(living turret tower) Introducing Dreadnoughtus, the Terrestrial Battleship! Tags: sauropod, apex, herbivore, siege, artillery, late game, customizable saddle, maintenance, TEK disabler, OSDs, titan fights |
Art by RiskyBiscuits Commissioned by Tweee (thanks again!) (BACK FROM RAGNAROK NOW WITH CUSTOM ARTWORK AND UPDATED ABILITIES!) DISCLAIMER: PLEASE read through the entire submission before voting for this creature, since there may be mechanics and features you might miss if you vote on design alone. I also encourage you to do this for every other submission you see as well, so you can make a truly educated vote for what you would actually like to see in the game. If you have any feedback or ideas, leave a comment and I will address it (a Q&A is at the bottom of the post). ![]() @dynastyofdragons, @riskybiscuits0485, @sp_ce, @tweee, @grymmlee Common Name: Dreadnoughtus Species: Dreadnoughtus maximus Time: Late Cretaceous Diet: Herbivore Temperament: Territorial Wild: “Dreadnoughtus maximus is the undisputed emperor of the wasteland, towering over everything except for the very titans themselves. While they pay no mind to those beneath them, they are incredibly hostile towards other large creatures, including other Dreadnoughtus. The adrenaline coursing through their veins in the presence of a potential threat increases their physical strength and pain resistance to an astonishing degree. To handle creatures with ties to element, it has developed the ability to absorb the kinetic energy of their attacks and convert it into an elemental pulse that weakens corruption and even disables TEK for a period of time.” Domesticated: “When they aren’t harassing other creatures, Dreadnoughtus engage in a series of daily rituals, the order of which depends on the individual. If a survivor manages to assist them with even the most minute of tasks, they may gain their trust. A Dreadnoughtus is an utter war beast when tamed. It can be fitted with a special saddle, allowing for the attachment of up to five heavy artillery weapons, along with a harpoon located on the chest designed to pierce into and reel in opponents. The dinosaur itself can be a living weapon, regurgitating acid-covered cannonballs stored in its stomach at high velocity. However, I have a word of caution for any who plan on taming one of these giants. If their needs are neglected by their masters, they will eventually throw a cataclysmic temper tantrum.” Dreadnoughtus was downsized from its original proposed size because I feel the Titanosaur should still be the largest dinosaur in the game off of its name alone, and that I (and many others) think it looks better. Art by @NeonLaboratory, Comissioned by @AgentSparkle, Feat. Captain Hannah (@hannahhvtuber) Tamed: Actions:
Passive Abilities:
Saddle References:
Utility & Scenarios: PvE: Dreadnoughtus are specialized Titan killers through and through. Their fantastic stats in combination with their abilities and tools makes them great for Extinction’s boss fights, especially if an army of them are bred in the same manner Gigas typically are. They reduce the challenge of higher level OSDs and Element Vein runs, since their Giantslayer buff activates in the presence of Corrupted versions of particular creatures. On top of that, their EMP roar weakens Corrupted creatures, allowing for even more ease of completion. These sauropods may also find niches as actual sea-faring dreadnoughts or as gatherers of rare minerals, though that isn’t necessarily their primary purpose. Managing a Dreadnoughtus’ health is key for hostile confrontations, or you might find yourself on the other end of that neck. PvP: Now this is what Dreadnoughtus are designed to do. They find themselves at the top of the meta-game’s food chain, alongside the Giga and Carcha. Stats, abilities, and tools once again are incredibly useful in battles. Having survivors man multiple siege weapons mounted on the saddles turns the Dreadnoughtus into an almost unstoppable and completely destructive force. With enough turrets, ammo, and fuel, it may even become a mobile turret tower that guns things down before they even approach it. It’s terrifying in tandem with their ability to disable TEK. Their size is just about as big of a strength as it is a weakness, since it is a large target and has a hard time fighting in more claustrophobic spaces. Wild: The Dreadnoughtus is a rare spawn in the Wasteland, appearing in virtually any open space large enough for its sheer mass. Creatures the size of or larger than a Rex will attract its attention and it will aggro onto said creatures. They generally pay no mind to survivors and their tames unless they surpass the size threshold. Taming Process: The Dreadnoughtus is a massive animal that is incredibly high maintenance. They each have unique daily routines survivors can learn and adapt to accordingly. Helping a Dreadnoughtus go about their activities will develop trust and friendship between the survivors and the dinosaur. These activities include:
