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Decide which kind of attack you are defending against
“Base defense” describes two different systems. Choosing Pals for one does not automatically solve the other.
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| Threat | What attacks the base | What matters most |
|---|---|---|
| NPC wave raid | Successive waves of hostile NPCs and Pals generated by the raid system | Work Pal levels, defender survivability and damage, pathing, chokepoints and defensive structures |
| PvP trespass or attack | Hostile players when PvP is enabled on the server | Server PvP settings, base-Pal engagement rules, player visibility and an alert response |
Pocketpair’s official server documentation treats PvP separately: when a hostile player enters the relevant area, base Pals can engage that trespasser and the game can issue an attack notification. That is not the same encounter as an NPC raid, so do not judge a Pal’s PvP usefulness from an NPC-wave strategy alone.
What changed with the v1.0 raid system
Pocketpair’s Palworld v1.0 – Official Release Changelog, published July 10, 2026, replaced the previous raid behavior with successive waves. Clearing every wave grants rewards, making a raid an encounter you are expected to finish rather than merely endure until enemies leave.
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- Raid enemies vary with the environment. Pocketpair’s examples include the Free Pal Alliance attacking at Crescent Moon Shore and the Eternal Pyre faction attacking Mount Obsidian.
- Enemy levels scale according to the levels of the Work Pals assigned to the deployed base. A highly developed workforce therefore raises both your production capacity and the level of defense you must plan for.
- Defense structures operate without consuming ammunition under this raid system.
- The update added countermeasures for raiders that become stuck on terrain, although a sensible layout is still your first defense against pathing problems.
- A Gold Coin Assembly Line can trigger a dedicated raid event, so placing one creates a specific reason to prepare for an attack.
These rules explain why a single “top Pal” list is misleading. A defender that performs well in one base, with one Work Pal level and one environment, may face a different wave composition and level elsewhere.
The four commonly suggested defender candidates
The current Palworld Base Defense Guide (1.0) — Wall Layouts, Turrets, and Pals That Actually Survive (updated September 7, 2026) names four candidates: Astegon, Anubis, Panthalus and Lyleen. The guide does not provide controlled damage tests, survival percentages or an official tier ranking. Use the names as a shortlist to evaluate against your own roster, not as a guaranteed order of power.
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Astegon is one of the guide’s suggested base-defense choices. If you already have one available, evaluate whether its level, traits and skills fit the job you need at that base. A defender assigned to hold a chokepoint has a different requirement from one expected to clear a wave quickly, and the available evidence does not establish Astegon as universally superior in either role.
Anubis
Anubis is also listed as a candidate. Compare its actual level and build with the levels of the other Pals you can assign. Because raid enemy levels follow the levels of Work Pals at the base, an appropriately leveled Anubis in a balanced workforce can be a safer choice than a nominally stronger candidate that is underleveled for the encounter.
Panthalus
Panthalus appears in the same current shortlist. Treat it as an option for your base’s available role rather than assuming that the name alone determines performance. Check whether it can remain in the fighting area, whether its attacks connect through your chosen approach lane and whether its level is appropriate for the Work Pal levels that are scaling the raid.
Lyleen
Lyleen completes the guide’s four-name list. The reviewed sources do not establish a quantified comparison between Lyleen and the other candidates. Choose it when its level, skills and assignment make sense for your layout and roster, then observe how it behaves during successive waves instead of relying on a universal tier label.
Use these criteria instead of a fixed tier list
| Decision axis | Question to answer | Why it affects defense |
|---|---|---|
| Survivability | Can the Pal remain in the engagement area while several enemies reach the base? | A defender that falls early leaves the rest of the wave for structures and workers. |
| Damage role | Is the Pal meant to hold a line, focus down targets or clear groups? | Your layout should place the Pal where its attacks can reach the intended targets. |
| Support role | Does the Pal’s usable skill set help the rest of the defense? | A support-oriented assignment may be valuable even when it is not the highest direct damage option. |
| Level relative to the base | How does its level compare with the Work Pals that determine raid scaling? | Replacing one defender without considering the whole workforce can leave the base facing stronger waves than expected. |
| Pathing fit | Can it reach the chokepoint, stay there and avoid getting trapped by walls or terrain? | Practical uptime matters more than a theoretical build that cannot engage. |
| Roster depth | Can you field replacements if a first-line Pal is down between waves? | Successive waves reward a roster and layout that can keep fighting, not only a single high-level candidate. |
There is no source-backed damage test that lets you assign numerical weights to these criteria. Make the decision from the Pals you actually own, the level of the base’s workforce and the physical route attackers must take.
Build a chokepoint that lets defenders concentrate fire
The current defense guide recommends funneling raiders through a chokepoint so defenders can concentrate attacks. That is practical layout advice from a secondary source, not a guarantee tested across every base location or wave composition.
- Map the approach routes. Watch where a raid approaches your base and identify the route with the fewest natural obstacles. Do not assume an attractive wall line is also a valid path for enemy AI.
- Choose one primary entry lane. Use walls and terrain to discourage enemies from splitting around opposite sides of the base. Keep enough room for your own Pals to move and attack.
- Place the engagement area before the work area. Put the main fighting space where attackers must pass before reaching beds, storage and production stations. This gives defenders time to engage without turning every worker station into a separate battlefield.
- Keep a retreat and replacement route. A corridor that is too narrow can trap your own Pals. Leave a route for them to disengage, and avoid decorative pieces that interrupt their movement.
- Align structures with the lane. Since defensive structures do not consume ammunition under the v1.0 raid system, place them to cover the approach and the turn into the base rather than saving ammunition for a later wave.
- Test the route during a raid. Observe where enemies actually stop, turn or climb. If they bypass the intended lane, rebuild the section that allowed the split instead of adding random walls farther inside.
