) to the Obelisks to summon the Guardians. Defeating them grants Tek Engrams and Element.

The Tek Cave & The Overseer

Located in the heart of the Volcano. You must offer the trophies of the three Alpha Guardians (Broodmother, Megapithecus, Dragon) to unlock the door. The Tek Cave is the ultimate endurance test.

Phase 1: The Descent (The Tek Cave)

The cave is a linear path filled with lava, extreme heat, and level 500+ alpha predators, Giganotosaurus, and Purlovias waiting in ambush. You only have a limited time to bring your army inside before the doors seal permanently.

Pro Tip: Form a "conga line" by setting your dinos to follow each other in a chain, ensuring they don't sprint wildly into the lava. You can bring up to 50 dinos into the Tek Cave.

Phase 2: The Overseer (Ascension)

Once you reach the teleporter at the bottom, you will be beamed up to the space station overseeing The Island. The Overseer boss constantly shifts between forms (Broodmother, Megapithecus, Dragon, and its pure energy form).

• Preparation: Bring multiple sets of high-durability Tek Armor, hundreds of Element, and a powerful Tek Rifle.
• Strategy: While your Rexes or Therizinosaurs chew on the Overseer, use your Tek Suit to fly above the arena, shooting the defense drones and the Overseer directly with your Tek Rifle. Keep moving to avoid its lasers.

Upon defeating the Overseer on Alpha, your survivor's level cap is increased by +15, and you "Ascend", unlocking the story path to Scorched Earth.

Deep Sea Loot & Explorer Notes

Deep Sea Loot Crates (Red Drops)

The highest quality blueprints (Rex Saddles, Pump-Action Shotguns) drop from deep sea crates. Only two exist on the map at any given time, hidden in the ocean depths. Best coordinates to check:

• Western Ocean: 51.3, 11.2 (Near the Brute Cave)
• Northwestern Iceberg: 09.6, 16.5
• Eastern Ocean: 47.4, 90.5 (Near the Cunning Cave)
• Southern Ocean: 90.8, 60.0 (Trench bottom)

The "Note Run" (Power Leveling)

To reach level 60+ on day one, spawn in South Zone 2 or West Zone 2 and run from Explorer Note to Explorer Note (small boxes containing lore) without fighting. Opening a note grants massive XP and a 2x XP multiplier buff for 10 minutes (which stacks!).

📜 Open the Explorer Notes Tracker

Admin Commands

If you are a server admin or playing in single-player, you can use these console commands (press ~ or pause menu) to bypass the grind.
Note: You may need to type enablecheats [password] first if playing on a dedicated server.