Status effects in Palworld come in two flavours, and confusing them is the fastest way to lose a fight or a base Pal. There are combat ailments like burn, freeze and poison that hit you and your Pals mid-battle, and there are the longer-term sicknesses and injuries that creep up on the Pals working back at your base. Each group is caused by different things and cured in completely different ways. This guide breaks down every condition, what triggers it, the element resistances that protect you, and exactly which medicine clears it.
Palworld is updated frequently, so exact tick rates and durations can shift between patches. The mechanics below reflect the current live game per the official wiki; treat the precise percentages as version-dependent and the behaviours as the reliable part.
How status effects work
Combat status effects are inflicted by the environment, certain weapons, some structures, and enemy Pals’ active skills. A target can only carry one combat status effect at a time, and a new one replaces the old one. The big exception is poison, which is the only effect that can stack independently alongside another condition. Crucially for ranchers and collectors, every status effect increases a Pal’s capture rate while it is active, so weakening a wild Pal with an ailment before throwing a sphere is a legitimate strategy.
Most combat effects also have an elemental angle: each one is tied to an element, and Pals of that element (plus a paired element in many cases) are immune. Neutral and Dragon Pals have no elemental immunities. The same element interactions change how follow-up damage lands while the effect is active.
Combat status effects and their resistances
These are the effects you will see flying around in battle. They wear off on their own after a short time, but the smarter play is to avoid them with the right elemental Pal or to interrupt the source.
| Effect | Caused by | What it does | Immune elements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burn | Fire attacks, campfires, lava, fire weapons | Damage over time, blocks passive HP regen, raises temperature; Grass attacks deal half damage to a burning target | Fire, Water |
| Freeze | Ice attacks, Ice Grenade, Ice Mine | Completely immobilises the target for a few seconds and interrupts channeling; lowers temperature | Ice, Fire |
| Poison | Dark attacks (Poison Blast/Fog), Poison Bow, Poison Arrow Crossbow | Damage over time that blocks regen and bypasses shields; the only effect that stacks with others | None |
| Electrify | Electric attacks, Stun Baton, Shock Grenade, Electric Mine | Immobilises briefly; Water attacks deal double damage to the target | Electric, Ground |
| Soak | Water attacks, Water Grenade, deep water | Slows movement; Electric attacks deal double and Fire attacks deal half damage | Water |
| Muddy | Ground attacks, Ground Grenade | Slows movement; Electric attacks deal half damage | Ground, Grass |
| Ivy-Covered | Grass attacks, Grass Grenade | Slows movement and blocks stamina actions; Fire attacks deal double damage | Grass, Fire |
| Blind | Dark attacks, Dark Grenade | Dims the player’s vision; Pals aim poorly | Dark |
| Stun | Stone Cannon, large-Pal trample, Rocket Launcher, Penking’s slide | Ragdoll and immobility, interrupts channeling | Players are immune |
A few practical takeaways: bring a Fire Pal into icy regions so you cannot be frozen solid, and never field a Water Pal against Electric enemies because Soak and Electrify both double the damage water-types take. Poison is the standout threat in tough fights because nothing is immune to it, it ignores shields, and it can tick alongside another effect.
Pal sicknesses and injuries
The second category is the one that quietly tanks your base economy. Pals get sick when they are damaged, overworked, or neglected, and low Pal sanity (SAN) makes it far more likely. Each illness or injury slaps a work-speed or movement-speed penalty on the Pal until you treat it, and these conditions do not clear on their own the way combat effects do. You have to feed the right medicine.
Medicine tiers and what each one cures
Medical supplies come in three tiers, each matched to a severity of condition. They are crafted at a Medicine Workbench (the Medieval Medicine Workbench unlocks around level 12), and you can also buy them from Wandering Merchants. Important: medical supplies cure the condition but do not restore HP, so a weakened Pal still needs food or rest to recover health afterward.
| Medicine | Cures | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Low Grade Medical Supplies | Cold (Sick), Sprain | Minor ailments with the smallest stat penalties |
| Medical Supplies | Ulcer, Fracture | More serious injuries with larger penalties |
| High Grade Medical Supplies | Weakened, Depressed | Severe conditions; recipe is Ingot x5, Horn x5, Bone x2; also sold for around 3,000 gold |
To administer medicine, walk up to the affected Pal, open its menu, choose the Feed option and select the matching medical supply (right-click on keyboard, or the action button on a controller). The penalty clears the moment the Pal eats it. Note that Pals with the Medicine Production work suitability help craft these supplies faster at the workbench, but they do not auto-treat other sick Pals, so keep a stock of all three tiers in your Palbox for quick fixes.
For combat status effects that landed on your party Pals rather than a base worker, you do not need medicine at all. Returning the Pal to the Palbox and letting it rest will resolve negative statuses over time, which is the cheap way to recover after a rough boss run.
Prevention beats cures
The best status-effect strategy is not curing them, it is dodging them. Keep your base Pals fed and rested to avoid sickness, watch sanity so depression and weakening never set in, and build elemental coverage so freeze and the elemental debuffs simply bounce off. If you are pushing dungeons or syndicate towers, stack the deck before you start: a few of these guides pair naturally with status play.
- Palworld Dungeons Guide: Locations, Bosses and Rewards for the fights where freeze and poison hurt most.
- Palworld Cooking & Food Guide: Best Dishes and Buffs to heal HP after the medicine clears the ailment.
- Palworld Character Stats Guide: Best Status Point Allocation to harden your own survivability.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between combat status effects and Pal sicknesses?
Combat status effects (burn, freeze, poison, electrify and so on) are inflicted during battle, wear off after a short time, and can be resolved by resting a Pal in the Palbox. Pal sicknesses and injuries (cold, sprain, ulcer, fracture, weakened, depressed) come from being overworked, damaged or neglected at base and only clear when you feed the matching medical supplies.
How do I cure a Weakened or Depressed Pal?
Both Weakened and Depressed are cured with High Grade Medical Supplies. Craft them at a Medicine Workbench (Ingot x5, Horn x5, Bone x2) or buy them from a Wandering Merchant, then approach the Pal, open its menu and Feed it the item. Remember the supplies fix the condition but do not restore lost HP.
Which Pals are immune to freeze and poison?
Ice and Fire element Pals are immune to freeze, which makes a Fire Pal a great pick for cold biomes. Poison is the exception with no immunity at all, so any Pal can be poisoned regardless of element, and the effect even stacks on top of other status conditions.
Status effects get a lot more interesting when you are coordinating with friends, freezing a boss for the team while someone else stacks poison. If you want a persistent world that stays online for everyone, you can rent a Palworld server and keep your base, Pals and medicine stockpile running around the clock. For setup walkthroughs and config tips, the Palworld server documentation covers everything from install to mods.
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