Scorched Earth is an unforgiving mistress for even the most experienced Ark: Survival Ascended player, so finding the right spot for your base is vital—and we’ve done the groundwork.
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While survival has always been the name of the game in Ark: Survival Ascended, the task in Scorched Earth is made even harder by scorching heat, a lack of water, and punishing sandstorms, all of which can lead to a swift death if you have yet to establish a base.
We’re here to help, though. Our team at Dot Esports has searched high and low across Scorched Earth and can now share some of our favorite spots for building on the map.
Pillars and Pond—Lat: 74.6, Lon: 68.1
Nestled in the southeast of the map, the Pillars and Pond location shown in the image above offers access to two of the most important things any survivor needs on Scorched Earth: water and shade.
The large rocks in the area can play to your advantage if you build into them, leaving you invincible from those particular angles and providing a scenic backdrop with the added bonus that you’ll never get lost.
Raptors are your most direct threat in this area since they spawn on your doorstep. But you can work that to your benefit when it comes to taming them, and you won’t have to stray far to locate Thorny Dragons or Argentavis.
Rocky Temple—Lat: 80.9, Lon: 40.8
Few areas on the Scorched Earth map offer this amount of protection as the Rocky Temple, located in the south of the map. This temple offers ready-made protection that only requires a small amount of TLC to complete the look.
Aside from the two doorways, several windows, and a couple of holes on the roof, this building is almost complete and, once your base is established here, offers a near indestructible environment—though you need a flying tame for easy access.
Some servers may not allow you to build in this location, but if the building isn’t blocked or you’re playing on single-player, this is a fantastic option.
Manticore Arena and Ruins—Lat: 86.1 Lon: 14.7
Located in the southwestern portion of the Scorched Earth map, the Manticore Arena stands out from a distance and offers a picturesque location to build a base in—as long as you deal with the current local occupants.
Titanoboa, Arthopluera, and Vultures all make this area their home, but once you’ve established a presence, they shouldn’t pose too much of a threat. You can use the structures already in the environment as a base layer for your new home.
As an added treat, there are two sections of ruins located nearby, both of which offer plenty of buildings you can incorporate into your base design—or you can make your home among them.
Waterfall Clearing—Lat: 21.3, Lon: 50.8
While this location requires plenty of clearing to make it hospitable due to the number of planets and rocks in the immediate vicinity, you’re left with a fairly blank canvas once you’ve leveled the land.
When facing the waterfall, a large, flat area can be found directly to the left, where you can build the main structure of your base, while there’s a small cave underneath attached to the river that you can use to hide your treasures.
The abundance of water in this area makes it difficult to overlook, and you’ll never have to worry about quenching your thirst ever again.
Lava Cave—Lon: 59, Lat: 16.7
If you can deal with the searing heat, the threat of falling into lava, and having literal dragons for your neighbors, the Lava Cave might be a place you want to call home. And there’s even a treat waiting inside.
After you leap over the lava and avoid the dragons at the door, you can find a watery oasis inside, giving you easy access to one of Scorched Earth‘s most prized resources. But the downside is you won’t be able to use it to house your tamed creatures.
Of course, this location has plenty of dangers. Having Wyverns on your doorstep isn’t all bad, though; it makes it easier to snatch their eggs.
Oasis Cave – Lat: 74.3 Lon: 39.3
If the cave life sounds like your cup of tea but you don’t fancy the threat of a painful death by lava, the Oasis Cave might be more your speed. It has it’s own dangers too in the form of drowning, however, since it can only be reached underwater.
To find it, head to the Red Obelisk and travel south until you spot some deep water. Dive in and swim to the coordinates above, then take a big breath of fresh air and take in your surroundings. They’re pretty incredible.
The biggest issue is getting your tamed creatures in and out, but this can be resolved by using Cryopods.
Flat Clifftop—Lat: 66, Lon: 61.2
Sometimes basic is best in Ark: Survival Ascended, and this location is fairly easy to find, has nearby water sources, and an abundance of flat land that is easy to build upon.
Sat just above the river that runs through the middle of Scorched Earth, you can easily tap into the water below you or, with the use of Water Well, you can get your water from the nearby Water Vein—and there’s plenty of room for all your tames.
Though you’ll be exposed to the elements, that’s nothing a tent or building won’t solve and there are plenty of useful creatures nearby like Jug Bugs and Morellatops—just watch out for Raptors.
