Project Zomboid PvP Server Guide: Safehouses, Factions, and Security

Project Zomboid PvP Server Guide: Safehouses, Factions, and Security

Surviving the hordes of the undead is a brutal challenge, but the truest test of survival in Knox Country is avoiding the crosshairs of a heavily armed rival player. Project Zomboid PvP (Player vs Player) servers are chaotic, adrenaline-fueled ecosystems driven by faction warfare, territorial control, and desperate loot runs.

However, without proper server-side configuration, a PvP server quickly devolves into toxic offline-raiding and unplayable griefing. If you intend to host a Project Zomboid PvP dedicated server, you must carefully balance the sandbox parameters. This guide covers safehouse raiding rules, weapon economy balancing, and the vital importance of DDoS security for a hostile community.

1. Establishing the Rules of Engagement

By default, if you just flip the `PVP=true` switch in your configuration, players can kill each other at any time, anywhere. This is the foundation.

PVP=true
DisableSafehouseWhenPlayerConnected=false
Faction=true

The "Offline Raiding" Dilemma

The biggest controversy in any PvP survival game is offline raiding (destroying a base while the defending players are asleep in real life). You handle this via the `DisableSafehouseWhenPlayerConnected` variable.

• True: A Safehouse's protection is completely removed the moment a faction member logs onto the server. This means they can be dynamically invaded when online, but their loot is perfectly safe when offline. (Highly Recommended).
• False: The Safehouse cannot be raided or destroyed, ever, even when players are online. PvP must occur in the streets.

Furthermore, ensure you configure safehouse creation logically. Setting `PlayerSafehouse=true` is necessary, but you should adjust `SafehouseDaySurvivedToClaim=3` so new players cannot spawn and instantly claim the Louisville Gun Store as an invincible fortress on Day 1.

2. Fire, Sledgehammers, and Total Destruction

In a hardcore PvP server, players will attempt to breach rival compounds. The two most common methods are Molotov cocktails and Sledgehammers.

Managing Arson

Fire spread in Project Zomboid is extremely aggressive. If you leave `FireSpread=true`, a single sore loser with a Molotov can burn down an entire town, rendering it useless for the rest of the wipe.

NoFire=true
FireSpread=false

Most successful PvP servers completely disable fire spread. It forces factions to breach doors using axes or shotguns, which generates zombie-attracting noise, rather than silently tossing a Molotov from afar.

3. Balancing the Weapon Economy

A thriving PvP community requires conflict over scarce resources. If everyone has a fully automatic M16 and 5,000 rounds of 5.56 on Day 2, the server becomes an arcade shooter and quickly dies of boredom. Controlling the loot tables is paramount.

• Brita's Weapon Pack Moderation: If you install Brita's (the most popular gun mod), you must access the in-game Mod Options menu as an admin and heavily restrict the spawn rates from the 1990s era default to "Extremely Rare." Disable Miniguns and Grenade Launchers entirely.
• Ammo Scarcity: Set the base game Ranged Weapons and Ammo loot tables in `SandboxVars.lua` to Extremely Rare. Make them work for their ammunition.

4. Server Security and Anti-Cheat

PvP communities are inherently competitive, which inevitably attracts bad actors who use cheat menus or network manipulation to gain an advantage.

Network Anticheat Properties

Zomboid features robust server-side validations. Ensure these are active in your servertest.ini:

AntiCheatProtectionType1=true
AntiCheatProtectionType2=true
AntiCheatProtectionType3=true
AntiCheatProtectionType4=true
AntiCheatProtectionType2ThresholdMultiplier=3.0

Note: If legitimate players start getting kicked for speed hacks while driving fast vehicles on the highway, slightly increase the Threshold Multipliers, or temporarily disable Type 2.

Enterprise DDoS Mitigation

If Faction A loses a massive compound defense against Faction B, malicious players may attempt to enact revenge by launching a DDoS attack to crash your server to force a save rollback. A PvP server without robust Layer 7 mitigation will be taken offline repeatedly.

This is why you never host a PvP server from your personal IP. You require enterprise-level shielding designed specifically for UDP game traffic.

Conclusion

A well-managed Project Zomboid PvP server provides an intense, unparalleled survival experience. The constant paranoia of being tracked by a rival team while scavenging a grocery store simply cannot be matched in single-player.

To support this high-stakes environment, your server must never drop a tick, fail a chunk load, or collapse under a spiteful network attack. Ensure your battlegrounds are hosted on bare-metal, NVMe-powered hardware. Launch your faction war today with Supercraft's Premium Server Hosting and provide your community with zero-lag PvP combat.