Thylacoleo

The Thylacoleo (thy-lah-ko-lee-oh), Marsupial Lion, or Thyla, is one of the Creatures in ARK: Survival Evolved.

Basic Info
The Thylacoleo lives in the Redwoods on The Island, Ragnarok, Extinction, Valguero, The Center,and Crystal Isles. In Scorched Earth the Thylacoleo spawns at the edges of the dunes and on low lying cliffs. On Ragnarok, it can also be found on the Rashaka Savannah islands alongside many Scorched Earth creatures. On Crystal Isles, it can also be found in the Desert Savannah. The R-variant is found in the North and South mountain ranges of the Eden zone.

Behavior
Thylacoleo often hides high in the redwood trees, faced down towards its prey. However it can only move up and down trees, cliffs or any other climbable surface. Upon entering aggro range, the Thylacoleo will leap from above, pinning any prey beneath its weight, even knocking players off of any mount.

Appearance
Also known as the "marsupial lion", Thylacoleo is a powerful pouched predator native to the island's towering redwood forests, pursuing a semi-arboreal lifestyle as it clambers and leaps between the trees. A strong bite - the strongest of any land mammal - and bolt cutter-like teeth make this creature a formidable ambush predator, leaping from above to crush the necks of its prey. The R-variant features a spotted hide, much like that of a Bengal tiger. They also have facial markings and come in various colors.

Drops

 * Harvest


 * Guaranteed Special Loot

Combat
Thylacoleo seems to always be aggressive. If it is on the ground it will pursue the player only when really close. Its aggro range seems to be similar to the.

General
The Thylacoleo spawns on the sides of trees ready to pounce on any unlucky creature should it come into this predator's pouncing range. Should a player be flying near it, the Thylacoleo will leap off the tree pulling you from your mount to the ground and holding onto you till death. If it's on the ground, it can be easily avoided. If the confrontation is inevitable, bait it out of the tree and then kill it. It has the base health of a and the damage of a  (plus a very powerful bleed), so melee fights are best avoided even if the Thylacoleo are low level

Thylacoleos will pounce on wild creatures and will likely be found on the ground if this happens. They do not appear to ever climb trees in the wild, only spawn on them (and re-attach when out of render), so once dismounted they remain terrestrial. Thylacoleo will maliciously attack any player so be wary in the redwood forests

Thylacoleos have distinct aggression types depending on whether or not they are within trees. While within a tree, they are capable of targeting the rider regardless of their mount. The pounce treats the rider and mount separately, and effects against one will not directly affect the other:
 * Similar to the, it is possible for the Thylacoleo to dismount the rider and pin them to the ground.
 * Similar to the, it is also possible for the Thylacoleo to pin the mount itself - taking the survivor for a ride, but not preventing them from dismounting.

Pinned creatures are stunned and cannot retaliate, but pinned players are not. Creatures too large to be pinned will not be affected by the attack and, if the attack hits the creature, no ill effects are passed to the player (unlike the, which dismounts the player in all cases but only stuns the player if the player specifically is hit).

It is a saving grace that Wild Thylacoleos are not particularly good at predicting movement, and thus fast targets are relatively safe.

On Scorched Earth, Thylacoleo don’t cling to surfaces when they spawn and only roam about like any other creatures, fighting it is the same, just think of it as the mammal version of a.

Strategy
The Thylacoleo is strong and tough to confront. You can climb a tall rock and shoot it with a crossbow or even a firearm if needed.

While flying, the Thylacoleo is very easy to spot if you are looking for it and is best avoided.

It's leaping attack is not a certain hit, meaning that your flying mount can evade it by adjusting the direction it flies before it actually hits you.

Weaponry
It's best to use ranged weapons or combat mounts, as it has both high damage and health.

Dangers
Don't let it pin you into a corner as the high damage output can quickly destroy your armor and kill you.

You also need to be careful with his bleeding attack, in a moment it can eliminate a 10% of the health of your dino.

If the Thylacoleo latches onto a player from a tree, the player is rendered completely immobile and it is certain death without assistance. (Note: Players have successfully survived being pulled off of their flying mounts from trees by using a and a shotgun. )

Weakness
You can use a or a  to grab a Thylacoleo right off the tree and render it harmless.

