The Magmasaur is a terrifying monster in Ark: Survival Evolved. It is beastly in combat situations, capable of laying waste to groups of weaker enemies and acting as a long-range siege weapon. Facing one of these in combat, whether it’s PVE or PVP is a considerable challenge.
Knowing how it fights and how to respond is key to surviving a Magmasaur attack. It also pays to know some of its weaknesses and what tools to wield in battle. For players wanting to know how to bring this fiery dragon down there are some tips to make it more manageable.
10 Avoid The Spit
The Searing Spit is the Magmasaur’s single greatest attack. It’s basically a long range fireball that releases after a brief charging period. It’s capable of destroying wood, stone, and metal bases and will melt anyone not properly geared in a single hit.
While it’s possible to tank a hit or two from this attack it’s simply best to avoid it altogether. This isn’t too difficult at a distance as the meteors are somewhat slow, but up close is going to be a problem.
9 Run Or Kill When Burned
The other attack the Magmasaur has is an AOE fire blast. The blast itself does considerable damage but it’s most dangerous feature is the burning over time. This burn will constantly refresh itself until the player is out of range of the Magmasaur or if they manage to kill the dinosaur.
It’s best to avoid this attack altogether, but players will definitely want a plan if they do happen to get burned. If it’s early on in the fight and the player lacks necessary healing abilities then running and starting over is probably best. If the fight’s close to being over or the player is confident they can out-heal the burn, then killing it might be a better course of action.
8 Bows Are Better Than Guns
The Magmasaur takes reduced damage from guns making them a poor choice in this fight. Players will instead want to use bows in combat. They don’t gain any bonuses against the Magmasaur, but they don’t suffer any penalties making them the ideal choice.
A solid Compound bow with good attributes and arrows is perhaps the best weapon to take into this fight. It doesn’t make the fight any easier by any means, but it does give the player the best damage potential.
7 Fight At Range
If the player is entering this fight by themselves or without a tame then it’s best to fight the Magmasaur at a distance. Scuffling with a Magmasaur’s burning attacks and brutal melee can quickly end a fight and the player is better off fighting out of range of the thing’s claws.
The Searing Spit is the primary concern when fighting at a distance so players will need to watch out for that. The ideal strategy is to kite the monster, dodge the spit, and fire back with a bow until the thing falls.
6 Close Quarters With Tames
If the player is fighting with a tamed creature than close quarters combat might be a better choice. The reasoning behind this is that the Magmasaur won’t use it’s Searing Spit if the player is too close. Considering this is it’s most dangerous attack there is a benefit to fighting close.
Of course, the burning blast attack becomes a concern in close quarters. A tanky tame could resist the damage over time or having something light on it’s feet to avoid the attack entirely is best. At the very least out-healing the damage can work on occasion if the player does get singed.
5 Lure It To Water/Cold
This isn’t really feasible against a wild Magmasaur, but against a tamed one under player control in multiplayer it helps. In cold environments the Magmasaur suffers a debuff that causes their Searing Spit to take longer to charge.
If the Magmasaur is in water the attack is disabled and it can’t spit at all. Convincing a player to take their Magmasaur into such environments is another story. Some players will use Magmasaurs in cold area for its warming effect, but rarely will anyone go near water in this multiplayer game.
4 Hazard Suit Is Necessary
When going after wild Magmasaurs, it’s important to have the right gear. One piece of equipment that’s absolutely essential is the Hazard Suit. This armor will protect the player from the hot and dangerous environment inside the caves and near the lava.
It’s important to note that this does not protect the player from the Magmasaur’s attacks. This is strictly to protect from environmental hazards and heat. This isn’t entirely problematic as a player’s best chance for survival against the Magmasaur is to avoid taking direct damage in the first place.
3 Be Wary Of The Volcano Itself
Speaking of environmental hazards, players should pay attention to the volcano while fighting wild Magmasaurs. The volcano is very much active and will periodically erupt, bathing the player in liquid hot magma.
The Magmasaur is completely immune so players will need to disengage from the fight. It’s a good idea to wait for an eruption before starting the attack. Otherwise the player will need to find shelter which can risk ending the fight or possibly suffering attacks while hiding out.
2 Stay Behind It
A high risk high reward tactic with the Magmasaur is to kite the dragon by staying behind it at all times. Magmasaurs have trouble turning quickly which should allow a player to easily stay behind them.
This also prevents them from attacking directly or spitting at the player. There is still a risk of suffering the AOE burn damage. But it can work to give the player a much needed respite or get a few hits in. Keep in mind this is harder to pull off against other player when fighting in multiplayer.
1 Freeze It
Finally a potentially handy tip for taking down a Magmasaur is to be accompanied by a tame capable of freezing. The best choices in the game are the Managarmr or the Snow Owl. The Managarmr is a great choice when fighting at range as it can use it’s ice breath to freeze Magmasaur while dodging incoming Searing Spits.
The Snow Owl can do the job, but has the downside of potentially healing Magmasaur whenever it freezes it. The healing is negligible but it is there and can drag out the fight. The player’s best bet is to use the Managarmr at a distance and keep either the wild or tamed Magmasaur locked down.
