ARK: Survival Evolved Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Spoiled Meat This page may contain spoilers related to the background-story of ARK: Survival Evolved.
If you want to experience the story ingame, you probably shouldn't continue reading on this page.
Tek Cave
Tek Cave Inside2
A cave located at the summit of the Volcano, used to Ascend and "complete" the game.
Location
The Island Topographic Map
Location
42.8° Lat, 39.2° Lon

The Tek Cave is a cave located at the summit of the volcano, and upon completing said cave, the player will teleport to the Hall of History, which leads you to the game's final boss.

Tribute Requirements

The following items are needed to open the Tek Cave entrance. These items are not consumed in the process:

Item Required Gamma Beta Alpha
Player Level 60 80 100
Gamma Broodmother Trophy Gamma Broodmother Trophy 1
Gamma Megapithecus Trophy Gamma Megapithecus Trophy 1
Gamma Dragon Trophy Gamma Dragon Trophy 1
Beta Broodmother Trophy Beta Broodmother Trophy 1
Beta Megapithecus Trophy Beta Megapithecus Trophy 1
Beta Dragon Trophy Beta Dragon Trophy 1
Alpha Broodmother Trophy Alpha Broodmother Trophy 1
Alpha Megapithecus Trophy Alpha Megapithecus Trophy 1
Alpha Dragon Trophy Alpha Dragon Trophy 1
Alpha Raptor Claw Alpha Raptor Claw 1 1
Alpha Carnotaurus Arm Alpha Carnotaurus Arm 1 1
Alpha Tyrannosaur Tooth Alpha Tyrannosaur Tooth 1 1
Alpha Megalodon Fin Alpha Megalodon Fin 1
Alpha Mosasaur Tooth Alpha Mosasaur Tooth 1
Alpha Tusoteuthis Eye Alpha Tusoteuthis Eye 1
Alpha Leedsichthys Blubber Alpha Leedsichthys Blubber 1

It is worth noting that the greater difficulty trophies can be used to open the Tek Cave entrance at lower difficulties (i.e. the Alpha Broodmother Trophy Alpha Broodmother, Alpha Megapithecus Trophy Megapithecus and Alpha Dragon Trophy Dragon trophies can open the Tek Cave at Gamma difficulty).

Tribute Spawn Commands

Uses these commands to give yourself all the items needed for tribute:

Gamma
cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Broodmother_Gamma.PrimalItemTrophy_Broodmother_Gamma'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Dragon_Gamma.PrimalItemTrophy_Dragon_Gamma'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Gorilla_Gamma.PrimalItemTrophy_Gorilla_Gamma'" 1 0 0
Beta
cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Broodmother_Beta.PrimalItemTrophy_Broodmother_Beta'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Dragon_Beta.PrimalItemTrophy_Dragon_Beta'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Gorilla_Beta.PrimalItemTrophy_Gorilla_Beta'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaRaptor.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaRaptor'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaCarno.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaCarno'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaRex.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaRex'" 1 0 0
Alpha
cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Broodmother_Alpha.PrimalItemTrophy_Broodmother_Alpha'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Dragon_Alpha.PrimalItemTrophy_Dragon_Alpha'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Items/Trophies/PrimalItemTrophy_Gorilla_Alpha.PrimalItemTrophy_Gorilla_Alpha'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaRaptor.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaRaptor'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaCarno.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaCarno'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaRex.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaRex'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaMegalodon.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaMegalodon'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaMosasaur.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaMosasaur'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaTuso.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaTuso'" 1 0 0|cheat giveitem "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Resources/PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaLeeds.PrimalItemResource_ApexDrop_AlphaLeeds'" 1 0 0