If you spotted it from far away, you can use a range weapon to shoot it to force it to fall from its tree.

KO Strategy
It is ill advised to approach a Thylacoleo that is perched in a tree. It will knock you down if you are on a smaller flying mount including a Pteranodon, Argentavis, Pelagornis, or a Tapejara. Take advantage of their stationary position to get a free shot with a tranquilizer arrow or dart. Once on the ground, they are still rather fast and have relatively high torpor for their size. Ideally, use a Griffin, which allows you to use weapons while mounted and flying. Using a move-and-fire strategy, attack the Thylacoleo with ranged tranquilizing weapons from the air. Be careful not to drift under the Thylacoleo if shooting it while it is up a tree, and be aware of the possibility that more Thylacoleos may be lurking in nearby trees once you knock it to the ground.

Use a Rex or another tank to soak up damage and then  tranquilize it. If you are not high level or have strong tames and you meet one on flat ground, run and try to get it stuck if you can keep running or tranq it. On flat ground they are very fast and will decimate you swiftly.

As with other medium-sized creatures, using a Crystal Wyvern, Quetzal, or Wyvern to carry it, or using a fast mount to kite inside into a pen made out of materials it cannot damage and then firing tranquilizers at it from windows or a high platform is also viable. If a Griffin is not available, this is the second-best option.

Note that their torpor depletion rate is very high, about half that of a Quetzal. As such, it is important to keep them under the effects of the increase over time effect of ranged torpor weapons as you will quickly lose progress if you are unable to keep up the fire.

Luring them into bear traps is a good way to inflict torpor fast. Depending on the level you will need more traps.

Alternatively may be used however unlike the Bear Trap these traps deal Damage Over Time and can potentially damage taming effectiveness.

Controls
The Thylacoleo can climb vertical surfaces such as walls or Redwood trees by jumping at the surface and keeping the jump key held in the air. Once latched onto the surface, the jump button can be released and the Thylacoleo will remain clung to the surface. While in climbing mode, It can shimmy straight up or slide straight down on the surface, but it cannot move left or right, nor can it climb past an obstacle like an overhang, which will prevent it from climbing any further upwards. Successfully reaching the top of a climbable surface will cause the Thylacoleo to jump off the wall and haul itself over the top, so that it can land on and stand on top of said surface, if there is room for it to do so. Sliding straight down will cause the Thylacoleo to detach itself from the surface once it meets the ground. Be wary of sliding down too quickly, however, as hitting the ground while sliding downwards too swiftly will deal the Thylacoleo a large amount of fall damage. Optionally, you can also detach from the climbable surface at any time by pressing the secondary attack key (default ). If you so wish, the Thylacoleo can cling to a surface indefinitely, and will stay attached even if the player dismounts (although it can be brought back down with a whistle command).

While clinging to a surface, the player cannot use mounted weaponry, however, the Thylacoleo itself is able to perform a new special move. While mounted and attached to the wall, if the player rotates the camera down, the Thylacoleo will flip over and a targeting reticle will appear, indicating that the Thylacoleo is ready to pounce with the attack key (default ). If the pounce hits a valid target, it will immobilize them and the Thylacoleo will chew on them until either the target dies or the player releases it with the secondary attack key (default ). All pounce-able targets are unable to fight back while held in the Thylacoleo's death-grip, with the exclusion of Humans, which have a chance to defend themselves with melee weaponry and firearms if caught. Do note that the pounce damage and mauling is NOT boosted by leveling up melee damage. It does decent damage (30 damage for the pounce, 40 per maul in a 3-attack sequence), but since most targets cannot fight back, this isn't a major factor. Also be advised that, depending on the distance to the ground when the Thylacoleo pounces, the marsupial lion itself can be, minorly, injured during the impact.

