Palworld PvP Server Settings: Enable PvP, Damage and Death Penalty
To turn on PvP in Palworld, set bIsPvP=True in PalWorldSettings.ini, save and restart. A few related settings decide how much damage players deal each other, whether friendly fire is on, what you lose when you die and how big guilds can get. On ChicagoServers you edit them on the Configs tab under World settings (PalWorldSettings.ini).
This guide covers the PvP-related settings, which ones are fully documented and which are not, and how to build a casual or hardcore setup. It was checked on 2026-11-15 against the official Palworld server documentation and the community PalWorldSettings.ini reference. The official page lists bIsPvP but not every PvP key, so for the others this guide says what the community reference reports, and you should confirm them in the DefaultPalWorldSettings.ini file that ships with your version (1.0.4 at the time of checking).
bIsPvP=Trueturns PvP on. The community reference lists the default asFalse.bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamageandbEnableFriendlyFireare listed in the community reference with a default ofFalse. They are not on the official page, so check that your default file has them.DeathPenaltyacceptsNone,Item,ItemAndEquipmentandAll. Use it to set how harsh dying is.PlayerDamageRateAttackandPlayerDamageRateDefenseare multipliers.1.0is normal.- Edit the single
OptionSettings=(...)line carefully, click Save, then Restart. A formatting error can make the server fall back to defaults.
On this page
Turn PvP on
- Open the settings file
Sign in at panel.chicagoservers.co, open your server, go to the Configs tab and pick World settings (PalWorldSettings.ini). Back up first with Back up now on the Backups tab.
- Edit the OptionSettings line
Everything is on one long line, comma separated. Change the value of
bIsPvPand leave the punctuation alone.bIsPvP=True - Save and restart
Click Save, then Restart at the top of the page. Settings are read when the game starts.
- Test with a friend
Join with two players and confirm they can hurt each other in the way you expect before you open the server to everyone.
PvP settings reference
| Setting | What it does | Listed default | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
bIsPvP | Enables PvP. | False | Official docs and community reference |
bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage | Controls whether players can damage each other. | False | Community reference only |
bEnableFriendlyFire | Controls friendly fire. | False | Community reference only |
bCanPickupOtherGuildDeathPenaltyDrop | Lets players pick up items dropped on death by members of other guilds. | False | Community reference only |
DeathPenalty | What is lost on death: None drops nothing, Item drops all items except equipment, ItemAndEquipment drops all items, and All adds your team's Pals. | All in the community reference | Official docs for the values |
PlayerDamageRateAttack | Multiplier for damage players deal. | 1.000000 | Official docs and community reference |
PlayerDamageRateDefense | Multiplier for damage players take. | 1.000000 | Community reference |
PalDamageRateAttack | Multiplier for damage Pals deal. | 1.000000 | Official docs and community reference |
PalDamageRateDefense | Multiplier for damage Pals take. | 1.000000 | Community reference |
GuildPlayerMaxNum | Maximum players in a guild. | 20 | Official docs and community reference |
BaseCampMaxNum | Maximum number of bases on the server. | not stated | Official docs |
bBuildAreaLimit | Blocks building near structures such as fast-travel points. | not stated | Official docs |
bAutoResetGuildNoOnlinePlayers | Deletes a guild's structures and base Pals if no member logs in for the time below. | False | Official docs and community reference |
AutoResetGuildTimeNoOnlinePlayers | How long a guild can be offline before that happens. Has no effect if the setting above is False. | 72.000000 | Official docs and community reference |
Two more keys, bEnableDefenseOtherGuildPlayer and bEnableNonLoginPenalty, appear in the community reference with no description. Do not change a setting you cannot explain.
Setups for different kinds of PvP server
| Style | Settings to consider |
|---|---|
| Co-op with duels | bIsPvP=False and the rest at default. |
| Casual PvP | bIsPvP=True, DeathPenalty=Item or None, and PlayerDamageRateAttack a little below 1.0 so fights last longer. |
| Competitive PvP | bIsPvP=True, DeathPenalty=ItemAndEquipment, normal damage rates and a modest GuildPlayerMaxNum so large guilds cannot dominate. |
| Hardcore | DeathPenalty=All, which includes your team's Pals, plus bCanPickupOtherGuildDeathPenaltyDrop=True if you want players to loot each other. Tell your community clearly first. |
Guild size and inactive guilds
Guild size is the main balance lever on a PvP server. A small GuildPlayerMaxNum makes it harder for one big group to steamroll everyone. BaseCampMaxNum caps the number of bases on the world, and the official docs note that more bases and more workers per base (BaseCampWorkerMaxNum, capped at 50) increase processing load, so keep your limits realistic.
To clear out abandoned bases, set bAutoResetGuildNoOnlinePlayers=True and choose AutoResetGuildTimeNoOnlinePlayers in hours. The official docs say the structures and base Pals of an inactive guild are deleted. Pick a long period, such as one that covers a holiday, so nobody returns to nothing.
Safe way to change PvP settings
- Take a backup on the Backups tab and star it.
- Change one group of settings, for example damage multipliers.
- Save, restart and test with two players.
- Write down the values you used so you can roll back.
- Announce the rules in your Discord before a wipe or a big change.
Problems and fixes
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| PvP is still off | You did not Save and Restart, or the OptionSettings line has a formatting error so the server fell back to defaults. |
| Players cannot damage each other | bIsPvP is on but bEnablePlayerToPlayerDamage is off, if your version has that key. |
| Settings reset on restart | A WorldOption.sav in the world folder overrides the ini, or you edited a value the panel controls, such as passwords, on the file instead of the Startup tab. |
| A key is not in my file | It is not in your version's default file. Do not add keys you cannot confirm. |
| Players lost everything | Check DeathPenalty. All includes the team's Pals. |
| Server lags with many bases | Lower BaseCampMaxNum and workers per base. See lag and crash fixes. |
For admin tools to kick or ban rule-breakers, see the Palworld admin commands guide. Ready to host? See Palworld server hosting.
Frequently asked questions
How do I enable PvP on a Palworld server?
Set bIsPvP=True in PalWorldSettings.ini. On ChicagoServers, open the Configs tab, pick World settings (PalWorldSettings.ini), edit the value, click Save and Restart.
What does DeathPenalty do in Palworld?
It sets what drops when a player dies. None drops nothing, Item drops all items except equipment, ItemAndEquipment drops all items, and All also drops your team's Pals.
How do I reduce player damage in Palworld PvP?
Set PlayerDamageRateAttack below 1.0, which is a multiplier for damage players deal. PlayerDamageRateDefense is the multiplier for damage players take.
How many players can be in a Palworld guild?
GuildPlayerMaxNum sets the maximum. The community reference lists 20 as the default.
What happens to inactive guilds in Palworld?
If bAutoResetGuildNoOnlinePlayers is on, a guild with no members online for AutoResetGuildTimeNoOnlinePlayers loses its structures and base Pals. It is off by default.
Why are my Palworld PvP settings not applying?
Usually the server was not restarted after saving, the OptionSettings line has a formatting error, or a WorldOption.sav file in the world folder overrides the ini.