How to change the PvP safety settings of your Project Zomboid server

Project ZomboidUpdated Oct 18, 20264 min read

The PvP safety group lets players protect themselves from other players. Whether players can hurt each other at all is the PVP switch under Settings, then Game Settings: How to turn PvP on or off on your Project Zomboid server. The settings here only matter while that switch is on.

Open the editor

Open your server in the panel and click the Settings tab.
In the list on the left, under Config files, click Server Settings. The file name is shown at the top.
If the list says No config files yet, start the server once. The game writes its settings file the first time it runs.

The Config files list on the Project Zomboid Settings page with Server Settings and Sandbox Settings

The editor only saves while the server is stopped, because the game writes this file while it runs. Stop the server, change the settings below, then click Save only or Save & start. The full steps are in How to change Project Zomboid server settings in the panel. Headings such as PvP safety appear in capitals in the editor, and the search box at the top finds any setting by its name.

Every setting in PvP safety

Setting	What it does	Values
PvP toggle	Each player switches their own PvP mode on and off, and players can only hurt each other when one of them has it on. Off: with PvP on, anyone can hurt anyone at any time.	On or off
Show PvP skull	Shows a skull over players who have PvP mode on.	On or off
PvP toggle time (seconds)	How long it takes to switch PvP mode on or off.	A whole number from 0 to 1000
PvP toggle cooldown (seconds)	How long a player waits before switching PvP mode again.	A whole number from 0 to 1000
PvP melee damage	Damage multiplier for melee attacks on other players. The game's default is 30.	A number from 0 to 500
PvP firearm damage	Damage multiplier for gunshots on other players. The game's default is 50.	A number from 0 to 500

How the pieces fit

PVP (Game Settings) on: players can hurt each other.
PvP toggle on: each player switches their own PvP mode on and off, and players can only hurt each other when one of them has it on.
Show PvP skull shows who has PvP mode on.
PvP toggle time (seconds) and PvP toggle cooldown (seconds) stop players from switching in the middle of a fight.
PvP melee damage and PvP firearm damage scale the damage between players.

Good to know

Settings you change here apply at the next start. A sandbox rule or server rule that is not in this editor can still be edited under Files, with the server stopped.
These settings belong to the save named by Server Name under Settings, then Game Settings. A new Server Name starts a world with its own settings files: How to switch between Project Zomboid worlds on your server.
Back up first if a change could affect players' progress: How to back up and restore your Project Zomboid world.

Already hosting it somewhere else? Move your server to us

CREATE YOUR GAME SERVER
READY TO GET STARTED?

Save up to 30% on your new game server.
Premium performance, instant activation, and unbeatable reliability all at a better price.

Create Account Rent a Server

OUR LATEST BLOGS

Factorio

Best Factorio Mods for Multiplayer Servers in 2026

The mods that matter on a Factorio server are the ones that do not cost UPS. Factorio runs its whole simulation on one thread at 60 UPS, and that number, not RA

MaxJun 23, 2026

Terraria

Terraria Optimization & Hosting Guide 2026: Best Settings, Specs, and Server Tips

A vanilla Terraria server for a handful of friends needs about 1 GB of RAM. A tModLoader server running Calamity or Thorium needs 4 to 6 GB, because mods load a

MaxDec 2, 2025

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2 Optimization & System Requirements: Ultimate Performance Guide for 2026

High ping in Counter-Strike 2 and low frames are different problems with different fixes, and treating them as one is why most guides fail. Ping is distance and

EvanNov 27, 2025