The following creatures are capable of being pounced:

Roles

 * Combat Specialist: The Thylacoleo may be small compared to the giant combatants of the ARKs like Rexes and Spinos, but appearances can be deceiving. Despite its size, the Thyla can be one of the most lethal fighters available, enough to rival, and even one-up, their larger competitors in some situations. For starters, it has very similar stats to that of the Allosaurus, which already lands it just below the combat capabilities of the larger fighters. What gives the Thyla an edge on its larger competitors, however, is not its stats, but in fact its access to one of the three variants of Gnashed; a bleeding status effect that drains up to 5% of a victim's health over a few seconds (duration varies depending on the version, the Thyla's Gnashed lasts 5 seconds, and is inflicted by its primary attack), which cannot be negated by armor. This ability to deal a fixed, high percentage of damage to a target's health, coupled with its high base stats and maneuverability, lands the Thylacoleo a top-tier position in nearly any combat role imaginable.
 * Slayer: Similar to the Allosaurus and Deinonychus, having access to the Gnashed status effect allows the Thylacoleo a specialty role in combat; the ability to shred high-healthed and heavily armored opponents, the likes of which even a group of Rexes would find difficult to bring down, and in some cases; even solo-kill these difficult enemies. Depending on their target though, it is occasionally a good idea to bring support tames to back up your Thylacoleo- the Yutyrannus for its powerful courage roar, and the Mammoth for its damage reducing yell. Likewise, different versions of Gnashed, and some other bleeds, can all be stacked on top of the same target; meaning Allosaurs, Deinonychus, and Carnotaurs can all be brought in to apply their bleeds as well: maximizing the amount of health drained from the opponent per second. Titans are immune from the Thylacoleo's Gnashed however, and thus should not be encountered with them in mind.
 * Alpha-Slayer: Whether it's for getting rid of them as mere pests, killing them for the massive amount of Raw Prime Meat they're worth, collecting their relevant Trophies, or leveling your Chibi-Pets; the Thylacoleo makes slaughtering Alpha Creatures a walk in the park. Simply lure alpha rexes to a corpse, then jump and bite their tails until they bleed out.
 * Giga-Slayer: With the support of a Yutyrannus as bait, Thylacoleos can be used to bleed out the Giga if mounted by an adept rider. You can NOT avoid all damage as the Giganotosaurus has a very large attack radius, so a good saddle is advised.
 * Titanosaur-Slayer: The Thylacoleo is the only bleeder who can completely negate the Titanosaur's knockback, and is likewise sturdy enough (at high enough levels) to withstand the giant sauropod's damage output. The lion manages this with its ability to jump; able to leap at the Titanosaur and land bites on it while airborne where the sauropod's knockback cannot be effectively applied to it. This in of itself is already a tremendous advantage, by the marsupial lion has one more trick up its sleeve; it is possible to position the Thylacoleo, even after the Titanosaur has been aggravated, underneath the sauropod's belly (just ahead of its two back legs), where it can trip up a wild Titanosaur's ability to register that the Thylacoleo is within range to be attacked. This allows a ridden lion to, with careful maneuvering, continuously pummel a wild Titanosaur with its gnashing bite while completely disabling the Titanosaur's ability to damage it. Depending on how adept the rider is at commanding their lion, the use of support tames can be dropped entirely for this role.
 * Golem-Slayer: Due to their incredibly high armor and damage resistances, Golems are prime targets for bleeders like the Thylacoleo.
 * Deathworm-Slayer: While not a role that Thylacoleo are specifically required for, they do indeed make the task of felling the dangerous Deathworms much easier, particularly the Alpha worms due to their large amounts of health.
 * Brute-Slayer: A similar threat to the Enraged Creatures of Extinction, the Brute Creatures of Genesis are a nasty challenge; boasting similar damage output, health pools, and resistances, creatures that inflict Gnashed like the Thylacoleo are essentially required. Depending on the Brute Creature in question, bringing Yutyrannus and Allosaurus along for the ride is generally a good idea.
 * Travel Mount: While not the fastest tame you can possess, and its smaller size making it a target of other medium-sized, wild aggressors; the Thylacoleo is still fast enough for travel considerations, and its relative sturdiness and gnashing bite make it a fairly safe option for getting around. Likewise, its jumping and climbing prowess enables it to handle terrain that many other tames might struggle with.
 * Cave Delver: With both its combat and traveling skills taken into consideration, the Thylacoleo makes a prime candidate for tackling most artifact caves (though said caves often require a Cryopod to get the lion inside). Caverns that require traversal through water, however, are best left to stronger swimmers than the lion, unless the swimmable section can be skipped by climbing. Caves that have magma, on the other hand, with its precise and skillful jumping abilities, are a challenge that the Thylacoleo particularly excels in handling. The Thylacoleo is particularly suited to dealing with the artifact caves of Scorched Earth, where it can easily handle the terrain and highly armored Rubble Golems present a threat that the lion's gnashing bite can quickly dispose of.
 * Ambusher: As stated in their bestiary, they are exceptionally skilled at ambushing unsuspecting players in PvP. A unique choice for combat, many do not think to look in the trees for threats, and pouncing upon a victim of your choice will result in decent damage (But static damage, as you cannot increase the damage of their pounce.) and will kill most unarmored or lightly armored oppenents from the pounce and combo alone. The rapid assualt afterwards should finish the job. Thylacoleos have rather small builds, compared to the likes of other hitters like the Allosaurus. It is easy to hide them in curious places, especially with their feature to climb.

