Polymer
These incredibly strong, lightweight plates can be shaped and then heat treated into casings for anything.
Details
- Category
- Resource
- Games
- ASE + ASA
- Expansion
- Base
- Recipe
- 2 ingredients
- Loot crates
- 114 crates
- Item ID
- 163
Engram
How you unlock it
- Required level
- 48
- Engram points
- 6
- How to unlock
- Manual
Maps
Found on 7 maps
Video guides: search YouTube for Polymer guides
How to craft Polymer
Polymer is crafted from 2 ingredients. The engram unlocks at level 48, costs 6 engram points, takes 2 seconds, gives 0.56 XP.
Raw materials
If you craft every ingredient yourself
16Stone
8Chitin/KeratinCrafted along the way: Cementing Paste ×2.
How to get Polymer
Polymer is found in 114 loot crates.
Loot crates
114 crates
- Aberration RedAberration and Valguero · ASA
- Aberration Red BonusAberration and Valguero · ASA
- Aberration Surface RedAberration · ASA
- Aberration Surface Red BonusAberration · ASA
- Aberration Surface YellowAberration · ASA
- Aberration Surface Yellow BonusAberration · ASA
- Aberration YellowAberration and Valguero · ASA
- Aberration Yellow BonusAberration and Valguero · ASA
- Astraeos Desert RedAstraeos · ASA
- Astraeos Desert Red BonusAstraeos · ASA
- Astraeos Orbital EasyAstraeos · ASA
- Astraeos Orbital HardAstraeos · ASA
Show all 114 crates
- Astraeos Orbital LegendaryAstraeos · ASA
- Astraeos Orbital MediumAstraeos · ASA
- Astraeos RedAstraeos · ASA
- Astraeos Red BonusAstraeos · ASA
- Astral Pulmonoscorpius RoyaltyThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Astral Rock DrakeThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Extinction Orbital EasyExtinction · ASA
- Extinction Orbital HardExtinction · ASA
- Extinction Orbital LegendaryExtinction · ASA
- Extinction Orbital MediumExtinction · ASA
- Fishing Items (Net)The Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Genesis Part 1, Genesis Part 2, The Center, Ragnarok, Valguero, Crystal Isles, Lost Island, and Fjordur · ASE
- Fishing Items (Pole)The Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA / ASE
- Genesis BlueGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Genesis CyanGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Genesis GreenGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Genesis OrangeGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Genesis PurpleGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Genesis RedGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Genesis WhiteGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Genesis YellowGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Island RedThe Island, The Center, and Ragnarok · ASA
- Island Red BonusThe Island and Ragnarok · ASA
- Lost Colony Cave RedLost Colony · ASA
- Lost Colony City RedLost Colony · ASA
- Mission 'Bulbdog Fetch' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Bulbdog Fetch' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Bulbdog Fetch' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Circuit Chase' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Circuit Chase' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Circuit Chase' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Downriver Run' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Downriver Run' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Downriver Run' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Ferox Cull' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Ferox Cull' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Ferox Cull' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Maewing Poach' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Maewing Poach' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Maewing Poach' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Paracer Roundup' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Paracer Roundup' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Paracer Roundup' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Shadowmane Prowl' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Shadowmane Prowl' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Shadowmane Prowl' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Slide and Glide' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Slide and Glide' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Slide and Glide' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Slipstream Sweep' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Slipstream Sweep' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Slipstream Sweep' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Starwing Strike' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Starwing Strike' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Starwing Strike' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Team Downriver Run' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Team Downriver Run' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Team Downriver Run' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Velonasaur Stalk' EasyGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Velonasaur Stalk' HardGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- Mission 'Velonasaur Stalk' MediumGenesis Part 2 · ASE
- NeophyteThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Orbital Drop EasyExtinction · ASE
- Orbital Drop HardExtinction · ASE
- Orbital Drop LegendaryExtinction · ASE
- Orbital Drop MediumExtinction · ASE
- Outpost: Breeding Pits EasyLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Breeding Pits HardLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Breeding Pits MediumLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Gladiator's Keep EasyLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Gladiator's Keep HardLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Gladiator's Keep MediumLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Lost Resource Cache EasyLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Lost Resource Cache HardLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Lost Resource Cache MediumLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Marksman's Hold EasyLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Marksman's Hold HardLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Marksman's Hold MediumLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Molten Works EasyLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Molten Works HardLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Molten Works MediumLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Outpost Defense EasyLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Outpost Defense HardLost Colony · ASA
- Outpost: Outpost Defense MediumLost Colony · ASA
- Raptor Claus GiftThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Genesis Part 1, Genesis Part 2, The Center, Ragnarok, Valguero, Crystal Isles, Lost Island, and Fjordur · ASE
- Scorched Buried BlueThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Scorched RedScorched Earth, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Scorched Red BonusScorched Earth, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- The Center RedThe Center · ASA
- The Center Red BonusThe Center · ASA
- Thrall ArcherThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall DeadeyeThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall DemolisherThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall EnforcerThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall GunslingerThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall HeraldThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall MarauderThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall PiercerThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall ScattershotThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall SnarerThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Thrall WardenThe Island, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Lost Colony, The Center, Astraeos, Ragnarok, and Valguero · ASA
- Valguero RedValguero · ASA
- Valguero Red BonusValguero · ASA
Polymer — Detailed Guide
A plate behind advanced crafting
Polymer is a manufactured resource in ARK: Survival Evolved that feeds a long list of advanced recipes, from guns and armor to Tek saddles and electrical machines. The game describes the plates like this: "These incredibly strong, lightweight plates can be shaped and then heat treated into casings for anything."
Making Polymer
The engram costs 6 points and becomes available at level 48. Polymer is made in a 
Fabricator, and the 
Tek Replicator and 
Exo-Mek can produce it as well. Every craft yields 1 Polymer from:
- 2
Obsidian - 2
Cementing Paste, or 
Achatina Paste in its place
Each craft takes 2 seconds and is worth 0.56 XP.
Natural stand-ins
Two organic materials can replace it. Organic Polymer comes from the 
Mantis, 
Karkinos, 
Kairuku and 
Hesperornis, and from bee hives, and it can always be used where a recipe asks for Polymer. The catch is that it spoils and only stacks to 20, while regular Polymer stacks to 100. On Extinction, 
Corrupted Nodule does the same job; it is taken from the bodies of Corrupted Creatures in the Wasteland. The swap does not work in reverse for everything: regular Polymer cannot go into Ghillie Armor and will not tame a 
Moschops.
Where the plates end up
Our records count 169 ASE recipes that call for Polymer. A few examples with their amounts:
- Federation Exo armor: 120 for each piece, from the
Federation Exo Helmet to the 
Federation Exo Boots - Other armor: 350 for the
M.O.M.I., 180 each for the 
M.D.S.M. and the 
M.S.C.M. - Ammunition: 120 for a
Cannon Shell, 15 for a 
Rocket Homing Missile, 10 for a 
Rocket Propelled Grenade and 5 for a 
C4 Charge - For protection: the
Gas Mask, 
Night Vision Goggles, 
Heavy Miner's Helmet, 
Riot Boots and all Hazard Suit pieces
The wiki's list adds tools such as the 
Canteen, 
GPS and 
Spray Painter, guns such as the 
Assault Rifle and 
Fabricated Sniper Rifle, Tek saddles for the 
Rex, 
Megalodon and Mosasaur, and base machines including the 
Industrial Forge, 
Refrigerator, 
Air Conditioner and 
Vault.
Carrying and finding it
A single plate weighs 0.25, so a full stack of 100 weighs only 25. Polymer also turns up in loot: 114 crate types can contain it, such as the Aberration Red and Aberration Surface Yellow crates. Our records list it on 9 maps.