Conan Exiles Purge Config: Server Setup Guide

This guide explains how to configure the Purge on a Conan Exiles server, covering both official and private server setups. You’ll learn what settings control purge frequency, difficulty, and size, and how to adjust them to your preferred playstyle. By the end, you’ll know exactly where to find and change these settings, and how to troubleshoot common issues.

What You’ll Need

• Access to your server’s configuration files. For a dedicated server, this is usually the ServerSettings.ini file in the server’s ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsServer folder (or LinuxServer on Linux).
• If you’re using a hosting provider, you may have a control panel with a GUI for Purge settings, but the underlying file is the same.
• For single-player or co-op (non-dedicated), you can adjust some Purge settings via the in-game options menu, but the full range is only available in the ini file.
• A text editor like Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code to edit the file safely.

Step-by-Step

1. Locate the configuration file. On your server, navigate to the ConanSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsServer (or LinuxServer) directory. The file is named ServerSettings.ini. If it doesn’t exist, create it in that folder.
2. Open the file. Use a text editor that doesn’t add formatting (like Notepad++).
3. Find the [ServerSettings] section. If it’s not there, add it at the top. All Purge settings go under this section.
4. Enable or disable the Purge. Set PurgeEnabled=True to enable, or False to disable. The default is True.
5. Set the Purge frequency. Use PurgeFrequency= to control how often a Purge can occur. The value is in hours, and the default is 12. For example, PurgeFrequency=24 means a Purge can happen at most once every 24 hours. Lower values (like 6) make Purges more frequent.
6. Adjust the Purge difficulty. PurgeDifficulty= controls the strength of the attacking NPCs. The default is 3 (on a scale of 1 to 6). Higher values mean tougher enemies with better gear. Set it to 1 for a casual experience, or 6 for a brutal challenge.
7. Control the Purge size. PurgeSize= determines how many waves and how many NPCs spawn. Default is 3 (scale 1-6). A higher number means more waves and more enemies per wave.
8. Set the building damage multiplier. PurgeBuildingDamageMultiplier= modifies how much damage Purge NPCs deal to structures. Default is 1.0 (100%). Lower it to 0.5 to make your base more resilient, or increase it to 2.0 for a real threat.
9. Adjust the NPC damage multiplier. PurgeNPCDamageMultiplier= affects how much damage Purge NPCs deal to players and thralls. Default is 1.0. Lower it to make the Purge less lethal to you and your defenders.
10. Set the NPC health multiplier. PurgeNPCHealthMultiplier= changes the health pool of Purge NPCs. Default is 1.0. Increase to make them tankier, decrease to make them easier to kill.
11. Choose the Purge type. PurgeType= can be set to 0 (all types), 1 (only Imps), 2 (only Rocknoses), 3 (only Hyenas), 4 (only Zombies), 5 (only Snakes), 6 (only Spiders), 7 (only Crocodiles), 8 (only Wolves), 9 (only Boars), 10 (only Shalebacks), 11 (only Sand Reapers), 12 (only Komodos), 13 (only Scorpions), 14 (only Sabretooths), 15 (only Rhinos), 16 (only Elephants), 17 (only Mammoths), 18 (only Yetis), 19 (only Frost Giants), 20 (only Black Yetis), 21 (only Black Dragons), 22 (only Red Dragons), 23 (only Green Dragons), 24 (only White Dragons), 25 (only Skeleton Warriors), 26 (only Skeleton Archers), 27 (only Skeleton Mages), 28 (only Skeleton Brutes), 29 (only Skeleton Wights), 30 (only Skeleton Champions), 31 (only Undead Hyenas), 32 (only Undead Wolves), 33 (only Undead Bears), 34 (only Undead Crocodiles), 35 (only Undead Shalebacks), 36 (only Undead Komodos), 37 (only Undead Scorpions), 38 (only Undead Rhinos), 39 (only Undead Elephants), 40 (only Undead Mammoths), 41 (only Undead Yetis), 42 (only Undead Frost Giants), 43 (only Undead Black Yetis), 44 (only Undead Black Dragons), 45 (only Undead Red Dragons), 46 (only Undead Green Dragons), 47 (only Undead White Dragons). Default is 0.
12. Set the minimum player count for a Purge. PurgeMinimumPlayerThreshold= defines how many players must be online before a Purge can trigger. Default is 1. Set to 0 to allow Purges with no players online (but note that the Purge will only happen when at least one player is near a base).
13. Save the file. After making changes, save the file and restart your server for the changes to take effect.
14. Verify the settings. In-game, you can type GetServerSettings in the console (press ~) to see current values. Or check the server log for “Purge settings loaded” messages.

