Cloning Calculator Ark

Calculate the Element cost, Shards required, and time needed for the Tek Cloning Chamber.

What is an ARK Cloning Calculator?

An **ARK cloning calculator** is an essential tool for advanced players in ARK: Survival Evolved who utilize Tek tier technology. It helps survivors estimate the immense resources required to operate the Tek Cloning Chamber. Cloning allows players to create exact, non-leveled duplicates of their existing creatures, keeping their stats, appearance, and even their name.

However, this convenience comes at a steep price. The process consumes significant amounts of Element or Element Shards and takes time. An **ARK cloning calculator** is designed for tribe leaders, breeders, and endgame players who need to budget their hard-earned Tek resources before committing to a cloning operation. It helps avoid the frustration of starting a clone only to run out of Element midway through the process.

ARK Cloning Formula and Explanation

While the exact formula can vary based on hidden game mechanics and specific server configurations, the cost generally follows a linear progression based on the creature’s species tier and its total level. The **ARK cloning calculator** uses an approximated model reflective of standard gameplay.

The general concept for calculating the Element cost is:

Cost = (Species Base Cost + (Creature Level × Tier Multiplier)) × Server Multiplier

Once the Element cost is determined, other metrics are derived:

• **Element Shards:** Element Cost × 100
• **Time:** The time required generally scales with the Element cost. Higher cost equals longer wait times.

Variables Table

Variable	Meaning	Typical Range/Unit
Creature Level	The total current level of the creature.	1 – 450+ (Levels)
Species Tier	A hidden base value determining how expensive a species type is.	Tier 1 (Cheap) to Tier 4 (Expensive)
Server Multiplier	An admin setting that globally increases or decreases cloning costs.	0.1x – 10.0x (Default 1.0x)
Element	The primary endgame resource used as fuel.	Units of Element

Table 2: Key variables influencing the ARK cloning calculator results.

Practical Examples (Real-World Scenarios)

Example 1: Cloning a High-Level Rex for Boss Fights

A tribe wants to clone their best mutated Rex (Tier 3) which is currently level 350. They are playing on an official server (Multiplier 1.0).

• **Input – Creature Level:** 350
• **Input – Species Tier:** Tier 3 (Rex)
• **Input – Server Multiplier:** 1.0
• **Output – Total Element Cost:** Approximately 19,500 Element.
• **Output – Cloning Time:** Roughly 40+ Hours.

**Interpretation:** Cloning high-tier, high-level creatures is incredibly expensive. The tribe needs to ensure their Tek Generator is fully stocked for nearly two days of continuous operation.

Example 2: Cloning a Low-Level Utility Dino

A solo player wants to duplicate a level 50 Pteranodon (Tier 2) for scouting on a server with slightly boosted rates (Multiplier 0.5).

• **Input – Creature Level:** 50
• **Input – Species Tier:** Tier 2 (Raptor/Ptera)
• **Input – Server Multiplier:** 0.5
• **Output – Total Element Cost:** Approximately 500 Element.
• **Output – Cloning Time:** Roughly 1-2 Hours.

**Interpretation:** Cloning lower-tier creatures on boosted servers is far more manageable, making it a viable strategy for replacing lost utility tames quickly.

How to Use This ARK Cloning Calculator

1. **Enter Creature Level:** Input the exact current level of the creature you intend to put in the Cloning Chamber.
2. **Select Species Tier:** Choose the category that best fits your creature. If unsure, consider the creature’s natural strength; a Giga is Tier 4, while a Dodo is Tier 1.
3. **Set Server Multiplier:** If you are on an unofficial server, ask your admin for the cloning cost multiplier setting. Leave at 1.0 for official rates.
4. **Review Results:** The **ARK cloning calculator** will instantly update the required Element and estimated time.
5. **Plan Resources:** Use the “Equivalent Element Shards” data if you primarily farm shards in the Genesis simulation or other maps.

Key Factors That Affect Cloning Results

Several factors directly influence the output of the **ARK cloning calculator** and the actual in-game cost:

• **Creature Level:** This is the most significant variable you can control. Every single level added to a creature increases the cloning cost. Cloning a fresh tame is cheaper than cloning one that has been fully leveled up.
• **Species Rarity/Tier:** Not all creatures are equal. An ARK cloning calculator accounts for the fact that cloning a Titanosaur is fundamentally more expensive than cloning a Parasaur, regardless of level.
• **Server Settings:** Unofficial servers often adjust the `CloningCostMultiplier`. A multiplier of 2.0x literally doubles the Element requirement shown by a standard **ARK cloning calculator**.
• **Tek Generator Fuel:** While not a direct cloning cost, remember the Cloning Chamber itself requires power from a Tek Generator, which also consumes Element heavily while active.
• **Creature Mutations:** Highly mutated creatures often have very high levels, making them the most desirable yet most expensive candidates for cloning.
• **Element Availability:** The “cost” is relative to how easily your tribe can acquire Element. For tribes farming boss fights daily, 1000 Element is cheap; for a small tribe, it’s a fortune.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does cloning copy the creature’s inventory or saddle?
No. The clone is created naked and with an empty inventory. You only copy the creature itself.

Why is my in-game cost different from the ARK cloning calculator?
Discrepancies usually arise from unofficial server multipliers that aren’t inputted correctly, or the specific creature species having a unique base cost not perfectly captured by general tier groupings.

Can I use Element Shards instead of Element?
Yes. The Cloning Chamber accepts Element Shards. 100 Shards equal 1 Element. The calculator provides both values.

Does the clone start at level 1 or the current level?
The clone is an exact duplicate of the creature at its *current* level when the process starts.

What happens if the Tek Generator runs out of power during cloning?
The cloning process pauses. It will resume once power is restored, but it will not reset the progress.

Is it cheaper to breed or clone?
Breeding is almost always “cheaper” in terms of Element resources, but it takes significant real-world time and luck to get identical stats. Cloning is expensive but guarantees an exact copy instantly (after the cloning timer).

Can I clone aquatic creatures?
Yes, but the Cloning Chamber must be placed underwater to clone aquatic creatures.

Do cloned creatures have an “imprint” bonus?
Yes, if the original creature had an imprint bonus, the clone will retain it. This is a primary reason players use the **ARK cloning calculator** for their best tames.

Related Tools and Internal Resources

Explore more of our ARK: Survival Evolved tools and guides:

• ARK Taming Calculator: Calculate resources and time needed to tame wild creatures.
• Complete ARK Breeding Guide: Learn how to stack mutations and breed top-tier dinos before cloning them.
• Tek Tier Resource Maps: Find the best locations to farm Element and Shards to fuel your cloning.
• ARK Boss Fight Strategies: Guides on defeating bosses to earn the Tekgrams needed for the Cloning Chamber.
• Unofficial Server Config Guide: How to adjust multipliers like the cloning cost on your own server.