Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection for ARK

Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection

Dying during a loading screen is one of the most frustrating experiences in ARK: Survival Ascended. You hit the teleport button, the world fades to black, and then you wake up dead. The new Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection mod is designed to eliminate that exact pain point. Instead of relying on community-built teleport boxes or hoping the area is safe, this mod applies a temporary, server-side protection window the moment you appear in a new location.

This guide covers everything you need to know about the mod, from its core features and configuration options to installation steps and compatibility notes. Whether you run a private server for friends or a large public community, understanding how this shield works can save your players countless hours of frustration.

Why You Need Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection for ARK: Survival Ascended

The core problem this mod solves is the "dead on arrival" scenario. Genesis-style teleport gameplay is a prime example. In the original Genesis expansion, teleporting between biomes often meant loading into a location where a Raptor pack or a Giga was already waiting. By the time your screen rendered, you were already dead. The mod addresses this by detecting the teleport event and applying a buff before you regain control of your survivor.

This is not just a comfort feature; it is a quality-of-life improvement that changes how players approach travel. With Grace Shield active, you no longer need to build elaborate and often ugly public teleport boxes at every destination. The protection is built into the game logic itself.

How the Protection Window Works

When a qualifying event is detected—such as a teleport, respawn, or transfer—the mod applies a temporary buff. The duration is fully configurable, but the default settings provide a 20-second window. During this time, the mod can block incoming damage, prevent the survivor from dealing outgoing damage, and even reduce the likelihood of wild creatures targeting the protected player.

This window is intentionally conservative. The mod watches for movement discontinuities rather than relying on a single teleport function. This means it works across a wider variety of teleport paths, including those that move the survivor without exposing a simple mod-level event. It also avoids false positives by ignoring context changes like mounting, dismounting, and server corrections.

Key Features and Configuration

Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection is not a one-size-fits-all mod. It offers granular control over every aspect of the protection window. Here is a breakdown of what you can tweak:

• Temporary protection after detected survivor teleport movement.
• Temporary protection after survivor respawn.
• Configurable incoming damage protection while the shield is active.
• Optional outgoing damage prevention to stop players from using the window offensively.
• Optional wild creature targeting prevention during the grace window.
• Optional cancellation when the protected survivor attacks or moves.
• Server-configurable protection durations for teleports and respawns.

Default Configuration for GameUserSettings.ini

To customize the mod, add the following section to your GameUserSettings.ini file:

[GraceShield]
TeleportProtectionSeconds=20.0
RespawnProtectionSeconds=20.0
bProtectTpedSurvivors=true
bProtectRespawnedSurvivors=true
bPreventIncomingDamage=true
bPreventOutgoingDamage=true
bPreventEnemyTargeting=true
bCancelProtectionOnAttack=false
bCancelProtectionOnMove=false

Understanding the Configuration Notes

Each setting controls a specific behavior. Here is a quick reference guide:

• TeleportProtectionSeconds controls the grace duration after teleport detection.
• RespawnProtectionSeconds controls the grace duration after survivor respawn.
• bProtectTpedSurvivors=true enables survivor teleport protection.
• bProtectRespawnedSurvivors=true enables survivor respawn protection.
• bPreventIncomingDamage=true blocks incoming damage while the shield is active.
• bPreventOutgoingDamage=true prevents protected survivors from using the grace window offensively.
• bPreventEnemyTargeting=true helps prevent wild creatures from immediately targeting protected survivors where supported.
• bCancelProtectionOnAttack=true removes protection when the protected survivor attacks.
• bCancelProtectionOnMove=true removes protection when the protected survivor moves.

Remember to restart your server after changing any configuration values. The mod reads these settings only at startup.

Known Exclusions and Compatibility

It is important to understand what Grace Shield does not cover. The mod is intended for survivor teleport and respawn safety, not combat teleport immunity. It does not apply to some combat or skill-based teleports such as Enforcer teleports, Malwyn teleports, Tek Spear teleport behavior, or Lost Colony skills like Strategical Retreat. If you find another teleport-like ability that should be reviewed, the mod author encourages you to report it so it can be added to the exclusion list.

Regarding compatibility, the mod is designed to work across a wide range of ARK: Survival Ascended versions. Because it detects teleports by watching for movement discontinuities rather than hooking into a single function, it is more resilient to game updates. It is also compatible with other mods that affect teleportation, as long as those mods do not interfere with the survivor's movement state.

When you are ready to add this to your server, you can download Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection from the usual mod repositories. The installation process is straightforward, but if you are using the foxygame.net launcher, you will find that adding this mod is a one-click operation. The launcher's integrated add-on catalog lists Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection for ARK: Survival Ascended, and it handles version compatibility automatically, so you do not have to worry about mismatched files breaking your server. This is particularly useful for server administrators who manage multiple mods and need to ensure everything stays in sync.

How to Install Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection

For those who prefer manual installation, the process is simple. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to install the mod on your server:

1. Download the mod files from the official ARK: Survival Ascended mod page.
2. Extract the files to your server's ShooterGame/Content/Mods folder.
3. Add the mod ID to your server's GameUserSettings.ini under the [ModInstaller] section.
4. Restart your server to load the mod.

Once installed, the mod will automatically begin detecting teleport and respawn events. You can then tweak the configuration settings to match your server's playstyle. Whether you want a strict 5-second window or a more generous 30-second shield, the choice is yours.

Final Thoughts on Grace Shield

Grace Shield: Teleport & Respawn Protection is a small mod that solves a massive problem. It removes the unfair deaths that occur during loading transitions and gives players a fair chance to assess their surroundings. The configuration options are robust enough for hardcore servers that want to punish players for aggressive behavior, while the default settings are perfect for casual and PvE communities.

If you have ever lost a high-level character to a loading screen, this mod is worth every second of setup time. It is a simple, effective, and highly recommended addition to any ARK: Survival Ascended server.