Common Mistakes

• Editing the wrong file. Some admins edit Engine.ini or Game.ini instead of ServerSettings.ini. Purge settings are only read from ServerSettings.ini.
• Using commas instead of periods. In some locales, decimal numbers use commas. The ini file expects a period (e.g., 1.5, not 1,5).
• Not restarting the server. Changes to the ini file are only loaded when the server starts. Forgetting to restart is the most common reason “it didn’t work.”
• Setting PurgeFrequency too low. A value like 1 might cause a Purge almost every time a player is near a base, which can be overwhelming. Use a reasonable value like 12 or 24.
• Ignoring the PurgeMinimumPlayerThreshold. If you set it to 0, Purges can happen even when only one player is online, which might be fine, but if you want to avoid that, set it to 2 or more.

Tips

• Test on a test server. Before applying changes to a live server, test them on a separate instance to see how they feel.
• Combine with events. You can trigger a Purge manually via admin console with StartPurge command to test your base defenses.
• Use a balanced difficulty. For a typical PvE server, PurgeDifficulty=3 and PurgeSize=3 are good starting points. Adjust based on your player base’s progress.
• Monitor server performance. Large Purges with high PurgeSize can cause lag. Keep an eye on server FPS and adjust if needed.
• Backup your ini file. Always keep a backup of your working configuration so you can revert if a change causes problems.

Troubleshooting

• Purge never happens. Check that PurgeEnabled=True. Also verify that the PurgeFrequency has elapsed (the timer resets after a Purge). Ensure at least one player is online and near a base. If you set PurgeMinimumPlayerThreshold to a high number, it may never trigger.
• Purge happens too often. Increase PurgeFrequency to a higher value. Also check if you have any mods that affect Purge timers.
• Purge is too easy/hard. Adjust PurgeDifficulty and PurgeSize. Also consider changing the damage multipliers.
• Purge NPCs don’t attack structures. Make sure PurgeBuildingDamageMultiplier is not set to 0. Also, if your base is built in a location that’s not reachable, NPCs may get stuck.
• Server crashes during Purge. This is often due to too many NPCs spawning. Reduce PurgeSize and PurgeDifficulty. Also check for mod conflicts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I disable the Purge entirely?

Yes, set PurgeEnabled=False in ServerSettings.ini and restart the server.

What does the Purge frequency actually mean?

It’s the minimum number of hours between Purges. The timer starts after a Purge ends. So if set to 12, you won’t get another Purge for at least 12 hours.

Does the Purge affect solo players?

Yes, if you have a base and are online, a Purge can target you. You can set PurgeMinimumPlayerThreshold to 0 and PurgeEnabled to false if you want to avoid it entirely.

Are there any Purge settings in the in-game menu?

In single-player, you can adjust some Purge settings in the “Gameplay” section of the options menu, but for full control, edit the ini file.

Will changing Purge settings affect existing Purges?

Changes take effect after a server restart. If a Purge is already in progress when you restart, it will be canceled.

Can I make Purges only happen at night?

There’s no direct setting for that. You can use mods or adjust the day/night cycle, but the base game doesn’t have a time-of-day filter for Purges.

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