Do not present one blueprint as proven for every location. Environment-specific enemy behavior and terrain can change the useful approach, and the v1.0 update specifically acknowledges terrain-related raid problems.
Plan around Work Pal levels and raid scaling
Pocketpair states that raid enemy levels scale according to the levels of Work Pals assigned to the deployed base. This creates an important trade-off:
- A high-level workforce improves production but can raise the level of enemies sent by a raid.
- Moving lower-level workers into a base may reduce the scaled threat, but it also reduces the output you built the base to provide.
- Defenders should be evaluated as part of the whole assignment roster, not in isolation.
Before upgrading several workers, check whether the base has enough frontline capacity for the stronger waves that may result. If your workforce is far ahead of your defenders, improve the layout and recruit replacement Pals before expanding production again. The sources do not provide a formula for the scaling curve, so do not rely on a predicted enemy level calculated from a particular worker level.
Prepare a base for successive waves
A raid is not finished when the first group falls. Rewards are tied to defeating all waves, so preparation must cover the entire sequence.
- Keep the fighting lane clear. Remove objects that make your own Pals stop short of the target or that let enemies occupy multiple positions at once.
- Protect the production core. Put critical stations and storage behind the engagement area, not directly beside the first wall an attacker reaches.
- Check defender assignments. Make sure the Pals you expect to fight are actually assigned to the deployed base and are not simultaneously needed for an essential task elsewhere.
- Use the no-ammunition rule correctly. You do not need to budget ammunition for defense structures under v1.0 raids, but you still need to place and maintain the structures so they cover the route.
- Watch each wave’s path. An enemy that slips past the first engagement point can expose the interior to the next wave. Adjust the lane after the encounter rather than waiting for repeated structural damage.
What the v1.0.4 Pal adjustment does—and does not—prove
Pocketpair’s v1.0.4 balance notes, published September 6, 2026, say summoned Pals and Base Pals were adjusted to prioritize skills expected to deal higher damage. This is a relevant behavior change for base combat, but it does not identify which individual Pal is best, nor does it supply a comparative ranking for Astegon, Anubis, Panthalus or Lyleen.
Use the patch note as a reason to reassess an existing assignment after updating the game. Do not treat it as evidence that one of the four candidates has become the definitive answer.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep summoned raid bosses separate from base raids
Summoned raid bosses are opt-in encounters initiated with a slab and a Summoning Altar. The current base-defense guide describes them separately from the raids that send waves toward your walls. A Pal or layout that is suitable for a summoned boss is not automatically the best answer for defending a production base, and a successful wall defense does not prove that your party is ready for a summoned encounter.
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When planning, first ask whether the threat came through the base raid system or whether you deliberately started a Summoning Altar event. The preparation, arena and objective are different.
NPC raids and PvP require different checklists
For NPC wave raids
- Identify the likely approach route for the base’s environment.
- Review the levels of every Work Pal assigned to the base.
- Select a defender from your available candidates based on role, level and pathing rather than name alone.
- Funnel enemies into one defensible lane where possible.
- Place defense structures to cover that lane, taking advantage of their ammunition-free operation under v1.0.
- Observe all successive waves and repair the layout after the event.
For PvP
- Confirm whether PvP is enabled under the server’s rules.
- Read the server’s attack-notification behavior so you know what an alert means and who can receive it.
- Keep base Pals assigned and positioned where they can engage a hostile trespasser.
- Protect critical stations and storage from a player who can choose a route instead of following an NPC raid path.
- Do not use an NPC-wave success as proof that the base is secure against an organized player attack.
Pocketpair’s official PvP server guide documents the base-Pal engagement and notification mechanics, but it does not establish a universal defender ranking for PvP either.
Common failure modes and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Enemies split around both sides of the base | The layout has multiple equally attractive routes | Close the secondary route and rebuild a single approach lane with enough room for your Pals. |
| Defenders never reach the attackers | The engagement area is blocked or the route is too narrow | Remove obstructions, widen the lane and watch movement during the next wave. |
| The first wave is manageable but later waves overwhelm the base | The workforce raised raid scaling or the layout leaves no time for recovery | Review Work Pal levels, add or replace frontline defenders and shorten the route to the protected core. |
| Structures are intact but workers are defeated | The fighting zone is placed inside the production area | Move the primary engagement point outward so workers are not the first units contacted. |
| A candidate Pal performs worse than expected | Its level, skills or pathing do not fit this base | Compare the role and route, not just the Pal’s name; try another candidate or change the chokepoint. |
| Enemies appear stuck on terrain | Uneven terrain or a poorly aligned wall route | Rebuild the affected section and retest. The v1.0 update includes countermeasures, but layout corrections remain useful. |
About the Negotiator raid-cancellation claim
A secondary PalMods guide reports that a Negotiator can cancel an upcoming raid in exchange for gold coins. That interaction is not established by the Pocketpair changelog or server documentation cited above. If you plan to spend coins on it, verify that the option exists and works in your current game build before treating it as part of your defense plan. It should be considered a possible convenience, not a substitute for a functioning layout and defender roster.
A practical choice for your next base
Start with the candidate you can field at an appropriate level—Astegon, Anubis, Panthalus or Lyleen—then assign it to a clear fighting role. Build a chokepoint around that role, keep the production core behind it and inspect how every successive wave moves. If the base’s Work Pals are upgraded, upgrade the defense plan at the same time because their levels influence raid enemy levels.
The evidence supports a method, not a universal winner. No reviewed source supplies comparative testing, matchup data or an official tier list that can justify calling one of these four Pals the best in every environment and mode. Your strongest defense is the combination of a suitable, appropriately leveled Pal, a concentrated path, ammunition-free defensive structures and a roster prepared for the full wave sequence.
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