Empyrion Server Admin Commands and How to Use Them

Empyrion’s server administration commands are entered from the in-game console or, when enabled, a remote Telnet session. Press ~ to open the console, run help to see commands available in your installed build, and use help <command> for syntax and permission requirements. The practical workflow is: establish an administrator role, delegate lower roles with setrole, moderate players with kick and ban, perform orderly saves and shutdowns with saveandexit or stoppf, and verify every unfamiliar command against the live help output. Empyrion builds change aliases, permissions and behavior, so the running server—not an old command list—is the final authority.

How do I open the Empyrion console?

Press the tilde key (~) while connected to the game or playing locally. At the prompt, enter help and submit it to list commands exposed by that build. For detailed syntax, use the command name after help, such as help faction, help setrole or help saveandexit.

The official feature list describes the console as the place to enter single-player commands and says that typing help displays the possible commands. Dedicated-server builds expose additional administrative commands. If a command in an online guide is rejected, check the live help text before changing punctuation, aliases or arguments; the installed build may use a different form.

What should I check before running a command?

• Run help <command> to confirm the command exists and to read its argument order.
• Read the required permission level shown by help. A command can be valid but unavailable to your current role.
• Confirm the target player, playfield, structure or entity before using destructive commands.
• For maintenance, warn players first with say and prefer a save-aware command over a forced process kill.

What are Empyrion’s admin roles and permission levels?

Empyrion uses cumulative permission tiers. Ordinary players are level 0, Gamemasters level 3, Moderators level 6 and Administrators level 9. A higher tier inherits commands available to lower tiers, although labels, aliases and individual requirements can vary between builds.

Role	Level	Typical scope
Player	0	Normal gameplay; no elevated administration.
Gamemaster	3	Gameplay-support and selected management commands permitted by the build.
Moderator	6	Player moderation and broader server controls.
Administrator	9	Full command access, subject to the installed build and server configuration.

Think of the levels as cumulative rather than separate job silos: an administrator can use commands granted to a moderator or Gamemaster. Nevertheless, always check the permission annotation in help, particularly after an update or when using debug-oriented commands.

How do I make myself the first administrator?

On a new server with no player holding admin permissions, the intended bootstrap command is initadmin. Run help initadmin first, then execute the syntax shown by your server. If it succeeds, confirm your role with list perm or list permissions.

initadmin is version-sensitive. Some later builds have reported unreliable or changed behavior, so a failure does not prove that the command was entered incorrectly. Check the server’s configured administrator file or your hosting control panel, then use help initadmin again after any update. Do not repeatedly guess at variants that are not shown by the running server.

How do I give another player admin or moderator access?

Use setrole with the player’s SteamID64 or exact player name:

setrole <SteamID64 or player name> <role>

Documented role values are pl or player, gm or gamemaster, mod or moderator, and admin. For example:

setrole 76561198000000000 admin
setrole 'Morgan Vale' moderator
setrole 76561198000000000 gm

Use the exact identifier accepted by your build. Names containing spaces should be enclosed in single quotes. After changing a role, run list perm to verify the assignment and have the player reconnect if the new permissions are not immediately visible.

How can I audit elevated permissions?

Run list perm or its documented alias list permissions. The result lists players with elevated roles, allowing you to check whether a former staff member still has access. Keep this audit separate from plys, which shows who is currently in the game rather than who has a permanent role.

How do I kick, ban and unban players?

Use the moderation commands below. Check each command with help because duration syntax and optional arguments can differ by build.

Command	Purpose and syntax
plys	Shows players currently connected to the game.
kick <player> [message]	Removes one player and optionally displays a reason. Some builds support kick all [message].
ban <steam-id> <duration>	Applies a timed ban. A documented example is 14d; use the duration units accepted by your server.
unban <steam-id>	Lifts an existing ban.
list ban or list banned	Displays current bans and expiry information.
say 'text with spaces'	Broadcasts a server message to connected players.

Use SteamID64 for bans where possible so that a name change does not make the record ambiguous. For names or messages containing spaces, use single quotes exactly as shown. A safe moderation sequence is to identify the player with plys, warn with say, then apply kick or ban and verify the result with list ban.

How do I save and shut down an Empyrion server safely?

Use saveandexit <timeout in minutes> to announce a delayed shutdown, save the world and stop the server after the warning period. The documented maximum timeout is 15 minutes. To cancel a pending shutdown, use saveandexit cancel.

say 'Server restart in 10 minutes for maintenance'
saveandexit 10
saveandexit cancel

A scheduled saveandexit and a scheduled stoppf cancel one another. Plan which operation you want before scheduling it rather than issuing both and assuming they will run independently.

