Fix Alliances Not Working in ARK: Survival Evolved

If your tribe alliances in ARK: Survival Evolved are not working—tribes can’t damage each other, share structures, or see each other on the map—the fix is usually a combination of server settings, in-game tribe rank permissions, and a re-establishment of the alliance. This article walks you through the exact settings and steps to get alliances functioning again on both official and unofficial servers.

How Alliances Are Supposed to Work

In ARK, an alliance is a formal agreement between two or more tribes. When it works correctly, allied tribes:

• Cannot damage each other’s players, tames, or structures (with standard PvP damage rules).
• Can use each other’s structures and tames, depending on the tribe’s “Structure Ownership” and “Tame Ownership” settings.
• Can see each other’s players and tames on the map (if the server has “Show Map Player Location” enabled).
• Can share experience and resources if the alliance is set to “Shared” in the tribe manager.

Alliances are managed through the Tribe Manager (press L by default) under the “Alliances” tab. The tribe leader or an admin with the right rank can send an alliance request to another tribe. Once accepted, the two tribes become allied.

Common Reasons Alliances Fail

When alliances “don’t work,” it usually falls into one of these categories:

• Server settings block friendly fire or structure sharing. Many servers, especially PvE or modded ones, disable friendly fire entirely. This means allied tribes cannot damage each other, but it also means the game may not register the alliance for damage purposes.
• Tribe rank permissions are too restrictive. The tribe leader may not have granted the “Manage Alliances” permission to the person trying to send or accept the request.
• The alliance was never properly accepted. A common bug: the request appears in the Tribe Manager, but the other tribe never sees it, or it times out.
• Server transfer or cluster issues. If you transfer a character between servers, alliances may not carry over correctly.
• Mod or plugin conflicts. Mods like S+ (Structures Plus), ORP (Offline Raid Protection), or custom server plugins can override default alliance behavior.

Step-by-Step Fixes to Try

Work through these in order. Most alliance problems are solved by one of the first three.

1. Check server settings. If you are an admin, open the Game.ini file and look for these lines:
   PreventAllianceWar=true (this prevents allied tribes from declaring war on each other—sometimes this also blocks damage).
   bAllowFriendlyFire=false (this disables friendly fire for everyone, including allies).
   If you want allied tribes to be able to hurt each other (for practice or PvP), set PreventAllianceWar=false and bAllowFriendlyFire=true. If you want them to NOT hurt each other, leave them as is. The key is that the settings must match what you expect.
2. Verify tribe ranks. In the Tribe Manager, click on the “Ranks” tab. Make sure the rank of the player sending the request has the “Manage Alliances” checkbox ticked. Also check that the receiving tribe’s player has the same permission.
3. Re-establish the alliance. Sometimes the simplest fix is to break the alliance and re-form it. In the Tribe Manager, go to the Alliances tab, select the tribe, and choose “Break Alliance.” Then have the tribe leader send a new request. Make sure both sides are online and not in combat.
4. Check for mod conflicts. If you are on a modded server, temporarily disable mods like S+ or ORP to see if the alliance starts working. If it does, re-enable them one by one to find the culprit.
5. Restart the server. A full server restart clears many temporary glitches. If you are on an official server, you cannot restart it, but you can try logging out and back in.
6. Check the tribe’s “Structure Ownership” and “Tame Ownership” settings. In the Tribe Manager, under “General,” there are two dropdowns: “Structure Ownership” and “Tame Ownership.” Set them to “Allies” or “Everyone” to allow allied tribes to use your stuff. If they are set to “Owner Only,” allies cannot interact with your structures or tames, which can make it seem like the alliance isn’t working.

How to Properly Configure Alliances on a Server

If you are a server admin, the cleanest way to set up alliances is to use the in-game Tribe Manager rather than editing files. However, for persistent behavior, edit Game.ini and add these lines under the [/Script/ShooterGame.ShooterGameMode] section:

PreventAllianceWar=true
bAllowFriendlyFire=false

These two settings are the core of alliance behavior. PreventAllianceWar stops allied tribes from declaring war (which would disable the alliance), and bAllowFriendlyFire controls whether allied players can damage each other. If you want allied tribes to be able to damage each other (for sparring), set bAllowFriendlyFire=true.

Also, make sure the server has AllowAnyoneBecomeTribeMember=true if you want players to join tribes easily, though this is not directly related to alliances.

When Alliances Still Don’t Work: Advanced Troubleshooting

If you’ve tried the above and alliances are still broken, consider these less common causes:

• Server transfer bug: If a tribe leader transfers their character to another server, the alliance may become orphaned. The only fix is to break and re-form the alliance.
• Corrupted save file: If the server’s save file is corrupted, alliance data may be lost. Restore a backup from before the issue.
• Plugin interference: Some anti-griefing plugins (like ORP) automatically disable alliances to prevent offline raiding. Check your plugin configuration.
• NAT or connection issues: If the game’s network connection is unstable, alliance requests may not transmit. This is rare but possible on unofficial servers with poor hosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can allied tribes damage each other in ARK?

By default, on official servers, allied tribes CAN damage each other unless the server has bAllowFriendlyFire=false. On many unofficial PvE servers, friendly fire is disabled, so allied tribes cannot hurt each other. If you want to be able to hurt allies, the server must have friendly fire enabled.

Why can’t I see my ally on the map?

Map visibility for allies is controlled by the server setting ShowMapPlayerLocation. If it is set to false, no one sees anyone on the map. If it is true, you should see allies as green dots. Also, your tribe’s “Map” permission must be set to “Allies” or “Everyone” in the Tribe Manager.

How do I break an alliance in ARK?

Open the Tribe Manager (L), go to the Alliances tab, select the tribe you want to break with, and click “Break Alliance.” This will immediately end the alliance. The other tribe will be notified.

Can an alliance be formed between more than two tribes?

Yes, a tribe can be allied with multiple other tribes simultaneously. Each alliance is independent. There is no limit to the number of alliances a tribe can have, though managing many can be confusing.

Why does my alliance keep breaking when a player transfers servers?

When a tribe leader transfers their character to another server, the alliance may break because the leader’s tribe ID changes. To avoid this, ensure the tribe leader does not transfer, or re-form the alliance after the transfer.

Do alliances work on PvE servers?

Yes, alliances work on PvE servers, but the default settings often disable friendly fire. This means allied tribes cannot damage each other, which is usually what PvE players want. However, structure sharing still works if ownership settings allow it.

Final Thoughts

Alliance issues in ARK are almost always a settings or permission problem, not a game-breaking bug. Start by checking the two server flags (PreventAllianceWar and bAllowFriendlyFire), then verify tribe rank permissions, and finally re-establish the alliance. If you are on an unofficial server, the admin may need to adjust the configuration. With the right settings, alliances work as intended: allowing tribes to cooperate while keeping the PvP or PvE experience you want.

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