Andrewsarchus

Unsaddled Roles

These roles can be fulfilled by an Andrewsarchus that is either saddled or unsaddled.

Early Guardian

Relatively easy to tame on its home map of Fjordur, the Andrewsarchus easily provides the benefits of a mid-game carnivore early in a survivor's journey on its ARK, giving you a leg up in your more vulnerable beginning stage. While the damage from the Andrewsarchus' bite is nothing to write home about, it is still tanky enough to out-damage most threats to its safety and yours over a prolonged engagement, so long as you have tamed or high-levelled one or levelled up one…

Amphibious Mount

The Andrewsarchus is perfectly adapted for hoofing it on land, and sea; literally, as the beast can sink to the ocean floor or the bottom of a river or lakebed and run along it like a hippopotamus. When needed to push off the bottom, it is still a strong and capable swimmer to take you back up to the surface for a breath. On land, the Andrewsarchus may not be the fastest mount, having a momentum-based sprint mechanic, but it is certainly up there; capable of covering long…

Saddled Roles

These roles are only able to be performed, either exclusively or effectively, by Andrewsarchus that have had their saddle equipped.

Submersible

The unlimited oxygen afforded to the rider in the tank capsule turns the Andrewsarchus into a perfect diving buddy; capable of keeping its rider alive when the next breath of fresh air might be too far away. Be mindful that the saddle does not replenish lost oxygen, but rather pauses loss of oxygen. The Andrewsarchus has to surface (or find a ) before rider oxygen properly refills. Warning: if you begin drowning before reaching the Andrewsarchus, the saddle does not negate…

Battle Tank

While not quite boasting the pool of creatures that perform traditional tank roles like , the Andrewsarchus can get almost as close on health, but the true utility they provide in this role is how their saddle specifically protects the rider. If you're worried about being dismounted, stunned, gunned down, or killed in a warfare situation, the Andrewsarchus makes the perfect choice to carry you onto the battlefield for commanding your troops, without risking you to death so long as…

Spelunker

For Caves the Andrewsarchus can access and complete, or at least mostly complete, either ridden in or forced in with a , the sarchus makes an excellent choice to delve for . The oxygen the saddle provides protects riders from drowning in underwater segments or suffocating from gas damage. Likewise the tank capsule keeps riders safe from the armor-damaging effects of Arthropluera spit, prevents the contraction of , and even provides immunity to the devastating effects of magma damage…

Bossing Mount

Although other tames are far more effective for combatting , the Andrewsarchus functions specifically as the mount you ride to keep yourself alive. This works to great effect in boss encounters where they have attacks or minions that target riders, such as when you fight the , and provided you're willing to spend the bullets, the turret on the saddle provides decent damage to supplement your actual fighters.

Long-Range Gunner

While advanced rifle bullets might not be cheap to make if you have the means to mass-produce them, the Andrewsarchus makes a beautifully effective ranged combatant for dealing with threats at a distance. Coupled with its speed and aquatic escape options, this can make the Andrewsarchus a hilarious choice for PvP harassment.

Megachelon Tamer

Saddled Andrewsarchus are uniquely suitable for helping to tame Megachelon. For starters, their saddle prevents the rider's oxygen from draining while searching for a Parakeet Fish School, and while leading the fish back to the giant turtle. Second, their ability to toggle between a swimming state and a walking state while underwater allows them to land on and actually ride the yet-untamed Megachelon while the Parakeet Fish fill the taming bar. This completely removes the…