Palworld Server Settings 2026: Sakurajima + Tower of Mercy Configs
Update May 2026: Palworld’s server-settings catalogue has expanded across two major updates: Sakurajima (mid-2025) added new tuneables for the Sakurajima island, and Tower of Mercy (early 2026) introduced raid-difficulty scaling settings. This guide covers the current PalWorldSettings.ini options as of V1.0+/Tower of Mercy era, with realistic tuning suggestions for small / medium / large groups.
Where the Settings Live
For a dedicated server, the master config file is at:
- Windows:
Pal\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\PalWorldSettings.ini - Linux:
Pal/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/PalWorldSettings.ini
The OptionSettings line at the top of the file holds all the comma-separated tunables. Edit, save, restart the server.
Core Group-Size Settings
| Setting | Default | Realistic 4-player | Realistic 16-player | Realistic 32-player |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ServerPlayerMaxNum | 32 | 4 | 16 | 32 |
| ServerName | generic | your group’s name | same | same |
| ServerDescription | blank | note your rules | same | same |
| AdminPassword | blank | strong password | strong | strong |
| ServerPassword | blank | set if private | set if private | often public |
| RCONEnabled | false | true (admin convenience) | true | true |
Pal Behavior & Capture Tuning
| Setting | Default | Casual | Hardcore |
|---|---|---|---|
| PalCaptureRate | 1.0 | 1.5-2.0 (faster catches) | 1.0 (default difficulty) |
| PalSpawnNumRate | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0-2.0 (more pals around) |
| PalDamageRateAttack | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 for harder fights |
| PalDamageRateDefense | 1.0 | 1.5 (less death) | 1.0 |
| PalAutoHPRegeneRate | 1.0 | 1.5 (faster heals) | 1.0 |
| PalAutoHpRegeneRateInSleep | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
Player & Combat Tuning
| Setting | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PlayerDamageRateAttack | 1.0 | 1.5 for casual; 0.8 for hardcore |
| PlayerDamageRateDefense | 1.0 | 1.5 reduces deaths in casual; 1.0 for hardcore |
| PlayerStomachDecreaseRate | 1.0 | 0.5 for less micromanagement |
| PlayerStaminaDecreaseRate | 1.0 | 0.7 if your group hates stamina drain |
| PlayerAutoHPRegeneRate | 1.0 | 1.5 for casual |
| DeathPenalty | All | None / Item / ItemAndEquipment / All — pick based on group difficulty preference |
Resource & Crafting Multipliers
| Setting | Default | Casual | Hardcore |
|---|---|---|---|
| CollectionDropRate | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 |
| CollectionObjectHpRate | 1.0 | 0.5 (faster harvest) | 1.0 |
| CollectionObjectRespawnSpeedRate | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| EnemyDropItemRate | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| WorkSpeedRate | 1.0 | 1.5 (faster Pal work) | 1.0 |
| ExpRate | 1.0 | 1.5-2.0 | 1.0 |
Day / Night Cycle
| Setting | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DayTimeSpeedRate | 1.0 | 0.5 = longer days; 2.0 = faster cycle |
| NightTimeSpeedRate | 1.0 | 2.0 = shorter nights (less hostile encounters) |
| ExpRate | 1.0 | see Resource section |
Sakurajima & Tower of Mercy-Era Settings
The 2025 Sakurajima patch and the 2026 Tower of Mercy patch added tuneables not in the original V0.x docs:
- SakurajimaContentEnabled — toggle the Sakurajima island. Default: true. Set false if your community is still on V0.x progression.
- RaidDifficultyRate — introduced with Tower of Mercy. 0.5 for casual raid bosses; 1.5 for hardcore.
- RaidEnemyHpRate — raid-specific HP scaling.
- BellanoirEncountersEnabled — toggle Bellanoir-line raid bosses (Tower of Mercy content).
- TowerOfMercyContentEnabled — master toggle for the patch’s content.
Backup & Save Settings
| Setting | Default | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| AutoSaveSpan | 30 (seconds) | 30 for active groups; 60 if disk I/O is bottlenecked |
| EnableInvaderEnemy | true | false for purely peaceful runs |
| EnablePlayerToPlayerDamage | false | true for PvP servers |
| EnableFriendlyFire | false | true for hardcore PvE+PvP groups |
| EnableInvaderEnemy | true | true for default; false for ultra-casual |
Recommended Profiles for Common Group Types
4-Player Casual / First Run
PalCaptureRate=1.5, ExpRate=1.5, CollectionDropRate=1.5, PlayerAutoHPRegeneRate=1.5, DeathPenalty=Item
16-Player Modded / Mid-Hardcore
PalCaptureRate=1.0, ExpRate=1.0, RaidDifficultyRate=1.0, DeathPenalty=ItemAndEquipment, EnablePlayerToPlayerDamage=true (with rules)
32-Player Open / Public
PalCaptureRate=1.0, ExpRate=1.0, ServerPassword=blank, EnableInvaderEnemy=true, RaidDifficultyRate=1.0
Common Mistakes
- Editing the wrong file. Linux uses LinuxServer subdirectory, Windows uses WindowsServer. Edit the matching one.
- Restart required. Settings don’t apply until full server restart.
- OptionSettings line is one-liner. Don’t break it across multiple lines — the parser reads it as a single comma-separated list.
- Backup before bulk changes. Mistype a value, the server fails to boot. Save the .ini before edits.
- Sakurajima/Tower of Mercy options need server on the matching version. If your server is V0.x, those settings are ignored.
Bottom Line
The PalWorldSettings.ini surface area has roughly doubled since launch. Pick a difficulty profile, set the multipliers, and tune one section at a time. Don’t change everything at once.
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