Medieval Factions - User Guide

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for common scenarios and getting started with Medieval Factions.

Table of Contents

• Getting Started
• Common Scenarios
  • Creating Your First Faction
  • Joining an Existing Faction
  • Claiming Your First Territory
  • Inviting Members
  • Setting Up Faction Roles
  • Forming an Alliance
  • Declaring War
  • Establishing a Vassalage
  • Creating and Using Gates
  • Locking Important Blocks
  • Managing Faction Laws
  • Configuring Faction Settings
• Advanced Features
• Tips and Best Practices
• Troubleshooting

Getting Started

Understanding the Basics

Medieval Factions allows you to:

• Create or join factions - Groups of players working together
• Claim territory - Protect land from other players
• Engage in diplomacy - Form alliances, declare wars, establish vassalages
• Build a community - Invite members, assign roles, create laws
• Customize your faction - Set colors, flags, and permissions

Key Concepts

Power System:

• Every player has power that regenerates over time
• Power is lost when you die and gained when you kill others
• Faction power = sum of all member power + bonus power
• You need power to claim land (each chunk requires power)

Territory:

• Land is divided into chunks (16x16 block areas)
• Factions claim chunks to protect them
• Claimed land prevents other factions from building or breaking blocks
• Your faction can only claim as much land as it has power

Relationships:

• Neutral - Default relationship with other factions
• Allied - Friendly factions that may share permissions
• At War - Hostile factions in active conflict
• Vassal/Liege - Feudal hierarchy relationships

Common Scenarios

Creating Your First Faction

Goal: Establish your own faction and become its leader.

Steps:

1. Choose a faction name (up to 20 characters by default):

   /faction create [YourFactionName]
   /f create MyKingdom

2. Verify creation - You should see a confirmation message that your faction was created.

3. Set a description (optional but recommended):

   /f set description "A peaceful kingdom focused on building and trade"

4. Choose your faction color:

   /f flag set color #4169E1

5. View your faction info:

   /f info

What's Next:

• Start claiming territory near your base
• Invite friends to join your faction
• Set up roles and permissions

Joining an Existing Faction

Goal: Become a member of an established faction.

Methods:

Method 1: Direct Invitation

1. Receive an invitation from a faction leader or officer:

   • The inviter uses: /f invite YourName
   • You'll receive a notification

2. Accept the invitation:

   /f join [FactionName]

3. Verify your membership:

   /f info

Method 2: Application System

1. Find a faction you want to join:

   /f list

2. Submit an application:

   /apply [FactionName]
   /apply TheKingdom

3. To cancel your application (if you change your mind):

   /apply [FactionName] cancel
   /apply TheKingdom cancel

4. Wait for approval - Faction officers will review your application.

5. If approved, you'll be automatically added to the faction.

Method 3: Force Join (Op/Admin Only)

Operators can force join any faction:

/f join [FactionName]

After Joining:

• Review faction laws: /f law list
• Check your role: /f info
• Ask about faction Discord or chat
• Learn faction rules and expectations

Claiming Your First Territory

Goal: Protect your base by claiming chunks.

Before You Start:

• Check your faction's power: /f power
• Make sure you have enough power to claim (typically 1 power per chunk)
• Stand in the chunk you want to claim

Steps:

Single Chunk Claim

1. Stand in the chunk you want to claim (move around to ensure you're in the right spot).

2. Claim the chunk:

   /f claim

3. Verify the claim:

   /f checkclaim

Claiming Multiple Chunks

Option 1: Radius Claim

Claim multiple chunks in a square area:

/f claim [radius]
/f claim 2  (claims a 5x5 chunk area)

Option 2: Auto-Claim

Automatically claim chunks as you walk:

/f claim auto

• Walk through the area you want to claim
• Toggle it off when done: /f claim auto

Option 3: Fill Claim

Fill unclaimed gaps surrounded by your claims:

/f claim fill

Setting Your Faction Home

1. Stand where you want your home (must be in claimed territory):

   /f sethome

2. Teleport to your home anytime:

   /f home

Unclaiming Land

If you need to unclaim:

/f unclaim          (single chunk)
/f unclaim 2        (radius)
/f unclaimall       (all claims - requires confirmation)

Tips:

• Claim strategically - create a buffer zone around your important structures
• Claim contiguously if server requires it (contiguousClaims in config)
• Remember: you lose claims if faction power drops too low

Inviting Members

Goal: Grow your faction by inviting trusted players.

