The best all-round Stone gatherer in ARK is the Doedicurus. The ARK Official Community Wiki’s gathering comparison gives it the highest listed rating for Stone, notes that it can gather autonomously, and lists a 75% Stone weight reduction while Stone is in its inventory. The Ankylosaurus can be set up to gather Stone too, but its headline weight reduction applies to Metal, not Stone.
Why the Doedicurus is the default pick
Three details from the wiki’s comparison point the same way. The Doedicurus has the top qualitative Stone-gathering rating among the creatures the wiki lists. It can gather without a rider, so you can set it to work while you do something else. And its 75% Stone weight reduction means a full load of Stone weighs less in its inventory, which lets it haul a bigger effective amount before it becomes encumbered. Together, those traits make it the creature most players would start with for routine Stone harvesting and transport.
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The Ankylosaurus: a capable Stone option, better for Metal
The Ankylosaurus is a workable alternative. It can be configured to gather Stone, and its Harvest Only mode includes Stone as a valid target. The wiki’s comparison, however, rates its Stone gathering below the Doedicurus. Its standout number is the 85% Metal weight reduction, which makes it the stronger choice if your runs are built around Metal and you collect Stone along the way.
If you already own an Ankylosaurus, there is no need to replace it for Stone. Just expect slower Stone collection than a Doedicurus would give you.
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- Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame, train, ride and breed the 100+ dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground Build your character's strengths and gain items, skills, and pet creatures using in-depth role-playing systems
- Start a tribe with hundreds of other players to survive and dominate competing tribes...and ultimately discover ARK's true purpose
- Build a fire or shelter, then craft customizable clothing & armors to help protect against damage and extreme temperatures on your way to unlocking advanced technologies and equipment
- Chop down trees and mine metal and other precious resources to build massive multi-leveled structures composed of complex snap-linked parts
Where the Argentavis fits
The Argentavis carries a 50% Stone weight reduction, but the comparison does not present it as a leading Stone gatherer. It makes more sense as a transport creature when you are moving mixed resources, with a Doedicurus or Ankylosaurus doing the actual harvesting.
Side-by-side comparison
| Creature | Stone gathering | Carrying or special use | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doedicurus | Highest listed rating; can gather autonomously | 75% Stone weight reduction | Dedicated Stone harvesting and transport |
| Ankylosaurus | Can be set to Stone in Harvest Only mode; rated below the Doedicurus | 85% Metal weight reduction | Metal-focused gatherer that can also collect Stone |
| Argentavis | Not presented as a leading Stone gatherer | 50% Stone weight reduction | Hauling mixed resources alongside a harvester |
All of these comparisons are qualitative ratings from the ARK Official Community Wiki, accessed in 2026. They are not controlled yield trials, so the table tells you which creature to prefer, not how many Stone each one will produce per hit or per minute.
Rank #2
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
What the sources cannot tell you
- Exact yields. No per-swing or per-minute Stone figure is established by the wiki comparison. Actual output depends on creature stats, the game edition, and server settings, so any specific number you see elsewhere should be checked against those conditions.
- Edition differences. The wiki pages refer to both ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended in places. The ranking here reflects the broad gathering comparison; it does not guarantee identical behavior on every patch, map, or server configuration. Confirm the rules for your edition before relying on a version-specific tactic.
- Named testing. No attributable study or named-person statement backs the ranking. It rests on published wiki mechanics and tables.
Practical choice
- Pick a Doedicurus if Stone is your main goal and you want the creature that gathers best with the least supervision.
- Pick an Ankylosaurus if you are mainly farming Metal and want Stone as a secondary resource.
- Bring an Argentavis only when you need to move mixed loads, not as your primary Stone harvester.
Set your creature to Stone in the gathering menu before you send it out, and confirm the target has changed before leaving it unattended.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The Bottom Line
For most players, the Doedicurus is the best dino for mining Stone in ARK. Use the Ankylosaurus when Metal is the priority, and treat the Argentavis as a hauler rather than a harvester.
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Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety, and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes, and styles
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout
Rank #3
- Capture and Tame Dinosaurs: Discover over 100 different dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures on the island, finding ways to tame them into useful additions for your tribe's dino herd
- Survive Above All: Hunger, thirst, basic safety and protecting yourself from the weather are all part of the game. Run too far and not only will you be exhausted, but you will also quickly get hungry and thirsty. Weather effects are based on real-world climates, and so you'll need to hide out from rain and snow, while making the most of sunny days
- Harvest, Hunt and Build: Cut down trees and turn them into a basic home, which you can quickly expand into a Jurassic estate. Hunt for meat, scavenge for plants (or start your own garden!)
- Gather Resources, Customize Everything: An extensive crafting system invites you to mix and match materials scavenged from the island, while also modifying the colors, textures, shapes and style of everything from the walls of your home, to your character's armor, weapons and more
- Explore the Island: Solve the mystery of The ARK as you explore this massive island, discovering Explorer's Notebooks (filled with clues!) throughout. Make your way to the final boss and figure out why you've been dropped into this Jurassic-era experience
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