To run Caves in Don’t Starve Together (DST), run a Forest (Master) shard and a Caves shard as two linked server processes in the same cluster. Both launches must use the same cluster name; the cluster root holds the shared cluster.ini and token, while Master/server.ini and Caves/server.ini hold each shard’s settings. A Forest-and-Caves world is consequently more CPU-intensive than a Forest-only server.
You can create the world through DST’s host menu, launch both shards yourself with the dedicated-server executable, or use a managed host that explicitly supports linked shards. The steps below cover each route, the file layout to verify, and the failures that most often prevent the Caves shard from connecting.
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How the Forest-and-Caves setup works
Caves are not an option that turns on inside the Forest process. DST treats the surface world and the underground world as separate shards. The Forest shard is named Master; the underground shard is named Caves. They are linked by a shared cluster.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesEach shard has its own running process and its own server.ini. The cluster-level files are shared. A working dedicated-server directory therefore resembles this:
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MyDediServer/
cluster.ini
cluster_token.txt
Master/
server.ini
Caves/
server.iniThe exact file names and relationship are the important part: cluster.ini belongs at the cluster root, not in either shard folder. The token and other cluster-level files must also be in the root that both processes use. The Master process reads Master/server.ini; the Caves process reads Caves/server.ini.
Both processes must be started with the same cluster name. If one process uses MyDediServer and the other uses a different name, they are separate clusters even if their folders look similar. Likewise, starting only the Master process gives you a Forest world but no functioning underground shard.
Klei’s support documentation, updated July 15, 2026, warns that “hosting a forest and caves world requires running multiple servers at the same time which is CPU-intensive and requires a beefier computer setup.” That is a workload warning, not a published minimum specification or benchmark. No fixed CPU, RAM, player-count, or price figure is established for every DST caves installation, so size the machine conservatively and observe it under your own player load.
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| Method | What you do | Best fit | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-game host | Use Host Game > Create New World, choose the Caves server playstyle, configure the Caves tab and presets, then select Generate World. | A small group that wants the simplest setup. | The host computer runs the linked servers while the world is available. |
| Self-hosted dedicated server | Create one cluster and launch the dedicated executable twice: once with -shard Master and once with -shard Caves. |
Administrators who need control over files, startup, and backups. | You must maintain two processes and troubleshoot their paths, token, and configuration. |
| Managed dedicated hosting | Choose a service that explicitly provisions two linked DST shards and configure its cluster and storage options. | Groups that prefer provider-managed restarts and networking. | Support for linked shards, CPU bursts, backups, mods, and automation differs by service; verify each item before paying. |
Do not assume that a package advertised as a single DST server includes Caves. Ask whether it runs both a Master and a Caves process under one persistent cluster and whether you can access both shard configurations.
If you want a managed option, Godlike.Host offers Don’t Starve Together server hosting with its own Pterodactyl-based game panel, up to three free backups a day with restore, SFTP/FTP access and 24/7 live chat or ticket support. Put the questions above to its support team before ordering, and see the current plans for what fits your group.
Option 1: create a Caves world from the DST host menu
This is the least technical route. The labels below are Klei’s ordinary in-game flow; exact menu appearance can vary with the current game build.
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- Open DST and choose Host Game.
- Select Create New World.
- Choose the Caves server playstyle. This tells the host flow to create the linked Forest-and-Caves arrangement rather than a Forest-only world.
- Open the Caves tab and set the underground world options you want.
- Review the world presets for both the Forest and Caves portions. Keep the settings consistent with the kind of world your group expects; changing a preset can alter the generated world.
- Choose Generate World and wait for world generation to finish before inviting players.
If the Caves tab or playstyle is missing, first confirm that you are creating a new world rather than editing a Forest-only save. Also confirm that DST is fully updated. The menu route does not require you to hand-edit server.ini, but the host still has to run the linked server workload, so a weak host machine can produce slow transitions or poor responsiveness.
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1. Prepare one cluster root
Create or select a single cluster directory for the world. On Windows, Klei’s quick-setup documentation places the cluster under:
DocumentsKleiDoNotStarveTogetherMyDediServer
Replace MyDediServer with your chosen cluster name, but use that same name everywhere. Put the cluster token and cluster.ini in this root. Create two subdirectories named exactly Master and Caves, each containing its own server.ini.
