Once you unlock Tek technology in ARK, there are many advanced options that make the game almost feel brand new again. You no longer have to flee from some of the scariest creatures on the island or work hard for a bare existence by the shore.
Now you have advanced materials and structures like the Cryofridge that make you the most powerful thing on the map, with lots of options to make managing your tames and tribe easier.
What is a Cryofridge and Why Do I Want One?
A Cryofridge is a late-game Tek item that can help you store and save dinosaurs for future use – all without having to feed, protect, or maintain them. Your tames gain XP when stored in a Cryofridge, so they aren’t utterly useless during that time.
The trade-off for this kind of utility is that the Cryofridge is quite expensive and challenging to build. It also requires power to run, and the pods stored inside start to decay when the power is cut. However, as long as the power is maintained, the Cryopods inside the Cryofridge should be able to keep their charge forever.
Are There Any Known Issues with The Cryofridge?
There is one major issue with the Cryofridge that many survivors fear. If you open the device while it isn’t powered, every tame in every Cryopod dies instantly and can’t be recovered. Do not try to open or use the Cryofridge without power.
What is a Cryopod?
A Cryopod is a little like a Pokeball when you get right down to it. It’s a small item where you can trap a tamed creature for suspended animation. When you’re ready to free it, you throw the Cryopod, and the tame appears.
The longer the tame is in the Cryopod, the more battery is drained. If you keep it in most places, it only has 30 days before it expires, the creature dies, and you can’t get the tame back. However, you can extend this to 60 days by keeping it in a fridge. The best way to store and charge a Cryopod is the Cryofridge, though. There, it can effectively last forever with the proper fuel.
While tames are in the Cryopod, they don’t count for the creature limit of your tribe. You can safely store as many podded tames as the Cryofridge can hold.
How to Build a Cryofridge in ARK?
Once you’ve unlocked the engram with 60 Engram Points at level 88, you’re free and clear to build. That doesn’t mean there isn’t quite a bit of gathering and prep standing between you and infinite Cryopod storage in the Cryofridge.
Gathering the Resources for the Cryofridge
Here’s what you need to make the Cryofridge:
- 225 Metal Ingots
- 60 Polymer
- 25 Crystals
- 15 Electronics
If you already have some of it stored up, you’re ready to go. If you don’t, here’s how to start collecting them.
Metal Ingots can be crafted from Metal Ore found in metal-veined rocks. Once you’ve collected enough ore, put it in a Refining Forge and light the fire in the forge. It will craft bars passively as long as it has fuel and ore. Since Metal Ingots are also a necessary ingredient in Electronics, be ready to create more than the base amount needed for the Cryofridge.
Craft Polymer at the Fabricator or Tek Replicator with two Obsidian and two Cementing Paste. Achatina Paste can also be used in place of Cementing Paste. Each Polymer takes two seconds to make, so they’re a speedy craft. You can use Organic Polymer or Corrupted Nodules in place of Polymer if those are easier to obtain.
Electronics can be crafted from Silica Pearls and Metal Ingots in the Fabricator. However, you can also find them as drops from particular electronic creatures on maps that feature these. Silica Pearls can be found in underwater biomes like the deep ocean, underwater caves, or shores in certain areas. They’re also commonly found at an Oasis. You can also harvest them from Trilobites, Ammonites, and a few other creatures. The Phoenix also defecates Silica Pearls if you have a tame one.
Crystal can be harvested from crystal stones or stalactites. The best way to get a lot at once is with an Ankylosaurus or a Dunkleosteus, but you can whack away with your pickaxe until you have enough. Primal Crystal can be used instead of Crystal if it’s easier.
Once you have all the ingredients, you’re ready to craft.
Crafting the Cryofridge
There are a few places to craft the Cryofrige, but the best one is the Tek Replicator, simply because you can install it wherever you want. However, if that isn’t available, you can also use an Obelisk or a Supply Crate. The problem with using the Obelisk is that you must transport many valuable materials to it, even though predators surround many Obelisks. Supply Crates can also be dangerous to use and are only temporary spawns.
No matter where you choose to make your Cryofridge, you must have unlocked the engram.
- Click the ARK DATA tab on the device you’re using if one is available. Obelisks can also be used for backing up characters, summoning bosses, and transferring items, so it’s essential to be on the right menu.
- Place the items in the inventory of the crafting device you plan to use. It should be on the right side of the screen with your current inventory on the left.
- Type Cryofridge into the search bar at the top of the page.
- Right-click the Cryofridge entry.
- Choose Craft.
- Remove the Cryofridge from the crafting device, so it’s in your inventory and ready to be placed.
You don’t have to place the Cryofridge immediately, but it won’t do much good in your inventory, either.
Placing the Cryofridge
You place the Cryofridge down like you’d position any other structure – but be mindful of its distance from powered surfaces. It can’t run without electricity, so you need a Tek Generator, Generator, or Wind Turbine. Once you’ve laid out the electric plan and have places where it can connect to power, you’re ready.
- Drag the Cryofridge from your inventory into one of the numbered quick slots at the bottom of your screen.
- Walk to the area where you want to place down the Cryofridge.
- Turn on the electricity that you’re planning to use to power the device.
- Press the number that corresponds to the quick slot with the Cryofridge.
- Click to set it down once it’s positioned the way you like. It should immediately say Powered if it’s in the correct position to receive electricity.
- If it isn’t powered, try picking it up before the grace period ends so it isn’t stuck in the wrong place forever. Move it and check to see whether it’s powered now.
As long as you’ve worked with electric cables and generators before, it should be easy enough to set it up. If you haven’t, try keeping the Cryofridge closer to the power source you’re using so that you don’t have to maintain the connection with as many cables.
Powering the Cryofridge
There are three different methods to power the Cryofridge. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
The Tek Generator: It is a useful and time-saving device because you don’t need cables to power nearby machines. However, it is a late-game item and runs on Element, which can be difficult for survivors to stockpile. It drops from bosses, crystals in the Space Biome on Genesis: Part 2, and Element Nodes in Extinction.
The Generator and Wind Turbine: Both require an electrical outlet and cables in the correct positions before they can provide power to electronic devices. However, you gain access to them long before the Tek Generator is available. Since they run on fuel, it may also be easier to keep them running earlier in the game.
If you doubt your ability to keep your power source fueled, you can always use both until you’re used to providing the Tek Generator with Element.
