Karkinos

The Karkinos (kark-EE-nohs) or simply the Crab, Giant Crab, or the Cave Crab is one of the many Creatures in the Aberration-DLC of ARK: Survival Evolved. It is useful for picking up wild animals and carrying them to a taming pen, as well as general combat usage or a source of.

Behavior
The Karkinos wanders the waters of Aberration and is aggressive toward land-based creatures, and given its large size, it can prey on much bigger predators than most of the other aquatic species. Surprisingly despite its size, Karkinos can also be found in the rivers of artifact caves.

Appearance
The Karkinos is a large amalgamation of various arthropods, most noticeably the spider crab, having 5 elongated pairs of limbs and 1 pair of stunted legs between the 2nd and 4th pair of legs. The legs are almost skeleton-like, spanning a huge distance from the central abdomen. The head appears to be similar to that of a harvestman's with fearsome chelicerae(mouthparts). The most unusual feature is the two, huge pairs of claws along with an extra pair that is placed above the head.

Combat
This section describes how to fight against the Karkinos. Use range to your advantage.

General
The Karkinos attempts to grab you and repeatedly slam you into the ground.

Strategy
Stay away from the front of the creature, as it can pick you up and immobilize you as it turns you into a tasty snack. Underneath its belly or directly behind it are the best positions to maintain. Try to attack the legs. s are generally the best dino to attack it with, since it cannot lift you off of a and  get a buff in their habitat.

If you do not have a large enough dinosaur to combat the Karkinos directly, it's better to utilize a or a Compound Bow with metal arrows from a ledge that it can not reach over. Don't waste your ammo with guns such as the Longneck Rifle or Shotgun; the Karkinos takes significantly reduced damage from guns, but takes normal damage from arrows. (This trait passes over to tamed Karkinos as well.)

Weaponry
Avoid utilizing early primitive weapons such as and  (it will take a very long time). They do little to no damage towards the creature, even if struck through the limbs.

Put into your hotbar in-order to stun the Karkinos and free yourself should you be grabbed, keep in mind you may be flashbanged as well.

Dangers
They often roam the water, and can make fishing a dangerous task. In addition to this, their attacks can hold you underwater and cause you to drown.

Regardless of the dino you are mounted on (except large dinos such as and ), Karkinos may attempt to grab you off the mount. Unless whistled to attack immediately or using, it is a guaranteed death to whoever gets grabbed on its claws as it will never release the grabbed beast/survivor from its claws unlike unless it has sustained a lot of health loss that forces its grasp off or if you flash/stun it by using a Plant Species Z Fruit.

Weakness
The Karkinos has a giant hitbox and a small attack range for its size, leaving them unable to hit a using properly-timed attacks that can stagger the Karkinos. They are also quite slow so you can kite them around fairly efficiently.

KO Strategy
Much like a, Karkinos cannot be knocked out with the traditional arrows, darts or animal torpor attacks; instead requiring weapons like the or  aimed at the main body. Hitting the limbs instead of the crab's body will deal heavy damage to the creature instead of applying torpor, so aim carefully. A few misplaced shots, especially with the, can easily kill the Karkinos, or render health so low that the taming attempt will have to be abandoned until it recovers. Due to the difficult aiming mechanics of the, and the cost of ammunition, it is recommended to use a catapult turret instead, being both more cost effective and far easier to aim. One catapult shot deals roughly 400 torpor, and with a high rate of fire, the turret can easily outpace the cannon in terms of how quickly torpor is applied. The rocket launcher can apply torpor too.