Recommended Equipment

  • This is the hottest also the coldest place you can find on The Island. Ghillie Armor Ghillie Armor is crucial to deal with the unbelievable heat in Tek Cave. Then the temperature will turn upside-down after you pass the border dividing the cave from the terminal, requiring player to change to Fur Armor Fur Armor. It's highly-advised to use charged Tek Armor Tek Armor to deal with both extreme environments.
    • You will want to bring some Calien Soup Calien Soup and Fria Curry Fria Curry along with reserves of water and food, as well as Medical Brew Medical Brew: If you are burning or freezing, your natural health regeneration is suspended.
  • You will need a lot of powerful weapons. It is best to use ascendant items, such as a Rocket Launcher Rocket Launcher with Rocket Propelled Grenade Rocket Propelled Grenade, a Tek Rifle Tek Rifle, Tek Grenade Tek Grenade, or any other weaponry.
  • Bring any kind of ranged weapons (even a Primitive Crossbow Crossbow is fine) to aggro lots of wild animals in the cave and make them fall in the lava pits. It makes the cave much easier, especially if you can send the Giga in the lava. Gigas, however, do not spawn on Gamma difficulty.
  • Bringing sacrificial tames such as Carbonemys is a good idea to send them into the lava once you have shot it with a Pheromone Dart Pheromone Dart using a Longneck Rifle Longneck Rifle, drawing wild Dinos with it.
  • Lesser Antidote Lesser Antidote will work fine if you get Mega Rabies from Megalania.
  • It is completely possible to do the entire cave in around 35 mins with a set of Ghillie Armor Ghillie Armor and using some Cactus Broth (Scorched Earth) Cactus Broth (Scorched Earth), Where you just crawl through the cave and get zero aggro and no chance of losing tames; however, you cannot ascend unless the final boss is beaten (introduced in patch 267.0).

Dangers

  • Lava pits. Your unridden animals can easily fall into the lava from the narrow bridges, especially when they are on neutral and fighting the wild dinos. Because of this, it is recommended to bring more players rather than bringing in unridden dinos.
  • Getting knocked off your mount.
  • Massive swarms of high level dinos.
  • The Giganotosaurus guarding the entrance to the portal.
  • Extreme heat and chill: 60℃ in Tek Cave, -28℃ at the terminal, Hall of History, and Overseer Arena. It will burn/freeze players if they do not have corresponding gears equipped.
  • The lava in the caldera in front of the gate (before entering the cave) hurts a lot, so make sure your Rexes don't step into it. Make sure you bring enough raw meat in case one of your Rexes misstep to be able to forcefeed them to max health if lava burned them.
  • Lava does 200 damage if you or your Creatures step into it
  • Both riders & following dinos can be stuck in the cave's geometry. For this reason, ensure that there is adequate distance between players & that each player carries a small subset of unridden dinos behind them, similar to a conga line.

Creatures

All creatures found in Tek Cave spawn above level 300 (with the exception of Giganotosaurus, which spawns at level 600, but can't be tamed), rendering them impossible to tame.

Compatible Tamed Creatures

This table is incomplete.
You can help us by adding the tamed creatures you know can enter the cave. If the creature can't enter, please exclude it.

Accessibility Ratings:

