Quick answer: To tame an Acrocanthosaurus in ARK Survival Ascended darts are useless: you damage it until it goes into its defensive stance and then roars in frustration, and at that moment you feed Narcotics into its mouth until it passes out. Once unconscious, feed it Exceptional Kibble (its favorite) or, without kibble, Raw Mutton or Raw Prime Meat.
Updated October 2026 for ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA).
The Acrocanthosaurus, or Acro, came to ARK Survival Ascended from the Additions Ascended mod. It is a large predator with a shield stance that cuts damage, brutal stomps and an adrenaline mode that speeds it up and heals it. It is very strong for raids and for fighting Alphas and bosses.
Acrocanthosaurus quick facts in ARK Survival Ascended
| Diet | Carnivore |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Aggressive |
| Taming method | Knockout (knock it out, then feed it) |
| Preferred kibble | Exceptional Kibble |
| Best food | Raw Mutton and Cooked Lamb Chop |
| How to immobilize it | Chain Bola and Large Bear Trap (but do not tame it with structures nearby) |
| How to knock it out | Immune to ranged tranquilizers: damage it until it roars in frustration, then feed Narcotics, Narcoberries or Bio Toxin into its mouth |
| Saddle | Acro Saddle (level 77) |
| Maps (ASA) | The Island, The Center, Scorched Earth, Extinction, Ragnarok, Valguero, Genesis: Part 1, Astraeos, Lost Colony |
How to tame an Acrocanthosaurus step by step
- Prepare Narcotics (or Narcoberries or Bio Toxin) and the food: Exceptional Kibble or Raw Mutton.
- Find one away from structures: if it is trapped or surrounded by buildings it cannot roar and cannot be tamed.
- Damage it (a Fabricated Sniper Rifle helps you count shots; for high levels, a Pump-Action Shotgun) until it enters shield stance and then roars in frustration.
- While it roars, put the Narcotics in the last hotbar slot, get into its mouth, aim at the upper jaw and press E.
- Once it is unconscious, add only the food you want it to eat and keep an eye on its torpor.
- Guard it from other predators until it finishes.
Acrocanthosaurus taming food and taming calculator
These numbers come from ARK’s taming formula for a level 150 Acrocanthosaurus. The 1x column is the official rate and the 8x column is Tharyon’s rate. They are estimates: hitting the sleeping creature or a game patch can change them slightly.
| Food | Amount 1x | Time 1x | Amount 8x (Tharyon) | Time 8x (Tharyon) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptional Kibble | 17 | 58 min | 3 | 10 min |
| Raw Prime Meat | 44 | 1 h 28 min | 6 | 12 min |
| Raw Meat | 132 | 4 h 24 min | 17 | 34 min |
Acrocanthosaurus taming time by level with Exceptional Kibble
| Level | Amount 1x | Time 1x | Narcotics 1x | Amount 8x | Time 8x |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 6 | 20 min | 0 | 1 | 3 min |
| 60 | 8 | 27 min | 2 | 1 | 3 min |
| 100 | 12 | 41 min | 26 | 2 | 7 min |
| 150 | 17 | 58 min | 68 | 3 | 10 min |
A level 150 Acrocanthosaurus has about 7952 torpor. With the amounts in the table you usually do not need narcotics on Tharyon, but bring a few in case it takes longer than expected.
Where to find the Acrocanthosaurus in ARK Ascended
It lives in redwood forests, plains and desert badlands on most maps. On The Island you will find it in the redwood forests and on Dead Island. It is a big theropod with a ridge along its back, easy to recognize from a distance.
Official ARK Survival Ascended maps where it spawns: The Island, The Center, Scorched Earth, Extinction, Ragnarok, Valguero, Genesis: Part 1, Astraeos, Lost Colony.
Acrocanthosaurus abilities and uses
- Shield stance that cuts incoming damage by 40% and allows a shoulder bash that damages structures.
- A very strong side stomp; in adrenaline it stomps three times.
- Adrenaline mode: more speed, stronger bite and constant healing; it can pass a buff to nearby allies.
- Deals more damage the heavier the target is compared to itself.
- A taunting roar that pulls enemies onto it.
Acrocanthosaurus variants
There are R-, X- (in the Genesis: Part 1 bog) and Scorched versions of the Acrocanthosaurus.
Acrocanthosaurus breeding
The egg takes 5 h to hatch and the baby needs 3 d 20 h to reach adulthood at official rates. The egg needs 43-44 °C. On Tharyon (25x hatching and 35x maturation) that drops to about 12 min and 2 h 39 min.
Tips and mistakes to avoid
- Fight it from a mount of equal or greater drag weight to take less damage.
- Outside shield stance it is very fast: do not try to outrun it on foot.
- The Broodmother cannot put it to sleep, so it works very well in that fight.
- For raids and Alphas, level Health and Melee Damage.
Tame your Acrocanthosaurus faster on Tharyon
On Tharyon taming runs at 8x: a level 150 Acrocanthosaurus is ready in about 10 min instead of 58 min.
- ARK Survival Ascended with crossplay: PC, PS5 and Xbox.
- 8x taming, 2.5x XP and harvesting, 35x maturation and 25x hatching.
- 11 PvE maps: The Island, The Center, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ragnarok, Valguero, Lost Island, Genesis 1, Astraeos and Forglar.
- Automatic events (a supply crate every 60 minutes and an event creature every 70), quests and an in-game shop.
To join, hop into our Discord and use the /link command. See every rate in the rates section.
Acrocanthosaurus taming FAQ
Why don’t tranq darts work on the Acro?
It is immune to ranged tranquilizers. It only goes down when you feed Narcotics, Narcoberries or Bio Toxin into its mouth while it roars in frustration.
What does the Acrocanthosaurus eat for taming?
Exceptional Kibble first. Then Raw Mutton, Cooked Lamb Chop, prime meat and Raw Meat.
Can you tame an Acro inside a trap?
No. If it is trapped or near structures it will not enter adrenaline or roar, and without that roar you cannot feed it the Narcotics.
What level unlocks the Acro Saddle?
At level 77.
Why is my Acrocanthosaurus not taming?
It is almost always one of these: it is not hungry yet (it only eats when its food bar drops, so the first bite can take a while), the food in its inventory is not one it accepts, it woke up because torpor ran out, or something is attacking it. Check that the taming bar goes up every time it eats.
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