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How to defeat the Rockwell boss in Ark: Survival Evolved

He's not a very nice guy.

The Aberration map in Ark: Survival Evolved is not a walk in the park. Filled with countless dangers that surpass even the normal levels of Ark, players are faced with a deadly environment they have to survive. Radiation, terrifying creatures, and darkness are just some of the dangers you’ll have to face. You’ll also have to fight the final boss of the Aberration map, Rockwell if you’re looking to complete your journey and the story of Ark: Survival Evolved. However, defeating Rockwell isn’t a walk in the park if you’re unsure how to do it. In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about how to defeat Rockwell in Ark: Survival Evolved.

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What you’ll need to defeat Rockwell in Ark: Survival Evolved

Rockwell can be fought, like all other bosses, on different difficulties. As the difficulty goes up, you’ll need to have more of certain items in order to fight. These are the Tributes and the amounts you’ll need:

ItemGammaBetaAlpha
Player Level6075100
Artifact of the Depths111
Artifact of the Shadows111
Artifact of the Stalker111
Basilisk Scale048
Nameless Venom01220
Reaper Pheromone Gland027
Rock Drake Feather027
Alpha Basilisk Fang001
Alpha Karkinos Claw001
Alpha Reaper King Barb001

Once you have all of the Tributes, you’ll have to present them at the Rockwell Terminal, located at 42.7, 36.7, or if you have a Transmitter from there. The teleportation to the Boss Arena will take 20 seconds, and you can take in a maximum of 10 Survivors and 20 Creatures.

You must also equip yourself and your Tribe with certain items to survive the fight. The simplest way to approach this battle is to make sure you’re equipped with the following:

  • Ascended Pump-Action Shotgun and Armor: You want the highest possible damage Shotguns you can craft. You should also bring a spare in case yours breaks for some reason.
  • Shotgun Shells: as many as you can bring.
  • Calien Soup: at least 10 per member entering the Arena.
  • Medical Brews: As many as you can bring.
  • Tames if wanted: a well-bred-out Aberrant Stegosaurus with a good saddle and HP will do well. You can also use a Shadowmane or Aberrant Megalosaurus if you’re using tames to help you battle. 
  • A light pet: help if you’re fighting the creatures on the outskirts of the Arena.

Related: All Aberration Artifact locations in Ark: Survival Evolved

How to fight Rockwell in Ark: Survival Evolved

Fighting Rockwell is very straightforward, but there’s a trick to making the fight less terrifying and more of a breeze. Before you enter the Arena, whilst still in the Teleporter countdown, consume your Calien Soup. It would be best to have it linked to your Hotbar to consume another when the timer runs out easily. This is because the Calien Soup makes you less likely to draw aggression from the creatures in the Arena.

Once you’ve entered the Arena, run straight down to the pier-like structure that juts out into the purple liquid. You will be right in front of Rockwell, and while he is immune to damage for now, you will be able to avoid drawing the attention of the wild creatures.

Phase 1 of fighting Rockwell

Screenshot by Gamepur

Rockwell will spawn several tentacles around the edges of the water. To damage Rockwell, you must first kill the tentacles. Using any weapon will work; however, the Pump-Action Shotgun does a lot more damage and will cut the time down drastically. Remember, you only have a limited amount of time, so the highest possible DPS is required.

Phase 2 of fighting Rockwell

Screenshot by Gamepur

Once you’ve destroyed all the tentacles, Rockwell’s chest will become vulnerable, and he’ll slump forward onto the pier. This is the time to damage him as much as you can. He will not die the first time you do this.

Phase 3 of fighting Rockwell

Rockwell will recover once his health has decreased a set amount, diving back into the water, and returning along with his tentacles. This means you’ll have to repeat the shooting of the tentacles until he finally dies, each time his main health bar will have decreased further.

Hazards and things to watch out for when fighting Rockwell

Something will likely go wrong, and you will find yourself facing off with a wild creature. There are Nameless and Elemental Reaper Kings in this Arena, but if you drink your Calien Soup and continue consuming it, they shouldn’t likely bother you.

Wearing full Flak Armor is a good option, as it will prevent a lot of incoming damage to your health. Remember that if you die in the Arena you cannot reenter, and if your whole Tribe dies, you will lose all your gear and any creatures you may have brought with you.

Screenshot by Gamepur

Rockwell will more than likely launch a counter-attack in two different ways. Either electrifying freshly spawned tentacles and striking the ground or sending purple orbs flying at you. The electric tentacles will dismount and damage your survivor, so try to stay away from them if possible. If the orbs touch you, you will take a lot of damage; however, you can shoot and pop them before they strike you.


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