Tek Rifle

A plasma rifle powered by Element

The Tek Rifle is one of the Tek weapons of ARK: Survival Evolved. Its item text reads: "Shoots explosive plasma bolts, with an infrared zoomable scope. Equipping requires learning this Tekgram."

Unlocking the Tekgram

The ARK Wiki lists the fights that award it: the Beta versions of the Megapithecus, Manticore, Ragnarok Arena, Rockwell, Crystal Wyvern Queen, Rockwell Prime and Dinopithecus King, plus the Ice Titan. Beating the higher difficulties gives the Tekgram as well.

Firing and overheating

Element is its ammunition, with 50 shots from each unit, and the rifle never needs reloading. Continuous fire makes it overheat, though: 41 shots in a row are enough, after which it has to cool down, and heat indicators in third-person and zoom view help you pace it. It fires much more slowly than the Assault Rifle, but each shot does over three times the damage, close to what the Fabricated Sniper Rifle deals. The wiki's example is a 296.6% rifle hitting a creature without armor for 711 per shot.

The shots deal area damage, so with friendly fire turned on they can hit allies. They take longer to arrive than those of other guns, have no bullet drop and explode at their maximum range. The built-in scope has night vision, which suits dark places and nights.

Structures and resource nodes

Almost every structure type takes damage from it, stone and metal included, but Auto Turrets are immune. The wiki's figure for a metal wall is 345 shots and 6.9 Element. Aim carefully near resource nodes, since the shots destroy them easily. Like other Tek gear, the rifle cannot be used in most Boss Arenas.

Crafting and durability

It is crafted in a Tek Replicator or an Exo-Mek in 15 seconds, giving 180 XP:

• 450 Metal Ingot (or Scrap Metal Ingot)
• 120 Polymer (Organic Polymer or Corrupted Nodule also work)
• 120 Crystal (or Primal Crystal)
• 55 Black Pearl
• 20 Element (or Red Element)

Its durability is 80. Every 20 shots cost 1 point, and a shot or splash that hits a harvestable resource node costs 2 more. A repair needs 120 Polymer, 450 Metal Ingot, 120 Crystal and 55 Black Pearl.

Weight and loot sources

The rifle weighs 10. 45 crate types can contain it, including Astraeos Orbital Hard, Astraeos Orbital Legendary, Defense Unit, Desert Titan and Dragon Hoard. The wiki adds that higher-quality versions come only from Orbital Supply Drops and Titans on Extinction, or from challenges on Genesis.