Capture & Raise
How Taming Works
Soulmask uses a baby-capture system — you cannot knock out or tranquilise adult animals. Instead, you must find, capture, and raise babies until they grow into loyal adult companions.
🐣 The Taming Process
Step-by-step from finding a baby to riding your mount
Build a Pen or Coop
Before you capture anything, construct an enclosure at your base. Mounts need a Pen (large fenced area), while small animals like turkeys need dedicated Coops. Check the Building Workshop for pen walls, gates, and specialised structures like the Turkey Coop or Parrot Rack.
Find Baby Animals
Use the Scanner (press Q) to survey your surroundings. The Scanner highlights wild babies, tracks, and points of interest. Baby animals spawn in specific biomes — grassy hills for Alpacas, table mountains for Llamas, rainforests for Jaguars, deserts for Ostriches, and snow mountains for Snow Leopards.
Capture Method A — Trap with Bait
Craft a Small Trap or Medium Trap at the Building Workshop. Place the trap in the baby's biome, add the correct bait food, then hide and wait. The baby will approach and enter the trap on its own. Collect the trap to pick up the baby.
Capture Method B — Rescue from Barbarian Camps
Barbarian Barracks often have baby animals in cages. Clear the camp, then approach the caged baby and press E to pick it up. Carry it back to your base — you can walk with the baby in your arms. This method bypasses the trap-and-bait process entirely.
Place in Pen and Raise
Place the baby inside your pen. It will need regular food and water to grow. Keep a Feeding Trough and Water Trough filled nearby. Babies grow over time into adults — growth speed depends on food quality and quantity.
Craft a Saddle and Ride
Once the animal reaches adulthood, craft its specific saddle at the Workbench. Saddles unlock at certain Awareness Strength levels. Equip the saddle from your inventory onto the animal, then mount up by pressing E.
⭐ Rarity System
Animal quality determines size and stat potential
Animals in Soulmask come in rarity tiers that affect their size, base stats, and growth potential. Higher rarity animals are always better investments.
| Tier | Quality | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White | Common | Smallest size, lowest stats |
| Green | Uncommon | Slightly better than Common |
| Blue | Rare | Good stat potential |
| Purple | Epic | Strong stats, larger size |
| Yellow | Legendary | Excellent stats |
| Orange/Red | Mythic | Highest tier — biggest and strongest |
Rarity is visible when scanning with the Scanner (Q key). Always prioritise higher-rarity babies — a Purple or Yellow baby will vastly outperform a White one of the same species once grown.
Tools of the Trade
Traps & Equipment
Traps are your primary tool for capturing baby animals. Build them at the Building Workshop and pair them with the correct bait food.
🪤 Trap Types
Craft and deploy traps to capture babies
| Trap | Materials | Used For | Building Workshop Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Trap | Branch + Clay + Thick Rope | Turkey, Monkey, Parrot | Early |
| Medium Trap | Hardwood + Plank + Thatch + Thick Rope | Alpaca, Llama, Jaguar/Panther, Capybara, Boar, Donkey, Camel | Mid |
🥕 Bait Foods
Each animal is attracted to a specific bait
| Animal | Bait |
|---|---|
| Alpaca | Thatch, Potato, Quinoa |
| Llama | Pumpkin, Corn, Banana |
| Jaguar / Panther | Meat, Fish |
| Turkey | Corn Flour |
| Monkey | Fruit, Nuts |
| Parrot | Corn |
| Capybara | Pumpkin, Fruit |
| Boar | Various foods |
| Donkey | Figs |
🔍 Scanner Usage
Your primary tool for finding babies
- Press Q to activate the Scanner at any time
- Scanner reveals nearby baby animals, animal tracks, resource nodes, and barbarian cages holding babies
- Use Scanner to check animal rarity (White → Green → Blue → Purple → Yellow → Orange/Red)
- Scanner range is limited — sweep areas systematically when searching for specific animals
- Scanner also reveals the Jaguar tracking mini-game clues (footprints, signs)
Rideable Animals
Mounts
Five rideable mounts are available in Soulmask. Each excels at different terrain and tasks.
🐎 Mount Comparison
All five mounts at a glance
| Mount | Normal Speed | Dash Speed | Swim Speed | Carry Capacity | Capture Method | Saddle Unlock | Biome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpaca | Slow | Fast | Slow | 350-500 | Medium Trap (bait: thatch/potato/quinoa) or Barbarian Camp rescue | Awareness 15 | Grassy Hills |
| Llama | Very Slow | Slow | Slow | 800-1100 | Medium Trap (bait: pumpkin/corn/banana) or Barbarian Camp rescue | Awareness 15 | Table Mountain |
| Jaguar / Panther | Fast | Very Fast | Fast | 250 | Tracking mini-game + Medium Trap (bait: meat/fish) | Awareness 25 (Advancement of Bronze tech) | Rainforest |
| Ostrich | Medium | Very Fast | Medium | 300 | Find and hatch Ostrich Eggs | Awareness 30+ | Desert |
| Snow Leopard | Fast | Very Fast | Fast | 300 | Tracking mini-game (like Jaguar) | High Awareness | Snow Mountain |
🦙 Alpaca
The reliable starter mount
Alpacas are the easiest mount to obtain early on. They have decent dash speed and carry capacity for early-game hauling. Found on grassy hills around the starting area. You can often find baby Alpacas in cages at Barbarian Barracks — clear the camp, pick up the baby, and walk it home.
