Getting Started
Server Version: Minecraft 1.21.1 (Java Edition)
Note: Shards SMP is currently in active development. This guide will change often — always check Discord for the latest balance updates.
What are Shards?
Shards are magical items that grant you unique abilities and powers. Each shard provides:
- Passive Ability — Always-active effect when equipped
- Tier 1 Ability — Activated with
/ability1— available immediately - Tier 2 Ability — Activated with
/ability2— unlocked after upgrading
Shard Tiers
All shards start at Tier 1. To unlock Tier 2 abilities:
- Obtain an upgrade shard item (from admins or gameplay).
- Use it on your equipped shard to upgrade it to Tier 2.
- Once upgraded, you gain access to the more powerful
/ability2command.
How to Use Shards
- 1Equip a Shard — Right-click a shard item to equip it (starts at Tier 1).
- 2Use Tier 1 Ability — Type /ability1 or /a1 in chat.
- 3Upgrade to Tier 2 — Use an upgrade shard item to unlock Tier 2 abilities.
- 4Use Tier 2 Ability — Type /ability2 or /a2 (only works after upgrade).
- 5Check Cooldowns — Try using an ability again; you'll be notified of remaining cooldown time.
Available Shards
The server features 9 active shards. All shards start at Tier 1 and can be upgraded to Tier 2 using an upgrade shard item.
Echo
Stealth and detection specialist.
Health
Healing and survivability focus.
Sky
Mobility and aerial combat.
Earth
Defensive and grounded abilities.
Lightning
Speed and electrical attacks.
Hell
Fire damage and summoning.
Arctic
Ice control and crowd control.
Shadow
Stealth and teleportation.
Nature
Healing and area control.
Legacy Shards (Disabled by Default)
The following shards exist but are disabled by default and may be enabled by server admins:
Passive Abilities
These effects are always active when you have a shard equipped. Passives do not need to be activated and cannot be toggled off.
| Shard | Passive Effect | Description |
|---|---|---|
Echo | Swift Sneak III | Move faster while sneaking (applied to leggings). |
Health | +2 Hearts + Regeneration I | Gain 2 extra hearts (4 HP) and constant health regeneration. |
Sky | Fall Damage Immunity | Take no damage from falling any distance. |
Earth | No passive | Earth shard has no passive ability. |
Lightning | Speed I + Haste I | Move faster and mine/attack faster. |
Hell | Fire Resistance | Immunity to fire and lava damage. |
Arctic | Speed on Ice | Gain speed boost when standing on ice or packed ice. |
Shadow | Strength I | Deal increased melee damage. |
Nature | Regeneration on Plants | Heal when standing on grass or plant blocks. |
Tier 1 Abilities
Activated with /ability1 (aliases: /a1, /ab1) — available on all shards immediately.
Reveals all nearby enemies with the Glowing effect for 10 seconds. Perfect for detecting hidden enemies or finding players in dark areas.
Instantly heals you to maximum health. Emergency healing in combat or after taking damage.
Launches you forward at high speed with a powerful leap. Quick escape, chase down enemies, or traverse terrain rapidly.
Earth shard Tier 1 ability details are server-configured. Check with admins for current values.
Strikes all enemies within 8 blocks with lightning, dealing 6 damage and applying Weakness. Powerful offensive ability that also disables enemies temporarily.
Summons 3 skeletons to fight for you (30 seconds) and weakens nearby enemies (Weakness I + Slowness II for 10 seconds). Summon allies in combat and debilitate enemies.
Deals 8 damage to all enemies within 8 blocks and applies slowness (Slowness I + Weakness I) and freezing for 9 seconds. Crowd control tool for group combat.
Teleports you to the last enemy you hit in combat. Must have recently damaged an enemy. Chase fleeing enemies or close distance in combat.
Roots enemies in place with extreme slowness (Slowness XI + Jump Boost -5) and poisons them (Poison II) for 10 seconds. Lock down enemies completely, preventing escape.
Tier 2 Abilities
Activated with /ability2 (aliases: /a2, /ab2) — only available after upgrading your shard with an upgrade shard item.
Applies Darkness, Slowness III, and Mining Fatigue II to all enemies within 8 blocks. Disorient and disable multiple enemies in close quarters.
Grants yourself Resistance II and Fire Resistance for 15 seconds. Tank damage during combat or when entering dangerous situations.
Grants yourself Speed III and Strength II for 10 seconds while pulling all enemies within 12 blocks toward you. Control enemy positioning and gain combat buffs.
Earth shard Tier 2 ability details are server-configured. Check with admins for current values.
Unleashes 5 lightning strikes over time in a 12-block radius, each dealing 8 damage with 40% hit chance. Area denial and massive AoE damage.
