If you’ve spent dozens of hours carving out a base in the mountains, looting rare resources from deep Shrouded zones, and mastering combat against the Fell hordes in Enshrouded, you’ve probably wondered if you can test your skills and gear against other real players too. Can you PvP in Enshrouded? The short answer is yes, but it’s not part of the default core experience, and there are specific rules, limitations, and server settings you need to know before you pick a fight with another survivor. I’ve put over 90 hours into Enshrouded across official public servers, private friend servers, and public custom PvP servers to break down exactly how player vs player combat works, what restrictions are in place, and how to get the most fun out of PvP without wasting hours of hard progress.
Can You PvP in Enshrouded on Official Public Servers?
The first thing you need to know is that all official Enshrouded servers are strictly PvE only, with no option to toggle PvP on at all. The game’s developers designed Enshrouded first and foremost as a cooperative survival experience, so they built the official server ecosystem to be as friendly as possible for players who want to team up to explore, build, and beat the game’s main story without worrying about random player attacks. There are no official PvP servers available as of the latest game update, and you can’t change any client-side settings to enable PvP on official servers, no matter how much you tweak your game options. I tested this myself across three different official servers on both PC and console, flipping every multiplayer and combat setting I could find, and I was never able to hit or damage another player, so don’t waste your time trying to force PvP on official worlds. If you want to fight other players, you’ll have to join or host a custom community server.
Custom Server PvP Settings You Can Adjust for Any Playstyle
Custom community servers are where all Enshrouded PvP action takes place, and server owners have full control over every aspect of how player combat works on their worlds. You can find servers that cater to every type of PvP player, from casual friendly duels with friends to full open-world loot-and-raid PvP where every encounter is a fight for survival. The most common adjustable PvP settings you’ll find across custom servers include:
A lot of popular custom servers mix these settings to create unique, balanced experiences. For example, one of my favorite servers I tested only allows PvP inside Shrouded zones, so players can still build, quest, and craft peacefully outside of high-risk areas, but fighting for rare loot inside the fog is fair game. Always read the full server description before joining a custom PvP server to make sure you understand all the rules, so you don’t log in and get ganked right at spawn, or lose your full legendary gear set because you didn’t know item drop on PvP death was enabled.
Pros and Cons of Playing PvP in Enshrouded
PvP can add a ton of extra fun to your Enshrouded playthrough, but it’s not for everyone, and there are some big downsides to consider before you jump into a PvP server. On the positive side, fighting real players is way more challenging than fighting the game’s AI enemies, which can feel predictable once you’ve learned their attack patterns. It’s a great way to test out different skill builds, weapon combinations, and armor sets in high-stakes fights, and it adds a ton of extra tension to high-risk looting runs in the deeper Shrouded zones, where you might run into another player who’s after the same ancient spire or rare crafting material as you. If you’re playing with a big group of friends, PvP matches and tournaments can be a really fun side activity after you’ve beaten all of the game’s PvE content and are looking for a new challenge. But there are some pretty significant downsides too. There’s no built-in skill-based matchmaking for PvP, so you’ll often run into players who have spent hundreds of hours farming the best legendary gear and maxed out their skill trees, who can take you out in one or two hits even if you’re fully upgraded. Unregulated PvP servers often have a lot of griefing, including spawn camping, base raiding, and groups of high-level players targeting new low-level players just for fun. If you’re the type of player who hates grinding for the same gear over and over again, you’ll probably get frustrated quickly when you lose hours of progress to a random gank. I played on a fully open PvP server for a week, and while the fair fights were some of the most fun I’ve had in Enshrouded, I lost my full legendary warrior gear set three times to groups of four players camping the entrance to the deepest Shrouded biome, so it’s definitely not a good fit if you prefer a more relaxed play experience.
Top Tips for Safe and Enjoyable Enshrouded PvP
If you do decide to try out PvP in Enshrouded, there are a few simple tips you can follow to make sure you have the best possible experience without wasting hours of hard work. First, if you’re new to PvP, start with casual servers that have limited PvP zones and no item loss on death, so you can practice fighting other players without risking all the gear you’ve spent weeks grinding for. Always carry a spare set of common gear and a fast travel scroll when you’re heading into PvP-enabled areas, so you can escape quickly if you get outnumbered or caught off guard by a better-geared player. Stick to grouped PvP when you first start out; fighting alongside teammates will help you learn how player combat works without being the only target for an enemy squad, and you’ll be able to take on more challenging fights as a team. Don’t attack players who are clearly working on PvE content, like building a base or fighting a world boss, unless the server rules explicitly allow unprovoked attacks. Most custom server communities have strict rules against griefing new players, and you can get permanently banned from popular servers if you repeatedly attack low-level users who aren’t looking for PvP. If you just want to have friendly duels with your friends, host your own private custom server so you can control all the rules, disable base damage, and turn off item loss on death so you can fight as much as you want without risking your shared base or progress. You can even set up your own PvP tournaments with custom prizes, like rare crafting materials or exclusive base decorations, to make the fights even more fun for your group.
At the end of the day, can you PvP in Enshrouded? Absolutely, as long as you’re willing to play on custom community servers, since official worlds are strictly PvE only. PvP isn’t part of the game’s core design, but it’s a well-implemented secondary feature that can add dozens of extra hours of fun to your playthrough if you’re tired of fighting AI enemies and want a new challenge. Just make sure you pick a server that matches your playstyle, follow the community rules, and don’t be afraid to start small with casual servers before you jump into full open-world PvP. If you prefer cooperative play, you never have to interact with PvP at all, so you can keep focusing on building, exploring, and taking down the Fell with your friends without any extra stress.