Complete Shastasaurus Guide: Ark Survival Ascended

Prepare to dive deep—literally—into ARK: Survival Ascended’s rich underwater world with this comprehensive Shasta guide. The Shastasaurus (Shasta for short), a newly introduced aquatic titan, is not just a visual marvel in the ocean depths but also one of the most utility-packed tames in the game. With its massive frame, unique submarine saddle, and suite of tactical abilities, the Shasta has quickly become a must-have for survivors looking to command the seas.

Quick Glance Info: Shastasaurus

Behavior of the Shastasaurus

In the wild, the Shastasaurus displays passive and non-predatory behavior, making it less threatening than many ocean giants in ARK. It can be found only on The Center map, where a maximum of seven wild Shastasaurus may exist at a time.

Spawning in two main areas:

• Two near the South, between the Redwoods and the jungle.
• Five more spawn near the Deep Eastern trench, along the map’s edge.

Despite its enormous size, the Shastasaurus prefers the upper ocean layers, staying close to the surface. With a respawn time of just 45 seconds, these giants replenish quickly after being culled or tamed—ideal for multiple attempts or finding high-level candidates. Importantly, the Shastasaurus is not aggressive unless provoked, making initial encounters relatively safe.

Details About the Shastasaurus

First up in this ASA Shasta guide, let’s discuss the basic details to know: available variations, colors (and regions), and drops. The Shastasaurus is the community voted creature for the ASA version of the map The Center and released on October 25, 2023.

While there are currently no variants of the Shastasaurus, it utilizes 4 color regions, those regions being listed in order below:

1. Region 0: Back
2. Region 1: Unused
3. Region 2: Belly/Underside
4. Region 3: Unused
5. Region 4: Accents (Seen on dorsal fin mostly)
6. Region 5: Stripes

The Shasta is the heaviest creature in ARK: Survival Ascended, with a drag weight of 15,000, making it immune to grabs or drags—even by Alpha Tusos. Though similar in size and slightly more durable than the Mosasaur, it has lower base damage, prioritizing utility and survivability over offense.

Despite its massive frame, the Shasta is surprisingly docile and slow, ranking as the slowest sprinting marine tame. Its real value lies in its unique submarine saddle, which functions as a mobile underwater base. This saddle supports most standard building structures within a space slightly larger than 7×3 foundations, making it ideal for underwater exploration or mobile operations.

However, the saddle does have limitations. Structures like the industrial forge, turrets, cryo fridge, vaults, and Tek teleporter can’t be placed inside. Tames can board via the rear tek door or through a radial menu if parked nearby, allowing convenient team management during deep-sea missions.

The Shasta is also breedable, with a gestation time of around 7 hours and 56 minutes (or roughly 45 minutes on Wolfe’s Den servers) on official settings. While taming is accessible early on, its saddle requires level 100 and a Tek Replicator. Alternatively, it can occasionally be found in Red or Yellow beacon drops.

Abilities, Utilities, & Combat of the Shastasaurus

Next up, let’s go over the various ways the Shasta can serve you and your tribe. Unlike traditional damage-dealing ocean tames, the Shasta is designed around utility and survivability. Its unique saddle transforms it into a tactical submersible complete with scouting, crowd control, and ranged assault features.

Periscope

• Functions like Tek Binoculars.
• Allows stat checking on distant creatures.
• Essential on The Center, where Tek Binoculars are normally unavailable.

Torpedo Tubes

1. Fires torpedoes from the creature’s inventory.
2. 1 torpedo every 2 seconds, max range of 200 meters.
3. Torpedoes remain underwater or skim the surface—cannot leave the water.

Sonic Abilities (Shared cooldown)

Sonar Pulse

• 1-second cooldown.
• Detects creatures within 300 meters for 8 seconds.

Disorienting Flashbang

• 30-second cooldown.
• Stuns enemies up to 10 seconds.
• Dismounts and blinds players in a 50-meter radius.

Massive Knockback

• 1-minute cooldown.
• Hurls everything within 35 meters backward—effective against even other Shastas.

Combat Strategy

Though its base damage is low, the Shasta excels in tactical engagements, especially in PvP or while escorting high-value aquatic cargo. Use Sonic stuns to control threats, knockback to gain space, and torpedoes for safe ranged attacks.

How to Tame the Shastasaurus

Taming a Shastasaurus is no small feat—it requires patience, preparation, and a deep understanding of this massive aquatic creature’s behavior. Whether you’re a seasoned survivor or a newcomer to the depths, this Shasta taming guide will walk you through every crucial step to successfully tame and claim your own Shastasaurus.

Taming the Shastasaurus utilizes a special passive taming method through a mini-game, similar to how the Oasisaur is tamed through a unique mini-game.

Step 1: Gathering Essential Supplies

Before embarking on your taming journey, you’ll need to gather the right tools and resources. The Shastasaurus taming process is unique, requiring specialized items to ensure success.