Capture
- Trap: Medium Trap with bait (Thatch, Potato, or Quinoa)
- Alternative: Pick up from Barbarian Barracks (press E)
Diet
Thatch, Potato, Quinoa, Pumpkin, Corn, Banana, Pineapple, Peanut, Alpaca Feed
Saddle
Alpaca Saddle — unlocks at Awareness 15
🦙 Llama
The ultimate pack animal
Llamas are very slow but have the highest carry capacity among mounts at 800-1100. They are your go-to for hauling massive quantities of resources. Found in Table Mountain biomes. Llamas have a special ability: with saddle upgrades they can carry an unconscious barbarian or up to 4 small animals.
Capture
- Trap: Medium Trap with bait (Pumpkin, Corn, or Banana)
- Alternative: Pick up from Barbarian Barracks
Diet
Quinoa, Pumpkin, Corn, Banana, Pineapple, Peanut, Llama Feed
Saddle
Llama Saddle — unlocks at Awareness 15. Upgrade with Extended Seat Cushion and Wicker Basket for extra carry options.
🐆 Jaguar / Panther
The speed demon
Jaguars are the fastest land mount with a Very Fast dash speed and Fast swim speed. They have low carry weight (250) but excel at long-distance travel and combat mobility. Found in Rainforest biomes. Requires a special capture mini-game rather than a simple trap.
Capture — Tracking Mini-Game
Use Scanner (Q) to find jaguar tracks in the Rainforest biome
Follow the tracks to locate the mother jaguar
Observe the mother jaguar hunting from a distance
Follow her back to the den where her cubs are hiding
Defeat the mother jaguar in combat
Place a Medium Trap with meat/fish bait near the den
Hide and wait for the cub to enter the trap
Diet
Fresh Meat, Fish, Premium Fish, Meat, Rare Fresh Meat
Saddle
Panther Saddle — unlocks at Awareness 25 (requires Advancement of Bronze technology)
🐦 Ostrich
The desert speedster with gliding ability
Ostriches are exceptionally fast with a Very Fast dash speed and have unique gliding mechanics — they take 95% reduced fall damage and can glide short distances. They also have high radiation resistance, making them ideal for desert and contaminated zones. Ostriches are not captured via trap — you must find and hatch their eggs.
Capture — Egg Hatching
- Find Ostrich nests in the Desert biome
- Defeat the adult ostriches guarding the nest
- Pick up the Ostrich Eggs
- Bring them back to base
- Use an Air Heater set to Gear 3 to control incubation temperature
- Wait for the eggs to hatch into baby ostriches
Special Abilities
- Gliding — press jump while sprinting to glide short distances
- 95% reduced fall damage
- High radiation resistance — excellent for contaminated areas
Diet
Wild Fruit, Quinoa, Pumpkin, Corn, Banana, Pineapple, Peanut, Ostrich Feed
Saddle
Ostrich Saddle — unlocks at Awareness 30+
❄️ Snow Leopard
The endgame mount
Snow Leopards are endgame mounts found in the Snow Mountain biome. They share the same capture mechanics as Jaguars (tracking mini-game) but live in far more dangerous terrain. They have Fast normal speed and Very Fast dash speed with Fast swim speed, making them the most well-rounded mount for combat and travel.
Capture — Tracking Mini-Game
Identical to Jaguar capture: scan for tracks, follow the mother, observe her hunting, locate the den, defeat the mother, place a Medium Trap with meat/fish bait, wait for the cub.
Diet
Fresh Meat, Fish, Premium Fish, Meat, Rare Fresh Meat
Saddle
Snow Leopard Saddle — unlocks at a high Awareness level
Non-Rideable
Other Tamable Animals
Several animals cannot be ridden but provide useful resources, automation, or combat support.
