Best ARK Server Settings for PvE and PvP

Overview

Running an ARK: Survival Evolved server gives you control over how dangerous, grindy, relaxed, or chaotic the island feels. You can make dinosaurs hit harder, speed up player progression, adjust resource flow, or build a server that is mostly about exploration and construction. The tricky part is that ARK exposes a lot of settings, and a few misplaced values can turn a fun server into a math problem with teeth.

This guide covers the main server types, where to edit settings, and which kinds of values work best for PvE and PvP servers.

Choose a Server Style

ARK servers usually fall into two broad categories: PvE and PvP.

PvE, or Player versus Environment, prevents players from fighting each other directly. This is a good fit for communities focused on building, taming, boss progression, trading, or cooperative survival. The main threats come from creatures, weather, caves, and the questionable decision to punch a raptor at level 3.

PvP, or Player versus Player, allows combat between players as well as against creatures. This style is more competitive and usually rewards faster progression, higher gathering rates, and settings that help players recover after raids or losses. It can be exciting, but it also needs careful balancing so new players do not feel flattened before they have a thatch roof.

Neither option is automatically better. PvE works well for slower community play, while PvP is better for conflict, raiding, and high-risk progression. Your settings should support the type of server you actually want to run.

Where to Edit ARK Settings

Before changing values, make sure you know where the configuration file is and how changes are applied. ARK commonly stores many gameplay options in `GameUserSettings.ini`, under the `[ServerSettings]` section.

1. Open your HolyHosting server panel and select the correct server profile.

1. Go to the configuration or file management area, then open the ARK server configuration file for `GameUserSettings.ini`.

1. Add or edit the values under `[ServerSettings]`. Keep spelling and capitalization consistent, since ARK settings are not very forgiving.

1. Save the file, then restart the server from the main panel so the new values load.

If you are making several changes at once, keep a copy of the previous values somewhere safe. That makes it much easier to undo a setting that sounded clever before it created flying metal bases or harmless gigas.

Recommended PvE Settings Approach

For PvE servers, the best setup usually slows progression slightly while making creature encounters more meaningful. Players should still feel rewarded for exploring, taming, crafting, and fighting, but not reach endgame gear so quickly that the map feels finished after one weekend.

Good PvE settings often focus on:

• Slightly stronger creature damage, so wild dinos stay threatening.
• Balanced player XP, so leveling feels steady instead of instant.
• Moderate harvesting rates, so building is comfortable without removing all effort.
• Useful loot rewards, especially from dangerous creatures and drops.
• Structure damage values that keep bases practical without making them invincible.

This kind of setup works well for cooperative groups that want longer campaigns. Boss preparation, breeding, cave runs, and resource routes all matter more when progression has some weight behind it. If the server feels too slow, increase harvesting or XP in small steps instead of doubling every value at once.

Recommended PvP Settings Approach

PvP servers usually benefit from faster pacing. Players need to replace gear, rebuild bases, tame creatures, and unlock engrams quickly enough that losses do not end their entire playthrough. The goal is not to remove consequences, but to keep the server active after fights happen.

Useful PvP adjustments often include:

• Higher XP rates for faster access to core engrams.
• Increased harvesting so players can build and repair bases quickly.
• Faster taming or breeding to reduce downtime after losses.
• Creature damage that remains dangerous but does not make early play miserable.
• Settings that encourage raids and defense without making either side pointless.

PvP balance is sensitive. If gathering is too low, players may quit after losing a base. If it is too high, raids become constant and disposable. Start with moderate boosts, watch how players behave, then adjust based on actual server activity.

Troubleshooting Settings

If settings do not apply, confirm that the file was saved and the server was restarted afterward. Also check that each option is placed under `[ServerSettings]` and that the value format is correct. A missing character, wrong number type, or copied setting in the wrong section can cause ARK to ignore the change.

If edits still refuse to work, stop the server before changing the file, save again, then start it back up. This helps prevent the game from overwriting your edits while it shuts down.

When the server feels too easy or too difficult, adjust one area at a time. For example, `DinoDamageMultiplier` changes how much damage creatures deal, while harvesting and XP multipliers affect progression speed. Changing five systems at once makes it harder to tell which value caused the problem.

You can also remove custom settings to let ARK return to default behavior. This is useful when you only want to tune a few important parts of gameplay instead of managing every possible option.

Useful Next Steps

After choosing a baseline, test the server with real gameplay. Try early leveling, resource gathering, taming, base building, and combat before inviting a larger group. PvE and PvP both depend on pacing, and the best settings are the ones that match how your players actually use the server.