Configuring Your Valheim Server: Startup Variables & World Modifiers

Configuring your Valheim server

A Valheim server has two layers of settings: the startup variables in the RespawnHost panel (name, password, backups, crossplay …) and the world modifiers — Valheim’s official difficulty system that, since the Hildir’s Request update (November 2023), fine-tunes combat, death penalty, resources and more. This guide covers both.

The startup variables in the panel

Under your server, in Configuration, you’ll find the Valheim startup variables. The key ones:

Setting	Meaning	Default
Server Name	Name in the server browser	RespawnHost.com Kundenserver
Server Password	Access password. At least 5 characters and not contained in the server name, otherwise the server won’t start. Mandatory for public servers.	(pre-filled)
World Name	World to load (matches the file name without extension)	Dedicated
Public Server	1 = visible in the server browser, 0 = reachable only via “Join IP”/join code	1
Enable Crossplay	Cross-platform PlayFab backend (see crossplay guide)	1
Auto Update	Updates the server on every start	1
[V+] Version	ValheimPlus version (empty/latest = no fixed pin) — see mods	latest
Beta Branch / Beta Password	Steam beta branch (e.g. public-test); leave empty for the normal branch	(empty)

Understanding backups

Valheim ships its own staggered backup system. The four panel fields map exactly to the official server parameters:

Field (panel)	Parameter	Meaning	Default
World Backup Interval	-saveinterval	How often the world is saved (seconds)	1800 (30 min)
World Backup Short	-backupshort	Delay until the first auto backup (seconds)	7200 (2 h)
World Backup Long	-backuplong	Delay between the following auto backups (seconds)	43200 (12 h)
Number of Backups	-backups	How many backups are kept	4

With the defaults you always have a roughly 2-hour-old backup plus three more at 12-hour intervals. You can also create a manual backup anytime under Backups in the panel.

World modifiers: Valheim’s difficulty system

The actual “game rules” — how hard enemies hit, what you lose on death, how many resources drop — are set via world modifiers. The easiest way is to pick them when creating your world in-game (world creation menu: preset + individual modifiers) and then upload that world to the server (see transferring a world). Technically they map to the official server startup parameters -preset, -modifier and -setkey.

Presets (-preset)

A preset sets every modifier at once. A preset overrides any previously set individual modifiers.

Preset	Character
Normal	Standard Valheim
Casual	Relaxed — milder death penalty, more comfort
Easy	Easier combat
Hard	Harder combat, more raids
Hardcore	Maximum difficulty
Immersive	Map/portal-light, more immersive
Hammer	Creative/building-focused

Individual modifiers (-modifier)

Modifier	Values	Effect
combat	veryeasy, easy, hard, veryhard	How much damage enemies deal/take
deathpenalty	casual, veryeasy, easy, hard, hardcore	Skill loss & tombstone on death
resources	muchless, less, more, muchmore, most	Resource drops in the world
raids	none, muchless, less, more, muchmore	Frequency of base attacks
portals	casual, hard, veryhard	What may be carried through portals

Toggles (-setkey)

Key	Effect
nobuildcost	Building costs no materials
playerevents	Events/raids only when players are nearby
passivemobs	Enemies don’t attack on their own
nomap	Map & minimap disabled

Popular configurations

Relaxed with friends — milder death penalty, more yield, building without material stress:

-preset casual -modifier resources more -setkey nobuildcost

Harder than vanilla — more combat and raids:

-modifier combat hard -modifier raids muchmore

Pure build/creative server:

-preset hammer

FAQ

Where do I set world modifiers most reliably? When creating the world in-game — you pick the same presets and modifiers from the menu. Then upload that world to the server. Alternatively they map to the startup parameters above.

Do I need to restart for changes? Yes. Startup variables and modifiers only take effect after a server restart.

Can I raise the 10-player limit? Only with mods (e.g. ValheimPlus). Details in the mods guide.

Related guides

• Renting & setting up a server — basics and first steps
• How much RAM do I need? — package recommendations
• Installing mods — BepInEx & ValheimPlus

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