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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesTo enable player-versus-player combat on a dedicated Don’t Starve Together server, stop the server, open the active cluster.ini, add or edit the [GAMEPLAY] section, set pvp = true, save the file, and restart the server. PvP is optional, controlled by the server operator, and is false by default.
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What the PvP setting does
Don’t Starve Together treats PvP as a server-level option rather than a setting that each player can switch on independently. The operator decides whether players in that world can damage one another. The Klei settings reference lists the configuration key as pvp, describes it as “Enable PVP,” and gives it a default value of false.
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That means an unchanged server normally starts with PvP disabled. Changing a client-side option, character setting, or local graphics preference will not enable it for everyone. You must change the setting used by the world you are hosting, then restart that world so the server loads the new value.
How do I turn on PvP on my DST server?
Use these steps for a dedicated server. The important details are editing the active cluster, placing the key under [GAMEPLAY], and restarting after saving.
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- Stop the server cleanly. Shut down the running DST server before opening its configuration. If the process is still running, it can write its current configuration back to disk when it closes and overwrite your edit.
- Open the active cluster configuration directory. A common installation uses
DoNotStarveTogether/config/server/cluster.ini. Your installation or hosting panel may place the server configuration in a different directory, so identify the cluster and save slot that the running instance actually uses. - Find the gameplay section. Open
cluster.iniin a plain-text editor and locate[GAMEPLAY]. If that section is missing, create it as its own section header. - Add or change the PvP line. Under
[GAMEPLAY], enter exactly:
pvp = true- Save the file. Keep the key lower-case as shown, use the Boolean value
true, and do not put the value in quotation marks. - Start the server again. Restart the same cluster you edited. Players must reconnect to that restarted instance for the new world setting to apply.
- Verify the result. Confirm that the server loaded the intended cluster and that players are joining that instance, not another save slot or a separate copy of the server.
If the server starts normally but PvP remains unavailable, do not immediately add the line to every configuration file you can find. First establish which cluster the server process reads, then check the section name, spelling, value, and restart sequence.
Where is cluster.ini?
cluster.ini is the cluster-level configuration file for a DST server. A commonly used path is:
DoNotStarveTogether/config/server/cluster.iniThe exact absolute path depends on how the server was installed and which cluster or save slot it launches. A dedicated server can contain more than one cluster, and an installation may also contain sample, template, or inactive configuration files. Editing one of those files has no effect on a running world.
Use the server’s launch configuration, management panel, or documented configuration directory to identify the active cluster. If you run more than one world, match the file to the world name or save slot that players use. Make a backup copy of the active file before changing it so you can restore the previous setting if another configuration change causes a startup problem.
What the edited section should look like
Your file may contain many other settings. Only the relevant section needs to contain the PvP key:
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[GAMEPLAY]
pvp = trueIf [GAMEPLAY] already exists, add the line inside that section rather than creating a second section with the same name. If a pvp line is already present, change its value instead of leaving two competing entries. Keep the setting as a Boolean value: true enables PvP and the documented default is false. A quoted value such as "true" is not the same configuration syntax.
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Can I enable PvP on a non-dedicated world?
Yes. DST supports dedicated, player-hosted, and LAN servers, and PvP is an optional setting controlled by the person creating or hosting the world. For a player-hosted world, set PvP during the server-creation flow before launching the world.
Player-hosted game
Start the host-game or server-creation flow and look for the PvP toggle or option. Enable it before creating or launching the world, then invite players after the world has started. The exact wording and location of the control can vary by platform or game build, so look in the world or server settings rather than in an individual player’s options.
LAN game
A LAN world follows the same principle: the host controls the world settings. Choose the PvP option while creating the world. Players who join the host’s world cannot independently turn PvP on for that session.
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Existing player-hosted worlds
If the creation screen does not expose a way to change PvP for an existing world, close it and create or relaunch the world through the host settings where the PvP toggle is available. Do not edit a dedicated-server cluster.ini unless the world is actually being run as a dedicated cluster.
Dedicated server versus player-hosted settings
| Server type | Where to enable PvP | When it takes effect |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated server | Active cluster.ini, under [GAMEPLAY]: pvp = true |
After saving and restarting the edited cluster |
| Player-hosted world | PvP toggle in the host-game or server-creation flow | Before launching the world, according to the host screen |
| LAN world | PvP option selected by the host during world creation | When the host launches that world |
The setting is optional in each case, but the control belongs to the server operator or host, not to an individual joining player.