Do not put the Caves configuration in the root and do not overwrite the Master configuration with it. The shard name in the command and the subdirectory name must agree.
2. Check the shared cluster files
The cluster root is the common identity for both processes. Before launching, verify:
- The cluster directory name is the name you will pass after
-cluster. cluster.iniis directly inside that directory.- The cluster token file is directly inside the same directory and belongs to this cluster.
- Both shard folders are inside the same root, not in two separately copied clusters.
If the token or cluster.ini is one level too high or too low, a process may create a new cluster, fail authentication, or start without the settings you expect. Point both launches at the same root by using the same cluster name and the same server data location.
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3. Configure the two shard files
Use Master/server.ini for surface-world settings and Caves/server.ini for underground settings. The Caves file must contain the cave-world configuration generated by the game or by your chosen setup process; do not expect the Master file to be read by the Caves process.
A community setup guide identifies DST_CAVE as the default cave world preset and also lists DST_CAVE_PLUS and TERRARIA_CAVE as alternatives. Treat those names as useful checks when examining generated configuration, while following Klei’s current documentation for syntax and supported options. A preset name by itself does not replace a valid shard file or a linked Master process.
4. Launch the Master process
Start the dedicated executable with the cluster name and Master shard:
dontstarve_dedicated_server_nullrenderer_x64 -console -cluster MyDediServer -shard MasterThe -console switch keeps a console available for server output, and -shard Master identifies the Forest process. Use the executable and data location supplied by your DST dedicated-server installation.
5. Launch the Caves process
Open a second console window and run the same executable with the same cluster name, changing only the shard:
dontstarve_dedicated_server_nullrenderer_x64 -console -cluster MyDediServer -shard CavesKlei’s Windows quick-setup example uses this form and places the Caves configuration at DocumentsKleiDoNotStarveTogetherMyDediServerCavesserver.ini. The two commands are separate processes; closing either one removes that shard from the running world.
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6. Confirm that the shards are using the intended files
Read the console output from each process and check that it identifies the expected shard and cluster. The Master console should reference the Master configuration; the second console should reference Caves. If both consoles appear to load the same shard, stop them and correct the command or directory names before allowing players to join.
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Start the Master first when you are diagnosing a new installation, then start Caves. The essential requirement is that both remain online under the same cluster; startup order does not turn two unrelated clusters into one.
Configure and verify the Caves world
Use the Caves tab or a generated shard file
For an in-game host, the Caves tab is the authoritative place to choose underground world settings before generation. For a dedicated server, the equivalent settings live in Caves/server.ini. Keep surface choices in Master/server.ini so each process receives the settings intended for its world.
Check the preset without treating it as a guarantee
If a generated configuration contains DST_CAVE, DST_CAVE_PLUS, or TERRARIA_CAVE, that indicates which named preset was selected in the configuration source. Preset availability and syntax can change with DST updates, so use the current Klei instructions when a generated file and an older guide disagree.
Generate carefully
World generation is a separate step from launching the server processes. In the host menu, select Generate World only after reviewing both tabs. In a dedicated setup, let the shard configuration and world data be created in the intended cluster before moving or renaming folders. Keep a backup of the cluster directory before making major world-setting changes.
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CPU load and day-to-day operation
Forest and Caves run concurrently. The extra CPU demand comes from maintaining two active server processes, not from a special Caves checkbox that consumes a known fixed amount. Player count, mods, world activity, operating system scheduling, and the machine’s available CPU all affect the result. Klei does not publish a universal minimum in the cited support guidance.
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Plan operations around two processes:
- Give both consoles a clear label so you can tell Master output from Caves output.
- When restarting, stop and start both shards as a pair unless you are deliberately diagnosing one side.
- Keep the cluster directory on persistent storage; otherwise a restart can leave you with missing world or configuration data.
- Back up the cluster root, including
cluster.ini, the token file, both shard folders, and world data, before changing presets or installing mods. - Watch for sustained CPU saturation, delayed shard transitions, or console errors while several players are active. These are reasons to reduce workload, move to a stronger machine, or choose a host with more CPU allocation.
