ARK Survival Ascended: 5 tips for newcomers to the Aberration map

ARK Survival Ascended Aberration Map Expansion is here and features a new wave of content ripe for exploration, including new terrains, resources, and creatures. Although the expansion's release date was slightly delayed, the community is highly eager to get their hands on this update.

If you're a new player wanting to jump into the Aberration map in ARK Survival Ascended, you may feel overwhelmed at first. We share five useful tips and some details about the new areas, creatures, resources, etc. to help you get started with the Aberration map in ARK Survival Ascended.

Note: This article is subjective and based on the author's opinion.

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5 tips for surviving the Aberration map in ARK Survival Ascended

1) Explore the Surface for valuable ore

The area known as the "surface" is located on the three corners of the map (Image via Studio Wildcard)

Surface is one of the most valuable yet dangerous areas in the new Aberration map in Ark. The Surface is located on the three corners of the map. This location is incredibly hazardous during the day due to the intense heat, where the ground literally catches fire. Wait until nighttime when it cools down. However, even then, you'll face dangerous creatures like Reaper Kings, Nameless, and Seekers.

You can find various valuable resources here including oil, obsidian, metal, crystal, and Element ore. Do not venture onto the surface until you have a Rock Drake. Its climbing and gliding abilities will help you escape dangerous situations. Keep in mind that there are no flying creatures in the Aberration Map, so the best mount for traversal here is the Rock Drake.

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2) The area where you should spend your early game

Your Starter location, spend your early game here (Image via Studio Wildcard)

The top portion of the Aberration map is filled with trees and fauna, which is why it's named the "Green Zone." This is where most players will spend their early game. It's relatively safe, as Reapers and Nameless don’t spawn here. Watch out for red-capped mushrooms that cause the "dizzy spore" effect, leading to disorientation, continuous defecation, and potential suffocation. Consume Aggeravic Mushrooms (brown mushrooms) to neutralize this effect.

You won’t find much metal or obsidian here but will come across green gems and an abundance of basic resources. This area is also a good source of rare flowers and biotoxin.

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3) Tips for surviving the mid-game

Be careful of the horrors that lurk in the dark (Image via Studio Wildcard)

The Blue zone is the mid-game area located at the center of the map. This zone contains rich deposits of metal, obsidian, and blue gems. Essential for crafting advanced gear. However beware of the Nameless, they spawn in the areas with no light. To save yourself from them, keep a glowing pet aka Charge pets with you at all times.

Charge light emitted by these pets will prevent their spawn. Be cautious of Karkinos and Aberrant Megalosaurus, which do not care about your glow pet. Encounter with these will give you a freezing debuff and a really hard time. To counter the debuff, eat Aquatic mushrooms or wear a Hazard suit.

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4) Things you will need to beat the end game

If you aren't equipped enough, don't even think of coming here (Image via Studio Wildcard)

The end game area of the Aberration map is just south of the Blue zone and filled with radiation. Wear a hazard suit or a fully powered Tek suit to survive. You can also attach a Lamprey to yourself for radiation protection. If you’re taking creatures here, only creatures immune to radiation can survive long-term.

For non-immune creatures, feed them Mushroom Brew to provide temporary radiation protection. You’ll find black pearls, elemental ore, red gems, organic polymer, and Reaper Queen spawns in this region. Additionally, this is where you can steal Rock Drake eggs from nests. The boss terminal is located in the Red Zone.

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5) Unique Mechanics of Aberration map in Ark Survival Ascended

The new hazards and resources (Image via Studio Wildcard)

The Aberration Map has a hazard called Earthquakes. While they won’t directly harm you, earthquakes will make movement difficult, potentially knocking you off cliffs if you’re climbing or on a steep incline. Earthquakes drop resources like gems and crystals. Keep an eye out for falling loot when the ground starts shaking.

Congealed Gas Balls are a new type of resource introduced in the DLC. You can set up a gas collector on a gas vein, to gather congealed gas balls. Gas veins occasionally erupt and drop a few gas balls on the ground. Wait for the gas to clear before collecting them. They used to craft various items.