Taming is what separates a beach scrub from a real tribe. The right early tames give you mobility, gathering power, and a fighting chance. Here are the essentials and how to catch them.
Knockout taming basics
Most early tames are knockout tames: render the creature unconscious, then feed it the right food while keeping it down. - Knock it out with tranq arrows (later tranq darts), a club, or a slingshot for small creatures. - Watch Torpor. Once down, torpor drains over time. Feed Narcoberries or Narcotics to keep it unconscious. - Feed the right food. Carnivores prefer raw or cooked meat (and prime meat tames faster); herbivores eat berries, crops, or Mejoberries. - Higher-level dinos take longer but end up stronger — bring extra narcotics.
Must-have early tames
### Parasaur — your early radar Cheap, fast to tame, and its turret-mode scan pings nearby players and dinos. An early warning system on legs.
Raptor / Dilophosaurus — mobility and defense
Raptors give you speed and pack pressure; Dilos spit to blind and are dirt cheap. Either one makes the early beach far safer.
Pteranodon — your first wings
The Ptera is a turning point: scouting, escape, and ferrying loot between hidden stashes. Learn its flight roll for quick getaways.
Trike / Carbonemys — berries and a health wall
Trikes gather berries and bully predators; Carbos are tanky and great for cliff fibre/berry runs. Both soak early hits well.
Ankylosaurus — metal economy
Once you can tame an Anky, your metal and stone income multiplies. It is the backbone of mid-game progression and explosives.
Argentavis — the workhorse
The Argy carries dinos and heavy loads, is tough enough to fight, and can grab smaller creatures. The first big quality-of-life flyer most tribes chase.
A sensible taming order
1. Parasaur (radar) and a Dilo or two (cheap defense). 2. Pteranodon (mobility and scouting). 3. Trike or Carbonemys (gathering and health). 4. Ankylosaurus (metal) and a Doedicurus (stone). 5. Argentavis (transport and combat).
PvP taming tips
- Tame in secret. A knocked-out dino is a free kill for anyone who finds it. Tame in covered, out-of-sight spots. - Time it with the server. Long tames are safest during the offline window — use WarRoom to find when your server empties out. - Bring backup torpor. Running out of narcotics mid-tame loses the dino and your effort. - Don't over-invest early. Expect losses; tame replaceable dinos until your base can actually protect them.
Get mobile, get gathering, then get fighting — in that order.