Prerequisites:

• You must have permission to invite (usually leader or officer role)
• The player must be online

Steps:

1. Send an invitation:

   /f invite [PlayerName]
   /f invite Steve

2. The player receives a notification and can accept with:

   /f join [YourFactionName]

3. Verify they joined:

   /f members

4. Assign them a role (if needed):

   /f role set [PlayerName] [RoleName]
   /f role set Steve Member

Managing Members:

• View all members: /f members
• View a player's faction: /f who PlayerName
• Remove a member: /f kick PlayerName
• Change member role: /f role set PlayerName NewRole

Best Practices:

• Have a vetting process (interviews, trial periods)
• Clearly communicate faction rules and expectations
• Assign appropriate roles based on trust level
• Keep track of member activity
• Have a policy for inactive members

Setting Up Faction Roles

Goal: Create a hierarchy with different permission levels.

Default Roles: Most factions start with these roles:

• Leader - Full permissions
• Officer - Most permissions
• Member - Basic permissions

Creating Custom Roles:

1. Create a new role:

   /f role create [RoleName]
   /f role create Guard

2. Set permissions for the role:

   /f role setpermission [RoleName] [Permission] [true/false]
   /f role setpermission Guard claim true
   /f role setpermission Guard invite false
   /f role setpermission Guard kick false

3. Assign players to the role:

   /f role set [PlayerName] [RoleName]
   /f role set Alex Guard

Common Role Structures:

Basic Structure:

• Leader - Full control
• Officer - Most permissions
• Member - Basic permissions
• Recruit - Limited permissions

Advanced Structure:

• Leader - Full control
• Council - Strategic decisions
• General - Military operations
• Builder - Construction permissions
• Recruit - Trial members

Useful Commands:

• View all roles: /f role list
• View role details: /f role view [RoleName]
• Rename a role: /f role rename [OldName] [NewName]
• Delete a role: /f role delete [RoleName]
• Set default role for new members: /f role setdefault [RoleName]

Forming an Alliance

Goal: Establish friendly relations with another faction.

Steps:

1. Identify a potential ally - Find a faction with compatible goals:

   /f list
   /f who [PlayerName]

2. Contact the faction - Coordinate through chat or messaging.

3. Send alliance request:

   /f ally [FactionName]
   /f ally TheKingdom

4. The other faction accepts by running the same command:

   /f ally [YourFactionName]

5. Verify the alliance:

   /f info

After Forming an Alliance:

1. Configure alliance permissions (optional):

   /f flag set alliesCanInteractWithLand true

2. Use ally chat:

   /f chat allies

   • Type your message
   • Toggle off to return to normal chat

3. Coordinate strategy - Discuss common enemies, trade, shared projects.

Breaking an Alliance:

If relations deteriorate:

/f breakalliance [FactionName]

Alliance Tips:

• Establish clear terms (defense pacts, trade agreements, etc.)
• Communicate regularly
• Help allies in wars if you have a defense pact
• Be careful about land permissions - don't allow griefing
• Document alliance terms in faction laws or external documents

Declaring War

Goal: Enter into armed conflict with another faction.

