Starting Guide

Hey newbie, chances are by the time you join, your team will have a created a horrific, Escher-esque maze of defenses. You should probably ask for a tour, or at the very least, figure out where the armory, spawn, and main gates are. Everyone is pretty polite* (*citation needed), so feel free to ask questions. Even your enemies will probably answer basic questions if you ask.

Inventory
You really don’t need to carry much with you unless you’re raiding. I’d suggest carrying a stone sword and some food at all times. If you’re just working around base, you don’t need diamond swords, bows, arrows, and armor. If you’re using diamond tools, try to only have one on you at a time so if an enemy catches you they don’t get a bunch of diamond gear. So if you’re mining, it’s fine to take a diamond pick axe but you probably don’t need that diamond axe or shovel. Don’t take so much that you’ll be giving the enemy team a gift if they catch you and take your inventory.

Storage
Community armories and storage should be where everyone puts their stuff. It’s a team game, so you want your resources going towards the team resources. It’s okay to hide a few things that you really need away, especially if your team is having looting problems. Just don’t hold out on your teammates and sit on 10 stacks of arrows when the armory has 3 arrows in total. Also, don’t take more than you need. If you notice any resource getting low, mention it, or go out yourself and replenish it. Absolutely everything if easier and more fun (in my opinion) when everyone only takes what they need and contribute to team resources. If you’re not sure if you should take something, or a lot of something, ask your team. If no one knows what you’re doing with resources, you can be mistaken for a thief or have your grand projects ripped back down. Be open and communicate!

Things I personally hide from my team? A few saplings, seeds, and a few tools and weapons in case of emergencies. Naturally, if any of this is needed in our own armory, I take it over.

Crafting
Don’t make things that aren’t in immediate need. Don’t build all that armor unless a raid is coming up. Don’t use all that iron for iron hoes (ever). Never make diamond armor (iron is more plentiful and less of a pain to lose if you get killed). Diamond picks and swords are fine, though I’d hold off on the diamond shovels and axes unless you’ve suddenly got a mountain or a forest that needs cleared.

What’s always needed? Smoothstone, smoothstone bricks, fuel (charcoal or coal) and smelted bars. See things that need refined? Cook ‘em and get them ready to be used when the occasion arises.

Mining
A few rules for mining. Never mine from outside territory into your own unless you plan on making it extremely secure with tons of iron doors in the way. Enemies love sneaking around your tunnels and you make it all too easy if you give them a tunnel into your territory and they never have to face an obstacle. Try to limit mine entrances so enemies can’t blow up mineshafts and enter your castle. Also, if you find ravines and abandoned mine shafts, let your team know and try to secure them if they’re in your territory.

Mining outside of your territory is fine. If you’re coming home with a lot of goodies, ask your team to come escort you! Don’t want any of those dirty fascist Blues/dirty commie Reds ambushing you and your 3 stacks of iron ore.

Security and Building
Build walls at least 3 blocks high. Jump glitches can be used by enemies to get over 2 block high walls (even though jump glitching is against the rules, it’s best to make defenses for it). Don’t build anything within 6 blocks of your territory limit. The enemy can build outside in neutral territory and jump onto your constructions if they’re too close to the border. Utilize the 3 high walls, deep trenches, and don’t leave accessible stairs available to counter enemy jumpers and mountain goats.

That said, always have 1 main entrance/exit to and from base so your team can get in and out (with good loot!) easily. You want it so your own team can navigate in and around the base easily and quickly. Make sure to secure gates and intersecting walls properly. You don’t want your fortifications to be easy for an enemy to take over and use against you (like having external walls connecting to inner walls, which connects to the armory, which leads to easier looting). Definitely consult your teammates and check how secure other’s work is. It’s a team game, so work together!

Raiding
When should you really gear up? Raids. If you’re defending your own base you really don’t need all that armor since you’ll respawn so close to the action if you die. For raid, you gotta be prepared. There are two types of raids: harassing/scouting and full group raids. For solo or small group scouts and general screwing around with the enemy team, don’t bring armor. Take a stone or iron sword (but only if iron is in abundance) and bows and arrows if you’re good with ‘em. Of course, take food to keep your hunger meter filled (5 – 10 food is sufficient). NEVER take tools (such as picks or shovels) with you on smalltime scouting and harassment parties. NEVER EVER take diamond anything with you. Diamond is for something much better.

Diamond is for full group raids! So is armor! Gear up in full iron, bring 1 sword of your choice, bows and arrows, and food. You should probably have 50 – 100 TNT total depending on what you’re going for. Split the TNT and flint and tinder between the raiders so if one person dies, the raiding party still has TNT to work with. Generally you want at least 5 people for a big raid like this, they tend to work better that way. Before you head out, make sure you’ve scouted ahead of time! Know where you’re going, have someone lead the group in, and make sure you know who’s setting the breaching charges. The process goes much smoother when it’s organized in this manner. Having an exit strategy is also fantastic.

Remember, if you get good stuff on the raid (diamond gear, bunches of iron, oodles of smoothstone), head back to your base! Get good stuff and get out! This also applies if you kill and enemy anywhere and get good stuff. Head back, store it, and keep it out of enemy hands.

Summary
If you’re working around base: only carry tools you need, never more than 1 diamond tool, 1 stone sword, 5 – 10 food, don’t take too many stacks of whatever you’re working with (don’t fill your inv with cobble, just keep grab 3 – 4 stacks and run back to get more when you’re out)

Scouting/small raids/harassing the enemy: No armor, 1 sword (stone or iron), bow, arrows (no more than 20), and food (5 – 10)

Full group raids: Armor up (iron only!), 1 sword (any type), bows, arrows (20 – 30), food (10), flint and tinder, and TNT (no more than 10 on a person, if possible)

Don’t take more than you need, share your resources, ask for help, build 3 high at least, and never build within 6 blocks of the territory border. Oh yeah, have fun! Doing all these things should make it more fun for you and everyone else.