Paracer Strategy
One method of bringing down a Karkinos is placing a Catapult Turret on a platform saddle; the only candidate in Aberration, which just so happens to have the perfect height for this role, is the Paracer. If positioned just behind the rider's seat, the catapult is able to shoot almost directly down behind the Paracer's rear, which is typically where a Karkinos will be if the Paracer is made to face away from it. While attempting this strategy, be sure your Paracer is set to passive, and that the Karkinos is first targeting the Paracer instead of you before dismounting to climb onto the catapult. With careful aiming, a Karkinos can be easily, and safely knocked out from atop your Paracer's back. One of the few drawbacks to this strategy is that Karkinos will often attempt to flee once their torpor reaches a certain point, but a catapult's quick firing rate gives you a decent window to land the knockout before it has the chance to run.

Trap Strategy
Building a stone trap out of dinosaur gates or pillars is the most reliable method of taming a Karkinos, despite the resource costs associated with it. Karkinos tend to move around quite a lot, and are quite difficult to aggro onto you. While this presents a challenge either way, building a trap ensures that the Karkinos can't run away at high torpor, or aggro onto another creature. Trapping a Karkinos can also prove difficult, as they are capable of jumping over and out once contained, and trying to shut the trap can easily result in a survivor being grabbed by the crab, causing a swift death. There is the added disadvantage that said traps are stationary, and cannot be moved, sometimes causing you to lure the desired Karkinos over long distances before it can be trapped. If you choose to build a trap, build a three to four wall high tower near to it on which to place the catapult for aiming down. Be aware however that once a Karkinos is closed in, it can behave erratically; turning in all directions as it attacks the enclosure, sometimes making it difficult to land a good shot. A good time to take the shot is when the crab is facing away or towards you, as fewer limbs get in the way of your strike.

Net Strategy
in combination with the prove to be the quickest as the Nets immobilize the Karkinos and remove the risk of accidently hitting the pincers however Corpse-Feeding is an necessity, nearby creatures such as  must be killed and dragged to the Karkinos in order to restore lost health risking the survivor of being grabbed or outright killed requiring good protection and  in order to free themselves. unfortunately the explosion of the rocket launcher will damage taming effectiveness.

Utility
Although being a bulky creature, it makes up for it with its ability to jump and to pick up medium-sized creatures.

Controls(PC)

 * Tap or : Attack with respective claw (Slam held creature, does not damage held allies)
 * Tap both and  together: Combined claw attack that does more damage than either single claw attack, cannot move while performing this attack.
 * Hold or : Pickup/Release creature with respective claw
 * Throw creatures held in either claw. Can hold to aim and charge for much farther throw.
 * Jump. Can hold to aim and charge for much larger jump. Can repeatedly jump vertically while in the water.

