ARK Lost Colony Creature Guide (2026): New Tames, Stats & How to Build Your Ultimate Army

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With the official launch of ARK: Lost Colony on December 18, 2025, players were introduced to one of the most ambitious creature ecosystems Studio Wildcard has ever designed. From evolving familiars that bond to your playstyle, to flying fortresses and an RTS-inspired Thrall army system, Lost Colony fundamentally changes how power is earned and expressed in ARK.

This 2026 edition of the ARK Lost Colony Creature Guide breaks down every major new tame, summon, and hostile faction, explains where to find them, how to use them efficiently, and—most importantly—how to combine them into an unstoppable endgame army. Whether you’re a solo survivor or a tribe commander, this guide will take you from early survival to full-scale domination.

The World of Lost Colony: Why Creatures Matter More Than Ever

The Lost Colony expansion bridges the narrative gap between ARK: Extinction and ARK 2, plunging survivors into the frozen, gothic ruins of Arat Prime. Here, evolution itself has been twisted by the corrupting substance known as Edmundium, producing creatures with adaptive morphs, symbiotic bonds, and artificial intelligence far beyond anything seen in earlier ARKs.

In Lost Colony, raw stats alone are no longer enough. Success depends on:

  • Choosing the right evolving companion

  • Deploying role-specialized apex creatures

  • Mastering Thrall command and battlefield control

  • Understanding which enemies cannot be tamed—and how to counter them

🦊 Mastering the Evolving Familiars: Veilwyn, Solwyn, and Malwyn

ARK Lost Colony Creature Guide

The Veilwyn evolution line is one of Lost Colony’s most innovative systems. Rather than being replaced by stronger tames, your starter companion grows alongside you, adapting to your chosen playstyle.

Evolution StageTrigger & RoleKey Abilities & Strategic Use
VeilwynStarter Companion. Tamed via standard knockout.Uses a cryogenic bite to slow enemies. Can open small wormholes to summon pack members for defense. The essential early-game friend and protector.
SolwynAscended Mount. Evolved by feeding your Veilwyn Vulpite (found in volcanic/high-altitude zones).Mobile Sanctuary: Provides critical warmth against extreme cold. Exploration Master: Climbs sheer ice walls and creates ice bridges across gaps. Healing Factor: Regenerates both rider and mount. Essential for traversal and survival.
MalwynCorrupted Assassin. Evolved through an Edmundium-based corrupting process.Teleabsorptive Attacks: Weaken enemies on hit. Extreme Mobility: Sliding movement and short-range teleports. Hit-and-Run Specialist: Ideal for PvP and precision strikes, trading traversal utility for raw lethality.

2026 Meta Tip:
Nearly every long-term playthrough still prioritizes Solwyn first for map control before branching into Malwyn for PvP or boss-focused combat builds.

🦍 Dominating with New Apex Tames & Combat Specialists

Lost Colony introduces apex creatures that go far beyond “bigger dinos,” offering adaptive roles, siege utility, and logistical dominance.

Ossidon: The Adaptive Siege Weapon

The Ossidon is a towering primate whose form physically reshapes based on its highest stat at bonding.

  • Tanking Fortress: Health-focused builds turn it into an immovable frontline wall.

  • Brutal Juggernaut: Melee-focused builds create a devastating base-breaker.

  • Combat Abilities:

    • Launches cryogenic spikes to slow enemies

    • Rolls massive ice-wrecking balls for area denial and crowd control

Location & Taming:
Found in the Deep Tundra and mountain regions. Heavy tranquilizers are mandatory—terrain traps and ice choke points are strongly recommended.

Gigadesmodus: The Skyborne Command Center

The undisputed king of Arat Prime’s skies, the Gigadesmodus functions as a flying fortress and mobile base.

  • Logistical Powerhouse: Carries structures, multiple survivors, and even behemoth-class creatures.

  • Combat Role: Rains Red Element–infused blood for devastating area-of-effect damage.

  • Strategic Value: Enables long-range operations without returning to base.

Location & Taming:
Patrols the High Tundra and skies near the Lost King’s city. Taming requires coordinated aerial combat with fast flyers and high-damage ranged weapons.

Aureliax: The Dual-Natured Guardian

The Aureliax is earned, not knocked out—bonded through a chrysalis-based challenge or quest.

