Palworld Server Settings Guide: World Progression, Difficulty, and Encounters
Palworld is a survival game where you can shape your world, including the server configuration that controls how players experience progression, difficulty, and Pal encounters. To begin, open the main menu and either create a new world or choose your existing one. If you’re modifying an already-made world, pick the option to change world settings at the bottom of the screen after selecting that world. From there, find “Custom Difficulty” and switch to “Custom Settings.”
Checklists
Your “best server settings” depend on the vibe you want to play with. Below are several ready-to-tune setups, each built around a different style of challenge. Use them as a baseline, then adjust further if you already know what you like.
Casual+
The Casual preset gives you a strong starting point for farming XP and moving forward quickly. If you want that momentum but with fewer friction points, you can tweak things so the game is not only faster, but also easier. Start by selecting the Casual preset, then apply the adjustments shown in the table referenced by the guide. The goal is an experience that’s especially friendly for newcomers or players coming straight from Pokemon.
Chill Vibes
If your goal is a smoother run with less busywork, the settings below are meant to reduce the constant pressure from survival mechanics. You won’t have to worry as much (much) about hunger, durability, and similar systems. Begin with the Casual or Normal preset, then adjust the settings listed below.
Casual+ Random
This setup blends the relaxed feel of Casual+ with the unpredictability of Random mode. With these server settings, you can encounter any Pal from the start of the game, but the encounter levels stay locked so you don’t get overwhelmed instantly.
To set it up, begin with the Casual preset and then change the options according to the settings below.
If you want to go even further toward a “collect everything” playstyle, you can also reduce the damage-related settings. Doing so lets you and your Pals take almost no damage, making exploration and capturing far more free and stress-free.
Hard+
If you’re after a challenging experience with an element of randomness, Hard+ is the direction to take. Start by choosing the Hard difficulty preset, then adjust Random Pal Mode to “Randomize by Region.”
This choice changes where you encounter Pals, but those encounters still follow region rules. The result is chaos and difficulty without reaching the full level of disruption you’d see if you used the most extreme random option.
Play smart and you can use the added difficulty of random Pal locations to your advantage—for example, by tracking down powerful Pals earlier than you otherwise could at that point in the game.
If you want to push harder, you can switch to “Completely Random” instead of “Randomize by Region” and/or enable the setting that makes wild Pal levels fully random. Just be aware: these paths are riskier and demand more attention than the more controlled “by region” approach.
Hardcore+
Even if you can always force every setting to the extreme—maximum or minimum depending on what each option controls—the guide recommends sticking with the default Hardcore settings once you’re ready for that level of stress.
That said, there’s still room to make things even more difficult and chaotic after you’ve mastered Hardcore. You can add extra chaos by leveraging the surprise elements from random-related settings. Start with the Hardcore difficulty preset, then adjust the settings below.
Looking for even more Palworld Guides? Why not check out:
- 7 Things to Do First in Palworld
- Paldeck – Pals List
- Palworld Tips and Tricks
- Base Building Progression Guide
- Leveling Guide
Up Next: Palworld Feybreak Update
Top Guide Sections
- Palworld 1.0 Details and Patch Notes
- Watchtower Locations
- Palworld Walkthrough and Guide Hub
- Paldeck – Pals List
