Leveling up your tamed dinos in Ark is just as important as leveling up your character. However, the methods in Ark to level up your dinos are less well known. Most people would assume you need to go out and kill other creatures to level up, which, don’t get me wrong, is effective, but not all dinos can do this.
For example, you’re not going to fare well if you pit a beaver (Castoroides) up against a Rex.
If you want to level up your dinos fast in Ark, it’s worth getting a tribemate to help out. You’ll see why this is beneficial in our guide below.
1. Use the Grinder While Sat On a Dino
While you’re sat on the dino in Ark you want to level up, get a tribemate to put lots of all or either the following items in the grinder:
- Wood
- Stone
- Metal Ingots
- Cementing Paste
Your dino’s level should start to increase pretty rapidly since you’ll be sharing the XP when you’re riding a tamed dino. This method for leveling up is best for creatures that can’t take on bigger dinos.
2. Breed Dinos to Kill
It might not be the most orthodox method in Ark to level up dinos, but it works.
Breed and hatch as many baby dinos as you can (I recommend baby Rexs or baby Allosaurus’). When they reach their juvenile state, un-claim them and mount your preferred dino you want to level up.
It’s worth keeping your baby dinos in a dedicated area like a hatching pen so that other creatures don’t get in on the killing spree. Open the doors then use your mounted dino to munch them all.
3. One Hell of A Treasure Hunt (Genesis I)
In Genesis part 1, there’s a mission called One Hell of a Treasure Hunt. This mission is easily completed on Beta if you have a strong Rex or Giga you want to level up.
The mission takes you through some pretty dangerous areas, along a straightforward route. Be sure to kill every dino you encounter along the way and enjoy the XP.
4. Orbital Supply Drop (Extinction)
Solo with a high-level dino in Ark, or with some teammates, head over to an Orbital Supply Drop (OSD) in Extinction. Here you’ll fend off waves of creatures (level dependent on the difficulty you choose).
This is a great way to earn XP in Ark and level up your dinos and creatures easily. It also gives you some pretty awesome rewards.
5. XP Events
Look out for double or triple XP events in Ark. During certain Ark events or seasonal events, you’ll notice that XP rates are increased.
This is the perfect time to level up your dinos since you’ll get double or triple what you normally would. Apply the same methods above during these events to hit max level fast.
6. Kill Alphas
Killing alphas is not only one of the best ways to level up your dinos in Ark, but it’s also a great way to level up your character too.
Of course, alphas are much more dangerous than your average dino, and new players might find this one a little tough to take on, but if you got creatures strong enough, the reward is worth the risk.
