Tropeognathus

Aerial Combatant

Saddled up with fuel and grenades in its inventory, the Tropeognathus is a force to be reckoned with in the skies above any ARK. If are best compared to helicopter gunships, then the Tropeognathus is the fighter jet; able to apply hit-and-run or dodge tactics in both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat situations, it makes for a fearsome opponent, but it does have a few weaknesses to consider. Where the Tropeognathus possesses both speed and maneuverability, it is lacking in…

Dogfighter

In aerial combat between other flyers, the Tropeognathus' skills are best used against unarmored, lightly armored, or low-health opponents that it can outmaneuver with its speed and agility while its jet propulsion is active. Provided it has the to maintain flight; its drafting ability is without equal in regards to speed, and it can easily run down the fastest of opponents that are trying to flee from the fight; even other Tropeognathus, if they have nothing to draft off of.…

Low-Risk Opponents

If it can manage to land a hit, its grenade launcher is devastating against , , and . Slow, moderately large, and less maneuverable, can make for easy targets, but a large health pool and saddle armor can make them time-consuming to kill, and if it has additional riders clasped in its beak and talons with ranged weaponry, it can be dangerous for less-experienced pilots. The challenge posed by varies, but they are less maneuverable than the Tropeo, can only have one extra…

Medium-Risk Opponents

Able to swing either way, can vary widely in threat level; from minor, to extremely dangerous. Single-rider pose very little problem, but the risk increases considerably if it is outfitted with a Tek Saddle, and/or two other riders with heavy hitting weaponry, such as Rocket Launchers with Homing Missiles; this is coupled with a speedier maneuverability than an un-boosted Tropeo: be very careful to assess the threat risk of individual , and proceed with caution. are…

High-Risk Opponents

With its napalm burst that burns opponents, brings it up to a similar speed, and makes it a tricky target to hit; are best avoided. Likewise, dogfights with other Tropeognathis, while fun, can be very time-consuming and costly in gas and ammo; engage at your own discretion. themselves are not much of a risk while airborne, unless they manage to ground your Tropeognathus with a lucky freeze. The real danger comes when you run low on or ; as attempting to land and recover…

Bomber

Much like a military drone loaded with missiles, with its speed and an ability to damage Stone-tier structures or lower with its grenade launcher; the Tropeognathus can make an effective first-strike force in a raid on an enemy base. Best to employ a hit-and-run tactic in this role; the Tropeognathus can pepper the battlefield in grenade fire to weaken stronger structures or destroy weaker ones, and wound or kill various ground-based opponents. If acting in a group, with a leader to…

Bomber Escort

Rather than taking the role of the bomber themselves, Tropeognathus can make for excellent armed guards to to an even bigger bomber, the ; able to provide the warship of a whale with cover fire in the air and support fire against ground-based targets. With their strengths and weaknesses complimenting each other well; the Astrocetus with its relatively low speed (while not warping) but high health and armor, the Tropeognathus with its fearsome velocity yet low defenses, with both…

Titan-Hunter

By no means at all a safe role, the Tropeognathus can still provide invaluable support while combating the various Titans, particularly the Desert Titan. While the task of killing titans is best left to legions of super-bred Gigas and high-level s, the Tropeognathus has one trick up its sleeve that allows it function in this role: precision. Rather than hunting the titan to kill it, with a large squadron of Tropey pilots, it is possible to make use of the grenade launchers to…

Armor Shredder

While its bite is considerably weaker compared to most other creatures, it is capable of shredding an opponent's armor; much like s and Gigantopithicus. While it shreds armor with its melee bite though, it is incapable of biting through or weakening the armor provided by saddles on other tames. For this role, levels should be invested in , but it is a role that is best left to heavier combatants with better armor and higher melee damage capabilities.

Wyvern Egg Stealer

With unrivaled speed, a fine weight capacity, and considerable firepower; a saddled Tropeognathus makes the finest egg-stealer anyone could hope for. On a Tropey, it is easy to grab the attention of a , lure them away from the nest, then return and make off with the goods. If running isn't your style, then with a good quality saddle and some grenades loaded in; the Tropeognathus is more than capable of gunning down an angry , including Alphas. A good strategy is to grab…

Transport

Saddled and with fuel in its inventory; the Tropeognathus is one of the best means of long-distance and speedy travel available, capable of leaving other flyers in the dust. As it is incapable of transporting more than one rider at a time, it is not the best for mass-transit or hauling cargo in bulk, but you would be hard pressed to find a finer personal ride. For this role, invest levels primarily in .

Portable Grinder

While an is far more efficient, the Tropeognathus' jaws can be utilized to grind down materials into their relevant products, without the cost of ; into , and into . (Bugged on console, currently)