Use the NPCReplacements setting in your server’s Game.ini to change every wild spawn of one creature class into another, or to stop that class from spawning. A replacement line names the source class and a target class; a disable line keeps the target empty. Save the file, restart the server, and usually run a wild-dino wipe so the new rule can affect a freshly generated population.
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What NPCReplacements does
NPCReplacements is a class-to-class spawn rule for an ARK dedicated server. It works globally: whenever the server would create a wild creature whose entity class matches FromClassName, the rule substitutes the class in ToClassName. An empty target disables that source spawn instead of creating a replacement.
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| Goal | Setting pattern | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Replace one wild creature with another | FromClassName="source",ToClassName="target" |
New spawns of the source class use the target class. |
| Disable one wild creature | FromClassName="source",ToClassName="" |
The source class is omitted from the replacement result. |
| Control only selected locations | Separate spawn-entry configuration | Use spawn-entry settings rather than a global NPC replacement. |
Because the rule is class-based, it is not a display-name filter. “Dodo,” “Raptor,” or a mod’s creature name is not enough; the server needs the exact entity class string, including capitalization and the _C suffix.
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Before editing: back up and stop the server
Stop the dedicated server before changing its INI files. A running process or a hosting control panel may rewrite the file when the server shuts down, potentially discarding an edit. Copy the current configuration to a dated backup so you can restore the previous version if the server fails to start or the rule behaves unexpectedly.
- Record which map, game edition and mods are active. Class names can differ between versions and mods.
- Make a backup of
Game.inibefore adding or removing rules. - Use a plain-text editor. Do not paste smart quotes or add formatting characters.
- After saving, reopen the file and confirm that the line is still present before starting the server.
If a host provides a web editor, use its save function and then verify the resulting file. Some provider panels regenerate INI files from templates; a backup lets you detect and recover from an overwrite.
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Find the correct Game.ini file
Normal NPC replacement entries belong in Game.ini, not GameUserSettings.ini. The latter is used for many basic and intermediate server options, while Game.ini is the file for advanced gameplay modifications such as this one.
| Server operating system | File path |
|---|---|
| Windows dedicated server | ShooterGameSavedConfigWindowsServerGame.ini |
| Linux dedicated server | ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini |
The path is relative to the server installation directory. If you maintain several server instances, edit the configuration belonging to the instance that launches the map you are testing. Editing a local client’s configuration, a backup copy, or a different instance will not change the dedicated server.
Get the exact creature class names
Look up both classes in the current official Creature IDs reference before writing a rule. Copy the entity ID or spawn-class string exactly. The visible creature name is only a label; the configuration requires the internal class name.
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- Keep the complete string, including its capitalization and final
_C. - Use the class for the creature that actually spawns on your map, especially when a mod supplies multiple variants.
- Check the mod author’s documentation for modded creatures; a class can be version-specific or changed by an update.
- Do not add spaces inside a class name or replace straight quotation marks with typographic quotation marks.
For a reliable test, choose a source and target whose class names you have independently confirmed. If the source class is misspelled, the server has no matching class to replace and wild spawns remain unchanged.
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Replace one dino with another
Add a separate NPCReplacements line to Game.ini:
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C")This example maps the MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C source class to Dodo_Character_BP_C. The names are examples of the required syntax; substitute the exact classes for the creatures you intend to change.
Formatting rules
- Use one complete mapping per line in the normal configuration file.
- Keep the outer parentheses, the parameter names, the equals signs and the quotation marks.
- Do not combine several normal-file mappings into one pair of parentheses.
- Do not put the entry in
GameUserSettings.inior in a command-line argument unless your hosting documentation specifically converts it to a supported format.
You can add multiple mappings by placing each one on its own line, for example:
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C")
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="Coel_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Piranha_Character_BP_C")Each line is evaluated as its own source-to-target rule. Keep a copy of the original file so you can remove one mapping without losing unrelated settings.
Disable a creature instead of replacing it
To prevent a source class from being used by this replacement rule, leave ToClassName empty:
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NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="Ichthyornis_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="")The source class must still be exact. An empty target is not the same as deleting the whole line, omitting the parameter, or writing a display name. Use the same quoting and parentheses as a normal replacement.
When disabling is the right choice
- Choose disabling when you want the source creature gone and do not want another creature occupying its replacement opportunity.
- Choose replacement when you want the world to continue producing a creature in that class’s place.
- Use spawn-entry configuration when the real requirement is “disable it only in one region,” because
NPCReplacementsis global by class.
Disabling a wild spawn does not remove existing tamed specimens or otherwise delete creatures that are already present. Those are separate in-world entities and require separate administrative actions if you intend to remove them.
Use Dynamic Config when the server is configured for it
Servers launched with -UseDynamicConfig and a CustomDynamicConfigUrl use a different wrapping format. Dynamic Config supports NPC replacements from patch 319.14 onward. In this mode, put all mappings inside one outer NPCReplacements entry:
NPCReplacements=((FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C"),(FromClassName="Coel_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Piranha_Character_BP_C"))The individual pairs remain parenthesized, but the entire list is wrapped by a second pair of parentheses. Do not paste this multi-pair form into a normal Game.ini edit unless the server is actually consuming Dynamic Config; normal-file entries use one NPCReplacements=(...) line per mapping.
| Approach | What you need | Operational difference |
|---|---|---|
Normal Game.ini |
File access to the server configuration | Edit the file, save it, restart the server, then repopulate wild spawns. |
| Dynamic Config | -UseDynamicConfig plus a configured CustomDynamicConfigUrl |
Use the single outer mapping syntax; the configuration can be checked through the dynamic setup when a world is saved. |
If you are unsure which mode is active, inspect the server’s launch parameters and existing configuration process. Mixing syntaxes is a common reason a rule is ignored or overwritten.
