On a public survival server, the best time to protect your base is before you build it. Most servers give you the tools; you just need to know how to use them. Commands differ a little between servers, so check the server's guide, /help or Discord for the exact names.
Claim your land
Most survival servers use a land claim plugin. A claim is an area where only you, and the players you trust, can break blocks, place blocks and open containers. The most common style works with a golden shovel:
- Hold a golden shovel. Many servers give you one in your starter kit.
- Right-click one corner of the area you want, then right-click the opposite corner. The plugin shows the borders with glowing blocks.
- A message tells you how many claim blocks you used and how many you have left. You usually earn more claim blocks by playing longer.
- Claim more than your house: include your farms, animal pens and the space you will need later.
Other servers use commands like /claim, or claim whole chunks at once. On Towny servers your town claims the land instead.
Let your friends in
Claim plugins usually have trust levels. A common set is /trust <name> for full building access, a container trust so someone can use chests and farms, and an access trust for doors and buttons only. Give people the lowest level they need, and use /untrust <name> if a friendship goes wrong. Remember that anyone with full trust can take everything.
Lock your chests
A claim already protects containers inside it, but many servers also have a lock plugin for extra safety, for example a sign with [Private] on the chest or a command such as /lock. Lock your valuables chest, furnaces with good items and doors to your storage room, especially if you share a claim.
Pick a good spot
- Build away from spawn and main roads, where most passing players go.
- Don't share your coordinates in public chat or show them in screenshots and videos.
- Keep valuables underground or deep inside the build, not in a chest by the front door.
- On servers without claims, such as Anarchy, distance and secrecy are your only protection.
If you get griefed
- Don't fix anything yet. Staff can often see who broke what with logging tools and may roll the damage back, but only if it is still there.
- Take screenshots of the damage, and press F3 on Java so your coordinates are visible in them.
- Note the coordinates, time and any suspect names you saw nearby.
- Report it with the server's report command, a ticket or the Discord, and include everything above.
- Afterwards, check your claim covers everything and review who you trusted.
Want to know the rules that cover griefing? Read server rules and etiquette.