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To tame a Karkinos, knock it unconscious with a Catapult Turret or Cannon, hitting the crab’s main body rather than its legs or pincers. Ordinary tranq arrows, tranquilizer darts, and animal torpor attacks do not work. Once the Karkinos is unconscious, feed it Exceptional Kibble, spoiled meat, raw meat, or raw fish meat while protecting it from nearby predators.
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The safest commonly documented setup uses a controlled position and a Paracer platform saddle: keep the Paracer passive, let the Karkinos target it, then operate the turret from the platform. The ARK Official Community Wiki favors a Catapult Turret because it is easier to aim and more cost-effective than a Cannon, although a correctly placed Cannon can knock the crab out quickly.
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What taming method works on a Karkinos?
Karkinos uses knockout taming. You do not feed one while it is awake. First, lower its torpor resistance by striking it with the correct siege weapon until it falls unconscious; only then can you place food in its inventory and wait for the tame to progress.
This is different from most creatures that accept tranq arrows or darts. The ARK Official Community Wiki states that Karkinos cannot be knocked out with traditional arrows, darts, or animal torpor attacks. A Catapult Turret or Cannon must be aimed at the main body. The weapon choice and shot placement matter because a hit on a limb can deal substantial damage without giving you the intended knockout progress.
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In practical terms, a successful tame has four phases:
- Put the crab in a controlled position where it cannot easily reach you or wander away.
- Use a Catapult Turret or Cannon, not a tranq weapon.
- Land deliberate shots on the central body while avoiding legs and pincers.
- Feed and defend the unconscious Karkinos until the taming bar completes.
If your shots are killing the animal, the most likely causes are limb impacts, cannon splash damage, or firing repeatedly after the crab has already taken enough damage. Stop shooting whenever you are uncertain about the hit location.
Prepare before you engage
Bring the correct knockout equipment
You need one of the following siege-weapon options:
- Catapult Turret: the official wiki’s preferred option for most players because it is easier to aim and more economical to operate.
- Cannon: a viable alternative that can be fast when positioned correctly, but its shots and splash damage make mistakes more dangerous.
Bring the ammunition required by your selected weapon. A Catapult Turret uses boulders; a Cannon uses cannon balls. The exact resource totals depend on the build and server settings, so prepare enough ammunition for missed shots rather than planning around a perfect sequence.
Choose a controlled location
Do not begin on open ground if you can avoid it. A Karkinos can move unpredictably, and a moving target makes body shots much harder. Use terrain or a trap that limits its movement while leaving a clear line of sight to the central shell and torso. The goal is not merely to hold the crab in place; it is to keep its body exposed while keeping you outside the reach of its claws.
Check the area before firing. Remove threats that could force you to move, interrupt the setup, or attack the crab after it falls unconscious. If the encounter is in or beside water, pay particular attention to aquatic predators, because they can damage the unconscious Karkinos and reduce taming effectiveness.
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Use a Paracer platform when available
The documented Paracer method gives the shooter a safer elevated position. Place the platform-saddle Paracer where you can operate the Catapult Turret or Cannon while the Karkinos remains within range. Set the Paracer to passive before starting. Let the Karkinos target the Paracer, and verify that it is targeting the Paracer rather than you before dismounting and climbing onto the turret.
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This order matters. If the crab is targeting you when you leave the saddle, it may close the distance or redirect its attacks while you are exposed. The Paracer is a positioning aid, not a substitute for body-shot accuracy: you still have to hit the Karkinos’s main body.
Catapult Turret versus Cannon
Both weapons can perform the knockout, but they reward different levels of control. The following comparison reflects the official wiki’s guidance rather than a universal damage calculation; server multipliers and construction choices can change how many shots are needed.
| Consideration | Catapult Turret | Cannon |
|---|---|---|
| Official guidance | Recommended because it is easier to aim and more cost-effective. | Works when placed and aimed correctly, but is riskier. |
| Projectile | Boulder. | Cannon ball. |
| Aiming tolerance | More forgiving for a controlled body-shot routine. | Requires careful placement and shot timing. |
| Miss consequences | A misplaced hit can still damage the crab instead of providing useful torpor. | Misses and splash damage can inflict enough damage to kill the Karkinos. |
| Best use case | First-time attempts, limited resources, or a platform/trap that gives a stable firing angle. | Players who already have a reliable firing position and can place shots precisely. |
Choose the Catapult Turret if you are deciding solely on safety and repeatability. Choose a Cannon only when your trap and firing angle are already proven. In either case, the central rule is unchanged: the projectile must strike the body, not the limbs.
