Finding every artifact on the Ragnarok map requires tracking down hidden cave entrances, navigating brutal death mazes, and surviving high-level predator spawns. Whether you're playing on ARK: Survival Evolved or the upgraded ARK: Survival Ascended, gathering these tribute items is mandatory if you want to challenge the map's bosses, including the Ice Worm Queen and the Manticore-Dragon arena.
Ragnarok features a sprawling layout with 11 distinct artifacts scattered across harsh snow biomes, dense jungle canyons, dark labyrinths, and deep-sea trenches. Missing a single cave entrance or failing to bring the right gear will result in losing your gear and your tames. This guide details every precise GPS coordinate, cave layout, required equipment list, and survival strategy to clear every artifact run cleanly.
Essential Gear and Preparation
Before stepping foot into any artifact cave on Ragnarok, you need to pack correctly. Many caves feature environmental hazards or force-dismount mechanics that leave you vulnerable to packs of high-level creatures.
- Bring Cryopods: Cave openings on Ragnarok vary wildly in size. While a mid-sized mount like a Baryonyx or Thylacoleo fits through most standard entrances, you'll often need to cryopod your creature to pass through tight corridor bottlenecks or platform drops.
- Environmental Protection: Pack full Fur Armor for freezing regions like the Ice Dungeon, and Scuba Gear or multiple Lazarus Chowder brews for water-heavy or flooded chambers.
- Utility Tools: Always carry at least three Grappling Hooks, two Parachutes, a dependable Crossbow, and multiple Standing Torches or a Miner's Helmet. Caves like Life's Labyrinth are pitch black and punish visual shortcuts.
- Medical Support: Stock up on Medical Brews and Blood Packs. Cave-dwelling creatures inflict heavy bleed effects and quick burst damage that raw meat won't heal fast enough.
Jungle and Crows Nest Artifacts
The northern and jungle sectors house some of the more accessible artifact caves, though they still harbor dangerous elements.
Artifact of the Hunter
- Cave Entrance Coordinates: 18.2 Lat, 28.4 Lon (Pond entrance) or 21.5 Lat, 27.2 Lon
- Artifact Coordinates: 18.1 Lat, 28.3 Lon
- How to Clear: Located within the Jungle Dungeon. The terrain is steep, featuring drop-offs and tight rock ledges. Watch out for swarms of Arthropluera and bats that destroy your armor durability instantly. Bring grappling hooks to recover your body or reposition if you miss a jump across the chasms.
Artifact of the Cunning and Artifact of the Immune
- Cave Entrance Coordinates: 20.2 Lat, 46.0 Lon (Carnivorous Caverns)
- Artifact Cunning Coordinates: 17.6 Lat, 42.5 Lon
- Artifact Immune Coordinates: 21.9 Lat, 42.2 Lon
- How to Clear: The Carnivorous Caverns house two essential artifacts. This cave is dark, sprawling, and heavily populated by high-level Saberteeth, Scorpions, and Megalania. Bring a Yutyrannus for its courage roar and cold defense buffs if playing with a group, or stick to a nimble, high-melee-damage mount like a Wolf. Move methodically and clear rooms before attempting to loot the pedestals.
The Northern and Ice Biome Artifacts
Venturing north introduces severe cold hazards, open trench drops, and specialized dungeon mechanics.
Artifact of the Pack
- Cave Entrance Coordinates: 30.4 Lat, 38.6 Lon (Ice Dungeon)
- How to Clear: This cave demands strict temperature management. You'll face freezing ambient conditions alongside Purlovia traps that knock you straight off your mount. Equip max-insulation Fur Armor and use a reliable melee mount capable of clearing Purlovias before they unburrow and stun-lock your character.
Artifact of the Devourer
- Cave Entrance Coordinates: Shipwreck cove area along the northern coast.
- How to Clear: Found near a coastal shipwreck structure, this cave requires careful platform navigation over dangerous gaps. Bring extra parachutes to safeguard against missed jumps, as falling into the lower hazard zones usually triggers immediate death by local wildlife.
Desert Labyrinths and Underground Ruins
Ragnarok's southeastern desert and canyon biomes hide elaborate structures that test spatial memory and puzzle-solving skills.
Artifact of the Clever and Artifact of the Massive
- Cave Entrance Coordinates: 51.6 Lat, 77.5 Lon (Life's Labyrinth ruins)
- Artifact Clever Coordinates: Found inside the internal maze rooms.
- Artifact Massive Coordinates: Found inside the internal puzzle chambers.
- How to Clear: Life's Labyrinth is a standalone trial dungeon filled with instant-kill spike traps, swinging blades, false floors, and complex navigation puzzles. You cannot bring mounted creatures inside the primary puzzle rooms; you are entirely on foot. Bring multiple sets of spare armor, backup weapons, plenty of water jars, and a path-marking strategy (like dropping colored items or using map markers) so you don't loop endlessly through the halls.
Artifact of the Strong
- Cave Entrance Coordinates: 24.6 Lat, 24.9 Lon (Monkey Temple Ruin)
- Artifact Coordinates: 23.2 Lat, 25.3 Lon
- How to Clear: Hidden inside the Monkey Temple ruins near the inland lake, this mid-difficulty dungeon features ancient stone architecture and consistent predator spawns. Clear the stairway entrance carefully before descending into the main artifact chamber.
Deep Sea and Center Artifacts
The remaining artifacts require water-based preparation or positioning in open world landmarks.
Artifact of the Devious
- Cave Entrance Coordinates: 38.8 Lat, 45.1 Lon (Center Water Pillar)
- How to Clear: Situated near the central pillar structure, this location requires underwater travel. Bring high-level aquatic mounts like a Basilosaurus or a Tusoteuthis to fend off aggressive Cnidaria and Megalodons while securing the artifact.
Artifact of the Brute and Artifact of the Skylord
- Cave Locations: Spread across secondary exploration zones and smaller grotto networks on the map. Ensure your diving gear and weapons are fully repaired before diving into submerged cave systems. For official game data and community patch notes, consult the ARK Official Wiki.
Common Mistakes During Ragnarok Artifact Runs
- Attempting Caves Without Backup Armor: Cave creatures deal massive damage to equipment durability. Losing all your armor halfway through a dungeon leaves you exposed to environmental damage and standard attacks. Always pack a spare kit.
- Forgetting Cryopods: Trying to squeeze a large dinosaur through narrow cave tunnels wastes time and often gets your favorite mount permanently stuck on geometry.
- Rushing Through Traps: In Life's Labyrinth, sprinting blindly leads straight into hidden trigger plates. Patience and observation save hours of corpse runs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use flyers inside Ragnarok artifact caves?
No. Almost all artifact caves on Ragnarok feature force-dismount zones or physical barriers that prevent flying mounts from entering. Rely on land-based combat tames instead.
Which artifacts are required for the Ragnarok boss fight?
Challenging the Manticore and Dragon arena on Ragnarok requires gathering a comprehensive set of tribute items, including artifacts recovered from both the ice dungeon and the desert labyrinth. Always check your server's specific tribute terminal requirements before starting.
Do artifacts respawn if my server restarts?
Yes. Artifacts respawn on a set timer (typically between 30 minutes to a few hours depending on server configuration). If another player cleared the room just before you arrived, wait near the pedestal or check back later.
What is the best mount for general cave clearing on Ragnarok?
A high-level Thylacoleo or Baryonyx works best for most caves. They offer strong jump capabilities, solid health pools, reliable bleed or stun attacks, and small enough frames to navigate tight corridors.
