If you’ve spent weeks exploring Ark Genesis 2’s weird and wonderful biomes, you’ve probably heard how powerful the noglin is as a tame. Its ability to mind control other creatures and phase through walls makes it a must-have for both PvE explorers and PvP raiders. This guide breaks down exactly how to tame a noglin in ark genesis 2, no expensive wasted resources or frustrating failed attempts required. I’ve tamed over 20 noglins for myself and clanmates over the last year, so I’ve tested every trick and mistake you can make along the way.
What You Need Before You Attempt to Tame a Noglin in Ark Genesis 2
Taming a noglin is not something you can do on a whim, unlike common tames like dodos or parasaurs. It requires very specific prep to avoid losing the noglin, your bait tame, or all your hard-earned element before you even get started. First, you need to get your hands on the right taming food: noglins only eat element, element shards, or element dust during taming, with full element giving the highest taming efficiency and fastest tame speed. You’ll also need a trap they can’t escape from, since they will run away if they get spooked, and can phase through wood and thatch structures easily. I recommend a 2x2 stone trap with a single ramp entrance, and a ceiling made of stone as well, so they can’t phase out the top. You’ll also need a bait tame for them to possess, and a weapon to damage the noglin while it’s attached. Here’s a full checklist of everything you need to bring:
- 1000+ element dust (or 200+ element shards, or 20+ element for maximum taming efficiency)
- 2x2 stone trap with a single entry ramp and no gaps in the walls or ceiling
- A high-health, low-level land tame (level 50-80 Parasaur or Dodo works perfectly, avoid high-damage tames that might fight back)
- Full set of heavy armor to avoid one-shot damage if the noglin targets you accidentally
- A long-range weapon like a pump-action shotgun or assault rifle to damage the noglin while it's attached
A lot of new players make the mistake of bringing a high-level, high-damage tame as bait, but that’s a bad call. If the bait can fight back while possessed, it will damage or even kill the noglin before you can build up taming progress. I always use a level 60 parasaur with all points put into health, it’s cheap to replace, can take a few hits, and won’t fight back enough to hurt the noglin.
Best Locations to Find a Noglin on Genesis 2
Noglins only spawn in specific parts of the Genesis 2 map, so don’t waste hours wandering random biomes looking for them. The most reliable spawn point is the Corrupted Gardens biome on the Eden side of the map, especially around the glowing purple tree clusters in the northern edge of the zone. They spawn more frequently at night, so I recommend heading out right as the sun goes down if you want to find one quickly. You can also find smaller groups of noglins near the Rockwell Prime entrance on the corrupted side of the map, but those are usually mixed with other corrupted creatures that can attack you mid-tame. If you’re playing on a crowded PvP server, set up a small hidden outpost near the Corrupted Gardens edge, so you can check spawns every 15 minutes without having to fly across the entire map and draw attention to yourself. I once waited 3 hours for a noglin to spawn on a busy server, so patience is key here if you don’t want to fight other players for spawns.
Step-by-Step Taming Process for No Failed Attempts
Once you’ve found a noglin you want to tame, lead it back to your trap slowly. Don’t run straight at it, it will get spooked and flee before you can get it close enough. I usually walk my bait parasaur a few feet in front of me, so the noglin sees the bait and follows it directly into the trap. Once the noglin is inside the trap, block off the ramp entrance with a stone wall so it can’t escape, then send your bait tame into the trap with it. Stay outside the trap the entire time, because if the noglin possesses you, you’ll lose all control and it will escape. Wait for the noglin to attach to your bait tame, then pull out your weapon and start shooting. Only aim for the noglin itself, not your bait tame, every hit you land on the noglin will raise its taming progress, while hitting your tame will just lower its health and risk killing it before the taming is done. Once the taming progress hits 100%, the noglin will fall off the bait tame unconscious. Don’t go into the trap right away, wait 10 seconds to make sure it doesn’t reattach to you or your bait when you walk in. Once it’s fully unconscious, put your chosen element food in its inventory and wait for it to tame. The whole process takes around 15 minutes if you use full element, or 30 minutes if you use element dust. Keep an eye out for other wild creatures or enemy players while you wait, since the noise from your weapon can draw unwanted attention.
Getting the Most Out of Your Tamed Noglin
Once your noglin is tamed, you’ll quickly see why it’s one of the most sought-after creatures on Genesis 2. Its signature mind control ability lets you take over almost any non-boss creature for up to 2 minutes, with no negative effects on the controlled creature. For PvE players, this is perfect for taking over high-level wild tames you don’t want to fight, or controlling a powerful Rex to clear out dangerous caves without risking your own gear. For PvP players, you can use the noglin to take control of enemy players’ tames during raids, or phase through base walls to scout out loot rooms before you attack. That said, noglins have very low health, so you can’t use them for direct combat. Always keep your noglin hidden in your inventory or a secure base when you’re not using its abilities, because even a few shots from a primitive rifle can kill it instantly. I also recommend putting all of its skill points into stamina once you tame it, since that extends how long you can use the mind control ability for. I’ve used my noglin to sneak into 7 enemy bases over the last 3 months, and it’s saved me thousands of resources in raid gear that I would have wasted on failed scouting runs.
Taming a noglin doesn’t have to be the frustrating, resource-heavy mess a lot of new players make it out to be. As long as you bring the right prep, pick a quiet spawn location, and follow the steps to avoid damaging the noglin or your bait tame, you’ll have your new mind control companion in no time. Once you know how to tame a noglin in ark genesis 2, it’s easily one of the most useful tames you can add to your roster, no matter if you play casual PvE or competitive clan PvP. Give it a try on your next playthrough, you won’t regret it.