Roles

 * Jack of All Trades: Thanks to the Karkinos's numerous attributes, one can use it for a plethora of different tasks without having to specialize levels. The Karkinos is one of the best travel mounts on Aberration; next to the, and . With a high , it can handle transporting a decent amount of resources to and from harvesting areas; including live cargo with its grabbing and throwing ability, such as  hostages and animals (nearly immune to projectile fire and able to pluck enemy riders off the saddle, it can intimidate some raiders into moving along without conflict). As a large-class predator, most native wildlife opts to leave it alone, allowing you to scuttle along with little worry. Lacking an  stat, it can cross bodies of water without fear of drowning, and is immune to . It is also capable of harvesting meat and other resources from its kills; it can carry tames that are able to harvest resources that it cannot. Favoring, though not limited to a diet of , the Karkinos is easy to feed and heals quickly off of this food source. With all of these abilities and more, a Karkinos can be useful to fill almost any task needed at a moment's notice.
 * Combatant: The Karkinos is among the many powerful mounts that can be acquired in Aberration. What sets it apart from other mounts-of-war, however is its area control. Its turning radius is non-existent as it can quite literally on a dime, similar to the, and though its running speed is mediocre, it can leap to incredible heights and lengths; this makes it difficult to be flanked as well as making it an ideal pursuit predator. With its dual-wielding claws, it can grab and carry survivors and some creatures indefinitely(so long as the Karkinos stays alive) to which it can be chosen that its victim is either released, smashed on the ground repetitively, or tossed an incredible distance away. One can also take their Karkinos into battle, regardless of the enviroment, as they can survive in the water and are immune to . Top that off with its high pool, good , and above-average , it can be seen why the Karkinos can be valuable. Just be cautious of creatures getting underneath the Karkinos' legs, as this can cause the Karkinos to get stuck in a permanent falling, unable to fight back.
 * Tank: Thanks to its ability to greatly reduce damage taken from projectiles and its high stats as well as taking 0.8X damage from bullets, the Karkinos can make an ideal tank to take bullet shots from enemy survivors and . Karkinos is a poor choice against tek turrets however, taking large amounts of damage. Its quick turning and large surface area can make it easier to find the perfect spot to soak bullets as well as cover other survivors and tames. If a situation gets sticky or its health get dangerously low, one can easily escape by leaping away. If one Karkinos is not enough, one can also wield and/or repetitively pick up and throw 2 creatures at a time with high-armor saddles to aid in the process.
 * Animal transporter: Given the lack of fliers that can carry wild animals to and from different locations, the Karkinos is the Aberrant Ark's best method of transporting animals, and unlike the two other terrestrial carriers, the and, it is able to pick up tamed creatures as well as wild ones. Not only capable of picking up just one, but two creatures at once, the Karkinos can even throw, as well as jump while holding them. This helps to ease the burden of getting creatures across gaps or up cliffs in the rugged terrain of Aberration.
 * War Assistants: A deadly, but very creative option, to assist in a raid or a battle is to wield 2 creatures that can be picked up by the Karkinos, preferably with high health, armor, and/or damage, to aid in the process of protecting oneself and allies, soaking damage, or killing an enemy. For example, 2 with high-armor saddles can be used to soak damage as well as deliver damage thanks to their powerful, large AOE tail attack without being hindered by their natural slow movement. Fellow tribe-members can also be held equipped with weapons and carried to a destination(would not recommend shooting while being held as the Karkinos' claw blocks the view) or thrown as paratroopers, so long as they have a, a , or  to deal with the fall damage. No matter the creature or tactic used, this can open many possibilities of combat like throwing fighting survivors or tames into the fray, soaking turrets, or increasing damage output.
 * Mobile Taming Pen: With the Karkinos' ability to pick up and hold creatures, coupled with the fact that the rider can wield weapons while on the back of one, the Karkinos is perfect as a mobile taming assist. Provided that the held animal is positioned where it cannot hit the Karkinos, or can only hit occasionally, the rider can easily tranquilize the captured animal from atop the safety of the Karkinos' back.
