How to Configure Tribe Settings on Your ARK Server
Control tribe size, alliances, and governance on your ARK server by editing GameUserSettings.ini. Includes every key tribe setting and what each one actually does.
Where Tribe Settings Live
All tribe-related settings go in GameUserSettings.ini under the [ServerSettings] section. Stop your server, open the file, edit, save, then start it back up.
File location:
ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini
Tribe Size Limit
[ServerSettings]
MaxTribeSize=10
Set MaxTribeSize to the maximum number of players allowed in a single tribe. The default is 70 (effectively unlimited for most servers). PvP servers commonly run 6, 10, or 25 depending on the server style.
Important: changing this value does not retroactively kick players out of tribes that are already over the limit. Existing over-size tribes keep their members. The new limit only applies when players try to invite someone new. If you need to enforce the new cap on existing tribes, you'll have to manually handle those cases through admin tools.
Alliance Settings
Alliances allow tribes to formally team up — shared map markers, no friendly-fire penalties, coordinated boss fights.
[ServerSettings]
PreventTribeAlliances=False
PreventTribeAlliances=False— alliances are allowed (default)PreventTribeAlliances=True— alliances are disabled; tribes cannot form formal alliances
Why disable alliances? On competitive PvP servers, alliances can quickly snowball into mega-alliances that lock out smaller groups and make raiding pointless. Most serious small-tribe and no-alliance PvP servers set this to True to keep the playing field flatter.
Note: some server configs also use AllowTribeAlliances=True/False — this is an older parameter. Use PreventTribeAlliances as it is more reliable in current versions.
Tribe Governance and Logging
[ServerSettings]
TribeNameChangeCooldown=15
TribeLogDestroyedEnemyStructures=False
TribeNameChangeCooldown=15— how many minutes must pass before a tribe can rename itself again. Prevents players from rapidly cycling names to avoid tracking. Set to0to disable the cooldown.TribeLogDestroyedEnemyStructures=False— when set toTrue, the tribe log records every enemy structure your tribe destroys. Useful on role-play servers for accountability; typically leftFalseon high-pop PvP servers because it floods the log.
Tribe Log Access
Players can view their tribe log in-game:
- Open the inventory screen (default:
I) - Click the Tribe Manager tab
- Select Tribe Log
As an admin you can also pull tribe log data using RCON or the admin console.
Recommended Settings by Server Type
Casual PvE:
MaxTribeSize=20
PreventTribeAlliances=False
TribeNameChangeCooldown=0
Competitive Small Tribes PvP:
MaxTribeSize=6
PreventTribeAlliances=True
TribeNameChangeCooldown=30
TribeLogDestroyedEnemyStructures=True