Dreadnoughtus activities and needs rotate occasionally similar to a Moschops’ diet. Keep helping the dinosaur out until it completely trusts you. Conclusion: I personally think this concept for Dreadnoughtus would work well in the game, as a massive siege weapon that can tear through just about anything in its path. It would be one of the most powerful creatures a tribe could have except for the Titanosaur and Titans themselves, tying with the Giga and Carcha in strength. With the idea I have in mind, it would also be one of the more immersive creatures with a few of its mechanics. On Extinction specifically, the idea of a giant mobile creature with a Mad Max-style saddle fits well with the post-apocalyptic landscape. Overall, it is a fairly unique and absurd concept I’d love to see enter the game and act as the final send off to the unique and absurd original storyline of ARK. Have fun, survivors! ADDRESSING COMMENTS & CONCERNS: Q: Isn’t this just a glorified Titanosaur TLC? A: Some people have stated that Dreadnoughtus is a Titanosaur TLC, which I can see. It’s designed more to be its own creature, focusing on being a ranged attacker with its long neck and artillery, as opposed to the more brutish nature of the Titanosaur and Ark Addition’s Brachiosaurus. Titanosaurs also don’t spawn on Extinction, so Dreadnoughtus taking its place here doesn’t actively conflict with it the same way Carchar conflicts with the Giga. Q: Is it breedable? A: I think whether it's breedable or not is really up to Wildcard. Personally, I would say YES to it being breedable, but it being a pain to raise. Giganotosaurus maturation time from Baby to Adult is 10 days on official settings, so expect about 20 days up to a Month with a Dreadnoughtus on Official Settings. Might seem like a long time, but this is a Titanosaur-level creature, so gotta keep it balanced. Q: Don’t we already have enough sauropods? A: I agree the roster of sauropods is large, nearing theropod level. However, the majority of them are in an unusable state and are in dire need of a TLC. Q: This is just another “OP APEX GIGA KILLER!!!”, right? A: No, or not really. Dreadnoughtus is more designed to tackle the OSDs, Element Veins, and Titan boss fights on Extinction than to be a direct counter to Gigas and Carchars. That being said, the buff against creatures larger than a Rex does provide a unique advantage over the kings of PvP. In terms of its strength, the maintenance mechanic is built in as a drawback to prevent people using this creature so willy nilly. Q: Is the saddle the gimmick? A: I’ve heard people have concerns over when the gimmick of a particular submission is tied more to the saddle than the creature itself. The reason why the saddle plays a huge role in this Dreadnoughtus concept is to play on its name with “dreadnaught”, a type of battleship. With that in mind, why not make the saddle akin to a big gun ship? Isn’t that badass?! I also felt with a more “Mad Max” aesthetic, the saddle would fit just nicely onto Extinction, which itself is a wasteland. Q: What about PVE? A: I will not lie, Dreadnoughtus is a PvP focused tame. However, these same traits carry over to Extinction’s OSDs, Element Veins, and Titans like stated earlier. On top of that, it can be quite a good gatherer with its rate of collection and high weight stat. Q: Is it a temporary or permanenttame? A:Unlike the Titanosaur, Dreadnoughtus is not a temporary tame. Once you've tamed it, you'll keep it forever. HOWEVER, you have to keep track of its needs and desires through the Maintenance mechanic, meaning you'll need to feed it, bathe it, or let it sleep some. If you don't do what it asks of you, than it will go on a rampage and destroy everything in sight. It's a permanent tame with a huge drawback that balances out it's impressive strength. |
Edited by DynastyOfDragons