File 01
Combat changes
These are the rules from the Season 0 changelog, section I. They apply to everyone, all the time.
- I.1
Normal Protection is gonePick one specialty instead: Projectile, Blast or Fire Protection. They can't be stacked on the same piece.
- I.2
Sharpness is capped at IApplies to swords and axes. Higher levels are lowered to Sharpness I automatically.
- I.3
Bows are unchangedBows keep their normal vanilla enchantment options.
- I.4
Arrows ignore invulnerability framesEvery arrow lands. In vanilla, a target hit moments ago is briefly immune. On GearSMP, a second arrow right behind the first does full damage.
- I.5
Crossbows have two enchant pathsPiercing or Multishot. See Crossbow paths.
- I.6
Maces use Wind Burst onlyBreach and Density are banned. Wind Burst works as normal.
- I.7
Crystal and cart PvP are allowedEnd crystals, respawn anchors and TNT minecarts are fair game.
- I.8
Combat jams your elytra for 60 secondsEntering combat knocks you out of a glide. Every hit restarts the 60-second timer, and the elytra won't open again until it runs out.
File 02
Crossbow paths
A crossbow is built down one of two paths. On Java, each path gets its own look through the server resource pack, which is sent automatically when you join. Bedrock players see the normal crossbow.
Piercing
Marksman
- Works with
- Power (up to Power V), Piercing, Unbreaking, Mending
- Blocked
- Quick Charge, Multishot
- Plays as
- A slow precision weapon. Bolts go through shields, as in vanilla.
- Look
- Spyglass scope on top. Sneak while loaded to aim down it in first person.
Multishot
Shotgun
- Works with
- Its normal vanilla options, including Quick Charge
- Blocked
- Power, Piercing
- Plays as
- A close-range shotgun. All three bolts can hit one target.
- Look
- Its own Multishot texture for idle, drawing and loaded.
Counters: Projectile Protection and shields hold up against point-blank Multishot and scoped Piercing shots.
File 03
Bans & limits
Banned items and enchantments are removed or lowered automatically. You'll see a red message above your hotbar when something of yours changes.
| Target | Type | Status | What happens to yours |
|---|
| Protection | Armor enchantment | Banned | Stripped from the item |
| Riptide | Trident enchantment | Banned | Stripped from the item |
| Aqua Affinity | Helmet enchantment | Banned | Stripped from the item |
| Breach | Mace enchantment | Banned | Stripped from the item |
| Density | Mace enchantment | Banned | Stripped from the item |
| Instant Damage (Harming) | Potions, splash, lingering | Banned | Turns back into an empty glass bottle |
| Instant Damage (Harming) | Tipped arrows | Banned | Turns back into a plain arrow |
| Sharpness | Sword and axe enchantment | Max I | Lowered to Sharpness I |
How bans are enforced
Banned results can't be crafted, enchanted, combined in an anvil or brewed. A brewing stand won't start a Harming brew, and the ingredient isn't used up. Enchanted books left with nothing on them become plain books.
Items you carry, wear or keep in your ender chest are checked twice a second. Shulker boxes and bundles aren't opened up, but anything inside is handled the moment you take it out.
Watch out for witches. They can still throw Harming potions at you. The ban covers players, not mobs.
File 04
Armor & counters
Removing normal Protection means no armor set covers everything. Every PvP style is viable, and every style has a weakness. Choose your Protection type for the fight you expect.
Projectile Protection
- StrongBows, crossbows, tridents
- WeakCrystals, anchors, TNT
Blast Protection
- StrongCrystal and cart PvP
- WeakProjectiles and melee
Fire Protection
- StrongLava, fire, Fire Aspect, Flame
- WeakProjectiles and explosions
Notes by playstyle
Mace. Blast Protection reduces the launch from your own wind charges, so mace players run Projectile or Fire Protection and stay exposed to crystals.
Melee. No enchantment reduces melee or mace damage now. Melee is the most reliable all-rounder, though not the strongest, so melee fighters pick armor for the opponent they expect.
Avoiding crystal PvP. Blast Protection is the safe default if you don't want to fight crystal PvP on its terms. That includes most console and mobile players.
Inventory space. Carrying counters like totems or a second armor set costs hotbar and inventory slots. That cost is part of the balance.
Mixing pieces
Protection types work per piece, and each type caps at 80% damage reduction. A specialty Protection IV piece gives 32%, so three Blast IV pieces already reach the explosion cap. Mixed sets trade one strength for coverage:
4 × Blast IV
Explosions 80%
Projectiles 0%
3 Blast + 1 Projectile
Explosions 80%
Projectiles 32%
2 Blast + 2 Projectile
Explosions 64%
Projectiles 64%
4 × Projectile IV
Explosions 0%
Projectiles 80%
Explosion reductionProjectile reductionScale: 0–100%
File 05
Combat logging
Hitting a player, or getting hit by one, puts both of you in combat. Timers show above your hotbar.
60s
Combat tag
Melee, arrows, tridents, thrown potions, end crystals and TNT you set off all count. Every new hit restarts the timer.
60s
Elytra jam
Starts when combat starts. Gliders drop out of the air. Like the combat tag, every new hit restarts it.
Logging out in combat kills you. You die where you stood and your items drop there for your opponent. Totems don't save you, and disconnects or timeouts count too.
File 06
Comms & intel
- III.1
Proximity voice chatTalk to nearby players from a browser tab or the Simple Voice Chat mod. See Voice chat.
- III.2
Sculk hears your voiceSculk sensors and shriekers react when you talk over voice chat. Keep quiet near them.
- III.3
Nametags are hiddenNobody sees the name above your head, at any distance. Learn to recognise people by their skin. Names still show in the tab list and in chat.
- III.4
No Locator Bar, no death messagesThe Locator Bar is removed, so you can't see where other players are. Deaths aren't announced in chat.
File 07
Difficulty
*The server runs on Hard, but damage to players from mobs and explosions is set to Easy.
| Mechanic | Runs at | What it means |
|---|
| Mob damage to players | Easy | Mob melee and mob projectiles hit for Easy damage |
| Explosion damage to players | Easy | Creepers, crystals, TNT, beds and anchors. Player arrows and melee are never scaled |
| Spider effects | Hard | Spiders can spawn with potion effects |
| Poison and hunger | Hard | Cave spider and bee poison, husk hunger and starvation follow Hard |
| Zombie villagers | Hard | Villagers killed by zombies always convert |
| Raids | Hard | Raids use Hard wave counts |
File 08
Allowed & not allowed
| Thing | Status | Notes |
|---|
| Crystal PvP, anchor PvP | Allowed | No item bans on crystals or anchors |
| Cart PvP | Allowed | TNT minecarts included |
| Simple Voice Chat | Allowed | Or use the browser voice chat |
| World map mods | Allowed | Full-screen maps without entity tracking |
| Minimaps | Not allowed | They include an entity tracker |
| Player trackers and highlighters | Not allowed | They defeat hidden nametags and stealth |
| Shield-status mods | Not allowed | They show information other players don't have |
| Hacked clients | Not allowed | The server runs an anti-cheat |
In-game help
Type these in chat on the server.
/guide/guide combat/guide bans/guide combatlog/guide intel/discord