  • Excellent: Full-Cave Access (Entrance-to-Artifact)
  • Limited: Can Access Portions of the Cave Safely
  • Not Recommended: Can Get Stuck/Unable to Leave Cave
Creature Accessibility Rideable Notes
Allosaurus Allosaurus Excellent Yes
  •  A pack of 4 minimum
Carno Carno Excellent Yes
Arthropluera Arthropluera Excellent Yes
Baryonyx Baryonyx Excellent Yes
Beelzebufo Beelzebufo Excellent Yes
Carbonemys Carbonemys Excellent Yes
Carnotaurus Carnotaurus Excellent Yes
Castoroides Castoroides Excellent Yes
  •  Can be used to repair armor and weapons.
Chalicotherium Chalicotherium Excellent Yes
Compy Compy Excellent No
  •  Can keep on shoulder or bring a whole pack.
Daeodon Daeodon Excellent Yes
Dimorphodon Dimorphodon Excellent No
  •  Can keep on shoulder or bring a whole flock.
Dilophosaur Dilophosaur Excellent No
Diplodocus Diplodocus Excellent Yes
Dire Bear Dire Bear Excellent Yes
Direwolf Direwolf Excellent Yes
Doedicurus Doedicurus Excellent Yes
Gigantopithecus Gigantopithecus Excellent Yes
Griffin Griffin Excellent Unofficial/
Single-Player
Hesperornis Hesperornis Excellent No
  •  Can be carried on shoulder.
Hyaenodon Hyaenodon Excellent No
Ichthyornis Ichthyornis Excellent No
  •  Can be carried on shoulder.
Iguanodon Iguanodon Excellent Yes
Kaprosuchus Kaprosuchus Excellent Yes
Megalania Megalania Excellent Yes
Megalosaurus Megalosaurus Excellent Yes
Megatherium Megatherium Excellent Yes
Microraptor Microraptor Excellent No
  •  Can keep on shoulder or bring a whole flock.
Onyc Onyc Excellent No
Pachyrhinosaurus Pachyrhinosaurus Excellent Yes
Procoptodon Procoptodon Excellent Yes
Purlovia Purlovia Excellent No
Raptor Raptor Excellent Yes
Ravager Ravager Excellent Yes
Rex Rex Excellent Yes
Sabertooth Sabertooth Excellent Yes
Sarco Sarco Excellent Yes
Scorpion Scorpion Excellent Yes
Spider Spider Excellent Yes
Terror Bird Terror Bird Excellent Yes
Therizinosaur Therizinosaur Excellent Yes
Thorny Dragon Thorny Dragon Excellent Yes
Thylacoleo Thylacoleo Excellent Yes
Triceratops Triceratops Excellent Yes
Troodon Troodon Excellent No
Yutyrannus Yutyrannus Excellent Yes


Restriction

Due to the opening size of the Tek Cave entrance upon opening, only certain size of the dino or creatures can fit into the cave.

Creatures that could not fit into the cave can access in with Cryopod (Extinction) Cryopod (Extinction) if one has access to it when the gate is open. However, about half-way down, the cryopods become unusable (which may suggest that using cryopods on the Tek Cave is a feature rather than a design flaw). Also, because of this, it's possible to recover tames that fell into lava, but keep in mind that - due to equipment use restrictions - not all lava pits will allow players climbing back, so proceed with caution.

Once the cave is sealed, no creature will be able to leave the cave until the Overseer Overseer in its arena is defeated. Any creature still alive in the arena will be transported to the entrance of the Tek Cave.

Following creatures are too big to fit into the cave and will not be able to enter by any means:

Following creatures cannot directly enter the cave due to its size unless released inside with Cryopod (Extinction) Cryopod (Extinction)

Following creatures cannot be warped into Overseer boss fight, but can enter the Tek Cave:

Following creatures cannot be warped into Overseer boss fight, but can enter the Tek Cave only with Cryopod (Extinction) Cryopod (Extinction):