Why is PvP still off after I changed the setting?
When the change appears to have no effect, work through the checks below in order. Most failures are caused by editing the wrong file or restarting the wrong process rather than by the value itself.
The server was not stopped before editing
Stop the server completely, make the change while it is stopped, save the file, and start it again. A running process may keep its old settings in memory or overwrite your edit during shutdown.
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You edited a template or inactive cluster
Confirm that the path belongs to the cluster and save slot the server actually launches. A sample file, backup, or second cluster can look correct while having no effect on the world players join.
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The key is in the wrong section
Check that the line appears below the [GAMEPLAY] header. If the section was absent, create one header and place pvp = true beneath it. Remove duplicate pvp entries so there is one unambiguous value.
The value is not a Boolean
Use the unquoted value true. Check for spelling errors, accidental quotation marks, or extra characters. The documented default is false, so a missing or invalid setting leaves PvP disabled.
The wrong server was restarted
Restart the same instance whose configuration you edited. If several servers or save slots are running, verify the world name and the process or panel entry before testing with players.
The host screen controls the world instead
For a player-hosted or LAN world, a dedicated-server file is not the controlling interface. Return to the host-game or server-creation settings and enable the PvP option there before launching the world.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How PvP works in a multi-shard cluster
A DST dedicated setup can use multiple shards, commonly a Master and Caves configuration. The cluster guide distinguishes settings that are master-only from settings that must match across machines or shards. Do not copy every value indiscriminately between Master and Caves.
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For a multi-shard installation:
- Identify which file is the cluster-level
cluster.iniused by the running instance. - Read the scope notes for the setting in your dedicated-server configuration guide.
- Apply master-only settings only where the guide specifies them.
- Keep settings marked as requiring a match identical in each required
cluster.ini. - Restart the relevant cluster and test the world after all required files have been updated.
If one shard has a different configuration or you edit only a non-active copy, the cluster may continue operating with the old behavior or produce a mismatch. The correct action depends on the scope designation for your cluster, so use those master-only and must-match rules rather than guessing.
Using a hosting control panel
Some managed-server panels present the same setting as a web-form checkbox or a PvP field. Enabling that control should write the equivalent [GAMEPLAY] value to the active cluster configuration. Stop or restart the server through the panel as required by its workflow, then verify that the panel is operating on the intended cluster and save slot.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11If the panel offers both a PvP control and direct file editing, avoid changing both at the same time. Save the setting in one place, restart the server, and inspect the resulting active configuration if the panel provides a file viewer. A panel can expose a friendly label while still relying on the same underlying pvp value.
Safe change procedure and rollback
A small configuration edit is low risk when the server is stopped and the original file is preserved. Use this checklist before inviting players back:
- Record the cluster or save-slot name you intend to change.
- Stop the server cleanly.
- Copy the active
cluster.inito a backup location. - Edit only the
[GAMEPLAY]PvP value. - Save as plain text without changing the file name or extension.
- Restart the same server instance.
- Confirm that the world loads and that players connect to the intended cluster.
If the server fails to load after the edit, stop it, restore the backup, and start it again. Once the original world is running, recheck the section header, Boolean syntax, and file path before attempting the change a second time.
What server operators should tell players
Because PvP is a server-wide choice, announce the change before players join or reconnect. Tell players that the world is operating with PvP enabled and identify the world or shard they should join. This avoids confusing a correctly configured PvP server with another save slot that still uses the default setting.
If you later want to disable PvP, repeat the same dedicated-server procedure with pvp = false, or turn the host-game PvP option off for a player-hosted world, then restart or relaunch the world. Preserve a backup of the prior configuration whenever you change a live community server.
Quick Recap
Quick reference
| Question | Action |
|---|---|
| How do I turn on PvP on my DST server? | Stop the dedicated server, set [GAMEPLAY] pvp = true in the active cluster.ini, save, and restart. |
Where is cluster.ini? |
Common path: DoNotStarveTogether/config/server/cluster.ini; confirm the active cluster and save slot. |
| Why is PvP still off? | Check the active file, section, exact Boolean value, and restart the correct server. |
| Can I enable PvP on a non-dedicated world? | Yes. Select the PvP option in the host-game or server-creation screen before launching it. |
| What about Master and Caves? | Follow the cluster guide’s master-only and must-match rules instead of copying settings blindly. |
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