  • Yin/Yang Form Switching:

    • Shielding and healing allies

    • Gravity-based levitation and enemy crushing

  • Strategic Support: Can airlift two creatures simultaneously

  • Battlefield Control: Telekinetic manipulation makes it one of the strongest support units in ARK history

Gloon & Cryolophosaurus: Specialized Fighters

  • Gloon: A creation of Edmund Rockwell

    • Light-distortion invisibility

    • Long-range laser attacks

    • Mesmerizes weak-minded creatures

    • Spiteful spit can drive Aberrations into a frenzy
      Ideal for sabotage and disruption

  • Cryolophosaurus:

    • Fires narcotic sludge for taming support

    • Emits freezing mist to protect allies
      Excellent for expedition teams and controlled captures

Other Notable Fauna

  • Gargoyles: Dormant stone statues that awaken violently when disturbed

  • Desmodus: Returns with new variants, including the Gigadesmodus

⚔️ Conquering the Thrall Mastery System: Commanding an Intelligent Army

The Thrall system is Lost Colony’s defining gameplay pillar, transforming ARK into a hybrid survival–strategy experience.

Thralls are bio-engineered soldiers created by the Lost King. They wield weapons, wear armor, use teleporters, and follow advanced tactical logic.

Recruitment & Control

Thralls are recruited, not tamed:

  • Defense Outposts: Earn trust through cooperative defense

  • Attack Outposts: Force submission via raids

Once recruited, Thralls are controlled through an advanced neural command interface.

Tactical Modes & Total Possession

Thralls can be assigned to automated roles:

  • Guard: Defends structures or zones

  • Logistics: Handles crafting and base operations

  • Harvest: Gathers assigned resources

Total Possession is the game-changer—allowing you to neural-link and directly control any Thrall indefinitely, using your survivor’s skills and gear through them. This makes Thralls perfect scouts, commanders, or sacrificial shock troops.

Building Your Legion

  • Combat Classes: Melee, Ranged, Commander, and hybrid roles

  • Traits & Progression: Gain experience and unlock unique perks

  • Beast Riders: High-level Thralls can directly pilot your tamed creatures

  • Survivor Synergy: The Beastmaster skill tree grants army-wide buffs

🏹 New Gear for a New War

Lost Colony introduces weapons designed specifically for large-scale combat:

  • Fabricated Crossbow:

    • Classic Mode (standard bolt)

    • Sniper Mode (long-range, high damage)

    • Shotgun Mode (close-range spread)

  • Tek Spear:

    • Blink-dash melee attacks

    • Can be thrown and teleported to instantly

🧟 Understanding Hostile Factions: Untameable Threats

Not everything on Arat Prime can be controlled.

Revenants

  • Corrupted swarms infused with liquid Edmundium

  • Untameable

  • Attack in zombie-like hordes
    Counterplay: Use chokepoints, AoE damage, and avoid encirclement

Neophytes

  • Bat-like enforcers acting as the Lost King’s “antibodies”

  • Nearly immune to damage from tamed creatures

  • Must be fought personally

  • Spawn in response to high Hostility levels within the Lost King’s Dominion

πŸ—Ί️ Where to Find Key Creatures

  • Veilwyn: Starter zones and safer biomes

  • Solwyn / Malwyn: Created through evolution

  • Ossidon: Deep Tundra and mountain regions

  • Gigadesmodus: High Tundra and skies near the central city

  • Aureliax: Twilight Forest, Caldera, or chrysalis-linked zones

  • Gloon: Aberrant Crash Sites

  • Revenants: Corrupted ruins and zones

  • Neophytes: Lost King’s Dominion (Hostility-triggered)

  • Gargoyles: Dormant statues that awaken when disturbed

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (2026 Update)

Q: What’s the best starter tame in Lost Colony?
A: The Veilwyn—easy to tame, evolves into Solwyn or Malwyn, and remains relevant all game.

Q: Can Revenants or Neophytes be tamed?
A: No. Revenants are corrupted swarms, and Neophytes are elite enforcers meant to be fought directly.

Q: How do I evolve Veilwyn into Solwyn?
A: Feed it Vulpite, found in volcanic and high-altitude regions.

Q: What’s the best mobile base creature?
A: The Gigadesmodus—nothing else compares.

Q: What’s the most important system to master?
A: The Thrall army system. It transforms you from a survivor into a general.

πŸ”️ Final Thoughts: From Survivor to General

ARK: Lost Colony fundamentally reshapes what power means in ARK. Victory on Arat Prime isn’t about a single overpowered dinosaur—it’s about synergy.

By combining:

  • Your evolving Veilwyn companion

  • Adaptive apex tames

  • Intelligent, commandable Thrall legions

You don’t just survive the Necrocene—you conquer it.

Prepare your army. Specialize your roles. The frozen heart of Arat Prime is waiting.  

✅ Community & Resources

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