What does stoppf do, and when should I use kill?

stoppf controls playfield shutdowns. Use stoppf <playfield> [timeout] to stop one playfield after an optional delay, or target all playfields using the syntax shown by help stoppf. Cancel a scheduled operation with stoppf cancel.

stoppf 'Akua Orbit' 5
stoppf cancel

Use stoppf <playfield> kill only when a normal stop does not work. A forced kill can discard the latest unsaved data, so it is an emergency recovery action rather than a routine restart method. Warn players, allow the normal timeout to complete and inspect server status before escalating.

Which commands show server and playfield status?

These read-only or low-risk commands help you understand the current state before making changes:

• servers or svs lists connected playfield servers.
• instances lists running instances when available through the server interface.
• stats reports playfield status.
• gents lists structures across playfields, or structures associated with a faction depending on context.
• plys lists players currently in the game.
• time reads or sets server time; confirm the setter syntax with help time.
• list perm and list ban audit roles and bans rather than live performance.

The Telnet reference also documents remoteex, which executes a command against a player client or playfield process. Because the target context matters, run help remoteex before using it.

Which gameplay-support commands are available to admins?

Many commands are intended for testing, recovery or controlled administration rather than ordinary play. Use them only with the required role and verify the target first.

Movement, invulnerability and creative tools

• godmode or gm toggles invulnerability and free flight.
• itemmenu or im toggles the creative item menu.
• spawnanyblueprint or sbp permits spawning any blueprint.
• give grants supported items or resources to the executing player.
• teleport or tt moves you to coordinates or supported destinations.
• sector jumps to a sector or orbit.

Finding, repairing and changing objects

• find locates a structure and returns its ID.
• ents lists entities on the current playfield.
• repair repairs supported items or structures.
• regenerate restores a POI or object by ID.
• destroy removes an entity or structure by ID; treat it as irreversible unless you have a tested recovery plan.
• op toggles offline protection on a structure.
• setdevicespublic exposes a structure’s devices to public access where permitted.

Map, weather, factions and maintenance

• map reveals resources and points of interest; map hide reverses the reveal.
• weather changes local weather where supported, while weathersv sets server weather where supported.
• faction manages faction functions and alliances handles alliance operations.
• playfield or pf reloads the current playfield; the reference marks it as server/admin-oriented.
• wipe schedules targeted wipes such as deposits or POI data. Use help wipe to confirm the exact target syntax before scheduling anything.

These commands can alter player progress, map visibility or structures immediately. Test unfamiliar syntax on a disposable playfield and record the target ID returned by find or ents before issuing a destructive command.

Practical command recipes for common admin jobs

First-day server setup

1. Open the console with ~ and run help.
2. Read help initadmin and use initadmin only if no administrator is configured.
3. Run list perm to confirm the result.
4. Assign only the access each staff member needs with setrole; use gm or mod instead of giving everyone admin.
5. Run list perm again and keep the output as your current access record.

This order separates claiming the first administrator from delegating staff roles. If initadmin does not work, use the configured admin file or hosting panel rather than trying undocumented command variations.

Handling a player incident

1. Run plys and identify the exact player.
2. Send a clear warning with say, quoting the full message if it contains spaces.
3. Use kick for a removal or ban with the player’s SteamID64 and documented duration for a timed exclusion.
4. Run list ban to confirm a ban and its expiry.
5. Use unban with the same SteamID64 if an appeal is accepted.

Planning maintenance

Broadcast the maintenance time with say, then use saveandexit for a complete server stop. The timeout cannot exceed 15 minutes according to the documented command behavior. If only one playfield needs attention, use stoppf with that playfield and a timeout. Do not schedule both commands: each new schedule cancels the other. If a playfield will not stop normally, inspect the status and reserve kill for the failed-stop case because its latest changes may not be saved.

Investigating a structure problem

Use find to locate a structure and note its returned ID. Use ents when you need to inspect entities on the current playfield. Then choose the least disruptive action: repair for supported damage, regenerate for a supported POI or object, and destroy only when removal is intentional. For world changes, check help wipe first because a targeted deposit or POI wipe can have a wider effect than an individual structure command.

How do I administer Empyrion through Telnet?

Telnet provides remote administration when it is enabled in the dedicated-server YAML configuration. The setup documentation identifies port 30004 as the default and uses the keys Tel_Enabled, Tel_Port and Tel_Pwd.