A machine that handles a Forest-only world smoothly is not automatically adequate for Forest plus Caves. Test at the group’s expected activity level rather than relying on a nominal hardware label.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting by symptom
The server starts as Forest-only
- Check that the second process was launched with
-shard Caves, not-shard Master. - Confirm the
Cavesfolder is inside the same cluster root asMaster. - Confirm the Caves process uses the same value after
-clusteras the Master process. - Check that
Caves/server.iniexists and is not an accidentally renamed copy of the root or Master file.
The Caves process creates a separate world or cluster
This nearly always indicates a path or cluster-name mismatch. Compare the two command lines character by character, then verify that both commands resolve to the same cluster root containing one cluster.ini and one token file. Stop stray processes before retrying so they do not keep creating data in the wrong location.
The process cannot authenticate or behaves as if the token is missing
Check that the token is in the cluster root expected by the dedicated-server installation and that the process is using the intended cluster name. Do not place separate tokens in unrelated copied folders and assume the shards will join automatically.
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Settings apply to the wrong shard
Move surface settings to Master/server.ini and underground settings to Caves/server.ini. A shared cluster.ini is correct; a shared server.ini is not. Stop the affected process before editing, then launch it again and inspect its console output.
Players experience lag after enabling Caves
First check CPU utilization while both processes and the expected number of players are active. Because Klei describes the two-shard arrangement as CPU-intensive, sustained saturation is a more useful signal than a generic hardware recommendation. Reduce unnecessary workload, remove problematic mods one at a time, or move the cluster to a machine with greater CPU headroom. Do not solve a CPU problem by deleting configuration or world files.
One shard closes while the other remains online
The world is incomplete while either linked process is down. Read the closing process’s console output, verify its shard folder and configuration, and restart both processes after correcting the underlying issue. Keep a recent backup so a failed configuration change can be reverted.
What to verify with a managed host
If you do not want to run two console processes yourself, evaluate a managed service against the actual requirements of a caves cluster. Ask for written confirmation of each item:
| Requirement | Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Linked shards | Will one cluster run both a Master and a Caves process, rather than two unrelated servers? | Caves depends on the shared-cluster relationship. |
| CPU allocation | How much CPU is allocated to the two processes, and can it burst under load? | Klei identifies the combined workload as CPU-intensive. |
| Persistent storage and backups | Are cluster.ini, the token, both shard folders, and world data retained across restarts, and how are backups restored? |
Those files define the cluster and its worlds. |
| Mods and Workshop support | Can mods be installed for both shards, and is there a supported rollback path? | Mods can change CPU demand and must not leave the shards out of sync. |
| Networking | Does the provider configure the required network access for both linked processes? | A single-server package may not expose the complete arrangement. |
| Restart automation | Can both shards restart together after maintenance or a crash? | Restarting only one side leaves an incomplete world. |
| Current pricing | What is the current recurring price for the CPU and storage allocation you actually need? | No universal caves-server price is established; offers differ. |
Do not select a provider solely because its control panel has a Caves button. Confirm that the button creates a second linked shard, preserves the common cluster root, and gives you access to the Caves-specific configuration.
Safe changes, updates, and recovery
- Stop both Master and Caves processes before editing shard files, changing presets, or installing a mod.
- Copy the complete cluster root to a separate backup location. Include
cluster.ini, the token file,Master/server.ini,Caves/server.ini, and generated world data. - Change one category of setting at a time so a new failure has a clear cause.
- Start Master and Caves again with the identical cluster name and inspect both consoles.
- Test joining the Forest and entering Caves before inviting the full group.
When restoring, restore the whole cluster rather than only one shard folder. The Master and Caves data are linked; mixing files from different backups can produce mismatched worlds or configurations.
Quick Recap
Final setup checklist
- A single cluster root contains
cluster.iniand the cluster token. - The root contains separate
MasterandCavesfolders. Master/server.inicontains surface settings;Caves/server.inicontains underground settings.- The dedicated executable is launched twice.
- Both commands use the same cluster name.
- One command uses
-shard Master; the other uses-shard Caves. - Both processes remain online during play.
- The machine has CPU headroom for two concurrent servers, or the managed host has confirmed an adequate allocation.
- A backup exists before changing world settings or mods.
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