Palworld: Enable PvP

Introduction

Palworld includes a PvP mode that allows players to fight each other and changes how base combat and guild interaction work on your server. In this guide, you will learn how to manually enable PvP by editing the correct configuration file in the ZAP-Hosting game server administration and applying the required settings.

Trial Feature Notice

PvP in Palworld is considered a trial feature by the game developer. Configuration options and gameplay behavior may change in future game updates.

Preparation

Before you start, make sure that:

• You have access to your Palworld game server in the ZAP-Hosting web interface
• Your server is currently stopped or can be restarted after the changes
• You understand that PvP changes gameplay significantly, especially around player combat, base defense, and item loss on death

Configuration Access

For ZAP-Hosting Palworld servers, the relevant configuration file can be accessed through your game server administration under Configs.

Open the Palworld Configuration File

To enable PvP, you need to edit the PalWorldSettings.ini file.

Find the file in the ZAP-Hosting interface

1. Log in to the ZAP-Hosting web interface.
2. Open your Palworld game server.
3. Navigate to Configs in the game server administration.
4. Open the file PalWorldSettings.ini.

Configuration Format

Palworld server settings are typically stored inside the OptionSettings=(...) section in PalWorldSettings.ini. You need to add or adjust the required keys inside that settings block.

Enable the Required PvP Settings

To activate PvP, you must ensure that the following three settings are set to True in PalWorldSettings.ini.

Required PvP keys

Setting	Required value	Description
bIsPvP	True	Enables PvP mode on the server
bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage	True	Allows direct player-to-player damage
bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer	True	Allows defensive interaction involving other guild players

Example configuration

Add these values to your OptionSettings=(...) line, or change the existing values if they are already present:

bIsPvP=True,
bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage=True,
bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer=True

Avoid Duplicate Keys

If a setting already exists in PalWorldSettings.ini, edit the existing value instead of adding the same key a second time. Duplicate entries can cause unexpected behavior or make troubleshooting harder.

Recommended PvP Settings

Once PvP is enabled, you can also adjust additional settings for a more balanced PvP game experience. The following values are commonly recommended for PvP-focused servers.

Suggested values

Setting	Recommended value	Description
bAllowEnhanceStat_Health	False	Prevents HP stat allocation
bAllowEnhanceStat_Attack	False	Prevents Attack stat allocation
bEnableFastTravel	True	Keeps fast travel enabled
bEnableFastTravelOnlyBaseCamp	True	Limits fast travel to base camps
bExistPlayerAfterLogout	True	Keeps players in the world after logout
bEnableAimAssistPad	False	Disables controller aim assist
DeathPenalty	All	Drops all items and Pals on death
bCanPickupOtherGuildDeathPenaltyDrop	True	Allows looting other players' dropped items
bInvisibleOtherGuildBaseCampAreaFX	False	Shows other guild base areas
bBuildAreaLimit	True	Helps prevent building in restricted areas
GuildPlayerMaxNum	4	Limits guild size
BaseCampMaxNumInGuild	2	Limits base count per guild
MaxBuildingLimitNum	1000	Limits structures per player
GuildRejoinCooldownMinutes	60	Sets guild rejoin cooldown
BlockRespawnTime	5.0	Sets base respawn delay
RespawnPenaltyDurationThreshold	1800.0	Time before respawn penalty resets
RespawnPenaltyTimeScale	2.0	Multiplies respawn penalty after repeated deaths

Example PvP settings block

If you want to use the recommended PvP values, include the following entries in your OptionSettings=(...) section:

bAllowEnhanceStat_Health=False,
bAllowEnhanceStat_Attack=False,
bEnableFastTravel=True,
bEnableFastTravelOnlyBaseCamp=True,
bExistPlayerAfterLogout=True,
bEnableAimAssistPad=False,
DeathPenalty=All,
bCanPickupOtherGuildDeathPenaltyDrop=True,
bInvisibleOtherGuildBaseCampAreaFX=False,
bBuildAreaLimit=True,
GuildPlayerMaxNum=4,
BaseCampMaxNumInGuild=2,
MaxBuildingLimitNum=1000,
GuildRejoinCooldownMinutes=60,
BlockRespawnTime=5.0,
RespawnPenaltyDurationThreshold=1800.0,
RespawnPenaltyTimeScale=2.0

Optional PvP Restrictions and Rewards

Depending on how competitive you want your PvP server to be, you can also configure technology restrictions and PvP rewards.