1. Stop or pause the server according to your normal maintenance procedure and open its dedicated-server YAML configuration.
2. Set Tel_Enabled to enable the service, choose the configured Tel_Port (the documented default is 30004) and set Tel_Pwd.
3. Restart the server so the configuration is loaded.
4. In PuTTY, enter the server address and port, and select the Raw connection type. The setup guide recommends Raw because PuTTY’s Telnet mode can cause password-input problems.
5. Authenticate with the configured password, run help, and verify that the command set matches the live server.

Commands documented as available through Telnet include help, ban, faction, gents, initadmin, kick, list, plys, saveandexit, say, servers, setrole, stoppf, time and unban. The reference also documents remoteex for remote execution against a player client or playfield process.

What should I secure when Telnet is enabled?

Use a strong, unique Telnet password and restrict the port at the network firewall to trusted administrator addresses. Treat the Telnet credential as equivalent to an administrator password: anyone who obtains it can issue moderation, maintenance or destructive commands. Disable Telnet when remote administration is no longer required.

Why does an Empyrion command not work?

Most failures come from a version mismatch, insufficient role, an invalid target or quoting errors. Work through these checks in order:

1. Run help <command>. If the command is absent, its name or availability changed in your build.
2. Check your role with list perm. A player, Gamemaster or Moderator may not have the required level for an administrator command.
3. Check argument order and optional values exactly as displayed. This is especially important for ban durations, stoppf timeouts, time, wipe and setrotation.
4. Quote names and messages containing spaces with single quotes.
5. Use SteamID64 for role and ban operations when a name is ambiguous.
6. Confirm the target exists: use plys for connected players, find for structures and ents for entities on the current playfield.
7. If initadmin fails, check the configured admin file or hosting panel instead of repeating undocumented variants.
8. For Telnet failures, verify Tel_Enabled, the configured port and password, then reconnect with PuTTY’s Raw mode.

Command syntax and behavior can change across releases. The Telnet reference identifies an experimental 8.0.1 context, while a September 2026 command guide was cross-checked against v1.19.5 patch notes. Those version markers are not interchangeable; recheck the live help output after every server update.

What is a safe day-to-day administration routine?

1. Connect and run help once after an update to see what changed.
2. Run plys, list perm and list ban when reviewing a moderation issue.
3. Use say to give players a clear warning before maintenance.
4. Prefer saveandexit for a complete server shutdown and stoppf for a single playfield.
5. Reserve kill, destroy and wipe for verified emergencies or planned maintenance.
6. After a role, ban or schedule change, run the relevant list or status command to confirm the result.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Empyrion admin commands from a server console instead of the game?

Yes. A provider or dedicated-server console can accept the same administrative commands, and Telnet can provide remote access when enabled. The command set still depends on the running build, so begin the session with help rather than assuming an old alias works.

Why is my player name rejected by setrole even though it is spelled correctly?

Names are not always unique or may contain spaces and punctuation. Try the player’s SteamID64 instead; if you must use the name, enclose the complete name in single quotes and copy the exact spelling shown by the server.

What should I do before using destroy or wipe?

Record the target returned by find, ents or help wipe, announce the change with say, and make sure a recoverable save exists. These operations can remove structures or world data, so test the syntax on a disposable playfield whenever possible.

Is Telnet available automatically on every Empyrion server?

No. It must be enabled in the dedicated-server YAML with Tel_Enabled, a port and a password. If those settings are absent or disabled, use the local game or provider console instead.

How do I open the Empyrion console if I am already in a server?

Press ~, then run help. Use help <command> for the exact syntax and required role in that installed build.

What is the command to give someone admin access?

Use setrole <SteamID64 or player name> admin. Use a SteamID64 where possible, quote names containing spaces, and verify the change with list perm.

How do I kick or ban a player?

Identify the player with plys, optionally warn with say, then use kick <player> [message] or ban <steam-id> <duration>. Confirm a ban with list ban; remove it with unban <steam-id>.

Why does initadmin not make me an administrator?

Its behavior is version-sensitive. Run help initadmin, confirm that no administrator already exists, and check the server’s configured admin file or hosting panel if the command fails.

Can I cancel a scheduled Empyrion shutdown?

Yes. Use saveandexit cancel for a scheduled server shutdown or stoppf cancel for a scheduled playfield stop. Scheduling one operation can cancel the other, so verify which action is active.

The Bottom Line

Start every administration session with help, confirm your permission level, and use SteamID64 or carefully quoted names for player operations. Use setrole to delegate the minimum role needed, kick/ban for moderation, saveandexit for orderly server shutdowns and stoppf for playfield control. Treat kill, destroy and wipe as high-risk actions, and recheck live help after updates because Empyrion syntax and behavior are build-dependent.