Disable Death Penalties on an Abiotic Factor Server

Updated 5 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Disabling death penalties on an Abiotic Factor server can prevent players from losing carried items or other progress when they die, depending on the server’s current settings. You’ll need administrator access to the server’s configuration; make a backup before changing anything, since settings and file locations can differ between a hosted server and a self-hosted one.

What You’ll Need

Administrator access to the dedicated server or its hosting control panel.
Access to the server’s configuration files, commonly through a file manager, FTP/SFTP, or the host’s configuration editor.
The ability to stop and restart the server, plus a backup of its current configuration and world data.
A text editor that saves plain-text files without changing their format.

Step-by-Step

Confirm how the server is hosted. Identify whether the server runs on your own computer or a rented game-server host. A host may provide a web panel with a configuration editor, while a self-hosted server usually requires opening the server’s files directly. Use the provider’s documentation for the correct file path rather than assuming every installation is laid out alike.
Tell players the server will restart. Save or finish any active session and announce a short maintenance window. Configuration changes generally require a server restart to take effect; editing files while the server is running can also be undone when it shuts down.
Stop the server cleanly. Use the host panel’s stop command or the server’s normal shutdown procedure. Wait until it reports that it has stopped before editing files. Do not kill the process unless it is unresponsive, because an abrupt shutdown can risk unsaved world data.
Back up the relevant files. Copy the server configuration and, ideally, the world or save data to a separate location. Give the backup a date or other clear name. If the change causes a problem, you can restore the original instead of trying to reconstruct settings from memory.
Find the active configuration file. Check the server’s launch instructions, hosting panel, or official server documentation to locate its active configuration. Look for settings related to death, dropped items, inventory loss, or penalties. Do not edit a client-side configuration file: it may affect only your own game and not the server.
Check the current game and server guidance for the exact setting. Abiotic Factor’s server options can change with updates, and configuration names or supported values may differ. Consult the current official documentation or the hosting provider’s Abiotic Factor instructions for the precise setting that controls death penalties. Do not guess a key name or copy an unverified configuration line from an old post; an unknown setting may simply be ignored.
Set the documented option to disable the penalty. In the active configuration editor, locate the documented death-penalty setting and change it to the value specified for disabled or off. Preserve the setting’s exact spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and expected value format. If the option is absent, follow the current documentation on whether to add it and where; do not add duplicate entries.
Save without changing the file format. Keep the original filename and extension. If you downloaded the file to edit it, upload the changed file back to the same server directory and confirm that it replaced the active copy. Avoid rich-text editors, which can add formatting that a game server cannot parse.
Start the server and check its startup status. Use the normal start command or hosting panel. Review the console or server log for configuration errors, rejected settings, or a failed startup. If the server does not start, stop it and restore the backup before trying another change.
Verify the behavior in a controlled test. Join the server as a player and test only after confirming the world is backed up and the group agrees. Check what happens to carried items and any other penalty the setting is meant to control. If the result is unchanged, verify that you edited the active file, used the documented value, and fully restarted the server.

Common Mistakes

Editing the wrong file: A local game setting or an inactive copy of the server configuration may not control the live server.
Guessing the setting name or value: Configuration keys can change, and unsupported entries may be ignored without an obvious error.
Changing the file while the server runs: The server may overwrite the edit or continue using the old settings until restarted.
Saving in a different format: Rich-text formatting, an added file extension, or altered punctuation can make a configuration unreadable.
Expecting every consequence of death to disappear: A death-penalty option may control only a particular loss, not respawn behavior, world hazards, or every death-related effect.

Tips

Change one setting at a time. That makes it easier to identify the cause if the server behaves unexpectedly.
Keep a copy of the original file and note the setting you changed. This is useful when an update or host migration resets configuration.
Use the hosting panel’s configuration editor if the provider recommends it; some panels manage or regenerate files automatically.
Ask players what they mean by “death penalties.” They may be concerned about dropped inventory, durability, or another effect, and one setting may not cover all of them.
After a game update, recheck the current server documentation. Updates can change available options or reset configuration values.

Troubleshooting

The setting has no effect: Confirm that the edited file belongs to the server instance players join, not a client installation or spare configuration. Check that the option name and value match current documentation, then stop and start the server fully. If the host panel exposes settings separately from files, make the change in the panel or follow the provider’s instructions for which source takes precedence.

The server reports an error or will not start: Stop it and restore the backed-up configuration. Compare the edited file with the original to spot a missing separator, quotation mark, or accidental duplicate. Reapply only the documented change, or contact the host with the relevant log message and configuration details.

The edit disappears after restart: The host may generate its configuration from panel settings or startup parameters. Use the provider’s supported editor, save the panel changes, and restart from that panel. Do not repeatedly overwrite generated files without first checking how the host applies settings.

Some players still lose items: Confirm which items and circumstances are affected, and whether the option controls that specific behavior. Test with a fresh, agreed-upon test situation rather than risking valuable equipment. If the documented setting should apply but does not, check for server updates and ask the host or game support channel for the current configuration guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does disabling death penalties turn off death?
No. It changes the particular penalty controlled by the server option; players can still die and respawn.

Will this restore items players already lost?
Usually, changing a setting affects future behavior, not items lost before the change. Check backups or the game’s supported recovery options if you need to restore earlier progress.

Do I need to restart the server?
Yes, plan to restart after changing configuration unless current server documentation explicitly says the option can be applied live.

Can I change this from the game’s normal settings menu?
That depends on the server’s supported controls. A player’s local settings do not necessarily change server-wide behavior; use the administrator controls documented for your server.

Will the change affect every player?
A server-wide configuration normally applies to everyone on that server. Confirm the setting’s scope in current documentation before changing it.

What if I cannot find a death-penalty option?
Do not invent a configuration entry. Check the current official server documentation and your host’s instructions, or ask the provider whether that behavior is configurable on your server.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.