Creates a 5-block radius ring of fire that knocks back enemies (force 2.0), sets them on fire (5 seconds), and deals additional damage over time (0.4 HP/tick). Create space and deal sustained fire damage.
Converts all water to ice within an 8-block sphere for 10 seconds, creating an ice arena. Control the battlefield and create icy terrain.
Grants yourself Invisibility for 10 seconds and applies Darkness + Blindness to enemies within 10 blocks. Stealth engagement or escape while blinding enemies.
Creates a 10-block healing zone for 15 seconds that grants you Regeneration III, heals trusted allies (+0.5 HP/tick), and pulls non-trusted enemies inward. Control an area with healing and crowd control.
Life System
The Life System adds strategic depth and consequences to PvP combat.
Every player begins with 5 lives.
Kill another player to earn +1 life.
Die to another player and lose −1 life. Lives persist across restarts.
Low Life Penalty
When you drop below 3 lives, you suffer the following penalties:
Trust System
The Trust System allows you to protect friendly players from your abilities. Use /shard trust <player> to add someone to your trust list.
What Trust Does
When you trust a player, they gain the following protections from your abilities:
Trusted players take no damage from your offensive abilities.
Trusted players are immune to harmful status effects (poison, slowness, weakness, darkness, blindness, etc.).
Trusted players can still receive healing and positive buffs from you.
Trust Commands
/shard trust <player>/shard untrust <player>/shard listAlias: /shardtrust works the same as /shard.
Strategic Use
- Trust your team members to avoid friendly fire.
- Coordinate group fights without hurting allies.
- Support allies with beneficial abilities like Nature's Verdant Domain.
- Trust is personal and one-directional — manage it carefully.
Commands
Player Commands
| Command | Aliases | Description |
|---|---|---|
/ability1 | /a1, /ab1 | Use your shard's Tier 1 ability. |
/ability2 | /a2, /ab2 | Use your shard's Tier 2 ability (requires upgraded shard). |
/shard trust <player> | /shardtrust trust | Add a player to your trust list. |
/shard untrust <player> | /shardtrust untrust | Remove a player from your trust list. |
/shard list | /shardtrust list | View your trusted players (● online, ○ offline). |
Admin Commands(OP/Permission Required)
| Command | Description | Permission |
|---|---|---|
/giveshard <player> <shard> | Give a shard item to a player. | Configurable (default: OP) |
/shard_energy_give <amount> <player> | Give lives (energy) to a player. | Configurable (default: OP) |
/kit | Access kits. | Configurable (default: OP) |
/shards_clear_all | Remove shards from all players. | Configurable (default: OP) |
Command permissions can be configured by admins in config.yml to allow all players or restrict to OPs.
Quick Reference
Cooldown Tiers
| Tier | Abilities |
|---|---|
Fast (15–20s) | Skybound Leap (15s), Phase Step (20s), Shock Bolt (20s) |
Medium (30s) | Sonic Pulse, Vine Snare, Umbral Veil, Ice Domain, Frostbite |
Medium-High (40s) | Life Surge (40s), Verdant Domain (40s) |
Slow (50s) | Abyss Call (50s), Cursed Horde (50s) |
Very Slow (60s) | Resistance, Thunderstorm, Infernal Ring, Wind Dominion |
Damage Abilities
- Arctic - Frostbite: 8 dmg + extreme CC (T1)
- Lightning - Thunderstorm: 5×8 dmg AoE (T2)
- Lightning - Shock Bolt: 6 dmg + weakness (T1)
- Hell - Infernal Ring: fire dmg + knockback (T2)
Crowd Control
- Nature - Vine Snare: complete root (Slowness XI + Jump -5)
- Arctic - Frostbite: extreme slowness + freeze
- Hell - Cursed Horde: weakness + slowness + skeletons
- Echo - Abyss Call: darkness + slowness + mining fatigue
Mobility
- Sky - Skybound Leap: fast horizontal launch (15s CD)
- Shadow - Phase Step: teleport to enemy (20s CD)
- Sky - Wind Dominion: speed boost + enemy pull (60s CD)
Healing & Detection
- Health - Life Surge: full instant heal (40s CD)
- Health - Resistance: damage reduction 15s (60s CD)
- Nature - Verdant Domain: healing zone (40s CD)
- Echo - Sonic Pulse: reveal enemies (glowing)
- Shadow - Umbral Veil: invisibility + blind enemies
Area of Effect Ranges
| Range | Abilities |
|---|---|
Small (5 blocks) | Infernal Ring |
Medium (8 blocks) | Sonic Pulse, Shock Bolt, Frostbite, Vine Snare, Abyss Call, Ice Domain |
Large (10–12 blocks) | Cursed Horde, Umbral Veil, Verdant Domain, Wind Dominion, Thunderstorm |