This is NOT a Creative Server:
Should you join my server, then Notch help you if you expect it to be wildflowers and creative mode.
NO. This is a AWESOME server, for AWESOME, DANGEROUS WARRIORS.
Creating/Joining a Faction:
So you want to be a hero and be part of a faction, with power and land. We'll it's easy. If you are simply joining a faction, you type '/f join [faction name]' into the chat menu. Be aware most factions require an invitation before you can be part of their nation.
If you want to go hardcore and make your own faction, type '/f create [faction name]' into the chat menu. If you feel fancy, use 'f desc [description]' to let people know what kind of faction you are.
Lastly, set a faction spawn point by typing '/f sethome' while standing in your territory. When you use 'f home' or die, you will come back to that point.
Now that you have a faction, you need power.
Power:
Your personal power is a number between 25 and -25 that vaguely represents your skill and dedication to the server. Staying online for 5 minutes will increase your power 1 point. Dying or staying offline too long will reduce your power 5 points.
A faction's power is the sum total of her member's personal power. Negative personal power lowers a faction's power. Say we have a faction with two members, Bob and Steve. If Bob has 14 power and Steve has -3, their faction's power is 11.
Claiming Land:
So you may be asking what good power is, and since the title of this section is 'claiming land,' you should already have a good idea.
A faction's power represents how much land it can control. By 'land,' we mean 'chunks.'
A chunk is a 16x16 area Minecraft uses to store data. A faction can claim a chunk if they have the power to. One power is worth one chunk.
Let's go back to Bob and Steve's faction with 11 power. These two lucky heroes are now able to claim 11 chunks as their own property. Only Bob, Steve, and their direct allies can do stuff in their faction's land. 'Stuff' include placing or breaking block, opening chests and doors, using furnaces, or pretty much anything you don't want rivals getting their hands on.
The command for claiming land is '/f claim'.
Losing Land:
Oh no! Bob and Steven have found some lava and Bob fell in and died, losing 5 power.
This could be very bad for Bob and Steve, because they claimed all 11 of their chunks before Bob died. So now their 6 power is not enough to control their 11 chunks.
Sarah, a member of a rival faction, sees that Bob died, and thinking quickly, ran to their land and snatches up 5 chunks Bob and Steve can't control, along with any loot left there.
That sucks for Bob and Steve, I hope they didn't lose any diamonds.
Tips:
If you want your faction to be successful, follow these tips.
1. Make friends with other factions. The fewer enemies you have, the less risk you run of losing in combat.
2. Get friends to join your faction. Each player is a potential extra 25 power. A faction with 5 players could have 125 power.
3. Stay centralized. Enemies have to claim from the border of your land, and if your faction's land is a long line, you're screwed.
3. Don't use all your power. You will die, it's a fact. Don't put your faction at risk from enemies just because you fell in lava.
4. Build defenses. Walls can go a long way to keeping enemies out, and by extension, keeping you alive.
5. Make sure a war is worth it before you start one. The worst thing you can do is lose a war you started.
6. Be generous. You may not think it, but giving someone a few supplies, or even being active in chat and trading, will make people like you, and you're much less of a target.
7. A-holes die first.
