ARK: Survival Ascended Guide | Best Obsidian Surface Locations

Discover the richest and safest obsidian surface deposits for rapid resource farming on the Ragnarok map.

Game Guide by Monarch on Jul 20, 2025

Obsidian is a crucial resource in ARK: Survival Ascended, and efficient farming can give you a significant advantage. This guide shows you the easiest and most productive places on the Ragnarok map to find surface obsidian, which will help you gather a lot of this useful material.

If you want to start collecting obsidian or want to make your collection bigger, these places have some of the best deposits you can find.

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Recommended Tools and Methods for Harvesting Obsidian

For harvesting obsidian, the best option is to use a Pickaxe or, for optimal results, an Ankylo. The Ankylo yields the highest amount of obsidian, making your farming runs even more productive.

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Primary Obsidian Location: Hilltop Landmark

Begin your run at one of the new islands, specifically on top of a hill that rests against a wall. The coordinates for this site are 43°, 93°.

As you arrive, you will see the ocean nearby. If you turn around, head up the hill towards the wall. At this landmark, you can immediately find a substantial amount of obsidian, with an initial cluster of about 15 obsidian rocks.

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Secondary Obsidian Patch: Leftward Exploration from the Hilltop

From the first patch, take a left to uncover another large collection of obsidian. Continue clearing the area, and you will find an additional cluster containing at least 12 more obsidian rocks.

This spot is incredibly dense, making it ideal for quick harvesting runs.

Additional Rich Deposit: Downward Path

Descend from the previous location to another major obsidian deposit at approximately 23°, 62°. Here, you will find yet another vast grouping, with about 10 rocks initially visible when following the wall.

The total count in this area approaches 40 obsidian rocks.

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Hidden Cave Obsidian Bonanza

While searching near the 23°, 62° site, look for a hidden cave. Enter the cave from the marked entrance and keep to the right wall. Inside, there is an abundance of obsidian, including clusters tucked away in both the rocks and the cave’s center.

Alongside obsidian, you can also collect Crystal in this area.

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Insane Obsidian Yield: The Herb Island Location

For arguably the most impressive collection, head upward from the Griffin area. The location is on what is referred to as a Herb Island—notable for its lack of aggressive dinosaurs, making the harvest risk-free.

At coordinates 6°, 16°, you will discover an extraordinary field of over 30 obsidian rocks, all resting conveniently on the surface and above water level. As you advance through this area, you will encounter more and more black rocks, all of which are obsidian.

These locations offer an unparalleled opportunity to stockpile obsidian. Take advantage of safe zones, hidden caves, and clusters that are often overlooked, and optimize your resource gathering with the right equipment and mount.

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