Mod:ARK: The Sunken World/Anomalocaris

The Anomalocaris is a species of invertebrate in ARK: The Sunken World.

Behaviour
Anomalocaris is usually solitary in the wild, and can be seen hunting small invertebrates like trilobites and fish. They will also chase down humans if they get the chance, and may latch onto you to drain your blood.

Appearance
Anomalocaris has the appearance similar to a shrimp without legs, and is incredibly similar to real world anomalocaris, bar a few differences. It is covered in heavy armour plating and it has two air sacs that run along the sides of its body that are constantly pulsating. Its head phalanges and edges of its fins are bioluminescent.

Combat
This section outlines how to fight an Anomalocaris.

General
Anomalocaris are like the and  hybrid of the sea. While not formidable later game, they are quite daunting to face when you're only just dipping your toes in the water, especially in groups.

Strategy
Fighting at range is the most well advised strategy when early game. Utilising almost any aquatic mount is well advised, along with simply leaving the water as they will be unable to follow you onto land.

Weaponry
Ranged weapons that work underwater will make short work of an Anomalocaris. Most aquatic creatures will also be suitable to fight an Anomalocaris.

Dangers
Anomalocaris are dangerous early game, as getting swarmed by too many can lead to disaster. With their lifesteal ability, if one can't deal enough damage quickly, they can heal through the pain and overpower you. Howvever, once you aqcuire an aquatic mount you can kill them more easily, or outrun them if things aren't looking good.

The biggest dangers Anomalocaris bring are indirect, if fighting with them for too long, you may run into larger predators attracted by the commotion.

Weakeness
Ranged weaponry, most aquatic mounts or unrideable pack animals will make short work of an Anomalocaris. Killing them before they can take advantage of their self-healing abilites proves most effective, as they can't regenerate their health if they're dead in one hit.

Taming
For general info about domesticating a wild creature see Taming.

Preferred Food
When tamed, Anomalocaris will eat raw meat

KO Strategy
The Anomalocaris isn't knocked out by conventional means due to its armoured exterior. In order to knock one out, you must damage it enough for it to go into Blood Rush, which is down to 20% of the individuals maximum health when wild. When in this state, they will attempt to latch onto you, and you must eat narcotics or bio toxin to knock it out.

Abilities

 * The Anomalocaris has a weak lifestyle ability due to its blood fuelled diet! Any attack heals for half of the damage dealt.
 * Anomalocaris can latch onto a player in order to suck their blood. When tamed this latching functions like a shoulder pet and allows you to pick it up.
 * The Anomalocaris also has a unique ability that triggers when it takes enough damage. If it is injured enough, it will enter Blood Rush, a desperate state where its attack and movement speed is doubled for 30 seconds. In the wild, an Anomalocaris in Blood Rush will attempt to latch onto the nearest player.

Roles

 * Living Scuba Tank: The Anomalocaris can be "held" like a shoulder pet when in water and will provide you with oxygen at the cost of your food. While it is a great early game alternative to a scuba tank, the anomalocaris will detach from you when it runs out of stamina, and it will damage any equipped chestpiece between cloth and flak. The anomalocaris can't be picked up if you are wearing tek or scuba. (Level )

Notes/Trivia
For information pertaining specifically to the real world genus of Anomalocaris, see the relevant Wikipedia article.


 * Anomalocaris' scientific name, Anomalocaris cruento, translates to "Bloody Abnormal Shrimp".
 * Anomalocaris was one of the first custom creatures to be completed and added to ARK: The Sunken World.