 * Assistant Harvester: While the Karkinos can really only harvest limited resources from corpses, it can however carry creatures that are able to gather what it cannot. While holding certain gathering animals with auto harvesting enabled, with different creatures yielding different resources, the Karkinos can effectively be used as a lawn mower to gather all kinds of various resources, picking up and moving these harvesters to areas they would have difficulty reaching on their own in Aberration's rocky terrain., provided their wandering is also enabled, can be one of the best harvesters for the Karkinos to carry around. Normally only a wandering, autonomous harvester, the Karkinos provides a means of easily guiding this meandering gatherer. Easily capable of harvesting , , , mushrooms, and , the Karkinos helps to bring out the ' full potential when it comes to its more difficult harvesting capabilities. While they normally flee at the start of combat, a can be held in place by the Karkinos, and any threats can be dealt with as long as the Karkinos' other claw is free (be careful to not let your  get hurt). Once the threat is dead, the  can be held over or dropped on the dead target, and will at once begin harvesting resources such as regular prime meat and prime fish meat. Depending on the corpse, such as another Karkinos or a , the  will even pick up  and . Other harvesters, like  and , can be used to fill in the ' gaps and gather , , and .  (Note: While the  can harvest  autonomously, it will only do so up until half of its own  capacity. The  must be either ridden by another player or the Karkinos rider can carry the  to its destination, dismount, mount the , harvest the resources, re-mount the Karkinos, and move the  to the next destination. While this is still more effective than riding the  around, it is strongly recommended to go with the 2-player approach.)
 * Travel: Albeit a very slow creature, the Karkinos has qualities to its mobility that make it a worthy consideration for getting around the Aberrant Ark. The primary cause for this is its considerable jumping ability; able to crouch down, pause, and aim before taking an impressive leap, while taking little fall damage should it miss its target. While this is undoubtedly useful in Aberration's terrain, the is a step up from the Karkinos in terms of jumping prowess; as the apex predator is capable of taller, longer leaps with a faster velocity. The Karkinos however has greater aiming potential, and can literally turn on the spot at the edge of a steep cliff, without having to walk to do so, in order to line up its next jump. Likewise without contest; the  is the undisputed king of Aberration travel, with its climbing and gliding abilities. In terms of travel capability, the Karkinos can be viewed as something on par or slightly above the ; as the Karkinos can breathe underwater, is immune to, and can get across and up a variety of obstacles without the use of zip lines. The  on the other hand is far quicker in its movements, has weight reduction on multiple native resources, and with the use of zip lines: can forge across gaps and up cliffs that the Karkinos would find impossible to navigate. Compared to its smaller competition though, the Karkinos is classed as a large predator, and thus a good portion of the Aberrant Ark's wildlife with opt to leave it be while you travel on its back. The Karkinos also comes with an added bonus; with a hard, armored shell, your giant crab is virtually immune to the bullets and arrows of enemy survivors, and its ability to grab riders right off the saddle is enough to intimidate many would-be bandits into giving you a wide berth. If you can tolerate its slower speeds, the Karkinos makes for a handy traveling companion before acquiring a Reaper or a Rock Drake, for sure (pump most levels into , along with a little ).
 * Water Exploration: The Karkinos, lacking an stat, can survive underwater without needing to surface for a breath, and when it is within deep water, it will sink and walk along the bottom with ease. While submerged, the Karkinos' jumping ability switches from a charged target jump to a straight vertical shot, and can be repeated even without touching the ground. This allows the rider to quickly surface when in need of oxygen, and then quickly sink back to the bottom. While touching the bottom, the rider can dismount, and the Karkinos will not wander off towards the surface in search of land like some other ground based mounts. While there is only so much deep water within the Aberrant Ark, the Karkinos is an excellent choice for aiding in dives for, and is more than capable of defending itself and its rider during this endeavor.
 * Radiation Zone Explorer: Most animals native to the Aberrant Ark are immune to radiation damage, and can safely explore these zones. The Karkinos however, has a distinct advantage over many of the other mounts that can go within these areas, which is filled with cliffs, high ledges, and many gaps that have to be navigated around. Although slow when it comes to running, with its ability to jump, the Karkinos is just behind the and  when it comes to the ease in which it can navigate these areas.
 * Venom Farmer: Despite being unable to pierce their natural armour without Charge Light like the, a decent level Karkinos can farm quite efficiently due to its ability to pick up creatures. Simply pick up an alpha Nameless with one claw and beat the respawning Nameless with the empty one. Additionally, to prevent reapers from being summoned, swap out the Alpha Nameless with a fresh one (when the new alpha transforms, pick it up), and resume killing the attacking Nameless with your empty claw. As Long as you are under 50% Weight, your Karkinos will automatically pick up the Nameless Venom. Bring a source of Charge Light for when you need to take a break from killing the creatures, such as emptying your inventory or healing your Karkinos. (Level Health And Melee. Weight is also a considerable choice due to the ability to pick up items while under 50%.)

