Introduction:
Greetings, survivors! I introduce to you the skyscraping sauropod; the Dreadnoughtus!
The foundational ideas and selling points for this dinosaur include:
Role as a late game juggernaut with heavy artillery
Two taming methods; one passive and one violent
Customizable saddle with turrets, cannons, and ballistas
The ability to vomit cannonballs covered in stomach acid
Damage and defense buff against other large creatures
I personally think this concept for Dreadnoughtus would work well in the game, as a massive siege weapon that can tear through just about anything in its path. It would be one of the most powerful creatures a tribe could have except for the Titanosaurus and Titans themselves, tying with the Giga and Carcha in strength. With the idea I have in mind, it would also be one of the more immersive creatures with a few of its mechanics. On Ragnarok, it's saddle could potentially be inspired by Viking Ships.
Dossier Data
Common Name: Dreadnoughtus
Species: Dreadnoughtus maximus
Time: Late Cretaceous
Diet: Herbivore
Temperament: Territorial
Wild:
“Dreadnoughtus maximus is the undisputed ruler of this island. It towers over everything except for the very titans themselves, and its presence can be felt from afar.
Like any royalty, I’d say they feel entitled to everything. While they pay no mind to those beneath them, they bully and harass other large creatures that they view as rivals and threats, including others of their kind! They become more powerful when enraged by enemies, and when more confident with herdmates.”
Domesticated:
“I’ve noticed that each individual has a unique daily routine. The tribe I spoke with that owns one claimed they assisted it in its activities to gain its trust, so take that for what you will.
Said tribe also created a PHENOMENAL saddle that provides full protection for the primary rider, and can be customized with heavy artillery to one’s content. It seems like something straight out of the viking age!
One word of caution, though. Kings like to be pampered, and Dreadnoughtus are no different. If their needs aren’t met and are neglected by their masters, they may go feral again and launch a lethal temper tantrum. Talk about a big spoiled brat!”
Wild:
The Dreadnoughtus is a rare find on Ragnarok, sharing its spawn points with Titanosaurus. Unlike the Titanosaur, however, it is quite territorial and will attack creatures of a given size on sight. Creatures the size of or larger than a Rex will attract its attention and grant the Dreadnoughtus a buff similar to the Triceratops’ rivalry, though extending to large herbivores as well. Dreadnoughtus will even fight each other in battles, losers remaining as underlings within whatever herd is forming. This enraged state is visible with the inflation of its neck sacs.
They generally pay no mind to survivors and their tames unless they surpass the size threshold.
Taming Process:
Dreadnoughtus have TWO taming methods; one for first timers, another for those that already have a Dreadnoughtus for themselves.
Non-Violent Taming: The Dreadnoughtus is a massive animal that is incredibly high maintenance. They each have unique daily routines survivors can learn and adapt to accordingly. Helping a Dreadnoughtus go about their activities will develop trust and friendship between the survivors and the dinosaur. These activities include:
Feeding: Feed the Dreadnoughtus vegetables or kibble. Toss a cannonball on the ground as a lure, getting the dinosaur to lower its head thinking it's a gastrolith. Then, you can feed it directly at its head.
Playing: Help the Dreadnoughtus kill other dinosaurs and break structures in its territory until it is satisfied.
Bathing: Clean the Dreadnoughtus of filth and parasites by using soap on its body.
Sleeping: Protect the Dreadnoughtus as hordes of wild dinosaurs attempt to attack it. Enough damage from wild creatures will force the Dreadnoughtus to wake up and reduce taming effectiveness.
Dreadnoughtus activities and needs rotate occasionally similar to a Moschops’ diet. Keep helping the dinosaur out until it completely trusts you.
Violent Taming: A tamed Dreadnoughtus is required for this method. Your tamed Dreadnoughtus must challenge a wild individual with a roar, engaging in a fight. Dealing high enough damage will force the wild Dreadnoughtus to back down and join your herd.
Tamed:
Congratulations! You’ve successfully tamed a Dreadnoughtus! This titanic sauropod’s abilities lend themselves well to the many aspects of life on Ragnarok.
Actions:
Primary Attack (
, , ):Looking Straight, Left, or Right: A long and wide neck sweep that deals high damage and high knockback.
Looking Down: A fast stomp attack that deals high damage but has little knockback.
Looking Up: A fast upward neck sweep that deals little damage but knocks aerial targets far.
