Gaming

ARK Survival Ascended Engrams: Everything New in Tides of Fortune and Dragontopia

The paid DLCs add ships, naval ammo, a market economy, and two dragon-focused tools you can craft.

The paid DLCs add ships, naval ammo, a market economy, and two dragon-focused tools you can craft.

Patch v89.25 reshaped ARK: Survival Ascended overnight, bundling the free Genesis Ascended Part 1 expansion with two paid drops, Tides of Fortune and Dragontopia. Both add fresh Engrams tied tightly to their themes, from full-size warships to a grappling tool built for mounting dragons in midair. Here is the complete set and what each one does.

Quick answer: Tides of Fortune adds 16 Engrams centered on naval travel, ship ammo, and a Hexagon-driven market. Dragontopia is early access and currently grants just two, the Drake Claw and the Umbra Saddle. You must own the matching paid DLC on Steam, Xbox, or PlayStation to unlock either set.


What you need before the Engrams appear

These recipes are locked behind ownership. The Engram list only shows up once the correct DLC is installed and active on your account. After that, unlocking works like any other Engram. Reach the required level, gather the resources, and craft the item. Ship parts and saddles also need the right crafting station or a specific tame before you can build or use them.

Tides of Fortune is a $19.99 purchase. Dragontopia is an evolving early-access expansion, so its Engram count is expected to grow as new content lands in later updates.


All Tides of Fortune Engrams

Most of what Tides of Fortune adds is water-facing. You get ships, a shipyard to build and manage them, four types of ship ammunition, a couple of tools, and a trading loop that runs on Hexagons. If you only unlock one thing first, make it the Sloop so you can start sailing.

EngramWhat it does
SloopFast medium-sized ship with several cannons; customizable with tileset structures.
BriganiteLarge, powerful ship with several cannons and modular customization; built for heavy naval fights.
ShipyardLarge structure placed in water to construct, fast-travel, and manage ships.
Aquatic CompartmentAn enclosed aquatic area.
AquariumDecorative habitat; move creatures in with the Fishing Basket to display your catches.
Corrosive Ship CannonballDeals normal damage and corrodes enemy armor with acidic slime.
Incendiary Ship CannonballDeals moderate damage and sets targets on fire for damage over time.
Reinforced Ship CannonballHeavier metal round; deals very high damage and can hit player-owned structures.
Hand CannonSingle-shot firearm for close-quarters and naval combat that forcibly repositions enemies.
GrapeshotPadded-hide bullets used with the Hand Cannon.
MarketBuy and sell items with other survivors; also a local hub for the Hexagon Exchange.
Bounty BoardTribe-wide mission generator that earns Hexagons to spend at the exchange.
Cargo LedgerTracks items in nearby containers and lets you withdraw them without opening each one.
ShovelMetal tool for improving Crop Plots, burying and unburying Treasure Chests, and finding underground water.
Tidepup SaddleEquip a Tidepup to ride it.
TOF LightsLight source that runs on fuel and electricity.

The three specialty cannonballs each cover a role, so it pays to carry a mix. Corrosive strips armor, Incendiary applies burn damage, and Reinforced hits hardest and can chew through structures during a raid. Grapeshot is the odd one out here, working with the Hand Cannon rather than a ship cannon.

The Market and Bounty Board form a small economy. Complete generated missions to earn Hexagons, then spend them through the exchange or trade directly with other survivors. The Cargo Ledger and Shipyard are quality-of-life picks that cut down on manual container hopping and fleet management.


All Dragontopia Engrams

Dragontopia is deliberately lean at launch. It ships with two Engrams, both built around the new Eclipsar Umbra creature and its combat kit. More items are planned as the expansion grows.

EngramWhat it does
Drake ClawFires a claw that gives a fast dash toward a targeted tame or location.
Umbra SaddleEquip an Umbra to ride it.

You need both to get the most out of the DLC. The Umbra can only be tamed and ridden after you have the Drake Claw and the saddle, and the expansion also unlocks a Dragon Skill Tree that deepens the bond with dragons over time.

Umbra in ARK Survival Ascended
The Eclipsar Umbra, ridden with the Dragontopia Umbra Saddle. Image via Studio Wildcard.

How to confirm an Engram unlocked

Open your Engram menu after meeting the level requirement and spend the Engram Points. Once learned, the item shows as craftable in your inventory or at the correct station, and the Engram entry no longer prompts you to unlock it. If a recipe never appears at all, the DLC is not installed or active, since the Engrams simply do not populate the list without ownership.

Between the two, Tides of Fortune is the broader package. It rebuilds how you move, trade, and fight across the ocean. Dragontopia is narrower for now, but the Drake Claw and Umbra Saddle open up a mobility and combat style that no other creature offers, with more dragons and tools set to follow.