The Paldeck (sometimes written “Palpedia” in-game and on the wikis) is Palworld’s built-in encyclopedia of every Pal in the world. It works much like a Pokedex: it logs the creatures you have met, fills in the ones you have captured, and gives you a single screen to study a Pal’s type, work suitability, partner skill, drops, and base stats. This guide explains exactly what the Paldeck records, how entries get filled in, the bonuses tied to capturing, and the most efficient way to complete it. Because Palworld receives frequent content updates, the total number of entries changes over time, so treat species counts as version-dependent.
What the Paldeck Tracks
Each Pal has its own Paldeck entry, and that entry exists in one of two states. When you first encounter a Pal in the world, it is logged as a greyed-out silhouette with little more than its number and name. The entry only becomes fully revealed once you capture that species. After a successful capture, the entry shows in full colour and unlocks the detailed information you actually use for planning.
A completed entry typically displays the Pal’s element(s), its work suitabilities (Kindling, Watering, Mining, Lumbering, Handiwork and so on), its partner skill, its possible item drops, and its base attributes. This is why the Paldeck is more than a trophy case: it is a reference sheet for breeding, base assignments, and combat matchups.
| Entry state | How you reach it | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Encountered | See the Pal in the wild (no capture needed) | Greyed-out silhouette, number and name |
| Captured | Catch the species at least once with a Pal Sphere | Full-colour entry: type, work suitability, partner skill, drops, base stats |
Capture vs. Defeat: Which Fills the Paldeck?
This is the part most new players get wrong. Defeating a Pal does not complete its Paldeck entry. Killing a wild Pal still gives you experience and any drops, but it only ever leaves the entry as an encountered silhouette. To fully unlock an entry, you must capture the species with a Pal Sphere at least once.
Capturing is also simply the better play in most situations. According to the wikis, capturing a Pal grants more experience than defeating it, and you still receive the drops the Pal would have dropped on defeat. So for Paldeck progress and for levelling, the Sphere almost always beats the sword.
One important exception: raid bosses cannot be captured. The Palworld wiki notes that raid bosses have inflated stats and, instead of being caught, drop an egg on defeat that hatches into the ordinary (non-boss) version of that Pal. So you fill those entries by hatching, not by throwing Spheres at the raid version.
The Capture Bonus (and Why You Should Catch Duplicates)
Palworld rewards repeated captures of the same species with bonus EXP, often called the “Palpedia Bonus.” You get a bonus the first time you capture a new species, and you continue to earn bonus EXP for the first several captures of that same species before the reward tapers off. Sources differ on the exact threshold, citing figures in the range of roughly the first 10 to 12 captures per species, so treat the precise number as version-dependent rather than a hard rule. The practical takeaway is consistent across sources: catching multiple copies of a species is a strong, repeatable way to farm experience, and it is one of the fastest levelling methods in the game.
Beyond EXP, duplicates are useful for other reasons. Extra copies feed your breeding pipeline (combining parents to chase better IVs or specific child species), and more Pals overall means more work power at your base, since each Pal contributes its work suitabilities to crafting, mining, and farming.
Is There a Reward for Completing the Paldeck?
Here is the honest answer, verified against the wikis: there is no special reward for completing the entire Paldeck. You do not unlock a unique item, currency payout, or gameplay buff simply for filling every entry. The reward is the knowledge itself, plus the practical benefits you accrue along the way: the capture EXP bonuses you earned while catching everything, a deeper breeding pool, and a fully stocked roster of work and combat Pals. Some achievements or milestones reward catching a certain number of Pals, but full Paldeck completion is essentially a collector’s goal rather than a mechanical gate.
Tips for Filling Out the Paldeck
- Always try to capture, not kill. Capturing fills the entry, grants more EXP, and still drops items.
- Use the right Sphere tier. Higher-tier Pal Spheres have higher base Capture Power, so they catch tougher Pals more reliably.
- Weaken first, then throw. Lowering a Pal’s HP and applying status ailments (poisoned, shocked, burning, frozen) raises your catch chance, as does throwing at the Pal’s back.
- Invest Lifmunk Effigies. Spending Lifmunk Effigies at a Statue of Power permanently upgrades your global Capture Power across multiple levels, making everything easier to catch.
- Catch duplicates while the bonus lasts. Since the EXP bonus applies to the first several catches of each species, farming early copies of common Pals doubles as a levelling strategy.
- Remember raid bosses hatch, not catch. Defeat the raid boss, claim the egg, and hatch the normal version to register it.
While you are out filling entries, it is worth pairing this with related systems. Knowing how status effects work directly improves your catch rate, and a good understanding of active skills from Skill Fruits helps you weaken Pals without one-shotting them. If you are clearing content for rare entries, our Palworld dungeons guide covers where boss encounters live.
Completing the Paldeck With Friends
Paldeck progress is per-player, but the grind goes much faster in co-op: you can split capture duties, pool breeding stock, and tackle tougher Pals together. Running a persistent world makes this far easier than relying on a single host being online. If you want a world that stays up around the clock so everyone can chip away at their own Paldeck, you can rent a Palworld server and invite your group. For setup steps, our Palworld server documentation walks through configuration and admin options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does defeating a Pal complete its Paldeck entry?
No. Defeating a Pal only leaves it as a greyed-out, encountered silhouette. You must capture the species with a Pal Sphere at least once to fully reveal the entry. Capturing also gives more EXP than defeating while still awarding the same drops.
Do I get a reward for completing the whole Paldeck?
There is no dedicated reward for 100% Paldeck completion. The payoff is the EXP bonuses you earn while capturing, a larger breeding pool, and more work power. Completion is a collector’s goal rather than a mechanical unlock.
How many times should I catch the same Pal?
You receive bonus EXP for the first several captures of each species (sources cite roughly the first 10 to 12, and this may vary by patch). After that the bonus tapers off, so it is efficient to catch a handful of each species, then move on to a new one to keep the bonus rolling.
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