GON Creature Charms
If you have spent any time taming creatures in ARK: Survival Ascended, you know the struggle of wanting to protect your favorite mounts without strapping a bulky saddle onto them. Maybe you are riding a majestic Wyvern or a nimble Raptor, and you wish there was a way to give them extra armor and special perks without ruining their aesthetic. That is exactly where the GON Creature Charms mod steps in. This brilliant add-on introduces a new slot for your creatures, allowing you to equip unique Charms that provide armor and a variety of combat and utility buffs.
Instead of traditional saddles, these Charms are placed on the Creature's Costume Slot. This means you can keep your creature's natural look while significantly boosting its survivability and performance. The mod is designed for players who want more flexibility in how they gear up their tames, offering a deep crafting system that rewards careful planning and resource management. Whether you are a solo player or running a large server, this mod adds a fresh layer of strategy to creature management.
Understanding the Two Types of Charms
The mod introduces two primary types of Charms: Regular Charms and Buffing Charms. Each serves a distinct purpose, and understanding the difference is key to optimizing your gameplay.
Regular Charms: Simple Protection
Regular Charms act just like normal saddles. Their primary function is to give the equipped creature an armor rating. This is perfect for players who simply want to reduce incoming damage without dealing with the complexity of additional buffs. It is a straightforward, reliable way to make your creature tougher in the field.
Buffing Charms: Power and Versatility
Buffing Charms are where the mod truly shines. Not only do they provide armor, but they also grant specific buffs to the creature based on the quality of the Charm. The better the Charm, the more powerful and numerous the buffs become. The list of potential buffs is extensive, covering nearly every aspect of combat and survival:
- Bandaid Buff: Prevents bleeding effects on the creature.
- Blocker Buff: Blocks debuffs like Sandstorm and Yuty Fear.
- Damage Buff: Gives a damage boost, scaling with quality up to a 30% increase.
- Movement Buff: Exclusive to Wyverns, granting better turning and increased movement speed.
- Rider Protection Buff: Provides additional protection for the rider, blocking up to 8 different types of debuffs (like fire).
- Recovery Buff: Increases health, stamina recovery, and torpor drop rate.
- Stamina Buff: Reduces stamina drain on the creature.
- Weight Buff: Scales with quality, offering up to a 70% weight reduction on all items in the creature's inventory.
It is important to note that the Weight Buff does not stack with similar reductions from mods like Oz-Ark Weights. The developers are aware of this interaction and are looking into a fix, so keep that in mind when running multiple mods.
How Charm Quality Affects Buffs
The number of buffs a Charm can have is directly tied to its quality tier. This system encourages players to hunt for high-quality blueprints and resources.
- Primitive: Always has 1 buff, but can get a 2nd if the Crafted Bonus is high enough.
- Ramshackle: Always has 2 buffs, but can get a 3rd with a high Crafted Bonus.
- Apprentice: Always has 3 buffs, but can get a 4th with a high Crafted Bonus.
- Journeyman: Always has 4 buffs, but can get a 5th with a high Crafted Bonus.
- Mastercraft: Always has 4 buffs, but can get a 5th (requires less Crafted Bonus than Journeyman).
- Ascendant: Always has 4 buffs, but can get a 5th (requires the least Crafted Bonus).
This system means that even a lower-tier blueprint can be valuable if you manage to get a high Crafted Bonus, offering a nice layer of depth for crafters.
The Role of Charm Fragments
To craft Buffing Charms, you will need Charm Fragments. These fragments cannot be crafted by the player; instead, they are set to spawn in loot drops by server owners. There are three types of fragments: Small, Medium, and Large. Each fragment type has six variants, which determine the armor stat applied to the Charm when crafted.
The armor values are as follows: Primitive provides 25, Ramshackle provides 75, Apprentice provides 125, Journeyman provides 175, Mastercraft provides 225, and Ascendant provides 275. Here is the interesting part: the armor stat comes from the fragments, not the blueprint. You can mix and match, but it is not advised since you won't know which armor stat will be used. For the best outcome, use the same type of fragments.
For example, you could find a Primitive blueprint but use Ascendant fragments to craft it. This would give you a Primitive Charm (with only 1-2 buffs) but with a massive 275 armor rating. Conversely, an Ascendant blueprint with Primitive fragments would yield a Charm with 5 potential buffs but only 25 armor. This unique crafting system allows for incredible customization.
Installation and Compatibility
Getting started with this mod is simple. To download GON Creature Charms, you can find it on the popular mod repositories for ARK: Survival Ascended. The mod has been fully updated for the latest game versions, ensuring a smooth experience. For those looking for a streamlined process, the foxygame.net launcher offers a one-click install for GON Creature Charms for ARK: Survival Ascended, automatically managing version compatibility so you can jump straight into the action without fiddling with manual file placement. This launcher also keeps the mod updated, so you never have to worry about missing a patch. If you prefer manual installation, the process is straightforward: simply subscribe to the mod on the Steam Workshop or your platform's mod manager, and ensure it is enabled in your server's mod list.
For server administrators, the mod has been integrated with the Beacon app. This means you can easily use Beacon to add the fragments and Charm blueprints to your loot drops, giving you full control over how players acquire these powerful items. All Charms are crafted in the Smithy, so make sure your players know to head there to create their new gear.
Final Thoughts
GON Creature Charms is a fantastic addition to ARK: Survival Ascended, offering a creative alternative to traditional saddles. The depth of the crafting system, combined with the variety of buffs, makes it a must-have for anyone looking to enhance their creature's capabilities. Whether you are protecting a prized mount or pushing the limits of a combat Wyvern, these Charms provide the tools you need. Be sure to check out the mod's official Discord and Google Spreadsheet for the full list of buffs and detailed stats. With a little effort, you can create the ultimate companion for your adventures.