Before Declaring War:

1. Check server PVP rules - Some servers require wars for PVP between factions.

2. Assess the situation:

   • Check enemy faction power: /f power [FactionName]
   • Review enemy claims: /f map
   • Coordinate with faction members and allies

3. Prepare for war:

   • Stockpile resources
   • Fortify defenses
   • Rally faction members
   • Secure valuables

Declaring War:

/f declarewar [EnemyFactionName]
/f declarewar TheEmpire

During Wartime:

1. Coordinate with faction members - Use faction chat:

   /f chat faction

2. Invoke allies (if you have defense pacts):

   /f invoke [AllyFaction] [EnemyFaction]
   /f invoke TheKingdom TheEmpire

3. Strategic considerations:

   • Reduce enemy faction power by defeating their members
   • Protect your faction power by avoiding deaths
   • If enemy power drops low enough, you may be able to claim their land
   • If enabled, destroy blocks in enemy territory during war

Ending the War:

Option 1: Make Peace

1. Send peace request:

   /f makepeace [EnemyFaction]

2. Enemy faction accepts by running the same command:

   /f makepeace [YourFaction]

Option 2: Complete Victory

If enemy faction is disbanded or surrenders, war ends automatically.

Post-War:

• Rebuild damaged structures
• Review what worked and what didn't
• Strengthen defenses for future conflicts
• Consider new alliances or strategies

Establishing a Vassalage

Goal: Create a feudal relationship where one faction serves another.

Understanding Vassalage:

• Liege - The superior faction receiving tribute/service
• Vassal - The subordinate faction owing allegiance
• Vassals contribute a percentage of their power to their liege
• Creates a hierarchical structure

Becoming a Liege (Receiving a Vassal):

1. Send vassalization request to another faction:

   /f vassalize [FactionName]
   /f vassalize SmallTown

2. The other faction accepts using:

   /f swearfealty [YourFactionName]

3. Verify the relationship:

   /f info

Becoming a Vassal (Serving a Liege):

1. Receive vassalization request from another faction.

2. Accept the request:

   /f swearfealty [LiegeFactionName]
   /f swearfealty TheEmpire

3. Understand your obligations:

   • Contribute power to your liege (percentage configurable)
   • May be called to support liege in wars
   • Subject to liege's influence

Managing Vassalage:

Configure land permissions:

/f flag set vassalageTreeCanInteractWithLand true  (for lieges)
/f flag set liegeChainCanInteractWithLand true    (for vassals)

As a Liege:

• Grant independence to a vassal: /f grantindependence [VassalName]
• Coordinate with vassals using vassal chat: /f chat vassals

As a Vassal:

• Declare independence (triggers war): /f declareindependence

Vassalage Tips:

• Clearly define the terms of vassalage
• Lieges should protect and support their vassals
• Vassals should contribute military support when needed
• Consider creating multi-tier hierarchies (vassals with sub-vassals)
• Document obligations in faction laws

Creating and Using Gates

Goal: Build a gate that can be opened and closed on command.

Prerequisites:

• Permission to create gates: mf.gate (default: true)
• Claimed territory to build in
• Materials for the gate

Creating a Gate:

1. Build your gate structure:

   • Must be at least 3 blocks high (configurable)
   • Maximum 64 blocks (configurable)
   • Cannot use restricted blocks (sand, gravel, torches, etc.)
   • Can be any shape (wall, door, portcullis, etc.)

2. Start gate creation:

   /gate create

3. Select gate blocks:

   • Right-click each block you want in the gate
   • The blocks will be highlighted/marked
   • Select all blocks that should move together

4. Finish selection when all blocks are selected.

5. Verify creation - You should receive a confirmation message.

Using a Gate:

• Toggle the gate by right-clicking any gate block
• The gate will open (blocks disappear) or close (blocks reappear)
• Only faction members can toggle gates
• Gates can be controlled with redstone (if enabled in config)

Removing a Gate:

1. Start gate removal:

   /gate remove

2. Click on a gate block within removal distance (default: 12 blocks).

3. Confirm removal - The entire gate is removed.

Cancelling Gate Creation:

If you make a mistake:

/gate cancel

Gate Tips:

• Test your gate before relying on it for defense
• Build gate houses or control rooms for security
• Use gates for main entrances, secret passages, or defensive walls
• Maximum gates per faction is configurable (default: 5)
• Gates are great for roleplay and aesthetic builds

Common Gate Designs:

• Castle gates (large entrance)
• Portcullis (vertical bars)
• Hidden doors (secret passages)
• Drawbridges (over moat)
• Fence gates (perimeter control)

Locking Important Blocks

Goal: Protect valuable blocks (chests, doors, furnaces) from other faction members and outsiders.

