Grave Digger Troodon
The Troodon has always been a misunderstood creature in ARK. Small, fast, and deadly in a pack, but never quite useful enough to justify taming one over a Raptor or a Thylacoleo. The Grave Digger Troodon add-on changes that perception entirely. This mod introduces a brand-new Troodon variant that does not replace the vanilla creature, giving you a fresh, functional companion that feels right at home on the Island, Scorched Earth, and every other map supported by ARK: Survival Ascended.
Instead of a simple re-skin, this Troodon comes with a suite of unique features that make it a genuinely valuable addition to your tribe. It is rideable, boasts new color patterns, and can even have its eyes and other regions painted. But the real headline ability is its knack for collecting dropped items and death caches while wandering. If you have ever lost a bag of loot to a cliff edge or a fast-despawn timer, this creature is about to become your best friend.
What Makes the Grave Digger Troodon Unique?
Unlike many creature mods that force you to choose between the original and the new version, the Grave Digger Troodon spawns naturally alongside its vanilla cousins. You will spot it in the wild by its pale color palette, distinct spot patterns, and glowing eye colors. It is designed to stand out without breaking immersion, making it a joy to hunt down and tame.
Rideable and Customizable
Once tamed, you can saddle up and ride this agile predator. Its movement speed and jump capabilities make it an excellent early-to-mid-game mount for scouting or quick resource runs. The customization options are surprisingly deep for a small creature mod:
- Paintable eyes and multiple body regions for unique tribal markings.
- New color patterns that differ from the standard Troodon.
- Radial menu option to disable feathers for a sleeker appearance.
These options allow you to make your Grave Digger Troodon truly yours, whether you want a stealthy dark variant or a bright, intimidating war mount.
The Loot Collection Ability
The standout feature is the autonomous loot gathering. When set to Wandering, your Grave Digger Troodon will actively patrol an area and pick up dropped items and death caches. This is a game-changer for base defense and PvE quality of life. Imagine setting one to wander near your base walls; it will automatically hoover up any arrows, meat, or gear that fall from a raid or a hunting trip gone wrong.
This ability also works well for farming. If you are killing large groups of creatures, your Troodon can follow behind and collect all the loot while you focus on the next target. It reduces the tedious back-and-forth of manual looting and ensures you never miss a valuable drop.
How to Install and Spawn the Grave Digger Troodon
Getting this mod into your game is straightforward. To download Grave Digger Troodon, you can find it on the popular mod repositories. For players using the foxygame.net launcher, the process is even smoother — the launcher's integrated add-on catalog lets you search for and install Grave Digger Troodon for ARK: Survival Ascended with a single click, and it automatically handles version compatibility so you never have to worry about breaking your save. This is particularly handy if you manage multiple mods or play on a dedicated server with friends.
If you are installing manually, the process is simple. Subscribe to the mod on the Steam Workshop or your chosen platform, then activate it in the game's mod menu before starting your session. For server admins, just add the mod ID to your server's mod list and restart. To how to install it correctly, always ensure you have the latest version of ARK: Survival Ascended installed to avoid conflicts.
Once installed, you can spawn the creature using the admin console with the following commands:
cheat Summon Digger_Troodon_Character_BP_C— spawns a wild version.cheat Summontamed Digger_Troodon_Character_BP_C— spawns a tamed version.
These commands work on both single-player and dedicated servers, provided you have admin privileges. The mod also includes configurable INI options, which are detailed on the mod's official pages for players who want to tweak spawn rates or collection behavior.
Mod Compatibility and Performance
The Grave Digger Troodon is designed to be lightweight and compatible with most other mods. It does not alter any vanilla creature or spawn table, so it works alongside overhaul mods like Primal Fear or ARK Additions without issue. The creature uses existing animations and assets, meaning minimal performance impact even on lower-end systems. It is fully supported on all current maps for ARK: Survival Ascended, including the newer DLCs, and the developer actively maintains it with patches for any game updates.
Final Thoughts
The Grave Digger Troodon is a fantastic example of how a small, focused mod can add real value to the game. It is not overpowered, but it is undeniably useful. The rideable mechanic makes it a fun mount, the paint options give it personality, and the loot collection ability is a quality-of-life feature that you will wonder how you lived without. Whether you are a solo player looking for a reliable pack mule or a tribe leader wanting to automate base cleanup, this creature earns its place in your roster. Download it today and give your Troodons a new purpose.