Notes/Trivia

 * Many players nearly got a panic attack while taming the Thylacoleo. Be cautious while taming these, they can give you quite a scare when they jump on you from trees.
 * The Thylacoleo was first revealed on September 30, 2015
 * Thylas take massively reduced fall damage, for more info see Fall Damage.
 * Dossier revealed on December 14, 2015
 * Thylacoleo has the ability to roar (press on PC,  on Xbox One, and  PS4).
 * Despite looking like a lion or a very large rodent, Thylacoleo is a marsupial and more closely related to Australian kangaroos and koalas.
 * Cannot be used in boss fights, because it is a climber.
 * Despite being able to access the Rockwell Arena, it is unable to transfer to Aberration, rendering this ability nearly useless.
 * Thylacoleo means "Pouch Lion" in Latin, referring to its nickname as the marsupial (pouch-bearing) lion.
 * And the Thylacoleo furtimorsus roughly means "the stealth pouch lion".
 * Relative to its body weight, Thylacoleo may have had one of the strongest biting forces of any land mammal to ever live.
 * Thylacoleo has the ability to climb trees with some maneuverability, a unique new feature to ARK.
 * Thylacoleos are often called "murder cats" or things best left unsaid due to their extreme lethality.
 * The Thylacoleo can climb just about anything. Whilst in the climb position you are able to turn the camera around and gain a target reticle. With this you can pounce on an enemy and pin it much like the wild ones do. Leaving your Thylacoleo on a wall and on aggressive will make it pounce anything that comes by thus executing its maul attack.
 * This feature is used well in their home in the redwood forests, but can also be used on mountains, buildings, and steep ledges.
 * Ingame and according to the dossier, Thylacoleo is large enough to ride. This is inaccurate, as real Thylacoleos were only slightly smaller than a jaguar. This is especially evident in its dossier and ingame model dwarfing the, whereas in real life Thylacoleo was only roughly half the size of. The size depicted in the dossier is closer to proborhyaena gigantea, a distant ancestral cousin to Thylacoleo. Thylacoleo, however, was much more agile, and sports a bite force that was, pound for pound, one of the strongest in the animal kingdom, so it's likely not a mistake on the developer's part.
 * In fact the Thylacoleo is the only creature that prefers over.
 * The implementation of Thylacoleo as a fearsome giant marsupial that pounces on prey from the treetops may be inspired by the Australian stories of drop bears, a made-up marsupial designed to scare tourists.
 * In fact, many news publications and some scientists have compared these extinct creatures to the Mythical 'drop bears'.
 * Baby Thylacoleo reacts differently when they are imprinted after requesting for one as compared to leveling adult Thylacoleo up. This shares the same trait as, and.
 * In real life, Thylacoleos are considerably smaller yet were still dangerous arboreal predators that jumped on their prey from tree branches. They lived on the plains of Australia during the Pleistocene epoch alongside and, animals which they would have respectively preyed on and fought.
 * The R-variant of the Thylacoleo is the first variant for Thylacoleo.