How to Make a DayZ PvE Server (No PvE Switch, Here Is What Works)

Vanilla DayZ has no PvE switch: nothing in serverDZ.cfg stops players shooting each other. To make a DayZ PvE server, add a PvE mod such as PVEZ Reloaded (Workshop 2831742849), start once, then set "Mode": 2 in profiles/PVEZ/Config.json so the whole map is PvE. Make bases raid proof with disableBaseDamage and disableContainerDamage in cfggameplay.json, which only loads with enableCfgGameplayFile = 1; in serverDZ.cfg.

What you can and cannot do

There is no setting in the game itself because Bohemia designed DayZ around player interaction. Every PvE server you see is either modded or run on rules.

What goes where

The profiles folder is whatever your server starts with -profiles=. On GamezServers it is profiles in the main folder.

Option 1: PVEZ Reloaded (whole map PvE)

PVEZ is the long running PvE mod for DayZ. The original was abandoned, and PVEZ Reloaded is the maintained version, with the one hit kill bug in PvE areas fixed and Expansion support built in. It does not stop bullets: it restores health lost to other players in PvE areas, can reflect damage back at the attacker, and brands players who kill in PvE areas as lawbreakers, who lose that protection and show on the map.

Step 1: Back up and add the mod

Back up the mission folder and profiles. Add the mod like any Workshop mod: in the server's -mod= list (on our panel, @2831742849; in Workshop mods), with its .bikey copied into keys/. Players get it from the DayZ Launcher when they join. Full mod steps are in how to install mods on a DayZ server.

Step 2: Start once to create the config

Start the server and let it load. PVEZ creates profiles/PVEZ/Config.json, a zones file and Admins.txt. Stop the server.

Step 3: Set Mode 2

Open profiles/PVEZ/Config.json and set the mode in the GENERAL section:

"GENERAL": {
    "Mode": 2,
    "Show_Notifications": true
}

The gotcha: the default is not full PvE

PVEZ ships in Mode 0, and on first start on Chernarus it writes a list of default PvP zones: Chernogorsk military base, Troitskoye military base, Krasnostav airstrip, Grozovoy military and others. Most owners install the mod, see "PvE" in its name, and never open the config. Their server is PvE in towns and PvP at exactly the military spots everyone goes to for loot, so players die there and report the mod as broken. Set "Mode": 2 for full PvE, or keep Mode 0 on purpose and edit the zones to the PvP hotspots you actually want.

Step 4: Add yourself as admin and start

Put your Steam64 ID on its own line in profiles/PVEZ/Admins.txt to use the in game PVEZ menu for zones and lawbreakers. Start the server and test with a friend: hits in a PvE area should heal back.

Option 2: Raid proof bases in vanilla

Even with PvE players, people can still damage what others build. Two vanilla switches stop that. In serverDZ.cfg:

enableCfgGameplayFile = 1;

Then in mpmissions/<mission>/cfggameplay.json, under GeneralData:

"disableBaseDamage": true,
"disableContainerDamage": true

disableBaseDamage makes fences, gates and watchtowers immune, and disableContainerDamage protects tents, barrels and crates. Without enableCfgGameplayFile = 1; the JSON file is ignored completely. More in DayZ cfggameplay.json explained.

Option 3: Expansion safe zones

DayZ Expansion's safe zones protect players inside set areas, usually traders, and are set in mpmissions/<mission>/expansion/settings/SafeZoneSettings.json with circle, cylinder or polygon zones. They suit PvP servers with peaceful trading hubs rather than a fully PvE map. PVEZ Reloaded works with Expansion, so many PvE servers run both. See how to add the Expansion mod to a DayZ server.

Write the rules too

No PvE mod covers everything. DayZ has no item ownership, so players can still shoot your car, take your stuff from the ground or block a door. Remove PvP only items (tripwires, chemical and flash grenades), write clear rules, and check admin logs. -adminlog records player kills, so you can see who broke them.

Common problems

• Players still die to players at military bases: PVEZ is in Mode 0 with default PvP zones. Set "Mode": 2.
• Config.json does not exist: the server never finished starting with the mod, or the profiles folder is somewhere else. Check the -profiles= path.
• Kicked for a signature check: the mod's .bikey is missing from keys/. See DayZ signature check timed out.
• Bases still get raided: enableCfgGameplayFile is 0, or the JSON has a syntax error, so disableBaseDamage never loaded.
• Mod broke after a DayZ update: PvE mods hook deep game code. Check the Workshop page for an update before restarting on a new patch, and keep a backup.

Running a PvE server on GamezServers

On a DayZ server from GamezServers you add PVEZ Reloaded by its Workshop ID in the panel, and we download it on every start, load it with -mod and copy its key into keys/. Edit profiles/PVEZ/Config.json and cfggameplay.json in the file manager, take a one click Backup before changing mods, and the server stays up for your group around the clock. Other popular PvE mods are in our best DayZ server mods.

FAQ

Does DayZ have a PvE setting?

No. Vanilla DayZ has no option to turn off player damage. PvE servers use a mod such as PVEZ Reloaded, or run on rules and admin enforcement.

What is the best PvE mod for DayZ?

PVEZ Reloaded is the most used maintained option. It supports whole map PvE, PvP or PvE zones and a lawbreaker system for rule breakers.

How do I stop base raiding on a DayZ server?

Set enableCfgGameplayFile = 1; in serverDZ.cfg, then disableBaseDamage and disableContainerDamage to true in cfggameplay.json.

Can I make only part of the map PvP?

Yes. Run PVEZ in Mode 0 and define the PvP zones in its zones file. Everywhere else stays PvE.