What Can Be Locked:

• Chests
• Doors
• Furnaces
• Hoppers
• Brewing stands
• Most interactive blocks

Locking Blocks:

1. Enable lock mode:

   /lock

2. Right-click the block you want to lock.

3. Verify the lock - You should see a confirmation message.

4. Exit lock mode (optional):

   /lock cancel

Unlocking Blocks:

1. Enable unlock mode:

   /unlock

2. Right-click the locked block you want to unlock.

3. Verify unlock - You should see a confirmation message.

4. Exit unlock mode (optional):

   /unlock cancel

Managing Access:

View who can access a locked block:

1. Enable list mode: /accessors list
2. Right-click the locked block

Grant access to someone:

1. Enable add mode: /accessors add
2. Right-click the locked block
3. Right-click the player to grant access to

Revoke access:

1. Enable remove mode: /accessors remove
2. Right-click the locked block
3. Right-click the player to revoke access from

Lock Tips:

• Lock your personal chests to prevent faction member theft
• Lock important doors to control access
• Lock furnaces and brewing stands in shared areas
• Grant access to trusted faction members
• Use locks for role-based access control (officers only, etc.)
• Admins can force unlock blocks with mf.force.unlock

Managing Faction Laws

Goal: Establish rules and regulations for your faction.

Adding Laws:

/f law add [Law Text]
/f law add "No griefing faction members"
/f law add "Help defend faction territory when online"
/f law add "Donate 10% of resources to faction storage"

Viewing Laws:

/f law list

This displays all laws with their ID numbers.

Removing Laws:

/f law remove [ID]
/f law remove 3

Law System Tips:

• Number your laws for easy reference
• Keep laws clear and concise
• Update laws as faction evolves
• Use laws for:
  • Behavioral rules
  • Resource contribution requirements
  • Conflict resolution procedures
  • Promotion criteria
  • Building guidelines
• Enforce laws consistently
• Consider creating categories (military laws, building laws, etc.)

Example Law Sets:

Basic Faction:

1. Respect all faction members
2. No stealing from faction members
3. Help defend territory when possible
4. Follow officer instructions during conflicts

Advanced Faction:

1. Attend mandatory faction meetings
2. Contribute 15% of resources to faction vault
3. Report enemy sightings immediately
4. Builds must follow architectural guidelines
5. Resolve disputes through faction tribunal
6. Inactive for 30 days = automatic removal

Configuring Faction Settings

Goal: Customize your faction's behavior and appearance.

Basic Settings:

Change Faction Name:

/f set name [NewName]
/f set name "The Grand Empire"

Set Description:

/f set description [Description]
/f set description "A peaceful trading faction"

Set Prefix:

/f set prefix [TAG]
/f set prefix [GE]

Faction Flags:

View all available flags and their values:

/f flag list

Set a flag:

/f flag set [FlagName] [Value]

Common Flag Configurations:

Peaceful/Trade Faction:

/f flag set neutral true
/f flag set color #32CD32
/f flag set alliesCanInteractWithLand true
/f flag set protectVillagerTrade false

Military Faction:

/f flag set neutral false
/f flag set allowFriendlyFire true
/f flag set color #8B0000
/f flag set alliesCanInteractWithLand false

Protective/Private Faction:

/f flag set neutral false
/f flag set alliesCanInteractWithLand false
/f flag set enableMobProtection true
/f flag set protectVillagerTrade true
/f flag set acceptBonusPower false

See FACTION_FLAGS.md for complete flag documentation.

Advanced Features

Faction Chat Channels

Toggle between chat modes:

/f chat faction  - Talk only to faction members
/f chat vassals  - Talk to vassals and liege
/f chat allies   - Talk to allied factions

Toggle back to normal chat by running the command again.

