Palworld: 8 beginner mistakes you should absolutely avoid

Although Palworld has been out for more than two years, new players are still joining all the time. But because the game offers so many different systems, getting started can be tough. Some aspects or features aren’t explained well enough, which means you might miss out on important features. That’s where we come in: we’ll show you how to avoid these mistakes and get the most out of Palworld. Even returning or veteran players may pick up a thing or two!

More XP in Palworld: catch 12 Pals per species

Experience points are crucial for leveling up and unlocking new parts of the game. Many players wonder where and how to get enough XP. A simple method the game explicitly communicates is to catch 12 Pals per species. Your progress appears in the Paldex and as a quest update as soon as you catch a Pal.

The amount of XP scales with the Pal, your own level, and your progress for that specific Pal. Whether it’s Lamball early on or Blazamut later, you should catch every Pal at least twelve times to claim the XP bonus.

Palworld base management: take proper care of Pals in your base

While we rely on them for work, Pals aren’t just laborers—they’re living beings that need care and have their own needs. Don’t make them toil without good working conditions in your base. Otherwise, productivity drops or they may refuse to work altogether.

Keep your Pals happy with:

• Sufficient food supplies
• A place to sleep
• A hot spring for relaxation
• Healing for injuries and other issues

Palworld team building: use diverse teams and Partner Skills

Unlike other monster games, Palworld rewards you for using lots of different Pals and training them. Every Pal has unique abilities that can help in almost any situation. The sheer variety of Partner Skills alone means your team should change based on the task at hand.

If you want to dive deeper, we’ve already put together a comprehensive team-building guide for you (Palworld Team Guide: 5 tips for the perfect team) . In general, evaluate every Pal and consider where it can help you in the game. You’ll be surprised by the unique combinations that exist!

Monitoring Stand in Palworld: optimize job distribution in your base

The Monitoring Stand, which you can unlock in Technologies at level 14 for two points, is one of the best buildings for your base. It lets you precisely control what your Pals work on and how they’re distributed across tasks. Many players overlook how powerful this tool is.

It offers three key controls:

• Set overall work intensity for your Pals, from relaxed to very hard
• Enable or disable specific tasks for Pals
• Assign Pals directly to a building or specific job in the base

Technology Points in Palworld: unlock smartly and set priorities

Early on, it’s tempting to spend points on almost everything in Technologies. We recommend waiting and focusing on what you truly need right now. There’s no benefit to spending all your points and then waiting in vain to unlock something important later. We’ve compiled all essential upgrades for you (Palworld Technology Guide 2026: Levels, Points & Best Perks) . Beyond that, it depends on your playstyle and current needs. If you still have points left over at the end, spend them freely.

Power up your character: weapons, levels, and attributes in Palworld

In Palworld, not only your Pals fight—you do too. And that’s important to remember, because you should never underestimate your own power. This is a clear advantage in the early hours, since you can attack wild Pals with both your own Pals and your weapons.

Weapons are a great topic by themselves: melee weapons are strong and bring you close to the enemy, while firearms let you attack from a distance. Leveling up also makes you stronger, allowing you to improve Attack, Defense, and HP.

Upgrade the Palbox: unlock more bases and more Pals

The Palbox is a cornerstone of every base. It doesn’t just store Pals—it also serves as a tutorial and upgrade system to expand your base further. The Palbox regularly gives you new tasks that unlock more base locations and more Pals per base. These tasks are often tied to new buildings or features you’d use anyway. Check the Palbox regularly so you don’t miss upgrades. More Pals per base are always helpful, and later you’ll also want more locations to gather valuable resources.

Travel faster in Palworld: use mounts early

Paths in Palworld can be long and tiring, so invest in mounts early. We’ve already published guides for various ways to get around if you want the details. We recommend unlocking a saddle or gloves early to stay as mobile as possible. Some Pals also have special abilities while riding, such as attacks, resource gathering, or elemental protection.

These are the best early-game mounts:

• Ground: Rushoar, Melpaca, Direhowl
• Flying: Nitewing, Elphidran, Vanwyrm
• Water: Surfent, Gilet, Azurobe
• Glider: Celaray, Killamari, Galeclaw

Conclusion: Avoid common beginner mistakes in Palworld

Palworld is packed with unique mechanics that are especially unfamiliar to new players. The mix of catching monsters, base building, and combat creates a very distinct gameplay loop. It’s easy to overlook helpful features. So if you’re short on XP, low on Technology Points, or losing fights, you now have a good idea why—and how to fix it. In the end, every mistake is a lesson.

If you’d rather play together with friends, rent your own Palworld server from us: Palworld server. Learn what the game has to offer together and help each other avoid mistakes.