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Use the NPCReplacements setting in the server’s Game.ini to change a wild creature class globally or prevent that class from spawning. A replacement maps one exact entity class to another; disabling a creature uses an empty ToClassName. The rule affects creatures spawned after the configuration is loaded, so restart the server and usually run a wild-dino wipe before testing.
The setting is global by class, not a per-region population slider. It does not remove already tamed creatures, and it will not alter existing wild creatures until they are killed and respawn. The instructions below cover normal Windows and Linux dedicated-server files as well as Dynamic Config.
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What NPCReplacements changes
ARK evaluates NPCReplacements when it creates wild NPCs (the game’s term for creatures and other non-player entities). Each rule says, in effect, “when this source class would spawn, use this target class instead.” Because the comparison is made against the entity class, the rule is global wherever that creature could normally appear.
Replacement versus disabling
| Goal | Configuration | Result for future wild spawns |
|---|---|---|
| Replace one creature | NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C") |
A spawn that would have produced the source class produces the target class instead. |
| Disable one creature | NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="Ichthyornis_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="") |
The source creature is removed from that replacement rule, so new wild spawns of that class are prevented. |
The ARK Official Community Wiki describes the feature as being able to disable specific alpha creatures, replace one NPC’s spawns with another NPC, or completely disable a specific NPC spawn. The same mechanism handles ordinary creatures; only the class names differ.
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What it does not do
- It does not convert an existing creature in place. A wild creature already loaded on the map can remain until it is killed or removed.
- It does not delete tamed creatures. Tames are not wild-spawn results and are not targeted by this rule.
- It does not limit a creature to one biome or spawn region. For region-specific population changes, use the separate spawn-entry configuration described in ARK’s server-configuration documentation.
- It does not accept a display name such as “Dodo” or “Ichthyornis.” The value must be the exact entity class string.
Prepare the server before editing
Stop the dedicated server and make a backup
Shut down the server cleanly before changing an INI file. Keep a copy of the current configuration, including the date in the backup name. A malformed line, a provider-generated overwrite, or an incorrect class ID can then be reversed without rebuilding the server settings.
Choose the correct configuration file
Normal NPC replacement entries belong in Game.ini, the file used for advanced server modifications. They do not belong in GameUserSettings.ini, which contains most basic and intermediate server settings.
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| Dedicated-server platform | Normal file path |
|---|---|
| Windows | ShooterGameSavedConfigWindowsServerGame.ini |
| Linux | ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini |
Use the path inside the server installation, not a client’s local ARK folder. Control panels often expose an editor for the same file; verify that the panel saves to the platform-specific Game.ini shown above.
Confirm the exact class IDs
Open the current official Creature IDs reference and copy the creature’s entity ID or spawn-class string exactly. Preserve capitalization, underscores, and the trailing _C. Class names can change between game versions and may be different for modded creatures, so use the mod author’s current documentation for a mod class rather than guessing from its in-game name.
Add a normal Game.ini replacement
Step 1: Open the file while the server is stopped
Open the platform-specific Game.ini in a plain-text editor. If the file does not exist, create it with that exact filename and extension. Do not let an editor silently save it as Game.ini.txt.
Step 2: Add the source-to-target mapping
Put one complete entry on its own line. This example changes a MegaRaptor spawn into a Dodo spawn:
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NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C")The source is the class ARK would have spawned; the target is the class that should be created instead. Keep the parentheses, commas, quotation marks, and _C suffix intact.
Step 3: Add the line in the active configuration
Do not wrap a normal-file entry in an extra pair of parentheses or put several mappings inside one line. Each mapping is an independent NPCReplacements=(...) line in Game.ini. If the file already contains unrelated settings, leave those settings unchanged.
Step 4: Save without changing text encoding or punctuation
Save the file, then reopen it to confirm the line is still present exactly as entered. Some hosting panels normalize quotation marks or rewrite files when a server starts; checking the saved file catches that before testing.
Step 5: Restart the server
Start the dedicated server again after the edit. A running server generally continues using the configuration it loaded at startup, so changing the file while it is online is not a substitute for a restart.
Disable a creature instead of replacing it
To suppress a source class, leave ToClassName empty. For example, this disables new wild Ichthyornis spawns:
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="Ichthyornis_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="")The empty value is intentional. Do not type a display name, the word None, or a made-up “disabled” class. Keep the source class in quotes and retain the comma before the empty target value.
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Disabling is global for that class. If you want the creature in one area but not another, use location-specific spawn-entry settings instead of NPCReplacements.
Configure several replacements
For the normal INI format, put every mapping on a separate line. For example:
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C")
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="Coel_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Piranha_Character_BP_C")
NPCReplacements=(FromClassName="Ichthyornis_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="")Each source should be checked against the current Creature IDs reference. Avoid changing quotation marks, omitting the _C suffix, or combining entries with semicolons. Keep a commented or separate record of why each mapping exists; comments and provider editors vary in how they handle INI syntax, so the safest operational record is a backup copy or change log outside the active lines.
Think about chained mappings
If one rule targets a class that is also listed as a source in another rule, the final result can depend on how the game processes the mappings. Avoid chains when possible. Map each unwanted source directly to its intended target, and test unusual combinations on a copy or low-population server before applying them to a live world.
Use Dynamic Config when the server is set up for it
Dynamic Config is a different configuration path. It requires the server to be launched with -UseDynamicConfig and to have a CustomDynamicConfigUrl configured. ARK’s official configuration documentation supports NPC replacements through Dynamic Config from version 319.14.
