This palworld best pals guide skips speculation. The official post gives the poll results and the winter update name, while v1.0.4 dropped Ancient Bark gathering to work suitability Lv.1, raised the PC default frame cap to 120, changed two Pal Critic exchanges, and v1.0.3 cut Jetragon tech from level 79 to 70. The palworld tier list caveat at the end explains why a popularity poll is not a build order, plus what to stockpile before winter.
Applicable version: v1.0.5 (2026-09-15)
Palworld poll results: the six names the studio published
The October 20, 2026 official post lists Sekhmet first, Solenne second and Chillet third on the Pal side, and Zoe first, Auri second and Saya third on the character side .
Votes are not power
The poll reflects community preference, not combat or work efficiency. Treating it as a build order goes wrong fast, because a high placement may come from design, voice lines or a story beat rather than work suitability.
The one legitimate use
It works as a signal of community attention rather than a build sheet. If you are building a showcase base or writing content, parking the top-voted Pals where people can see them reads better than filling the base with obscure picks. That is a display choice, not an efficiency choice.
Palworld v1.0.5 status: a fix build and what it does not cover
v1.0.5 shipped on 2026-09-15 and fixes terrain and building textures loading at a visibly reduced resolution for some players .
No balance changes in 1.0.5
This release is pure fixes, with no value or mechanic adjustments. Every "how to play after 1.0.5" claim actually rests on the v1.0.4 balance pass.
1.0 is a released game
1.0 launched on 2026-07-10 and ended early access, adding 72 Pals (47 new plus 25 variants) for a total of 287, and raising the level cap from 65 to 80 . The studio also reported more than 40 million players. Stop labelling guides as early access.
Palworld Ancient Bark change: rebuilding lines after Lv.1
The v1.0.4 balance pass contains one change with outsized effects: gathering Ancient Bark now requires work suitability Lv.1 .
A lower gate frees up hands
What used to need a high-suitability Pal now works with almost anyone. The consequence is that you no longer keep a dedicated Pal parked on that job, and that Pal can move to a line that was starved.
Fix hauling before gathering
Once gathering speeds up, the bottleneck shifts from cannot harvest to cannot carry. Rebuild in that order: check hauling coverage, then gathering. Do it backwards and you get material piling up in the field while your chests stay empty.
Palworld base and work suitability: three checks first
Base throughput comes from matching workload to suitability, not from Pal count. 1.0 added more to manage, but the underlying rule did not change.
Suitability beats level
In the throughput formula suitability is the multiplier and level is only a bonus on top of it. A correctly suited low-level Pal usually out-produces a high-level Pal on the wrong job, so read the suitability icons before the levels.
Build limits are a server setting
v1.0.4 added a server setting letting admins cap the number of buildings per player . On a shared server, ask about the cap before you start a base, or you will be stopped mid-build.
Frame cap and feel
The same patch raised the PC default frame cap to 120 . It changes how building feels, so keep the default if your hardware allows, and drop to 60 on weaker machines where stability beats frame rate.
Do not stack every Pal in one base
Work slots are finite, and stuffing a base does not raise output; mismatched suitability just makes Pals compete for slots. Satellite bases exist to separate production lines so each Pal has a job it is actually suited to.
Palworld Side by Side: what to do before winter
The October 20 post announced that the next update, Palworld: Side by Side, arrives in winter 2026 .
Only the window is confirmed
Beyond the winter window, no content details are published. Any "new Pal list" or "new map" claim is community speculation and should not be treated as fact.
What to stockpile
Before a major version, the safe play is to push your level toward the cap, fill storage with common materials, and get base lines running steadily enough that a new blueprint does not stall on iron. New versions usually add building and combat demands, and inventory beats luck.
Two smaller changes worth knowing
v1.0.4 changed Pal Critic exchanges: Sakurajima moved from Selyne to Dogen and Sunreach from Bastigor to Faleris Aqua. v1.0.3 cut the Jetragon tech unlock from level 79 to 70 and reduced its Pal Gear materials . Both shift your tech unlock order.
Palworld FAQ
Do I have to build the top-voted Pal?
A: No. The poll measures popularity, not work suitability or combat efficiency; pick Pals by production line needs.
What suitability does Ancient Bark need now?
A: Lv.1 since v1.0.4, so low-suitability Pals can gather it .
When does Side by Side launch?
A: Winter 2026 per the official post, with no date or content details yet; follow later announcements.
Is the game still in early access?
A: No. 1.0 launched on 2026-07-10 with 287 Pals total (source: official 1.0 changelog).
Palworld action list
- Move low-suitability Pals onto Ancient Bark and free the specialists.
- Confirm hauling coverage before speeding up gathering.
- Ask about the per-player building cap before starting on a shared server.
- Reorder the tech tree around Jetragon unlocking at level 70.
- Stabilise storage and base lines before winter instead of betting on unannounced content.
Later version details follow official announcements, and gghubs.com updates the base layout once Side by Side is detailed.