Step-by-step: knock out the Karkinos
1. Trap or position the crab
Lead the Karkinos into your chosen terrain or trap before loading the first projectile. Keep enough space to see the main body clearly. Avoid a position where the crab’s legs or pincers block the torso from your firing angle.
If you are using the Paracer platform method, keep the mount passive and wait until the Karkinos is visibly focused on it. Do not dismount while the crab is still focused on you.
2. Set up the firing angle
Mount the Catapult Turret or Cannon so that the projectile approaches the crab’s central body rather than its lower legs. A slightly imperfect angle can turn a body attempt into a limb hit, so adjust the platform or terrain position before committing ammunition.
Keep the firing position stable. If you have to move after every shot, you are more likely to lose the body line, hit a limb, or let the Karkinos leave the controlled area.
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3. Fire one deliberate shot
Start with a single shot and watch the impact. Do not hold the fire control or rapidly queue projectiles. The Karkinos can take serious damage from poor placement, and a cannon’s splash makes over-firing especially dangerous.
A useful shot should contact the main body. A hit on a leg or pincer may look successful because the projectile connects, but it can damage the animal without giving you the knockout progress you need. Reposition rather than compensating with a burst of additional shots.
4. Reassess after every impact
After each projectile, check the Karkinos’s health and behavior. Continue only when you can still identify a safe body target. If the crab’s health is falling rapidly, stop and correct the angle; more ammunition will not fix a sequence of damaging limb hits.
Do not assume that a missed shot is harmless. The official wiki specifically warns that cannon splash and poor aiming can kill the Karkinos. A Catapult Turret reduces the cost and aiming burden, but it does not make limb impacts safe.
5. Stop when it falls unconscious
When the Karkinos collapses, stop firing immediately. Treat the unconscious animal as fragile. Move to the feeding stage only after confirming that the area is secure and no hostile creature is about to damage it.
What food does a Karkinos eat while taming?
The official Karkinos taming table lists four valid foods:
| Food | How to use it | Quantity and duration |
|---|---|---|
| Exceptional Kibble | Place it in the unconscious Karkinos’s inventory. | Varies by Karkinos level and server settings; use a taming calculator for the exact requirement. |
| Spoiled meat | Place it in the inventory after the knockout. | Varies by level and multipliers; the official table gives level-specific values. |
| Raw meat | Place it in the inventory as a standard meat option. | Varies by level and multipliers; no single universal quantity applies. |
| Raw fish meat | Place it in the inventory when that is the meat available to you. | Varies by level and multipliers; check the calculator for your settings. |
There is no safe one-number answer for the amount of food. The official table changes its quantities and durations by Karkinos level, and your server’s taming, consumption, or difficulty multipliers can change the result again. Enter the crab’s level and your server settings into a current taming calculator, then bring more food than the minimum estimate so a delay or inventory mistake does not stop the tame.
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Exceptional Kibble is the listed high-quality option, while spoiled meat, raw meat, and raw fish meat are also valid. Food choice does not remove the need to defend the animal: damage taken while unconscious can reduce taming effectiveness or end the attempt.
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Clear aquatic predators first
A water-based location can look safe because the Karkinos is contained, but nearby aquatic creatures can still attack it. Remove those threats before placing the food or keep them from reaching the unconscious crab. The official guidance calls out aquatic attackers as a specific risk to taming effectiveness.
Keep the original position secure
Do not abandon the trap immediately after the knockout. A Karkinos that is no longer contained can be exposed to enemies or become difficult to find if the area is busy. Maintain a clear perimeter and watch the torpor and health indicators rather than assuming the tame will finish unattended.
Understand spoiled-meat healing
The official wiki records that a Karkinos recovers 10 health per spoiled meat consumed. This is a game mechanic recorded on the ARK Official Community Wiki, not a real-world biological statistic. It does not make the animal invulnerable: external attacks can still damage it, and taming effectiveness can still suffer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why common attempts fail
“My tranq arrows do nothing.”
That result is expected. Traditional tranq arrows, tranquilizer darts, and animal torpor attacks are not the Karkinos knockout method. Switch to a Catapult Turret or Cannon and aim at the main body.
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Check the impact location. Limb and pincer hits can deal damage without providing the intended torpor. Improve the firing angle, wait for a clear view of the torso, and fire individual shots rather than compensating with rapid fire.
