If you’ve ever tried to build a cliffside base in ARK only to hit a wall when you need extra space for crafting stations, dino storage, or a dedicated PVP defensive layer, you know how frustrating it can be to figure out how to connect 2 cliff platforms in ARK without the entire build crumbling mid-construction. I’ve lost count of how many times I wasted 200+ metal ingots and 500 polymer on failed connections early on, so I spent hours testing different methods across The Island, Ragnarok, and Scorched Earth to find the most reliable builds for every scenario. This guide skips the glitchy exploits that get patched every update and focuses on official-rule compliant connections that hold up to dino attacks, raid attempts, and server resets.
What You Need Before You Try to Connect 2 Cliff Platforms in ARK
First, you need to make sure both of your cliff platforms are placed correctly before you start building any connection. Each platform has to be fully attached to a valid cliff face, with no floating or partially supported edges. If one of your platforms is already wobbly when you place a single chest on it, fixing that first will save you a ton of headache later. Structural integrity caps apply to all connected build pieces, so starting with two solid, stable base platforms is non-negotiable.
You’ll also need to gather the right materials for your connection, based on the tier of your platforms and your server type. Thatch works for temporary test builds on PVE, but it’s completely useless for any permanent or PVP-focused setup. Same tier building pieces give the best stability results, so if your platforms are metal, use metal foundations and ceilings for the connection too.
- 2 already placed, fully supported cliff platforms (same tier works best for consistent stability)
- 10-20 fence foundations or regular foundations of the same tier as your platforms
- 2-4 ceiling pieces to bridge small gaps between foundation runs
- A flying mount or climbing picks to access the gap between both platforms
- Optional: 4-8 pillar pieces for extra support if you’re building a wide connection
One quick tip before you start: Clear any wild dinos from the area around both platforms before you build. I once had a random argenty knock me off the edge mid-build, and I lost all my materials when I respawned half the map away. It’s a small step that saves a lot of frustration.
Step-by-Step Method for a Stable, Long-Lasting Platform Connection
This method works for gaps between 2 and 12 tiles wide, which covers most common cliff platform placement scenarios. Start by standing on the edge of your first cliff platform, facing the second one. Pull out your fence foundation, and move it around until you see a green snap point on the very edge of the platform. Fence foundations are better than regular foundations for most connections because they use half the resources and offer the same level of structural support for walkways and light builds.
Snap points are your best friend during this process. If the foundation glows bright green when you hover it in place, it’s fully supported by the platform under it. If it glows red, move it half a tile over, or adjust your angle until you get a valid snap. Place the first fence foundation, then move out onto it to place the next one in the direction of the second platform. Keep placing foundations one at a time, moving slowly toward the second platform.
If you’re working with a gap wider than 6 tiles, place a couple of foundations from the second platform’s edge toward the middle too. This cuts down on the structural load on each end of the connection, so you won’t hit a stability cap right before you link the two sides. When you get to the middle gap between the two foundation runs, use a ceiling piece to bridge it if the gap is too small for another foundation. Snap the final piece to the edge of the second platform to lock the entire connection in place.
Once you’re done building, test the connection thoroughly. Jump up and down on every tile, and place a heavy item like a vault or a heavy turret on the middle of the connection to make sure it doesn’t collapse. I once built a 12-tile connection between two cliff platforms on Ragnarok’s high mountain peaks using this method, and it survived 3 separate raid attempts over 2 months without a single piece breaking.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Linking Cliff Platforms
Even if you follow the step-by-step method, small mistakes can lead to your connection falling apart days or weeks after you build it. The first and most common mistake is placing all your support pieces from one side only. If you build all the way from the first platform to the second without placing any pieces from the second side, you might hit a structural integrity cap right before you connect, wasting all your materials. Build from both sides toward the middle if the gap is longer than 6 tiles, that halves the load on each end of the connection.
Second, don’t forget to account for dino access if you plan to move tames between the two platforms. A 1-tile wide connection works fine for players and small dinos like dodos or otters, but larger dinos like therizinos, rexes, or mammoths won’t be able to fit through. I made this mistake once with a 1-tile wide connection, and had to tear the whole thing down when I tried to move my breeding pair of rexes over to the new platform for egg laying. Make the connection at least 2 tiles wide if you need to move medium or large tames across it.
Third, avoid using glitched snap points that don’t register properly. Some players use exploit tricks to snap foundations to empty air for longer connections, but those almost always break after a server reset, leaving your entire base hanging. Stick to official, non-exploit snap points even if it takes a little extra time to line up pieces correctly. You don’t want to log on after a server update to find all your hard work crumbled at the bottom of the cliff.
Fourth, don’t skip extra support if you’re planning to put heavy structures on the connection. If you’re adding vaults, turrets, or industrial crafting stations to the walkway between platforms, add pillars every 3 tiles to boost structural integrity by 70% or more. This extra step takes a few extra materials, but it makes the connection nearly unbreakable under normal use.
Customization Ideas for Your Connected Cliff Platforms
Once your connection is solid, you can customize it to fit your playstyle and base needs. For PVE players, you can turn the entire connection into a glass-walled greenhouse for growing rare crops like plant species X, rare flowers, or plant species Y for taming. Add railings along the edges to keep yourself and your tames from falling off the cliff, especially if you’re building high up on a mountain where fall damage is instant death.
For PVP players, the connection is the perfect place to add extra defensive layers. Line the entire length of the connection with heavy turrets tucked behind metal walls, so raiders can’t fly through the gap between your two platforms to reach the back of your base. You can also add hidden storage compartments under the ceiling pieces of the connection, since most raiders won’t think to check under walkways for loot. I once hid 3 full vaults of element under a 8-tile connection, and raiders completely missed them during a 2-hour raid on my base.
Another fun, practical customization is turning the connection into a dino walkway that leads directly to a dedicated taming pen on the second platform. That way, you don’t have to fly newly tamed dinos up the cliff one by one, which is a huge time saver if you’re taming a lot of land dinos. Match the aesthetic of your main base so the connection doesn’t look out of place, even if you’re using it for functional purposes only. You can add paint, decorative lights, or planter boxes along the edges to make it feel like part of your base instead of a random add-on.
At the end of the day, figuring out how to connect 2 cliff platforms in ARK doesn’t have to be a complicated, resource-wasting hassle if you follow the right steps and avoid common pitfalls. The best part about this method is it works for every map, every tier of building material, and both PVE and PVP server rules, so you can use it no matter what your playstyle is. Next time you need extra cliffside space for your base, skip the glitchy builds and test this method out first—you’ll save hours of frustration and hundreds of valuable materials.