Multiplayer Optimization

Multiplayer Optimization

Running a smooth Palworld multiplayer server requires balancing gameplay features against server performance. More players, more Pals, and bigger bases all demand more CPU and memory. This guide provides recommended settings for different group sizes and explains which configuration options have the biggest impact on performance.

How Palworld Uses Server Resources

Understanding what drives server load helps you make informed optimization decisions:

• RAM is the primary bottleneck. Every loaded entity (Pals, players, structures, items) consumes memory. Palworld also has known memory leak issues that cause usage to grow over time.
• CPU handles game logic — combat calculations, Pal AI, pathfinding, crafting timers, and physics. More complex bases with more working Pals demand more CPU.
• Disk I/O matters during saves. Large worlds with extensive player builds create bigger save files, and the periodic auto-save can cause brief lag spikes if the disk is slow.

Recommended Settings by Player Count

Small Group (2-4 Players) — Assembly Line (10 GB)

A small group of friends has the most flexibility. You can run generous settings without performance concerns:

ServerPlayerMaxNum=8
BaseCampMaxNum=3
BaseCampWorkerMaxNum=15
PalSpawnNumRate=1.0

With only a few players, the server has plenty of headroom. You can comfortably use default or even elevated spawn rates and base limits. Set ServerPlayerMaxNum slightly higher than your actual group size to allow for guests.

Medium Group (5-10 Players) — The Syndicate (16 GB)

Once you pass 4-5 regular players, optimization starts to matter:

ServerPlayerMaxNum=16
BaseCampMaxNum=2
BaseCampWorkerMaxNum=15
PalSpawnNumRate=1.0

Reducing BaseCampMaxNum from 3 to 2 per guild keeps the total number of active bases manageable. With 5-10 players potentially split across multiple guilds, each with 2-3 bases running 15 workers each, the entity count climbs quickly.

Large Group (10-20 Players) — The Syndicate (16 GB)

Larger groups need tighter limits to keep things smooth:

ServerPlayerMaxNum=20
BaseCampMaxNum=2
BaseCampWorkerMaxNum=10
PalSpawnNumRate=0.8

Lowering BaseCampWorkerMaxNum to 10 significantly reduces the number of Pal AI calculations happening simultaneously. Dropping PalSpawnNumRate to 0.8 slightly reduces wild Pal density, which saves memory and CPU without noticeably impacting gameplay.

Community Server (20+ Players) — The Syndicate (16 GB)

Running a public or large community server requires the most aggressive optimization:

ServerPlayerMaxNum=32
BaseCampMaxNum=1
BaseCampWorkerMaxNum=8
PalSpawnNumRate=0.7

At this scale, every base and every working Pal adds up. Limiting guilds to 1 base camp with 8 workers is a practical trade-off that keeps the server playable for everyone. Communicate these limits to your community so players understand the constraints.

Key Settings That Impact Performance

Base Camp Limits

BaseCampMaxNum — Number of base camps per guild. Each active base camp loads all its structures, working Pals, and stored items into memory. This is the single most impactful setting for server performance.

• 1 base per guild: Best performance, suits large servers
• 2 bases per guild: Good balance for medium groups
• 3 bases per guild: Default, fine for small groups

BaseCampWorkerMaxNum — Maximum Pals working at each base. Working Pals run AI routines constantly — pathfinding to tasks, executing work actions, returning to rest. Each worker adds meaningful CPU and memory load.

• 8 workers: Conservative, good for large servers
• 10 workers: Balanced for medium groups
• 15 workers: Default, fine for small groups
• 20: Only recommended for very small groups on The Syndicate plan

Wild Pal Spawns

PalSpawnNumRate — Controls the density of wild Pals in the world. Each spawned Pal is an active entity with AI that consumes resources.

• 0.7: Reduced density, good for large servers
• 0.8: Slight reduction, barely noticeable in gameplay
• 1.0: Default density
• Values above 1.0: Not recommended for multiplayer optimization

Render and Interaction Distance

Palworld does not expose a direct “render distance” server setting in the same way some games do. The server handles entity loading based on player positions. However, you can influence the effective load by:

• Encouraging players to spread out their bases rather than clustering them in one area
• Avoiding situations where many players congregate in a single base with many active Pals

When multiple players are in the same area with many entities, the server must process all those entities simultaneously, which causes the heaviest load.

Scheduled Restarts Are Essential

Regardless of your player count, scheduled automatic restarts are the most important optimization for Palworld servers. Memory usage grows continuously during operation due to known leaks in the server software.

Set up at least one daily restart:

1. Go to Schedules in your panel at Dashboard
2. Create a schedule for a low-traffic time (e.g., 4:00 AM)
3. Add a Restart task
4. Enable the schedule

For servers with heavy usage (10+ concurrent players regularly), restart every 8-12 hours. For very active community servers, every 6 hours is not unreasonable.

Tip: Add a second task before the restart that sends a broadcast message warning players. Use a Send Command task with a 5-minute delay before the restart task.

Monitoring Performance

Keep an eye on your server’s resource usage through the panel:

• RAM usage: If consistently above 85%, consider tightening settings or scheduling more frequent restarts. If it regularly hits the cap, upgrade to a higher plan.
• CPU usage: Occasional spikes are normal (during saves, when many players are fighting). Sustained high CPU usually means too many entities are active.
• Disk usage: Monitor this as your world grows. Large bases with many structures increase save file sizes over time.

Communicating Limits to Players

If you run a community server, set clear expectations:

• Post the server rules and limits in your Discord or community hub
• Explain why base limits exist — it is about keeping the game smooth for everyone
• Encourage players to consolidate into guilds rather than having many solo players each with their own bases
• Ask players to release Pals they are not using rather than hoarding them at bases

A well-communicated optimization strategy keeps your community happy because everyone benefits from stable performance.

Quick Reference Table

Setting	Small (2-4)	Medium (5-10)	Large (10-20)	Community (20+)
Plan	Assembly Line	The Syndicate	The Syndicate	The Syndicate
MaxPlayers	8	16	20	32
BaseCampMaxNum	3	2	2	1
WorkerMaxNum	15	15	10	8
PalSpawnNumRate	1.0	1.0	0.8	0.7
Restart Frequency	Daily	Daily	Every 12h	Every 6-8h

These are starting points. Monitor your server’s performance and adjust as needed. Every community plays differently, and the right settings depend on how your players actually use the server.