Notes

  • One can glitch into the tek cave without needing the tribute items and on lower difficulties. To do this, one needs to use the admin rifle (you will automatically spawn in the world with it if creative mode and cheats are enabled and you’re playing as a new survivor). Make sure it's set to teleport mode (it should automatically be set to it when you select it in your inventory) go as close to the cave entrance gate as possible (you'll be close enough when your walking (or flying, if in creative or on a mount you can fly on and can use weapons on it) and you can't move any closer), and shoot it directly at it a couple of times (don't shoot it to many times in one go or you'll likely either shoot yourself into lava and die if you don't either have godmode on with cheats, or configured the world settings to make all survivors and tamed creatures invincible, causing you to have to do the glitch again, or clip into a part of the cave's wall, ceiling, or, floor geometry, and the only way out of that is to shoot the admin rifle repeatedly (the teleport mode of the gun is utterly and completely broken: you can clip through literally any solid surface except the world boundaries (the forcefields surrounding the ark installation that prevent you from leaving it) by getting as close as possible to it, putting the cursor on it, and shooting it. This is the only way to find the forcefeild at the very bottom of the world that prevents you from falling out of the ark installation.(Though how else you would get down there is mystery...))). Once inside, it will be exactly like with the ghost cheat, meaning you could essentially fight an easier version of the overseer than you normally would on your difficulty ( or not if your difficulty happens to be gamma), but it won't really matter, because you can just one shot it with the admin rifle via its insta-kill mode, which kills all creatures and survivors instantly when fired at them unless godmode is enabled via cheats or the world settings have been configured to make all survivors and tamed creatures invincible. You will only be able to take shoulder mounted creatures, creatures that can be ridden and allow you to use weapons on them, and any creature that can be carried by that creature, excluding marine creatures for obvious reasons, and quetzels due to being too big to properly execute the glitch with. other survivors can go with you, but only if they are carried by the creature you are riding on, due to only the world creator receiving the admin rifle, which is necessary to perform the glitch. Due to this, you will have less allies to help with taking down the overseer (should you wish to fight it legitimately, and not one shot it with the admin rifle, otherwise this doesn't matter) and less of your tamed pals ascending with you to the next ark installation. It is still nevertheless a quick and easy method to ascend earlier than normal (or intended by the devs at all), albeit at the loss of some gameplay challenge due to previously mentioned things and things mentioned further down (mainly just the absence of creatures (the giga that guards the arena entrance especially) spawning in the cave itself, as the overseer doesn't strictly have to be cheap killed (technically nothing does, but the overseer is the only thing that still spawns, so it doesn't matter anyways), and even a gamma overseer is no joke to fight legitimately).
  • Upon Ascending, you will have to select your character and respawn as if you had disconnected while traveling across servers. This also means that items will be kept, but the Element Element will be lost and all the Tek Gear will be discharged. Creature inventories share the same behavior, but it might be safer (due to bugs) to store valuable equipment there, specially if playing console versions.
  • There is a bug where if you bring a shoulder pet and you ascend with it on your shoulder, it won't spawn at the entrance of the cave until you beat the cave again.
  • You will need to be level 60, 80, or 100 to open the door corresponding to each difficulty level.
  • It is impossible to send a buried Reaper King Reaper King or Basilisk Basilisk into the Tek Cave from the entrance; they will only move to the top of the gate and not inside when whipped towards the open gate. However, the Basilisk can enter the cave without problems when out of the ground.
  • There are no restrictions to the catch function of empty Cryopod (Extinction) Cryopod (Extinction), so one can use them to save any creatures that would be unable to warp to the boss fight or otherwise stuck along the way.
  • When inside the cave itself, you are not able to use the Jetpack on the Tek Chestpiece Tek Chestpiece, the Grappling Hook Grappling Hook, or even the Climbing Pick (Aberration) Climbing Pick (Aberration). Moreover, the jump function from Managarmr Managarmr cannot be used as well. After teleporting to the Hall of History, however, the jetpack and the ability to jump with the Managarmr will now be available for the rest of the journey, including the Overseer Overseer encounter.
  • This is the only boss arena to permit Tek Tier equipment. Every other Boss Arena disallows such thing, excluding Rockwell Arena and Extinction arenas.
  • When using the ghost cheat to get into the Tek Cave, the Overseer will be at Gamma level, and no Creatures will spawn inside the cave.
  • Although upon entering a cave there is a message saying that a max of 10 riders and 50 tames are allowed in the cave, It is possible to bring more players. The portal after the tek cave will allow a max of 10 players (with their dinos) + 10 unridden dinos per teleport and as long as the overseer boss is not initiated, another batch can port in.
  • There is a bug which can cause the game to crash during the final ascension cinematic. For this reason, once the overseer is defeated and you have placed yourself in the correct platform, make sure to dismount.
  • There is a bug at the gate. If players keep running towards the gate while riding a dino(especially some animals with mounting seat far beyond their collision-box), he can get stuck inside the gate and take 9,600 true damage, which is a insta-kill with no corpse left over -- all the items carried by the player will be lost forever.

Repairing

Servers that have lost their interactive Tek Cave entrance terminal can spawn it back in with this command while looking at the terminal:

cheat spawnactor "Blueprint'/Game/PrimalEarth/Structures/TributeTerminal_TekCave.TributeTerminal_TekCave'" 160 0 0

Version history

Gallery

Advertisement