Use the single outer mapping
Dynamic Config places all replacement pairs inside one outer NPCReplacements value. This is not the same shape as the normal Game.ini format:
NPCReplacements=((FromClassName="MegaRaptor_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Dodo_Character_BP_C"),(FromClassName="Coel_Character_BP_C",ToClassName="Piranha_Character_BP_C"))Every pair remains enclosed in its own parentheses, while the complete list is enclosed by the outer parentheses. Put all desired pairs in that one entry rather than creating separate top-level NPCReplacements lines in the dynamic document.
When Dynamic Config is the better fit
- Use normal
Game.iniediting when you control the server files and can schedule a restart. - Use Dynamic Config only when the server already uses the dynamic-config launch options and URL. It can be checked as part of world-save configuration workflows, but it still requires the documented wrapping syntax.
- Do not paste the Dynamic Config form into a normal
Game.iniand expect it to behave identically; the parser expects different nesting.
Make the new rule visible in the world
Why a restart is not enough
The rule controls future wild-creature creation. Existing wild creatures can remain from the previous configuration, making a correct replacement appear to have failed. Tamed creatures are also unaffected.
Wipe existing wild creatures
After the restart, an administrator can run:
Cheat DestroyWildDinosThis removes wild creatures so the map repopulates under the new rules. It does not remove tames. Warn players first because the wipe changes the live ecosystem and can remove valuable untamed spawns they were tracking.
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ARK also documents -ForceRespawnDinos as a startup option. It destroys untamed wild creatures during startup, allowing the map to repopulate without manually entering the cheat after the server comes online. Treat this as an operational choice: it affects every startup, so do not enable it casually on a world where preserving existing wild spawns matters.
Verify that the replacement or disable rule worked
- Confirm the server started without an INI parse error and that the edited file still contains the entry.
- After the restart and wild-dino wipe (or the documented startup option), travel through regions where the source creature normally appears.
- For a replacement, look for the target creature in those spawn opportunities. For a disabled class, check that the source does not return after the area has had time to repopulate.
- Use several spawn regions rather than a single location; natural spawn timing and local population caps can make one area look empty temporarily.
- Record the map, server version, class IDs, and whether a wipe was performed so a later configuration change can be compared with the same conditions.
Troubleshoot a rule that appears not to work
No change anywhere
- Check that the line is in
ShooterGameSavedConfigWindowsServerGame.inifor Windows orShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.inifor Linux, and not inGameUserSettings.ini. - Verify that the server was fully restarted after saving.
- Compare every character of both class IDs with the current Creature IDs reference, including capitalization and
_C. - Make sure the server is not loading a different instance directory or restoring a provider template over the file.
- Remove old wild creatures with
Cheat DestroyWildDinosbefore judging the result.
The source creature still appears after a wipe
Recheck whether the source class is the one used by the current game edition or by the installed mod. A display name can refer to more than one class, and mod updates can change class paths. Also confirm that the rule is in the active configuration mechanism: a Dynamic Config server needs the single outer mapping, while a normal server needs separate lines.
The target creature does not appear
A valid replacement can still produce no visible target in a particular area if that area has not repopulated or its local spawn population is capped. Test after the wipe in multiple regions. If the target is modded, confirm that the mod is installed and loaded on the server and that its documented class string is current.
The file keeps reverting
Some hosting-provider control panels regenerate INI files. Stop the server, edit the provider’s persistent configuration field or file editor, save, and then verify the resulting server file before starting. Retain your backup so an automatic rewrite can be identified and reversed.
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Global replacement versus location-specific population control
NPCReplacements is the right tool when every wild spawn of a class should be changed or removed. It is not a density-control system. For a creature that should remain on one map region but be reduced or removed from another, use the separate spawn-entry settings on the server-configuration page. Those settings require different entries and should not be mixed into an NPCReplacements line.
| Requirement | Use |
|---|---|
| Change every wild source-class spawn to another class | NPCReplacements with a target class. |
| Prevent every wild source-class spawn | NPCReplacements with an empty ToClassName. |
| Adjust a creature only in selected spawn regions | Location-specific spawn-entry configuration. |
| Remove or change existing tames | A separate in-game or administrative process; NPC replacement rules do not target them. |
Version, mod, and maintenance cautions
Class names are not permanent display labels
Entity classes are version- and mod-dependent. Revalidate the IDs after a major game update, a map change, or a mod update. A rule can remain syntactically correct while matching nothing if the class was renamed.
Keep an auditable configuration
Store the last known-good Game.ini and a short change record. When adding several mappings, change one group at a time and test after a controlled wipe. This makes it possible to identify a bad class ID or a provider overwrite without losing unrelated server settings.
Plan for the effect on players
A global replacement changes the ecology of every affected spawn region. Replacing a rare or high-level creature with a common class can alter resource availability and difficulty, while disabling an aggressive creature can change travel safety. Announce a planned wipe and explain whether the change is global so players understand why existing wild creatures disappeared or why a target creature is now common.
Quick Recap
Quick implementation checklist
- Stop the dedicated server and back up its configuration.
- Open the platform-specific
Game.ini, unless the server explicitly uses Dynamic Config. - Copy exact source and target class strings from the current Creature IDs or mod documentation.
- Use one normal-format line per mapping, or one outer Dynamic Config mapping containing all pairs.
- Leave
ToClassNameempty only when the source should be disabled. - Save, verify the file, and restart the server.
- Run
Cheat DestroyWildDinosor deliberately use-ForceRespawnDinosat startup when a full wild-population refresh is appropriate. - Check several affected spawn regions and keep the working configuration as a rollback copy.
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