All ARK Survival Ascended Obelisks Explained

ARK Survival Ascended offers various mechanics that add depth to the survival experience, and one of these mechanics involves the use of the large floating structures called Obelisks scattered around the island. These structures may seem mysterious initially, but they serve a purpose, and if you're looking to understand what that purpose is, we've got you covered.

In the following sections, we'll delve into what the Obelisks are in ARK Survival Ascended and how they fit into the gameplay cycle that players will engage in. So, let's jump straight into the specifics.

How Do Obelisks Work in ARK Survival Ascended?

Obelisks, the large floating towers emitting light in ARK Survival Ascended, are also referred to as pillars, towers, arks, spires, or mega-beacons. There are three of them on The Island: the Red, Green, and Blue Obelisks. You can easily spot them when you spawn in, as they float ominously in the distance.

Despite their foreboding appearance, these structures are more functional than aesthetic, offering three primary features for players: summoning bosses, crafting specific items and server traveling. The crafting feature is straightforward, allowing players to craft a cryopod and Tek Replicator, although these can be crafted elsewhere; it's a convenient option built into the Obelisks.

Moving on to boss summoning, this is a feature you'll likely use if you're playing as a single player. On The Island, you can summon Broodmother Lysrix at the Green Obelisk, Megapithecus at the Blue Obelisk, and the Dragon at the Red Obelisk. You'll use the Obelisks once you have all the required items to summon these bosses.

Lastly, the most technical aspect of the Obelisks is server traveling and character data transmission. By saving your character data using the Obelisk, you can transfer your character to a different server or send items and dinos between servers.

To transfer your data, approach the console located under the Obelisk Tower. For cluster servers, it will display as "Travel to another server," and for single-player, it's "Upload survivor." After activating the console (usually done with the E key), you'll be presented with a user interface. In the top right corner, you'll see a "TRANSMIT ARK DATA" button. Press this to access the options for data transmission. This allows you to upload your character data.

Once your character data is uploaded, you can join a different server and, during character creation, load in the character you've uploaded. Currently, characters can only be downloaded to servers of the same type, such as PVP characters to another PVP server or PVE to another PVE server.

So, there you have it - a quick and comprehensive breakdown of what Obelisks are in ARK Survival Ascended and their various uses in the game. These structures offer a great deal of utility but can often be dangerous to reach. As always, stay cautious out there, fellow adventurers, and good luck.