The Pteranodon is the first of many dinosaurs players will see when they begin playing Ark: Survival Evolved. The creature is almost always going to be the first flier that gamers attempt to tame as well. Beginners and players on a new server should craft the necessary items to tame the small flying dinos.

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The docile Pteranodon will not attack players unless they are provoked. As a result, it is one of the easiest animals to tame in Ark. Gamers can walk right up to a Pteranodon without consequence, unlike most dinosaurs players try to tame.

Updated March 20th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: There are a lot of great dinosaurs to tame in Ark: Survival Evolved but some of them are much more useful than others. Players will come across a variety of helpful dinos that fit a multitude of roles during their journey but few of them are as useful in the early game as the Pteranodon. Those looking at how to tame a Pteranodon in Ark: Survival Evolved will definitely benefit from the following guide. These useful flying dinos are helpful for a wide array of reasons and can really change how a player progresses through the title. To better outline why these dinos are so useful, the following guide has been updated with more information.

Downing A Pteranodon

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Because Pteranodon are low-level creatures, gamers will not need upgraded weapons and gear to tame the creature. Instead, players can use the primitive crossbow and bola to down the dinosaur. Using the crossbow alone will not be sufficient, as Pteranodon over level 20 will usually fly away after being hit. However, if gamers use bola to trap the creature, they can fire an extra tranquilizer arrow or two to down the dino. After two shots, the Pteranodon will be downed and players can begin the taming process. Any Pteranodon above level 100 can break free from bola and fly away, however, so players will need stronger weapons for those creatures. Survivors should always have at least ten tranquilizer darts in their inventory before setting out to tame a dino. It is also a good idea to have at least a couple of bola, as accidents do happen. A spyglass is not necessary, but it will make identifying the right Ptera more straightforward.

Food and Taming

Ptera Ark

Players can use raw meat to revive and tame the Pteranodon. Raw meat can be harvested from essentially every dinosaur roaming the map. Prime meat is not necessary, but it will have a quicker effect. Giving the creature food alone will revive it, but it will take ages. Instead, Gamers will need to have some narcotics on hand to accelerate the process. As a general rule, 20 narcotics are usually enough to subdue any Ptera. If fed prime meat, the creature will need less narcotics to be tamed.

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Taming an Ichthyornis can streamline the process of collecting raw meat and raw prime meat. The small scavenger bird will kill and retrieve meat from diminutive creatures. Players can kill dinosaurs while the Ichthyornis is roaming to kill two birds with one stone. Ark gamers should have the Ichthyornis set to hunt and retrieve to make sure that it brings back the carcass. With prime meat and some narcotics, the Pteranodon can be tamed in just a few minutes. Kibble and mutton are the best taming foods, but at lower levels, the materials will not be readily available. Players that can get their hand on shocking tranquilizer darts can take down higher-level Pteranodon. While the Ptera is being tamed, players should monitor the raw meat in its inventory. If the stock is running low, players can give the Ptera a few narcotics and harvest more meat.

Crafting A Saddle

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Once Players have tamed the Pteranodon, they need to craft a saddle to use the dino as a mount. Gamers will need the following items to craft the saddle:

  • 75 Chitlin/Keratin
  • 125 Fiber
  • 230 Hide
  • 15 engram points

At lower levels, getting the materials can seem daunting. However, even with primitive weapons, players can get all the materials they need from taking out Carbonemys. Triceratops will drop the necessary materials as well, but their attacks pack a punch.

Leveling And Attacks

Pteranodon Ark

The main focus for players with a tamed Pteranodon should be increasing the creature's stamina. Increasing stamina will improve flying speed and flying distance. Leveling up the weight of a Ptera is also important, but not necessary early in the game. The Pteranodon has several attacks that can be used while mounted. The first is a bite attack, which will do a moderate amount of damage to lower-level enemies. The creature can also grab items and dinos while mounted. However, the Pteranodon can only pick up Dilophosaurs and smaller dinosaurs. The Pteranodon's best attack is a spinning dive. Gamers that want to deal the most damage using the dino should be using the attack, which does more than two times the damage of the bite attack. The dinosaur can even take down a low-level Rex. Players need to pay attention to the stamina bar, however, as the spin attack will use large portions of the Ptera's available stamina.

Pteranodons are some of the fastest fliers in the game, and the mount will help gamers locate and tame larger dinosaurs as they progress in the game. By taming and mounting the small flier early, gamers will be able to traverse the landscape better and progress faster. Beginners need to tame a Pretanodon, as they are the best low-level dinos in the game.

Some Uses For Pteranodons

Ark Survival Evolved Pteranodon Flying

To better elaborate on some of the great things that Pteranodons can be used for here's a look at some of the things they're exceptionally skilled at.

Skilled Fliers: Pteranodons are excellent when used for flying combat, as they're capable of moving swiftly through the air and have a relatively small hitbox. This makes them difficult for players to strike with a gun or other projectile weapon, especially those that are on the ground. Auto-tracking weapons can still prove to be a bit of a problem, but players should be able to avoid these things relatively easily thanks to the Pteranodon's flight speed and maneuverability.

Great for Scouting: Because Pteranodon's are so fast, they're the perfect dino for scouting around an area or discovering a new zone that players have been wanting to check out. They're capable of quickly fleeing the scene if there is danger and can simultaneously cover tons of ground. They'll give players an aerial view of the landscape below them, helping to find places that would be perfect for outposts or other safezones.

Traveling Quickly Across Maps: This goes hand-in-hand with scouting, but the Pteranodon is one of the fastest fliers available. It may not have the same heft or weight as some of the other airborne dinos in Ark: Survival Evolved, but it makes up for it with its immense speed by comparison. It's great for players that need to "fast travel" from one area to another, and those that put additional points into its weight and stamina can create a mobile mount that can carry much-needed supplies from far away areas with ease.

Helping Tame Other Dinos: One of the best things about the Pteranodon is that its high mobility makes it perfect for helping to tame other dinos that players may want to add to their collection. Its high speed, paired with its quick motions and rolling ability makes it one of the best dinosaurs to use when trying to lead another creature into a trap or bit of bait. Although it can't carry as much as many of the other critters strewn throughout Ark: Survival Evolved, it's still capable of carrying small animals and other bits of bait into areas that players would usually have a hard time navigating on foot.

Can Catch Players Off Guard: Although the Pteranodon is definitely not the strongest unit when it comes to combat, it's still very capable of dishing out decent damage when players are in a pinch. Its fast movement and roll ability allow it to chip away at players and a skilled pilot can outmaneuver a lot of damage. While it may need to drop from the skies eventually, it will prove to be a helpful partner on the ground too, and as long as players are smart about their placement they can come out on top during a lot of scuffles.

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