Secondary Attack (
, , ): Cannonballs are used as ammo for this attack. The Dreadnoughtus vomits out one of the cannonballs in its stomach, with the ball drenched in stomach acid. The more the attack is charged, the faster the shot is fired and the more damage is dealt. However, this attack also drains the Food stat to use.Roar (C,
, ): A bellowing roar that causes the Dreadnoughtus’ neck sacs to inflate. Use this to engage in duels with wild Dreadnoughtus. If used by the highest level individual in a herd, they will gain the Pack Leader status effect for 120 seconds before going on cooldown for another 120.Tertiary Attack (Space,
, ): The front of the Dreadnoughtus’ saddle has a large drill-like spear mounted on the chest that can fire out like a harpoon. It pierces into creatures of all sizes for massive damage, and holding this attack will pull them towards the Dreadnoughtus. The size and weight of the creature determines the pull speed, and the creature must escape by continuously attacking.Sleeping Animation: Like a Shadowmane or Megalosaurus, the Dreadnoughtus has a sleeping animation that can be toggled when off of its back.
Passive Abilities:
Giantslayer: Dreadnoughtus gain a damage and defense buff in the presence of the following creatures:
Astrocetus, Brontosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Diplodocus, Giganotosaurus, Paraceratherium, Quetzal, Reaper (King and Queen), Rex, Rock Golem, Rhyniognatha, Spino, Titanosaur, Magmasaur, Megachelon, Wyvern (all types)
All Bosses (only Titans matter except for maybe SOTF since you can’t take them into arenas)
ARK Additions: Acrocanthosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Deinosuchus, Deinotherium
Gathering: Berries and fiber are gathered fairly decently. Wood and minerals are what it is more proficient at, however. It would be the best option in the game if it weren’t for its massive size preventing it from entering many areas.
Marine Traversal: Dreadnoughtus can turn into a literal dreadnought. It swims better than most creatures of its size, with many of its attacks and weapons intact. Like an Andrewsarchus, it can also sink to the ocean floor and walk along. A decently high oxygen stat allows them to sit below water for a long period of time.
Heavy Artillery Saddle: The saddle of a Dreadnoughtus is unique due to its sheer customizability. There are a total of 7 equipment slots in the saddle. Turrets, ballistas, or cannons can be equipped onto the saddle. Cannons and ballistas are controlled manually, while turrets require gasoline in the dinosaur’s inventory to help fuel the saddle’s personal generator. 4 siege weapons on the neck, 2 on the shoulders, and 1 on the rump. Located on the chest is the previously mentioned drill-spear harpoon that resembles Monster Hunter’s Dragonator that is used directly by the driver. All riders are vulnerable except for the driver, protected in a car-like section of the saddle.
Saddle References:
⚠ Maintenance ⚠: Dreadnoughtus are high maintenance creatures as mentioned earlier. This means providing constant care and attending to the dinosaur’s needs. Giving it what it wants manually from time to time will keep its physical health up, increasing Health & Stamina Regeneration. If left ignored, the sauropod’s health will deteriorate, and the mentioned stats will be reduced. Dreadnoughtus will actively become hostile towards you if their needs aren’t met, and can potentially spell the end for your tribe if you’re not cautious and attentive. Alpha Dreadnoughtus will even turn properly treated individuals on their masters as well. Don’t think about locking them in a cryopod either, as even within containment, they are still aware of your neglect.
Utility & Scenarios:
PvE: Dreadnoughtus find themselves as great resource gatherers and bodyguard when traversing across Ragnarok. Their swimming ability allows them to navigate across Ragnarok's oceans, and allow for resource collection at the sea floor.
PvP: Now this is what Dreadnoughtus are designed to do. They find themselves at the top of the meta-game’s food chain, alongside the Giga and Carcha. Stats, abilities, and tools once again are incredibly useful in battles. Having survivors man multiple siege weapons mounted on the saddles turns the Dreadnoughtus into an almost unstoppable and completely destructive force. With enough turrets, ammo, and fuel, it may even become a mobile turret tower that guns things down before they even approach it. Their size is just about as big of a strength as it is a weakness, since it is a large target and has a hard time fighting in more claustrophobic spaces. The location of a base like a rathole doesn’t lend itself well to Dreadnoughtus management, since the creature needs a large space if it is going to be outside of a cryopod.
Conclusion:
At first glance, Dreadnoughtus might seem a little overpowered. It has a lot going for it as a giant endgame herbivore on par with the great G and C. While it isn’t balanced out on the end of PvP, it is in PvE. Very few creatures are balanced in their strength outside of the battle itself, and the Dreadnoughtus definitely changes the playstyle many people may attempt. Overall, it is a fairly unique and absurd concept I’d love to see enter the game and act as the first dinosaur added in through the creature vote.
Have fun, survivors!
References (Accurate & Inaccurate):
