The Hive
The Hive
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Beginner

Claiming Land with Towny

How land protection works, how to found a town, and how to manage it day-to-day.

What you'll learn

  • →The world is divided into chunks (16×16 columns) — towns claim chunks to protect them
  • →Founding a town costs $50; each chunk costs $5 to claim, then $3/day upkeep
  • →Use /res toggle townclaim to auto-claim chunks as you walk — much faster than /town claim one by one
  • →Keep your town bank funded or the town collapses and all claims are lost
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If your town can't pay its daily upkeep it falls into ruins and loses its claims. A ruined town can be reclaimed for $500 within a short grace period — after that it's gone for good. Keep the bank funded.
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Chunks must be adjacent to an existing claim — you cannot claim random distant land.
  1. 1

    Understand how Towny works

    Claimed chunks = protected. Wilderness = anything goes.

    The world is divided into chunks — 16×16 block columns stretching the full world height. Towns claim chunks to protect them.

    Inside a claimed chunk:

    • Non-residents cannot place or break blocks
    • Non-residents cannot open chests, furnaces, or doors

    Outside of towns (wilderness): zero protection. Anyone can grief or steal.

  2. 2

    See chunk borders before you claim

    /res toggle plotborder — particles appear on chunk edges as you walk

    Turn on chunk border particles so you can see exactly what you're claiming:

    /res toggle plotborder

    Run it again to turn off. Also check the live map to find good unclaimed areas before you commit.

  3. 3

    Option A — Join an existing town

    Fastest start: no founding fee, instant protection

    Browse towns with /town list or on the live map, then message the mayor to ask for an invite. The mayor runs:

    /town invite <yourname>

    You accept with:

    /town join <townname>
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    Joining an existing town first is the easiest path. You get protection immediately and can found your own town later when you have more funds.
  4. 4

    Option B — Found your own town

    Stand in your chosen homeblock chunk → /town new <name> — costs $50

    Stand in the chunk you want as your homeblock (town centre). You need at least $50.

    /town new <name>

    That chunk is immediately claimed as your first plot. You are now mayor.

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    Choose your homeblock carefully — it is difficult to move later. Check the live map first to avoid being boxed in.
  5. 5

    Claim more chunks

    Use /res toggle townclaim — walk the area you want, every chunk auto-claims

    The fast way — walk-to-claim:

    /res toggle townclaim

    Every chunk you walk into is claimed automatically. Walk your perimeter, then run the command again to stop. This is much faster than running /town claim in each chunk individually.

    Single chunk:

    /town claim

    Rectangle of chunks at once (up to radius 4):

    /town claim rect <radius>
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    Each chunk costs $5 to claim (one-time, paid from your town bank) and then adds $3/day to your upkeep. A 20-chunk town costs $60/day — make sure your bank can cover it.
  6. 6

    Fund your town bank

    /town deposit <amount> — upkeep is charged daily. Don't let it run dry.

    /town deposit <amount>

    Upkeep is $3.00 per claimed chunk per day, deducted automatically. Check how long you have with:

    /towny time

    Check your town's current balance and chunk count at any time:

    /town
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    If the bank can't cover upkeep, the town falls into ruins — you lose your claims and must pay $500 to reclaim it within a short window, or lose it permanently. Keep a buffer of several days' upkeep in the bank.
  7. 7

    Manage residents and permissions

    As mayor you invite, kick, promote, and control toggles like PvP and mob spawning

    • Invite: /town invite <player>
    • Kick: /town kick <player>
    • Promote to assistant: /town rank add <player> assistant
    • Set town spawn: /town set spawn
    • Open town (anyone can join without invite): /town toggle open
    • Toggle PvP / mobs / explosions: /town toggle pvp / /town toggle mobs / /town toggle explosion
  8. 8

    Sell plots to residents

    Stand on a plot → /plot forsale <price> — residents buy with /plot claim

    Each claimed chunk is a plot. Stand on one and list it for sale:

    /plot forsale <price>

    A resident buys it by standing on it and running /plot claim. Take it off the market:

    /plot nfs

    Plot types (stand on plot, then run):

    • /plot set shop — designated shop area
    • /plot set farm — farming area
    • /plot set arena — PvP always on here
    • /plot set embassy — outsiders can buy this plot

    Give a specific player build access on your plot without making them a full resident:

    /plot trust add <player>

Quick Reference

Commands at a glance

/town new <name>Found a new town at your current chunk. Costs $50.
/townView your town's info, bank, residents, and claims.
/town listBrowse all towns on the server.
/town claimClaim the chunk you are standing in.
/town claim rect <radius>Claim a rectangle of chunks around you (max radius 4).
/town unclaimRemove the chunk you are standing in from your town.
/res toggle townclaimAuto-claim every chunk you walk into. Run again to stop.
/res toggle townunclaimAuto-unclaim every chunk you walk into. Run again to stop.
/res toggle plotborderShow particle borders on chunk edges.
/town deposit <amount>Add money to your town bank.
/town withdraw <amount>Take money from your town bank.
/town invite <player>Invite a player to your town.
/town spawnTeleport to your town's spawn point.
/t spawn <town>Teleport to another town's public spawn.
/plot forsale <price>Put the plot you are standing on up for sale.
/plot claimBuy the plot you are standing on.
/plot nfsTake a plot off the market.
/plot trust add <player>Grant a specific player build access on your plot.
/towny mapShow a chunk-level map of claims in chat.
/towny pricesShow current founding cost and daily upkeep rates.
/towny timeShow how long until the next upkeep collection.

💡 Tips & Tricks

  • ✓Turn on /res toggle plotborder first so you can see chunk lines, then enable /res toggle townclaim and walk your perimeter — fastest way to claim large areas.
  • ✓Keep several days of upkeep in the town bank at all times ($3/chunk/day adds up fast). Run /towny time to see when the next deduction hits.
  • ✓Check the live map before founding — make sure you won't be boxed in as you expand.
  • ✓Use /plot trust add <player> to give a friend access to just your plot without making them a full resident.
  • ✓If you leave a town or it collapses, you lose access to all claimed chunks — any items in chests are gone.
  • ✓Towns can join Nations for alliances and shared permissions. Run /nation list to see what exists.