Diplocaulus, the dino most in need of a rework?

[Violeta]

No saddle, bad stats, not a shoulder pet, On a number of maps its hard to tame due to everything wanting to kill it plus the swamp is a pretty dangerous place.

If this makes it into Ark 2 I'll be amazed.

[Chariot]

Originally posted by ⛧Vexation⛧:

No saddle, bad stats, not a shoulder pet, On a number of maps its hard to tame due to everything wanting to kill it plus the swamp is a pretty dangerous place.

If this makes it into Ark 2 I'll be amazed.

The fact that it's easier to just make a scuba tank and grab an itchy, or pump points into oxygen.

[Violeta]

300 oxygen can get you pretty far.

And laz chowder laughs in diplocaulus's face as well.

[Onzman]

Agreed, kind of in line with the archeo and a few others. Maybe an underwater stealth buff or something to give it a bit more utility?

[Furyion]

speaking of diplos.. yes both of them^^

[JohnM81]

You guys are 100% wrong diplo is the best water scout second to the mana. (Debatable) It is very fast and allows you to stay under water for 30+ minutes. This Dino is one of the most under rated ones in the game. Best part is it’s oxygen is free and with points in speed can keep up with a mosa or plesiosaur.

[Captpickles]

I like the diplocaulus while I wouldn't use it over tek chest, mosa, etc. I don't think it's completely useless like the carno was.

[🦊 Hermit]

I agree that it needs a different spawn point. Because it spawns in the swamp, getting hold of one is more trouble than it's worth. But I feel that such a spawn change would be enough for it, balance-wise. If it were easier to get, especially for early-midgame players who haven't unlocked scuba yet, then it'd be used a lot more.

The only other change I think it needs is not a balance one, but an ergonomic one for the player. For all other creatures, when looking at a tame and pressing E, the default action is 'ride', and any special moves or options are hidden in the radial menu. However with the 'caulus, the default action is 'take oxygen', and ride is in the menu.

This makes no sense to me - the 'caulus fills up your air when riding, so you'll always be full when you jump off. And you'll likely be watching your oxy like a hawk, so you'll be able to hold E and select 'take oxygen' easily before you go short. But the real threat when underwater is being surprised by a sudden plessie or mosa, at which time you'll want to jump on your tame and swim away as fast as possible. The extra couple of seconds spent accessing the radial menu to select 'ride', could be the difference between life and death. Ride should be switched to the same place it is on every other dino, and take oxygen should be in the radial.

Side note: on the topic of dinos most in need of a rework, can we talk pachycephlosaurus? Not enough weight to be a travel mount, not enough melee to be a fighter, not enough torp in it's attacks to KO things...it's literally useless. I say it should be able to break rocks with it's headbutt and gather flint at high capacity, with a weight reduction in it's inventory - that'd give it a use all the way to endgame, as we don't have a dedicated flint harvester yet.

[JohnM81]

Perhaps the spawn point is intentional. Maybe the devs want the underwater to be an advanced stage of exploration not for bobs in stone tier.

[🦊 Hermit]

Originally posted by 123:

Perhaps the spawn point is intentional. Maybe the devs want the underwater to be an advanced stage of exploration not for bobs in stone tier.

Then why make a creature which allows you to survive underwater before you get scuba? Why not just leave underwater gated behind high tier equips?

[Shahadem]

Originally posted by 123:

Perhaps the spawn point is intentional. Maybe the devs want the underwater to be an advanced stage of exploration not for bobs in stone tier.

Being more annoying for no reason does not mean more advanced.
And there is nothing down there which warrants the high annoyance factor.

[cfowler7]

Make them distasteful to predators like sharks.

[JohnM81]

Originally posted by Hermit:

Originally posted by 123:

Perhaps the spawn point is intentional. Maybe the devs want the underwater to be an advanced stage of exploration not for bobs in stone tier.

Then why make a creature which allows you to survive underwater before you get scuba? Why not just leave underwater gated behind high tier equips?

Because it’s far more than a scuba tank. Literally one of the best underwater scout Dinos.

[Captpickles]

Originally posted by cfowler7:

Make them distasteful to predators like sharks.

This makes no sense. Why? Sharks aren't fast the diplocaulus can easily run from one.

[Chariot]

Also, I personally love the diplocalus, cutest dinosaur right next to moschops

[I-NOCHT]

Its either a 0 or a 1 with younger gamers. Why even bother with video games when they don't reward you irl?