Diplomacy
Understanding faction relationships - alliances, enemies, and neutral relations.
Diplomacy
The diplomacy system defines how factions interact with each other. Relationships affect combat rules, territory access, and how factions appear on maps and in chat.
Relationship Types
Every pair of factions has a relationship status that determines how they can interact.
Neutral (Default)
All factions start as neutral to each other. This is the baseline relationship.
| Aspect | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Combat | PvP allowed with standard rules |
| Territory | No access to each other's claims |
| Map Color | Yellow |
Allied
Alliances represent mutual cooperation between factions. Both factions must agree to form an alliance.
| Aspect | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Combat | Friendly fire disabled by default |
| Territory | Shared access (configurable) |
| Communication | Alliance chat available |
| Map Color | Green |
Enemy
Enemy status marks a faction for open conflict. Unlike alliances, enemy declarations are one-sided - you can declare any faction as your enemy without their agreement.
| Aspect | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Combat | Full PvP enabled |
| Territory | Overclaiming available if they're weak |
| Map Color | Red |
How Alliances Work
Alliance formation requires mutual agreement:
- Faction A sends an alliance request to Faction B
- Faction B sends an alliance request to Faction A
- Both requests exist = alliance formed
One-sided requests don't create alliances. Either faction can break the alliance at any time by setting the relationship to neutral.
Info
Servers can limit the maximum number of allies per faction (default: 10). Check your server's configuration.
How Enemy Status Works
Enemy declarations are unilateral - you decide who your enemies are. This affects:
- How you see them (marked in red)
- Whether you can overclaim their territory
One-Sided vs Mutual
| Scenario | Effect |
|---|---|
| You declare them enemy | They appear red to you; overclaiming enabled |
| They declare you enemy | You appear red to them; they can try to overclaim you |
| Mutual enemies | Full warfare mode; both sides marked hostile |
Being someone's enemy doesn't automatically make them your enemy. You must also declare them.
Combat Rules
Relationships affect what combat is allowed:
| Relationship | Can Attack? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Same Faction | No* | Configurable via combat.factionDamage |
| Allied | No* | Configurable via combat.allyDamage |
| Neutral | Yes | Standard combat rules |
| Enemy | Yes | Full warfare |
*Server configuration can enable friendly fire for factions or allies.
Territory Access
By default, only faction members can interact with claimed territory. Alliances can optionally share access:
- Ally building - Allow allies to place/break blocks
- Ally interaction - Allow allies to use doors, containers, etc.
These are configured per-faction through the settings GUI.
Strategic Considerations
Benefits of Alliances
- Combined military strength
- Shared territory defense
- Coordination through alliance chat
- Accident prevention (no friendly fire)
Risks of Alliances
- Involvement in allies' conflicts
- Obligation to defend allied territory
- Potential for betrayal
Enemy Tactics
- Weaken through sustained combat to drain their power
- Coordinate with their other enemies
- Overclaim when their power drops below claim capacity
- Control strategic chokepoints
Visual Indicators
Relationship status is color-coded throughout the interface:
| Relation | Color | Where Shown |
|---|---|---|
| Your Faction | Cyan | Claims, members, chat tags |
| Allied | Green | Claims, members, chat tags |
| Neutral | Yellow | Claims, members |
| Enemy | Red | Claims, members, chat tags |
Who Can Manage Relations?
By faction role hierarchy:
- Leaders can manage all diplomatic relations
- Officers can manage relations (by default)
- Members cannot change relations
Server permissions also apply. See Permissions Reference for the relation permission nodes.
Related Topics
- Factions - Faction basics and roles
- Power System - How power affects warfare
- Territories - Overclaiming enemy territory
- Diplomacy Commands - Command reference