📋 Non-Mount Animals
All other tamable creatures and their purposes
| Animal | Trap | Bait | Structure | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Small Trap | Corn Flour | Turkey Coop | Produces eggs, feathers, and meat |
| Monkey | Small Trap | Fruit, Nuts | Monkey Storage Nest | Passively gathers fruit from nearby trees |
| Parrot | Small Trap | Corn | Parrot Rack | Early warning system — squawks when enemies or barbarians approach |
| Capybara | Medium Trap | Pumpkin, Fruit | Capybara Pen | Companion animal |
| Boar | Medium Trap | Various foods | Pen | All-purpose animal with high environmental resistances |
| Donkey | Medium Trap | Figs | Pen | High carry weight, found in desert areas |
| Camel | Medium Trap | — | Pen | Good for long desert travel |
| Rhino | Medium / Large Trap | — | Pen | Combat animal, found in Shifting Sands desert |
| Tortoise | Hatch from eggs | — | Pen | Found in basins, hatch from collected eggs |
Craft & Equip
Saddles & Riding
Each mount type requires a specific saddle crafted at the Workbench. Saddles unlock as you progress your Awareness Strength.
🔧 Saddle Recipes
Materials required to craft each saddle
| Saddle | Materials | Awareness Level |
|---|---|---|
| Alpaca Saddle | 15 Leather + 10 Leather Ropes + 10 Coarse Cotton | 15 |
| Llama Saddle | 20 Leather + 10 Leather Ropes + 15 Coarse Cotton + 10 Thin Ropes | 15 |
| Panther Saddle (Jaguar) | 20 Leather + 10 Leather Ropes + 10 Fine Cotton + 5 Bronze Ingots | 25 |
| Ostrich Saddle | — | 30+ |
| Snow Leopard Saddle | — | High |
⬆️ Llama Saddle Upgrades
Expand your llama's utility
| Upgrade | Effect |
|---|---|
| Extended Seat Cushion | Allows the Llama to carry an unconscious barbarian |
| Wicker Basket | Allows the Llama to carry up to 4 small animals |
⭐ Saddle Rarity
Better saddles mean better stats
Like animals, saddles also have rarity tiers (White → Green → Blue → Purple → Yellow → Orange/Red). Higher-rarity saddles provide better stat bonuses including improved speed, stamina regen, and carry capacity. Always craft or find the best saddle rarity you can for your primary mounts.
🎮 How to Equip and Ride
- Craft the correct saddle for your mount at the Workbench
- Open your inventory and drag the saddle onto the animal's saddle slot
- Approach the mount and press E to mount up
- Use W/A/S/D to move, Shift to dash (consumes stamina)
- Press Space to dismount
- The mount's stamina bar appears above its health bar while riding
- If stamina runs out during a dash, the mount slows until stamina recovers
Pro Advice
Tips & Strategy
Maximise your taming efficiency and choose the right mount for every situation.
Start with Alpaca or Llama from Camps
The fastest way to get your first mount is to raid a Barbarian Barracks and pick up a baby Alpaca or Llama from a cage. No traps, no bait — just kill the guards, grab the baby, and walk home. This can be done very early in the game.
Build Pens Before Capturing
Always construct your animal pen or coop before you go hunting for babies. A baby needs food and water immediately upon arrival. If you have no pen ready, the baby will not survive. Check the Building Workshop for pen walls, gates, feeding troughs, and water troughs.
Scanner is Essential
Press Q constantly while exploring. The Scanner reveals baby animals, their rarity tier, animal tracks (needed for Jaguar/Snow Leopard), and barbarian cages holding captives. Without the Scanner you will miss most capture opportunities.
Best Mount for Speed: Jaguar
Jaguars have Very Fast dash speed and are the best choice for covering large distances quickly. Their fast swim speed also lets them cross rivers without slowing down. Snow Leopards are similar but found in endgame zones.
Best Mount for Carrying: Llama
With 800-1100 carry weight, the Llama is unmatched for hauling resources. It is very slow, so use it for point-to-point resource transport rather than exploration. Equip the Wicker Basket upgrade to carry small animals too.
Best Mount for Desert: Ostrich
The Ostrich's high radiation resistance makes it ideal for desert travel and contaminated zones. Its gliding ability and 95% fall damage reduction let you traverse rugged terrain safely. The Ostrich is also tied with Jaguar for fastest dash speed.
Ostrich Gliding Mechanics
When sprinting on an Ostrich, press jump to glide short distances. This can cross gaps, clear obstacles, and reduce fall damage. Practice the timing — a well-timed glide saves huge amounts of time in mountainous terrain.
Animal Quality Affects Everything
Always check the rarity tier of a baby before capturing. A Purple or Yellow animal will grow significantly larger and stronger than a White or Green one of the same species. Do not settle for low-rarity animals if you can wait for a better spawn.
Breeding: Keep Males and Females
Keep at least one male and one female of each species in your pens. This lets you breed them for offspring, allowing you to selectively breed for higher rarity tiers and better stats over time.
Automate Feeding and Watering
Build a Feeding Trough and Water Trough near your pens. Fill them with bulk food and water — your animals will feed themselves automatically. This is essential if you plan to raise multiple animals or leave your base for extended periods.