v0.1.5 — Fire Pal Nerf + Oil Rig Update

Released March 2024. Two changes shaped the post-launch meta: a Fire DPS nerf that broke the dominant boss strategy, and the introduction of the Oil Rig Stronghold raid.

What changed

Fire Pal nerf — burn damage reduced

The Burn status effect was the dominant DPS source pre-patch. Several top fire Pals applied Burn with most attacks, and Burn ticked as a percentage of the target's max HP — meaning bosses with massive HP pools melted faster than any other element could match.

Post-patch:

• Burn ticks deal less % HP damage per tick.
• Affected Pals: Jormuntide_Ignis, Blazamut, Faleris, and other top-tier fire DPS picks.

New raid — Oil Rig Stronghold

A multi-stage assault on a heavily-defended oil rig with Electric-type defenders and heavy machinery. See the Oil Rig Stronghold guide for layout and strategy.

Meta shift

Raw DPS is back

Pre-patch, "Burn-stack everything" was the answer to most boss fights. Post-patch, raw attack damage matters again. The Tier List reshuffled — Fire Pals dropped from auto-top of melee combat to "good but situational."

Element matchups matter more strictly

With Burn no longer covering for off-type matchups, you need to actually respect the type chart (Water > Fire > Grass > Ground > Electric > Water). See the Type Chart for the full grid and the Damage Formula explainer for how matchups multiply base damage.

Poison is the new "secret tech"

Poison ticks were untouched by this patch — they still deal % HP damage per tick. That means Menasting and Shadowbeak with poison-applying skills are now disproportionately strong. Not as dominant as pre-patch Burn, but the closest thing to it.

Oil Rig changes electric Pal priority

The new raid's defenders are Electric-resistant heavies. Orserk went from niche to S-tier specifically for stunning oil-rig machinery — its partner skill applies a stun to large enemies that the rest of your roster can capitalize on.

Adaptation Strategy

1. Don't drop Fire Pals entirely. They're still strong, just no longer universal. Use them where Fire actually has the type advantage.
2. Test a Poison build. Menasting + Shadowbeak + a high-DPS partner is the closest thing to pre-patch Burn meta.
3. Capture an Orserk before attempting Oil Rig. The fight is significantly easier with the stun.
4. Re-roll passives on your top fire DPS. Pre-patch Lucky+Ferocious rolls were locked in for Burn comps. With Burn nerfed, Musclehead becomes more attractive on melee fire Pals. See the Stat Planner to compare loadouts.

Long-term meta context

This was the first significant balance patch of Palworld's life. It established the precedent that Pocketpair would nerf dominant strategies rather than buff alternatives — a pattern that's continued through Feybreak and Tides of Terraria. If you see a single strategy dominating, expect a nerf within 1-2 patches.