How to Tame Karkinos in ARK
A giant crab that grabs creatures with both claws simultaneously. Can jump extremely high. Tamed with catapults/cannons.
Quick Facts
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Tame Method
- Knockout
- Rideable
- Yes
Karkinos Taming Details
Karkinos is a knockout tame. Its most effective taming food is Kibble (preferred) or Raw Mutton.
Alternative foods: Cooked Lamb Chop, Raw Prime Meat, Cooked Prime Meat, Raw Meat.
Harvest yield: a tamed or killed Karkinos drops Raw Meat, Organic Polymer, Chitin.
Taming Steps
1. Prepare your gear
Bring Tranq Arrows or Tranq Darts, a Crossbow or Longneck Rifle, Narcotics or Narcoberries, and bug repellent.
2. Locate the creature
Find a wild Karkinos on supported maps. Check the spawn map and bring a fast mount or a flyer for transport.
3. Knock it out
Karkinos is a knockout tame. Use a Crossbow, Longneck Rifle with Tranq Darts, or Shocking Tranq Darts. Aim for the head for bonus torpor and keep distance to avoid aggro damage.
4. Feed the right food
Place Kibble (preferred) or Raw Mutton in its inventory (alternatives: Cooked Lamb Chop, Raw Prime Meat, Cooked Prime Meat, Raw Meat). Higher-tier food gives faster taming and higher level bonuses.
5. Maintain torpor
Watch the torpor bar. Feed Narcoberries or Narcotics to prevent it from waking up before the tame completes.
6. Claim & saddle
Once tamed, equip a saddle (unlocks via the engram tab) to ride your Karkinos.
Karkinos base stats
Level 1 wild values, with the gain each point adds in the wild and after taming.
| Stat | Base | Per wild level | Per tamed level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health | 1200 | +20.0% | +27.0% |
| Stamina | 600 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Oxygen | 150 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Food | 5000 | +10.0% | +10.0% |
| Weight | 800 | +2.0% | +4.0% |
| Melee damage | 1 | +5.0% | +10.0% |
| Movement speed | 1 | +0.0% | +1.0% |
| Torpidity | 800 | +5.0% | +0.0% |
Taming & saddle figures
Breeding & movement
Where it spawns & other details
Karkinos spawns on Aberration, Valguero, Astraeos, Genesis Part 1, Ragnarok.
Karkinos variants
- Alpha Karkinos (Aberration)
- VR Karkinos (Aberration, Valguero, Genesis: Part 1, Crystal Isles, Genesis: Part 2, Fjordur, Ragnarok, Astraeos)
Related tools & resources
Karkinos — Background & Lore
The Karkinos is a giant crab that grabs a creature in each claw and jumps very high.
Where to find it
Aberration, Valguero and Genesis Part 1 in both games, Astraeos and Ragnarok in ASA, and Crystal Isles and Fjordur in ASE.
Taming
A knockout tame. Its saddle unlocks at level 65. See the taming calculator.
Uses
Carrying two creatures at once, jumping up cliffs, and fighting on land and in water.
Tips
Use its claws to carry small tames across Aberration's cliffs and gaps.