How death works in Palworld – Do you lose your stuff?

I think we can agree that dying in any survival game is up there in terms of complete annoyance. This irk can be compounded in an online title like Palworld where it’s not only your time at stake, but your gear and Pals too. That being said, death in Palworld can take on many forms. So, let’s run down the variables of the very transactional process of dying.

I get knocked down, but I get up again

The consequences of death in Palworld are dictated entirely by the server options. When selecting Start Game, you’ll be able to configure your own server with the following death penalty options:

• No drops
  • You don’t have to worry about a thing as you’ll respawn with everything intact.
• Drop all items except equipment
  • You’ll drop your stuff, but equipment like weapons and armor will remain.
• Drop all items
  • Aw crap, everything in your inventory is gone.
• Drop all items and all Pals on team
  • This is the worst possible timeline as everything in your inventory and your current party of Pals will be dropped.

The default option for official servers and your private server is Drop all items. As far as community servers are concerned, there’s no way to view their options before joining.

When it comes to dying, you’ll respawn at the location of your choice (default spawning areas and bases). From there, you’ll need to head back to your bagged goods to recover them. The location of your death will be on the map with a big red X. As you get closer, there will be a blue pillar of light directing you to your stuff.

If you’re playing on a public server, there is a bit of risk associated as other players can nab your items if they reach them before you. This is all well and good if you have a friend or guildmate who can get to them, but can be a potentially devastating loss should someone else claim your stash.

As for permanently losing your stuff should you fail to recover the stash on the next life, the jury is still out. In my own experience with Drop all items enabled, I’ve beefed it twice before getting my items and was still able to recover the initial dropped loot. Others have reported losing it upon a second death, logging out, or using a bed in-game. Suffice it to say, that reclaiming your gear is a top priority when you die.