GoT Additions
If you have ever dreamed of marching into the ARK with the sigil of House Stark emblazoned on your shield, then GoT Additions is the mod you have been waiting for. This fan-favorite add-on brings a slice of Westeros to your island, offering beautifully crafted shield skins inspired by the iconic houses from the Game of Thrones universe. While the mod has faced some hurdles due to copyright restrictions, the core experience remains intact, letting you customize your survivor's gear with distinct heraldry.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the mod, from its current state and available features to installation steps and future plans. Whether you are a veteran survivor or a new player, here is how to bring the Seven Kingdoms to your ARK server.
Current State: Copyright Stripped, Core Remains
It is important to set expectations before you download GoT Additions. Due to copyright issues, the mod team has had to strip several features from the current release. This means that some of the more ambitious additions, like custom banners and specific visual effects, are temporarily unavailable. However, the team is actively working on re-implementing these features using copyright-free content, ensuring that the spirit of the mod lives on without legal trouble.
Unfortunately, there is no ETA for when these features will return. The developers are committed to quality, so they are taking their time to ensure that the replacement content matches the high standard of the original. For now, the focus is on the shield skins, which are fully functional and look fantastic in-game.
Shield Skins: The Pride of the Seven Kingdoms
The heart of GoT Additions for ARK: Survival Ascended lies in its shield skins. These are not just simple retextures; they are carefully designed to reflect the identity of each Great House. You can craft them in a Smithy without needing to spend engram points, making them accessible to any survivor with the right resources.
Four Distinct Shield Styles
The mod offers four unique shield shapes to suit your combat style and aesthetic preference:
- Kite Shield: A classic teardrop shape, offering a balance of coverage and mobility.
- Curved Kite Shield: A variation on the traditional design, with a subtle curve for a more dynamic look.
- Round Shield: A simple, circular design, perfect for quick, agile fighters.
- Tall Shield: A larger, rectangular shield that provides maximum protection, ideal for tank builds.
House Variants and Crafting
Each shield style is available in six distinct house variants, allowing you to pledge your allegiance in battle. The available houses include:
- Greyjoy
- Lannister
- Stark
- Targaryen
- Tyrell
- Velaryon
To craft these, you simply need to place the shield skin in a Smithy. The cost is minimal, requiring only one fiber per skin. This efficiency is a deliberate design choice, ensuring that you can switch your allegiance or outfit your entire tribe without a significant resource drain. The mod also utilizes optimized textures and a single material, keeping the file size as small as possible to minimize performance impact.
One small note: if you log out with a shield equipped, you will need to re-equip it upon logging back in for the texture to reapply. This is a minor inconvenience but worth remembering if you want your heraldry to be visible at all times.
Compatibility and Installation
One of the biggest selling points of this mod is its cross-platform support. GoT Additions is fully compatible with PC, Xbox Series X and S, and PS5. This means you can enjoy the mod regardless of your preferred platform, and it works seamlessly in crossplay sessions. It is also compatible with the latest versions of ARK: Survival Ascended, so you do not have to worry about version mismatches breaking your game.
When it comes to how to install, the process is straightforward. You can subscribe to the mod directly through the Steam Workshop for PC, or find it in the in-game mod browser on consoles. For a hassle-free experience, many players use the foxygame.net launcher, which offers a one-click install for GoT Additions and automatically manages version compatibility, ensuring that your mod stays up to date with the latest game patches. This is a great option if you manage multiple mods and want to avoid manual updates.
Banners and Future Content
While the current version focuses on shields, the mod's roadmap includes the addition of house banners. These were originally planned to be craftable items that could be placed on walls or carried into battle. However, due to the aforementioned copyright issues, they are currently listed as "Coming Soon." The team is also open to commissions, allowing players to request custom house variants or banner designs by joining their Discord community.
This community-driven approach is a testament to the passion behind the project. Even with the current limitations, the modders are dedicated to delivering a polished and immersive experience.
Final Verdict
In its current state, GoT Additions is a niche but high-quality mod that excels at what it does. It may not have the sheer volume of content as some other overhaul mods, but the shield skins are beautifully crafted and add a layer of personalization that is hard to find elsewhere. The low crafting cost and lack of engram requirements make it a low-risk addition to any mod list.
If you are a fan of the series or simply want to stand out on the battlefield, this mod is worth your time. Just keep an eye on the mod page for updates, as the team is actively working to restore the missing features. Until then, grab your fiber, head to the Smithy, and let your banner fly high.