Restrict fast-movement technologies

You can restrict certain movement-related technologies by setting DenyTechnologyList.

Setting	Example value
DenyTechnologyList	SkillUnlock_JetDragon,SkillUnlock_IceHorse,SkillUnlock_IceHorse_Dark,SkillUnlock_SaintCentaur,SkillUnlock_BlackCentaur,SkillUnlock_DarkMechaDragon,SkillUnlock_PoseidonOrca,GrapplingGun,GrapplingGun2,GrapplingGun3,GrapplingGun4,GrapplingGun5

Example entry:

DenyTechnologyList="SkillUnlock_JetDragon,SkillUnlock_IceHorse,SkillUnlock_IceHorse_Dark,SkillUnlock_SaintCentaur,SkillUnlock_BlackCentaur,SkillUnlock_DarkMechaDragon,SkillUnlock_PoseidonOrca,GrapplingGun,GrapplingGun2,GrapplingGun3,GrapplingGun4,GrapplingGun5"

Verify Existing Syntax

Palworld configuration formatting can vary depending on the current server version and how the existing OptionSettings=(...) line is structured. Before saving, make sure your entry matches the syntax style already used in your file.

Configure PvP reward drops

Palworld also includes PvP-related reward options for player kills.

Setting	Description
bAdditionalDropItemWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode	Enables additional item drops on PvP kills
AdditionalDropItemWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode	Defines the item ID to drop
AdditionalDropItemNumWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode	Sets the drop quantity
bDisplayPvPItemNumOnWorldMap_BaseCamp	Shows PvP item counts on the world map for bases
bDisplayPvPItemNumOnWorldMap_Player	Shows PvP item counts on the world map for players

Example configuration:

bAdditionalDropItemWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode=True,
AdditionalDropItemWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode=PlayerDropItem,
AdditionalDropItemNumWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode=1,
bDisplayPvPItemNumOnWorldMap_BaseCamp=True,
bDisplayPvPItemNumOnWorldMap_Player=True

Item ID Compatibility

If you use a custom value for AdditionalDropItemWhenPlayerKillingInPvPMode, make sure the item ID is valid for your current Palworld version. Invalid item identifiers may cause the setting to fail or be ignored.

What Changes When PvP Is Enabled

After enabling PvP, gameplay on your server changes in several important ways. Based on current publicly available Palworld PvP guidance, you can generally expect the following behavior:

• Players can damage each other
• Entering another player's base can cause their base Pals to become hostile
• Flying players and mounted Pals may take increased damage
• Summoned Pals and base Pals may take reduced damage
• Players may be able to access chests owned by other guilds
• Melee weapon damage against other players' structures may be reduced
• Base Pals may defend across a larger area
• The allowed distance between neighboring bases may increase
• Players may receive notifications when their base is under attack
• Building and repairing may be restricted during a base attack
• Some weapons may have modified range or damage values in PvP mode

Gameplay Impact Warning

Enabling PvP can significantly change progression, base security, and player retention on your server. If you run a public server, it is recommended to inform your players before applying these changes.

Save the File and Restart the Server

After you finish editing PalWorldSettings.ini, save the file in the ZAP-Hosting Configs area.

Apply the changes

To activate the new PvP settings:

1. Save the changes in PalWorldSettings.ini.
2. Restart your Palworld server from the ZAP-Hosting game server administration.

A restart is required for the configuration changes to take effect.

No Additional Command Required

No extra in-game or console command is normally required after editing PalWorldSettings.ini. A full server restart is the required step to apply the new PvP configuration.

Verify That PvP Is Active

After the server restarts, join the server and test the behavior in-game.

Basic checks

You can verify the setup by checking whether:

• Players can damage each other
• PvP-related base behavior is active
• Death penalties and loot rules match your configured values
• Optional restrictions such as DenyTechnologyList are working as expected

If the changes do not apply, reopen PalWorldSettings.ini and check for:

• Misspelled setting names
• Duplicate keys
• Incorrect commas or formatting inside OptionSettings=(...)
• Values that were not saved correctly before restart

Conclusion

Congratulations, you have successfully enabled PvP on your Palworld server. For further questions or assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our support team, which is available daily to assist you!