On a Don’t Starve Together server, the most consistently reported way to let a player pick a different character is to despawn that player from the server console. First run c_listallplayers() to get the player’s console number, then run c_despawn(AllPlayers[n]), replacing n with that number. The player returns to character select and can choose again. Have them drop every item first: despawning removes the player’s carried items.
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What the command does
c_despawn removes the selected player from the current game session and sends that player back to the character-selection screen. It is the primary community-reported method for changing another person’s character on a Don’t Starve Together server. The command must be entered by an administrator with access to the dedicated server console.
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This is a community-verified procedure rather than a command documented in official Klei documentation. Command behavior can therefore vary with the game build, server setup, or shard arrangement. Test it on your build before using it in an important world.
Prepare the world before changing anyone
Back up the world
Create a current world backup before issuing a despawn command. A backup gives you a recovery point if the wrong player is selected, the command errors, or your server’s build behaves differently from the reports on which this procedure is based.
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Empty the player’s inventory
Ask the player to put every carried item on the ground before you run the command. The reported behavior is that despawning removes the player’s items. This includes equipment and anything in the player’s inventory, so do not use the command while the player is carrying irreplaceable resources unless you accept that loss.
Confirm console access
You need the server console, not merely the in-game scoreboard. On a dedicated server, run the command as an administrator. If you are hosting locally, use the host’s console or the console interface provided by your server setup. A regular player should not be expected to run this administrative command.
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Player numbers are supplied by the console command, not necessarily by the scoreboard. Ask everyone to remain connected long enough for you to identify the right entry, then enter:
c_listallplayers()The command lists each connected player’s number, name, and current character. Match the name in that output, and write down the number shown for that player. Do not assume the scoreboard’s order or number is interchangeable with the value returned by the console; community reports say they do not match in every situation.
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For example, if the console output identifies a player named Rowan with number 2, the target expression is AllPlayers[2]. The number is an index into the server’s player list, so copy it exactly as displayed rather than substituting a name.
Change another player’s character
- Back up the world. Keep the backup from immediately before the change.
- Have the target player drop all items. Move tools, clothing, resources, and other carried objects onto the ground where the group can retrieve them.
- List the connected players. Run
c_listallplayers()in the server console. - Identify the target number. Match the player’s name and note the number printed by the command.
- Despawning the target. Run
c_despawn(AllPlayers[n]), replacingnwith the number from the list. For a player listed as number 2, the complete command isc_despawn(AllPlayers[2]). - Wait for the character screen. The selected player should be returned to character select. They can choose a character and re-enter the world through the normal join flow.
Use the parentheses exactly as shown. The command is a function call, so omitting them can produce a Lua error instead of changing the player.
Change the host’s own character
If you are the host and want to repick your own character, the reported self-targeting form is:
c_despawn(ThePlayer)Run it from the host’s server console after placing your own items on the ground and making a backup. This form targets the player represented by ThePlayer, so it does not require you to look up your own entry with c_listallplayers().
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What the player should expect after despawning
A successful command does not silently transform the existing character in place. Instead, it returns that player to character selection. The player then chooses a replacement and joins again. Coordinate the change with the group: the player may be temporarily absent while selecting, and the items they dropped must remain undisturbed until they return.
Because the command removes the player from the active session, treat it as a reset of that player’s participation rather than a cosmetic edit. The world itself remains the same save, but the player’s former carried inventory is not preserved by the despawn operation.
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Troubleshoot a failed or ineffective command
The command reports a syntax or Lua error
Check that you used both opening and closing parentheses and that the player reference is inside them:
c_despawn(AllPlayers[2])Do not pass a bare name or an unwrapped number in place of the player object. Older forum discussions describe errors caused by incorrect call syntax, including a missing pair of parentheses.
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The server says an input variable is undefined
A Klei bug-tracker discussion reported that c_despawn could fail when a string or number was supplied because an input variable was undefined. That discussion was reportedly marked fixed in 2021, with a later hotfix said to include the correction. If a current server still produces this error, update to the latest build available for your installation, restart the server, and test the object form shown above rather than passing a raw name or number.
The wrong person is selected
Run c_listallplayers() again immediately before despawning. Player lists can change as people join or leave, and the scoreboard is not a reliable substitute for the console’s number. Match both the displayed name and character before executing the command.
The player does not return to character select
Confirm that you entered the command in the server console with administrator privileges and that the target is currently connected to that server instance. Check the console log for a syntax error, then reconnect the player and obtain a fresh list before trying again. Do not repeatedly target guessed numbers.
The command worked, but items are missing
This is the expected risk of the procedure, not necessarily a second failure. Despawning removes carried items; use the world backup if you need to restore the previous state. For future changes, make dropping the full inventory a mandatory preparation step.
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Caves, shards, and clustered servers
Multi-shard arrangements require extra care. A third-party guide reports that commands may need to be run separately for each shard, but this behavior was not confirmed by a primary source. If your world has caves or another multi-shard configuration, identify which shard currently contains the player and run the command in that shard’s console. If the player can move between shards, repeat the verification with c_listallplayers() on the relevant shard rather than assuming one console’s numbering applies everywhere.
Because shard handling is not established by an official command reference, make a backup and test with a disposable world or a volunteer account first. If the command affects one shard but not another, stop rather than issuing commands against guessed indices; verify the active shard and connected-player list with the server operator.
Other methods and why they are uncertain
Celestial Portal route
One guide describes an in-game route: place Portal Paraphernalia on the Florid Postern to create a Celestial Portal, then offer a Moon Rock Idol to return to character select. This route is not corroborated by multiple sources in the available evidence, so treat it as an unverified alternative rather than the standard server-administration method. It also requires the player to reach and use the necessary in-game objects before changing characters.
The portal route carries the same practical inventory concern: do not attempt it while the player is carrying items that must be kept. If you test it, use a backup and confirm the result on your specific build.
c_swapcharacter
c_swapcharacter appears in a command reference for the original Don’t Starve, where a save-and-quit is required for the change to apply. No source in the available evidence confirms that this command works on a Don’t Starve Together dedicated server. Do not rely on it for DST character changes; use the despawn procedure unless you have independently verified the command on your exact server build.
A safe operating checklist
- Make a fresh world backup.
- Tell the player that despawning removes carried items.
- Have the player drop everything and verify the ground pile.
- Run
c_listallplayers()in the correct server or shard console. - Match the target’s name and console number.
- Use
c_despawn(AllPlayers[n])with the number in brackets. - For the host’s own character, use
c_despawn(ThePlayer). - Keep the console open long enough to confirm the player reaches character select.
- If anything behaves unexpectedly, stop and restore the backup instead of trying multiple unverified commands.
Bottom line for server administrators
For another player, the practical command is c_listallplayers() followed by c_despawn(AllPlayers[n]). Use the number from the console list, run it with administrator access, and remove the player’s inventory first. For yourself as host, use c_despawn(ThePlayer). Since this procedure is community-verified rather than officially documented by Klei, back up the world and validate it on the server’s current build, especially when caves or multiple shards are enabled.
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