How to Overclaim Someone's Faction Land in "Minecraft" on a Bukkit Server

The combative side of “Minecraft” is hard to miss, whether you’re talking about defense against computer-controlled enemies or dealing with other players on a server. It can be quite chaotic and frustrating, though, given the opportunities for griefing. Many servers have taken things a step further and installed Bukkit’s “Factions” plugin, allowing players to form their own alliances and safe zones in an effort to add structure. On these servers, by design, it can be a complicated thing to overclaim anybody else’s land.

What Are Factions in “Minecraft”?

A group of players can choose to form their own faction in an effort to set aside safe space for their building projects. While there are any number of other benefits from these alliances, the most important thing you get for being a member is the assurance that nobody outside your faction will be able to modify blocks on your claimed land. In theory, just about anything you do on this land will be safe.

How Claimed Land Works

Land is claimed by a faction in 16-by-16 block chunks. Each group can hold as many chunks as it has faction power. Power is determined by the number of players in the group; each player contributes a maximum of 10 power at a time. The faction’s total power can be reduced, however, by killing member players. Each death costs the player two power. This power will only regenerate at a rate of two per hour.

Taking Over Land

If you want to take over land held by somebody else, you’re going to have to start killing them. Once a faction’s current total power level is brought below the number of claimed land chunks they currently own, every piece of their territory is up for grabs. The only way to keep the most valuable structures safe at that point is to unclaim land your faction considers less valuable or hope that the invaders claim the wrong things first. This is the only way to steal territory.

Finding Opportunities To Attack

Most factions with land worth overclaiming will be smart enough to install defenses. Usually there is no need for more than a high wall, since it is impossible to directly modify blocks on another faction’s land. To get around this you’ll need to be either lucky of inventive. Search for caves under the defended area that might lead you under the walls. Build cannons that can attack from a distance. There isn’t always an easy way in, but all the “Factions” plugin does is make invasion more difficult. Nothing is impossible.