Power Management

Understanding power is crucial:

• View your power: /f power
• View faction power: /f power [FactionName]
• Power regenerates over time (configurable)
• Power lost on death, gained on kills
• Total faction power = sum of member power + bonus power

Mapping and Territory

View Territory Map:

/f map          - Normal view
/f map normal   - Normal view
/f map diplomatic - Shows relationships

The map uses characters to represent:

• Your faction
• Allied factions
• Enemy factions
• Neutral factions
• Wilderness

Dueling System

Challenge players to honor duels:

/duel challenge [PlayerName]  - Send challenge
/duel accept [PlayerName]     - Accept challenge
/duel cancel [PlayerName]     - Decline/cancel

Duels are time-limited and notify nearby players.

Applications System

For Players:

• Apply to factions: /apply [FactionName]
• Cancel application: /apply [FactionName] cancel

For Faction Officers:

• View applications: /showapps
• Approve application: /approveapp [PlayerName]
• Deny application: /denyapp [PlayerName]

Tips and Best Practices

Starting Out

1. Start small - Don't claim too much land initially
2. Build in claimed territory - Protect your base
3. Join or create carefully - Research factions before committing
4. Learn the commands - Use /f help frequently
5. Understand power - It's the key resource

Growing Your Faction

1. Recruit strategically - Quality over quantity
2. Establish clear rules - Use the law system
3. Create a hierarchy - Assign meaningful roles
4. Claim efficiently - Use claim fill and auto-claim
5. Build community - Use faction chat, Discord, etc.

Diplomacy

1. Communicate clearly - Document agreements
2. Honor commitments - Build reputation
3. Be strategic - Form alliances that benefit your goals
4. Stay informed - Use /f list and /f who regularly
5. Prepare for conflict - Even in peace, be ready for war

Defense

1. Fortify borders - Build walls and defenses
2. Use gates wisely - Control entry points
3. Lock valuables - Protect important items
4. Keep power high - Encourage member activity
5. Watch for spies - Be careful who you trust

Resource Management

1. Build communal storage - Shared resources help everyone
2. Lock personal chests - Prevent internal theft
3. Contribute to faction - Everyone benefits from cooperation
4. Track faction bank - If using economy plugins
5. Plan big projects - Coordinate resource gathering

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"You don't have enough power to claim this chunk"

• Solution: Increase faction power by adding members or waiting for power regeneration
• Check current power: /f power

"This land is already claimed"

• Solution: Use /f checkclaim to see who owns it
• Try claiming adjacent unclaimed land
• View map: /f map

"You don't have permission to do that"

• Solution: Check your role permissions
• Ask a faction officer or leader to adjust your role: /f role set

"You are not in a faction"

• Solution: Create a faction (/f create) or join one (/f join)
• Check if you were kicked: /f who YourName

Can't teleport to faction home

• Solution: Make sure you're not moving during the delay
• Check that faction home is set: /f sethome in claimed territory
• Ensure you have permission to use /f home

Gate not working

• Solution: Verify gate was created properly
• Check you're within interaction range
• Ensure blocks aren't obstructed
• Verify you're a faction member

Lock not working

• Solution: Make sure you're the lock owner or have access
• Use /accessors list to check access list
• Try unlocking and re-locking: /unlock then /lock

Getting Help

1. In-game help: /f help
2. Server staff: Ask moderators or admins
3. Documentation: Read COMMANDS.md, CONFIG.md, FACTION_FLAGS.md
4. Support Discord: Check README.md for Discord link
5. Bug reports: Submit issues on GitHub

Additional Resources

• Commands Reference - Complete list of all commands
• Configuration Guide - Server configuration options
• Faction Flags - Detailed flag documentation
• GitHub Repository - Source code and issues
• SpigotMC Page - Plugin downloads and updates

Welcome to Medieval Factions! Build your empire, forge alliances, and create your own medieval story!