“The catapult shots keep killing it.”
A Catapult Turret is safer than a Cannon in the official comparison, but it can still kill a Karkinos if the boulders strike limbs repeatedly or if you continue firing after the crab is already near its health limit. Reposition the turret, verify a body hit, and pause after each impact to reassess.
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“The cannon kills the crab before it is unconscious.”
Cannon splash and aiming errors are the likely causes. A Cannon can be fast with a correct setup, but it has less tolerance for near misses. Use a Catapult Turret for a more forgiving attempt, or rebuild the firing position so the cannon’s impact is centered on the body.
“The Karkinos went unconscious, but taming effectiveness dropped.”
Look for creatures attacking it, especially aquatic predators if the tame is in water. Clear the area before feeding and continue guarding the crab until the taming process ends.
“The crab attacked me when I climbed onto the platform.”
With the Paracer method, the Karkinos must already be targeting the Paracer. Keep the Paracer passive, wait for the target to switch, and only then dismount to operate the turret. If the crab is targeting you, stay mounted or retreat and reset the position.
How much damage can a Karkinos take from turrets?
The official wiki records an 80% reduction in incoming damage from Auto Turrets and Heavy Auto Turrets. This value describes a game mechanic for those automated defenses; it is not a general reduction that makes Catapult Turret or Cannon mistakes safe. Siege-weapon shots still need to be aimed at the body, and limb impacts can kill the animal.
Do not confuse automated turret resistance with the manual knockout weapons used in this procedure. The resistance value does not change the basic method: use the Catapult Turret or Cannon, hit the main body, and stop when the crab falls unconscious.
What can a tamed Karkinos do?
After taming, the Karkinos becomes a versatile combat and utility creature. Its documented capabilities include:
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- Performing a stronger combined attack when both claws are used together.
- Picking up other creatures.
- Throwing creatures that it is holding.
- Jumping.
The official controls page lists PC inputs for these actions. Because key bindings can be changed in your game settings, check your current control configuration rather than relying on an unmodified default. Practice the claw, pickup, throw, and jump actions away from valuable tames before using them in a crowded base or combat situation.
A safest-first decision plan
Use this plan if it is your first Karkinos tame
- Find terrain or a trap that limits movement and leaves the central body visible.
- Use a Paracer platform saddle if you have one, set the Paracer to passive, and make sure the crab targets it.
- Install a Catapult Turret and prepare boulders.
- Fire one body shot at a time, pausing to confirm the impact and the Karkinos’s health.
- Stop immediately when it becomes unconscious.
- Clear aquatic and other nearby threats.
- Use a taming calculator for the crab’s level and your server multipliers, then place the selected food in its inventory.
- Guard the animal until the taming bar completes.
Use a Cannon when speed matters more than tolerance
A Cannon is reasonable when you already have a stable firing angle and can consistently center shots on the torso. It is not the better default for an improvised encounter because splash damage and near misses can kill the target. If the cannon is your only available option, spend the extra time improving the trap and line of sight before loading ammunition.
Abort and reset when the body is no longer visible
The most expensive mistake is trying to salvage a bad angle with more projectiles. If the Karkinos turns so that only a limb or pincer is exposed, stop firing. Reposition the trap, platform, or turret, then resume only when the main body is clearly presented. Preserving the animal’s health is more important than maintaining a continuous firing rhythm.
Quick checklist
- Knockout taming, not passive taming.
- Catapult Turret or Cannon required.
- Never rely on tranq arrows, darts, or animal torpor attacks.
- Aim at the main body.
- Avoid legs and pincers; those hits deal damaging misses.
- Catapult Turret is the official cost-and-aiming recommendation.
- Cannon can work quickly but carries greater splash and aiming risk.
- Keep a Paracer passive and let the Karkinos target it before using the platform turret.
- Feed Exceptional Kibble, spoiled meat, raw meat, or raw fish meat after the knockout.
- Use a calculator for level-specific food quantities and server multipliers.
- Remove aquatic predators and defend the unconscious crab.
- Stop shooting as soon as the Karkinos collapses.
The Bottom Line
The reliable Karkinos tame is a controlled body-shot knockout: use a Catapult Turret whenever possible, keep every projectile on the main body, then feed and defend the unconscious crab. Tranq arrows and darts will not work, and limb hits or cannon splash can turn a promising tame into a dead Karkinos.
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