The Anti-Grief Stack
Griefing destroys communities faster than any other issue. A single griefer can undo weeks of player work in minutes. The solution is a layered defense: land claiming, block logging, rollback tools, and automated bans. No single plugin prevents all griefing — you need multiple layers. The standard stack: GriefPrevention (land claiming), CoreProtect (block logging), LiteBans (ban management), and WorldGuard (spawn/region protection).
Land Claiming with GriefPrevention
GriefPrevention is the most popular land claim plugin. Players claim land by placing a golden shovel chest, then right-clicking two opposite corners of their claim area. Key config: 'initial-claim-blocks' (starting claim blocks — recommend 1000), 'accrued-blocks-per-hour' (blocks earned per hour of playtime — recommend 100), 'max-accrued-blocks' (maximum claimable — recommend 50000). Configure claim subdivisions so players can trust friends to build in their claim without giving full ownership.
Block Logging with CoreProtect
CoreProtect logs every block placement, break, container interaction, and entity kill with the player's name and timestamp. Install it BEFORE you have a griefing problem — it can't recover data from before its installation. Key commands: '/co inspect' (toggle inspection wand — click a block to see its history), '/co lookup' (search logs by player, radius, time, and action), '/co rollback' (undo all actions by a player in a radius and time range). Store logs in MySQL for better performance on large servers.
Ban Management with LiteBans
LiteBans provides cross-server bans with a web interface. When you ban a griefer, the ban syncs across your entire network. Features: temporary bans, IP bans, mute, warnings, and ban history with notes. Configure it to auto-ban on certain triggers: /co rollback time:30m user:Griefer123 action:block r:100 and ban them simultaneously. Use the web panel to review ban history before unbanning appeals.
Exploit Prevention
Beyond land claims, prevent common exploits: 1) Install IllegalStack to block duping methods (item frame dupes, donkey dupes, piston dupes). 2) Disable TNT and creeper explosion block damage with WorldGuard flags or GriefPrevention settings. 3) Set spawn-protection in server.properties to 32+. 4) Install NoCheatPlus or GrimAC to catch x-ray hackers before they find valuable bases. 5) Limit /tpa and /home cooldowns to prevent players from escaping combat.
Rollback and Recovery Workflow
When griefing is reported: 1) Ask the player for coordinates and time of griefing. 2) Run '/co lookup user:GrieferName radius:50 time:2h' to confirm. 3) Run '/co rollback user:GrieferName radius:50 time:2h' to undo all their actions. 4) Ban the griefer with '/ban GrieferName Griefing - CoreProtect confirmed'. 5) Teleport to the area and verify the rollback. 6) Post in your Discord #staff-log channel with evidence. The entire process takes under 2 minutes for an experienced admin.
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