Start with a team, a small claim and enough gold for upkeep. This guide explains the basics before you get into wars or rankings.
Minecraft factions is team-based survival. You share a base, gather resources and deal with other teams through trading, alliances or fights. Each server sets its own rules for land and raiding.
On United Factions, your team uses Lands to claim territory and manage access. This guide takes you from joining the server to looking after a small first base. You can leave rankings and advanced faction management until later.
1. Join the server, then find a team
If you haven’t connected yet, follow the Java or Bedrock joining steps. Read the rules before heading into a fight.
Joining a server and joining a faction are different things. You can arrive on your own and browse the faction directory, ask in-game or talk to the community. Find out when a group usually plays and whether it spends more time building, trading or fighting.
Membership is handled in-game. A website application doesn’t automatically give you access to a faction’s land or storage.
2. Understand what a claim does
A claim is an area of land your faction controls. Its roles determine who can build, open containers and manage the land. Don’t assume that standing next to your base means you’re inside its claim.
Before putting valuables away, check the border and your permissions. Start with a small area you can use and afford. Give new members the access they need, without automatically handing over control of the treasury or faction settings.
United Factions doesn’t use classic Factions power. UF Strength is a ranking score, not the resource that keeps your claim protected.
Read more about claims and roles.
3. Put gold aside for upkeep
Upkeep is the running cost of claimed land. The current configuration charges 9 gold units per chunk each day, equal to one gold ingot. More chunks mean a larger daily bill.
Your faction treasury uses one registered single chest for plain gold. Barrels and double chests aren’t enabled for this purpose. Gold moves from that treasury into the Lands balance to cover costs; it doesn’t become free upkeep.
If the faction cannot pay, the claim system can unclaim the newest chunks it cannot afford. That removes claim protection; it doesn’t mean the blocks are automatically erased. Check funds before expanding, not after a payment is missed.
Learn how gold and the treasury work.
4. Learn the war rules before you need them
Outside active wars, player lands are protected from TNT damage, entity griefing, piston griefing and fire spread. Those protections are lifted during a live war.
Defenders must be online when war is declared. You then have 10 minutes to prepare. Logging out after the war begins doesn’t end it.
This isn’t a system where every claimed base can be blown up at any time. It also isn’t complete protection from bad permissions, missing upkeep or the consequences of a war. The war basics guide explains the next steps.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Building before checking the claim. Confirm that the whole room, including storage, is inside it.
- Trusting everyone with everything. Check container and management permissions when someone joins.
- Claiming more than you can fund. Leave enough gold for upkeep before adding territory.
- Following another server’s commands. Use the United Factions command reference and the help shown in-game.
Before you log off
Make sure you know where your claim ends, who can use your storage and whether the treasury can cover upkeep. Agree with your teammates who will check it next.
You don’t need to learn every system on your first visit. Once your small base is working, pick something you enjoy: a building project, trading or preparing with your faction. The first-hour checklist is there if you’d like a shorter reminder.
Quick questions
Can I join without bringing friends?
Yes. You can connect first and look for a faction afterwards. Check a group’s play style and expectations before you join.
Do I need to learn TNT cannons straight away?
No. Learn claims, access and upkeep first. Cannon guides make more sense once you know when a war can happen.
Where should I go next?
Choose a topic from the guide hub. Start with the part you’re actually using; faction rankings and advanced leadership tools can wait.