Taming a beefalo in Don't Starve Together (DST) is a rewarding yet challenging endeavor that requires patience, strategy, and a bit of luck. Beefalos are powerful creatures that can serve as mounts, offering increased mobility and combat capabilities once domesticated. This guide will walk you through the process of taming a beefalo, from understanding their stats to maintaining their domestication.

Understanding Beefalo Stats

Before diving into the taming process, it's essential to understand the two primary stats associated with beefalos: Obedience and Domestication.

  • Obedience: This stat determines how willing a beefalo is to let you ride it. Obedience increases when you feed the beefalo and decreases over time. If obedience falls below 50%, the beefalo will not allow you to ride it, and if it drops below 40%, it will shake off the saddle, potentially damaging it.

  • Domestication: This measures how tame the beefalo is. Domestication increases when the beefalo is fed or ridden. Brushing the beefalo daily also boosts domestication. Fully domesticating a beefalo takes about 20 days with consistent riding and feeding, or 15 days if you brush it daily.

Different types of beefalos: Rider, Ornery, and Pudgy
Explore the various types of beefalos available for taming in Don't Starve Together.

Taming a Beefalo: Step-by-Step Guide

1. Initial Setup

  • Choose a Beefalo: There are different types of beefalos, such as Rider, Ornery, and Pudgy, each with unique traits. Riders are ideal for speed, Ornery for combat, and Pudgy for increased hunger capacity.
  • Gather Food: Twigs, grass, and light bulbs are excellent for raising obedience. Steamed twigs (made by cooking four twigs in a crock pot) are particularly effective for maintaining hunger.

2. Taming Process

  • Feed for Obedience: Start by feeding the beefalo 10 items (twigs, grass, etc.) to raise obedience to 100%. This allows you to saddle and ride it.
  • Ride the Beefalo: Ride the beefalo as much as possible. Domestication increases with riding, even if the beefalo is starving.
  • Maintain Obedience: Feed the beefalo 5 items whenever it refuses to let you ride again. This keeps obedience above 50%.
  • Brush Daily: If you have access to a brush, use it daily to boost domestication.

3. Managing Domestication

  • Keep It Fed or Ridden: Domestication increases when the beefalo is fed or ridden. If it's not fed or ridden, domestication will decrease.
  • Use Salt Licks: Salt licks prevent domestication from decreasing when you're not riding or feeding the beefalo.

4. Training Tendencies

  • Rider: Focus on riding for speed.
  • Ornery: Engage in combat to increase aggression.
  • Pudgy: Feed extensively to increase hunger capacity.

Tips for Effective Taming

  • Efficient Feeding: Use cheap, non-perishable items like twigs and grass for obedience. Steamed twigs are ideal for hunger.
  • Brushing: Daily brushing significantly speeds up domestication.
  • Salt Licks: Use salt licks to maintain domestication when not riding or feeding.

Case Study: Taming a Beefalo in Early Game

Imagine starting a new game in DST and deciding to tame a beefalo early on. Here’s how you might approach it:

  1. Day 1-2: Find a beefalo and feed it 10 twigs to raise obedience. Saddle and ride it immediately.
  2. Day 3-5: Continue riding and feeding it 5 twigs whenever obedience drops below 50%.
  3. Day 6-15: Brush the beefalo daily and maintain obedience with occasional feeding.
  4. Day 16-20: The beefalo should be nearly or fully domesticated. Focus on training its tendency (Rider, Ornery, Pudgy).

Conclusion and Additional Resources

Taming a beefalo in DST requires dedication but offers significant rewards. By focusing on obedience and domestication, you can turn these powerful creatures into loyal companions. For more detailed strategies and community insights, consider exploring the Don't Starve Together subreddit or official wiki.