Restart and repopulate the map
- Save the edited configuration and confirm the rule survived the save.
- Start or restart the dedicated server. A normal INI change is not active in the running process until the server has loaded the file again.
- Join the map and allow it to finish loading.
- Use the administrator command
Cheat DestroyWildDinoswhen you need the old wild population removed immediately. This clears wild creatures so the server can create a new population under the current rules. - Wait for respawns, then inspect areas where the source creature normally appeared. Look for the target creature in a replacement test, or confirm the source is absent in a disable test.
An alternative startup option is -ForceRespawnDinos. The documented behavior is to destroy untamed wild creatures on startup, allowing the map to repopulate during that launch. Use it only when that startup behavior fits your maintenance plan; a manual wipe gives you more control over when the existing wild population is removed.
Do not use a wild-dino wipe as a way to remove players’ tames. The replacement setting and the documented wipe behavior concern untamed wild creatures, while tamed creatures remain in the world.
Verify that the rule worked
Verification should distinguish a configuration failure from a population that has not yet respawned.
- Check a spawn region where the source class is normally common.
- For a replacement, search for the target class rather than merely counting all creatures.
- For a disable rule, check several independent regions after enough time for repopulation.
- Confirm that you are testing wild creatures, not tamed animals or creatures created by an admin command.
- If the map uses a modded variant, verify that the class ID belongs to that variant and not the similarly named base-game creature.
Keep the exact line you deployed and note the server restart and wipe time. That record makes it easier to identify whether a later host-panel rewrite or mod update changed the result.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot a replacement that did not work
The source creature still appears
- Wrong file: Recheck the operating-system path and the server instance that actually launches your map.
- Wrong configuration file: Move the line to
Game.ini;GameUserSettings.iniis not the normal location for this setting. - No restart: Stop and start the dedicated server after saving a normal INI edit.
- Existing wild population: Run
Cheat DestroyWildDinosor use the documented startup option, then wait for fresh spawns. - Class-name mismatch: Recopy the exact entity class from the current Creature IDs reference, including capitalization and
_C.
The target creature never appears
- Confirm the target class is valid for the active game edition, map and mod set.
- Check that the target was not accidentally left empty; an empty
ToClassNamedisables rather than replaces. - Allow time for the map to repopulate after the wipe. A replacement does not guarantee that the target will appear in every location where the source once appeared if other spawn rules limit that class.
- Inspect for another configuration rule or mod that changes the same population.
The server fails to load or the line disappears
- Restore the backup, start the server, and add the mapping again with plain straight quotes.
- Check for unmatched parentheses, missing quotation marks or accidental line wrapping.
- If a hosting panel rewrites the file, save through the panel’s intended editor and verify the generated file after the server stops.
- For Dynamic Config, confirm the launch flags and use the outer-list syntax rather than normal-file syntax.
A mod update broke a previously working rule
Class names are version- and mod-dependent. Recheck the mod’s current documentation and the Creature IDs reference after an update. A renamed or replaced class requires a new FromClassName or ToClassName; the old string will no longer match the spawned entity.
Global replacement versus location-specific control
NPCReplacements applies by creature class across the server. It is appropriate when every wild instance of a source class should be changed or disabled. It is not a region selector, biome filter or per-spawn-point control.
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| Requirement | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Every wild source class becomes one target class | NPCReplacements |
Global class mapping is the intended behavior. |
| Every wild source class is disabled | NPCReplacements with an empty target |
The empty target expresses a global disable. |
| Only one cave, biome or spawn entry changes | Separate spawn-entry settings | Location-specific population control is handled elsewhere in the server configuration. |
Choosing the wrong mechanism can produce a technically correct configuration with the wrong scope: a global rule will affect all eligible regions, while a spawn-entry edit can target a particular population definition.
A safe deployment checklist
- Server stopped before editing.
- Original
Game.inibacked up. - Correct Windows or Linux path confirmed.
- Exact source and target entity classes copied from a current reference or mod documentation.
- Normal syntax used for ordinary
Game.ini, or outer-list syntax used for Dynamic Config. - One normal-file mapping per line.
- Empty target used only when disabling is intended.
- Server restarted after the edit.
- Existing wild creatures cleared when immediate testing is required.
- Fresh wild spawns checked in multiple expected regions.
- Saved file rechecked after any hosting-panel operation.
Examples you can adapt
One replacement in a normal Game.ini
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C")Replace the example classes with your verified source and target IDs. Do not change the key names or remove the _C suffix.
One disabled source in a normal Game.ini
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="Ichthyornis_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="")This expresses a disable rule. Existing wild Ichthyornis creatures need to be cleared separately before you can judge the new spawn behavior.
Two mappings in Dynamic Config
NPCReplacements=((FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C"),(FromClassName="Coel_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Piranha_Character_BP_C"))Use this form only when the server is configured with -UseDynamicConfig and CustomDynamicConfigUrl, and only on versions that support NPC replacements through Dynamic Config.
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