ARK Enigmasaur (out now, 5 Nov 2026) - How to Tame It & Shapeshifting Explained
Short answer: the Enigmasaur is a shapeshifting creature that closes out ARK Fantastic Tames: Season 1, and it is out now in ARK: Survival Ascended. Wildcard's Community Crunch 531 (7 November 2026) confirms it is live, with patch v97 (dated 6 November 2026) and the Unreal Engine 5.8 upgrade. It doesn't just imitate other creatures, it becomes them. Once tamed, it keeps the abilities of what it has learned, even after switching shape. For example, a Rex with a scorpion's sting.
Enigmasaur at a glance
| Species | Proteus mutabilis |
| Diet | Insectivore |
| Temperament | Highly adaptable |
| Status | Live now (patch v97) |
| Part of | ARK Fantastic Tames: Season 1 (paid add-on), with the Burrowbuck and Cerberax |
Where the Enigmasaur spawns
Patch v97 adds the Enigmasaur to these maps:
- The Center
- Scorched Earth
- Aberration
- Ragnarok
- Extinction
- Valguero
- Lost Colony
- Astraeos
The patch notes do not list it for any other map.
How shapeshifting works
- In the wild it fully transforms into a nearby species. The dossier describes one turning into a Direwolf and being accepted by the pack.
- Tamed, it builds a morphic memory: each form you teach it is stored.
- It keeps each learned creature's useful traits whatever shape it's in. Drop the Pulmonoscorpius form for a Rex and its attacks still stun.
- Returning to its own body unlocks all learned abilities at once.
- The patch notes describe it as able to mimic other creatures, combine their unique powers and adapt to almost any challenge.
How to tame the Enigmasaur
Wildcard's Crunch 531 says only that convincing something that can become almost anything to join your tribe is "its own unusual challenge". The method below comes from the earlier dossier:
- Spot it. Watch for a creature behaving slightly wrong for its species. That's an Enigmasaur in disguise.
- Show it a matching tame. Bring a tamed creature of the same species it's currently mimicking.
- Follow its cycle. It shifts through several forms; match each one with a tame of that species.
- Repeat until it trusts you. Once it has seen enough goodwill, the tame completes.
Tip: have a varied stable nearby: a Direwolf, a Rex, a Pulmonoscorpius and the common local herbivores. The more species you've already tamed, the faster it goes.
What has NOT been announced
- Specific stats, taming numbers or level ranges for the Enigmasaur are not in the patch notes.
- Wildcard has not published a full list of which creatures it can copy.
Released alongside it
- Giganotosaurus TLC: also live, with a new Apex Challenge taming method and a Wounded Fury passive.
- Unreal Engine 5.8: the engine upgrade is part of the same v97 release.
Enigmasaur on BG Gaming
BG Gaming updates the cluster in a planned restart window with notice, and never half-updates maps mid-session. Our 12 PvE maps run boosted rates, so the varied stable you need for an Enigmasaur tame takes far less time to build. Join BG Gaming: crossplay PC / Xbox / PS5, no wipes, 50,000 free coins for new players.
FAQ
Is the Enigmasaur out yet? Yes. Wildcard confirmed it live in Community Crunch 531 and patch v97.
Which maps does the Enigmasaur spawn on? The Center, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Ragnarok, Extinction, Valguero, Lost Colony and Astraeos.
Is the Enigmasaur free? It's part of ARK Fantastic Tames: Season 1, a paid add-on.
What does the Enigmasaur eat? It's an insectivore.
Can the Enigmasaur use abilities from creatures it copied? Yes. Once tamed it keeps the useful traits of the forms it has learned, and in its own body it can use all of them at once.