Carry-able Species
The Karkinos is capable of carrying the following species:

Take note that wild and  will attack back when held.

Notes/Trivia

 * The torn dossier for this species was first revealed on November 11, 2017.
 * Karkinos take reduced fall damage, see Fall Damage for more info.
 * Karkinos is based on its mythological version as in mythology Karkinos was a giant crab sent to help distract Hercules during his 12 labors, in Ark it is noticeably larger than it's mythological depiction.
 * "Karkinos" is also the Greek name for the constellation Cancer.
 * "Karkinos Versatus" in Latin translates into "Veteran or Experienced Crab".
 * Like the, Karkinos can be tamed with spoiled meat if the player has no kibble. After taming, spoiled meat provides more Food than raw meat.
 * Tamed Karkinos will automatically eat spoiled meat first regardless of other meats in its inventory, just like.
 * Karkinos receives 10 points of health per unit of spoiled meat eaten, allowing it to recover health by force-feeding twice as quickly as most tames.
 * Leveling a tamed Karkinos makes it do what appears to be a "crab dance"
 * Whether Karkinos can carry a creature is based off that creature's drag weight; Anything with a drag weight of 250 or below is able to be picked up by the Karkinos. This can sometimes be confusing if two creatures with different drag weights are a similar size in game. For instance, while and  can be carried,  and  cannot, as their drag weights are 350 and 300, respectively.
 * Be careful when fighting a in the water, as it can get underneath the Karkinos, causing it to be stuck and unable to fight back.
 * Oddly enough, Karkinos' upper pair of pincer limbs were never used for anything in game other than for aesthetic purposes.
 * Karkinos is one of the only species where the first part of the species’ name (karkinos), is the common name.
 * The Karkinos appears to have a bug associated with the landing after a jump which rarely results in the game crashing (tested on PC). This can be quite dangerous when travelling in hazardous areas, and should be taken into account when considering its use as a combat mount.
 * Karkinos are one of the four species that can only be knocked out through striking at certain parts of its body with blunt/explosive projectile, others being the, , and.
 * Unlike most arthropods in the game which tend to bleed green, Karkinos bleeds a light blue colored blood similar to the modern horseshoe crab.
 * Despite being a giant crab, it can't side-step like normal crab usually do. And considering side-stepping is normally faster, the Karkinos only knows how to move forward at a moderate pace.
 * Karkinos does not produce.
 * Most crabs have gills instead of lungs, which in theory should make it so a realistic Karkinos would not be able to stay on land for very long without suffocating. However, some real-life crabs and other crustaceans do have exceptional adaptations for respiration on land. Specifically, the Robber Crab (Birgus latro) uses a branchiostegal lung in order to breathe. In fact, an adult Robber Crab will drown when submerged in water, which is quite unlike the Karkinos as they can survive and thrive in water as well as in terrestrial environments.
 * Real crabs lay eggs, however Ark's Karkinos does not.
 * Although the dossier suggests that the Karkinos is an Omnivore, in the game it can only consume meat. This could be an oversight of the developers or a misidentification of the Karkinos's diet by Helena Walker herself.
 * Many Real-world Crabs are social animals that live in a group called a cast. If Ark's Karkinos were real, they would probably live in a cast just like real crabs, making them more dangerous than they already are in Ark.
 * Real crabs only have only two pincers. Karkinos however is a fictional crab that has four pincers, reason for this adaptation could be caused by the mutations found in Aberration.
 * While real crabs taste with their mouths they also use their antennae to taste things. All crabs taste what they are eating by feeling with their antennae and small hairs on their bodies.
 * Real crabs use their antennae and hair on their bodies to smell.
 * Real crabs also use their antennae and hairs to hear sound and feel vibrations. Detecting vibrations is how they hear.
 * Although Karkinos is named after a mythological crab, it's size and design are similar to the Japanese Spider Crab except Karkinos is much bigger then a real Spider Crab.
 * Even though the Japanese Spider Crab still exists today there have fossils of the crab found in the Eocene and Miocene periods.
 * Gender of a Karkinos is not assigned by the game, making players unable to breed them.