Ambulocetus
cheat summon Ambulocetus_Character_BP_Cor
cheat SpawnDino "Blueprint'/Game/Mods/TheSunkenWorldAdditions/Assets/Creatures/Ambulocetus/Ambulocetus_Character_BP.Ambulocetus_Character_BP'" 500 0 0 35
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The Ambulocetus (am-byu-low-see-tus), is a species of aquatic mammal in ARK: The Sunken World.
Basic Info
Ambulocetus velox
TimeLate Miocene
DietCarnivore
TemperamentNeutral
- Wild
It was certainly a shock to see what I thought was a “small Basilosaurus” resting on the surface of the water decide to take a walk on the shore! However, this was no Basilosaurus, but an Ambulocetus! At first glance, one might mistake this creature for a long legged seal, but in actuality, it’s one of the ancestors of modern whales. This unique cetacean seems to have taken to a much more open ocean environment than those previously found in the fossil record, sporting a larger size, a thick layer of blubber, nostrils further up the snout, a tail fluke, and teeth more similar to modern dolphins. These attributes allow it to lead a highly migratory lifestyle, being well insulated from environmental conditions and highly mobile underwater. One can commonly find them moving between their home in the ice caps to warmer coastal feeding grounds.
- Domesticated
Unsurprisingly, a creature that can give you an advantage in both land and sea is highly popular! Its thick blubber aids in protecting its rider from the elements, and with sharp teeth, it can hold its own against most surface adversaries. In addition, Ambulocetus has a mastery over its own metabolism, and can kick things into overdrive to gain a speed advantage over pesky prey items, or running away from a threat that’s a bit too out of its depth. A creature one would be foolish to do without!
Behaviour
The Ambulocetus can be seen in small groups in the polar region of the map. It can be found in small pods of up to 5 individuals on land, or smaller groups in the water underneath the ice caps. They are passive, ignoring the survivor unless provoked.
Appearance
The Ambulocetus is one of the earlier members of the cetacean, or whale, family. It is patterned similary to a leopard seal, and stands on 4 legs. It looks like a mammalian equivalent of a crocodile, with a narrow snout, rotund body and long tail, ending in a dolphin-like tail fluke. Underwater, it moves in an undulating motion. It also has a pattern of wavy, bioluminescent stripes along the side of its belly.
Colour Scheme and Regions
The Ambulocetus's range of its natural color scheme is unknown at this time, however its color regions are available. For demonstration, the regions below are colored red over an albino Ambulocetus.
This information can be used to alter the Ambulocetus's regions by entering cheat SetTargetDinoColor <ColorRegion> <ColorID> in the cheat console. For instance, cheat SetTargetDinoColor 1 6 would color the Ambulocetus's "" magenta.
Region 0 is not used
for this Creature.
Region 1 is not used
for this Creature.
Region 2 is not used
for this Creature.
Region 3 is not used
for this Creature.
Region 4 is not used
for this Creature.
Region 5 is not used
for this Creature.
Drops
Base Stats and Growth
| Attribute | Base Value | Level Increase | Taming Bonus | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild | Tamed | Additive | Multiplicative | ||
 Health |
400 | +80 | ? | ||
 Stamina |
380 | +38 | ? | ||
 Oxygen |
450 | ? | ? | ||
 Food |
900 | +90 | ? | ||
 Weight |
300 | +6 | ? | ||
 Melee Damage |
35 | ? | ? | ||
 Movement Speed |
100% | N/A | ? | ||
 Torpidity |
450 | +27 | N/A | ||
Combat
This section outlines how to fight an Ambulocetus.
General
Don't be fooled by their apparent lazy demeanors, while commonly seen lounging around on ice floes, the Ambulocetus is fast in water and more than capable on land. Spawning in groups, they can be quite dangerous for the unprepared survivor, especially in early game!
Strategy
On foot, fighting an Ambulocetus on land with ranged weaponry is your best option. They have a poor turning radius and slower movement speed when hauled up on ice floes, making it much easier to kite them.
To prevent them from swimming circles around you, it's also a good idea to net them!
Weaponry
Ambulocetus are best fought with ranged weaponry like a 
Crossbow or 
Harpoon Launcher. Any large, semi-aquatic/aquatic mount will also prove effective.
Dangers
Much like a 
Sarcosuchus, you can't run away from an Ambulocetus by running into the water. Fighting them underwater can be quite dangerous, as they are far more manouvreable and hard to hit. In addition, while fighting in water there is a chance that other, stronger creatures may join in the fight.
Weakeness
As mentioned above, Ambulocetus are much less dangerous on land, fighting them outside of their undersea home turf is recommended!
Taming
For general info about domesticating a wild creature see Taming.
Preferred Food
Regular Kibble
Raw Mutton
Cooked Lamb Chop
Raw Prime Fish Meat
Cooked Prime Fish Meat
Raw Prime Meat
Cooked Prime Meat
Raw Fish Meat
Cooked Fish Meat
Raw Meat
Cooked Meat
Ambulocetus uses the exact same taming times and food amounts as the 
Direwolf, however it prefers fish alternatives to regular meat.
Taming Strategy
Ambulocetus is a simple KO tame.
Being far quicker in water, it's recommended to kite them onto land to tame them. If knocked out in the water, they won't drown, however it does put them at risk of being attacked by other underwater predators.
Utility
Controls
- This key triggers a basic bite attack with moderate damage.
- Ambulocetus lets out a series of inspiring barks, that applies the Fast Learner buff to nearby allied tames for 5 minutes. This buff has the same effect as a 
Lystrosaurus. When unridden, it can be pet to achieve the same effect.
- C - This key activates Ambulocetus's signature ability, Metabolic Rush. This buff gives a 30% increase to the movement and attack speed of the Ambulocetus, at the cost of constantly draining food. Clicking again, or running out of food, will deactivate the buff.
Roles
- Semi Aquatic Travel: Ambulocetus is capable to move at speed both in and out of water, especially with its Metabolic Rush ability. Despite the food cost, it is a highly effective method of moving at speed across the map, especially while travelling in water. (Level Health and Speed, and some Weight if you want to ferry resources)
- Hit and Run Brawler: With impressive speed and the ability to wield weapons on its back, Ambulocetus excels at hit and run tactics. They excel at getting into an enemy creature's blind spots and dealing chip damage. (Level Health and Melee Damage, and lots of Speed)
- XP Booster: When pet, the Ambulocetus will apply the same buff as the Lystrosaurus to itself and allies nearby. Its added speed also means it can keep up quite well with your hunting parties!
Notes/Trivia
For information pertaining specifically to the real world Ambulocetus, see the relevant Wikipedia article.
- Ambulocetus's scientific name, Ambulocetus velox, translates to "swift walking whale".
- While Ambulocetus within the mod has a dolphin-like tail fluke and lives in the open ocean, its real world equivalent does not share these traits, and is believed to have lived in river ecosystems.