First and foremost, you’ll need at least one Iosaur (itchyosaurus). These creatures play a pivotal role in initiating the taming process. Bringing additional Iosaur (some recommend up to three extra) can extend the time you have to clear leeches, making the process smoother.

A sickle is another critical tool—it’s used to remove leeches from the Shastasaurus’s body. Without it, the taming process cannot progress. Additionally, you’ll need a substantial amount of taming food. Extraordinary Kibble is the most efficient choice. If unavailable, Raw Prime Fish can be used, though it will take significantly more. Visit Dododex for more precise Shastasaurus taming information according to your server’s settings.

Since the ocean is teeming with threats, bringing a high-level water mount (such as a Megalodon) for protection is highly recommended. Finally, flippers (while optional) can make maneuvering around the Shastasaurus much easier when dealing with leeches.

Step 2: Locating a Wild Shastasaurus

Shastasauruses are found in deep ocean biomes, typically near the surface rather than the ocean floor. When searching, keep an eye out for their massive silhouettes gliding through the water.

It’s crucial to note that taming can only occur within 30 meters of the surface, so you’ll need to lure the Shastasaurus upward before beginning the process.

Step 3: Luring the Shastasaurus to the Surface

Once you’ve located a wild Shastasaurus, the next step is gaining its attention and guiding it toward shallower waters. Use your Iosaur to approach the creature—its presence will trigger the Shastasaurus’s interest.

Slowly lead it upward, ensuring it stays within the taming depth limit. A key indicator that the Shastasaurus is ready is when it stops swimming erratically and begins to hover near the surface.

Step 4: Initiating Socialization and Leeches

With the Shastasaurus near the surface, the Iosaur and Shastasaurus will begin socializing, playing unique animations. This interaction triggers the appearance of three leeches at different points along the Shastasaurus’s body.

At this stage, a leech icon will appear, starting a 30-second timer (which can be extended with additional Iosaurs). Your goal is to swiftly remove all leeches before time runs out.

Step 5: Clearing the Leeches with a Sickle

Equip your sickle and carefully approach the Shastasaurus. The leeches will be scattered across its body, so maneuver efficiently to cut them away without hitting the Shastasaurus itself. Accidentally striking the creature will cause it to retaliate, resetting the taming process and reducing effectiveness.

Each additional Iosaur adds 30 extra seconds to the timer, giving you more breathing room. Work quickly but precisely—missing even one leech will force a restart.

Step 6: Feeding the Shastasaurus

After successfully removing all leeches, you’ll have another 30-second window to feed the Shastasaurus. Ensure your chosen taming food (Extraordinary Kibble or Raw Prime Fish) is in the last slot of your hotbar. Swim near its head and interact to feed it.

This step is crucial—missing the feeding window will lower taming effectiveness by about 5%, prolonging the process.

Step 7: Repeating the Process

The Shastasaurus will briefly swim around excitedly before more leeches appear. You must repeat the leech-clearing and feeding steps until the taming bar is full.

If time runs out during any stage, the process simply restarts—however, failed attempts will gradually reduce taming effectiveness. Stay vigilant and persistent.

Step 8: Protecting Against Interruptions

Ocean predators such as Megalodons, Electrophorus, and Cnidaria can disrupt the taming process. Having a strong water mount on standby to fend off threats is essential. Some survivors even construct underwater taming pens to minimize interruptions.

Below is a great video guide on the Shasta posted by YouTube creator Freyn.

Fun Facts About the Shastasaurus

• Prehistoric Pop Culture? That line about Shastasaurus looking like something from “an old kids’ cartoon with cavemen who turned dinos into cars and submarines” might just be a nod to The Flintstones—because yes, this ancient marine reptile could easily fit right into Bedrock’s wacky vehicle lineup!
• A Historic Win Shastasaurus made waves as the first aquatic creature to ever win a creature vote—proving that even in the depths of prehistory, this ichthyosaur knew how to steal the spotlight.
• Worth the Wait Its release wasn’t smooth sailing—developers had to rewrite parts of the game’s code just to keep its massive frame stable in different physics modes. But the payoff? A fully functional, vehicle-worthy basing system that set a new standard.
• Gravity-Defying… Until Tamed Wild Shastas love breaching the surface in dramatic leaps, but once tamed? Not so much. Blame the submarine saddle—staying submerged is key to keeping those underwater voyages running smoothly.
• Size Matters… A Lot In-game, this leviathan stretches over 100 meters, making it one of the largest creatures in the depths. Reality? A (relatively) modest 21 meters—still longer than a school bus, but not quite Kaiju territory.

Join Wolfe’s Den Servers

By following this Shasta taming guide, you’ll be well-equipped to tame one of the ocean’s most formidable creatures. With patience, precision, and the right preparations, your newly tamed Shastasaurus will become a powerful ally in the depths.

Now, dive in and claim your aquatic titan!

If you’re eager to explore more about the Shastasaurus or get involved in the ARK community, come join the Wolfe’s Den public servers! Whether you’re looking to team up with other survivors or learn advanced taming techniques, our Discord community and servers are the perfect place for you.