7 unwritten rules of Minecraft PvP

PvP, or player vs. player, is a fundamental game mode of multiplayer Minecraft. PvP contains a wide range of minigames, from survival games to bedwars, allowing players to find a specific game mode suited to their personal preferences. However, since it is such an important part of the multiplayer community, there are also a lot of unwritten rules that have developed over time.

Seven of these unwritten rules are detailed below, along with what makes them so important to follow when playing online.

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7 unwritten rules for getting the most out of Minecraft PvP

1) Don't interrupt fights (Respect the 1v1)

1v1s are the oldest and most respected PvP format (Image via Mojang)

One of the most fundamental rules of PvP in general, not just within Mojang's blocky masterpiece, is to respect the 1v1. Nothing is more frustrating than being in a position to crush an opponent, just for a random third party to roll up and ruin everything.

It takes all of the skill and precision out of PvP and reduces fights to random groups of wandering players taking potshots at one another before scampering off to ruin another battle.

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2) Avoid sniping winners

Winning a fight leaves players at their most vulnerable (Image via Mojang)

One of the most frustrating aspects of PvP is winning a fight just to be one-tapped by a passing player before any hearts have a chance to recover. That's why one of the most important unwritten rules of Minecraft PvP is to not snipe winners like this. Rather, wait for a fight to finish and give the winner a chance to heal up and prepare using Minecraft potions. There's no fun or glory in winning a totally one-sided fight.

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3) Avoid bow-spamming

Arrow spam is understandably frustrating in PvP (Image via Mojang)

This unwritten PvP rule depends heavily on the cultures of particular Minecraft PvP servers. Many servers have an unspoken agreement that bow spam is annoying and a cheap way to get kills against better PvP players. For this reason, only using a few arrows near the start of combat is recommended to avoid potential issues or rule-breaking.

This unwritten rule is quite a shame, as many of Minecraft's best weapon enchantments happen to be on bows and crossbows, such as infinity, punch, and multishot. Not being able to play with these fun and interesting enchantments is unfortunate.

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4) Don't stall

Blindly running around is a great example of stalling (Image via Mojang)

Stalling is a term used in the wider video game community that refers to actions taken in-game that serve no purpose other than to waste time. It's also one of the most annoying things a player can do on any of Minecraft's best multiplayer servers. It's also a bannable offense on many different large servers, another reason to avoid doing it all together.

Rather than dragging a game out for an extra five to 10 minutes for no reason, attempt to PvP, even if it's almost certain death. This will provide an invaluable PvP experience, making players better in the long run. It will also stop others from getting frustrated, a secondary benefit that helps ensure that a player can continue to find games and matches.

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5) Don't throw

Jumping off of the map is a great example of throwing the game (Image via Mojang)

Throwing is another term from the wider gaming community. Throwing is the act of losing on purpose when encountering an unwinnable situation. The downsides to throwing are obvious; it ruins the game for teammates who gave their all before getting eliminated. It also takes the satisfaction of the win away from the victorious player, leaving essentially everyone in a foul mood.

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6) Don't use weapons against fresh players

Sniping players with no gear might be easy, but it's also dishonorable (Image via Mojang)

One of the most toxic things that a player can do in any sort of Minecraft minigame that features respawns is camp out and farm players without any weapons or armor while being fully geared. If a player appears to be completely fresh, don't dispatch them unfairly with fully enchanted Minecraft armor and weapons.

Instead, engage in what the community calls sumo. This just means fighting without armor or weapons. This will make the fight truly fair, relying on a player's skill rather than a disparity of gear.

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7) Don't be toxic in chat

Avoid being toxic in chat, as it brings everyone down (Image via Mojang)

PvP is inherently competitive. It has to be. Whenever two players go into a fight where only one can emerge alive, there's an understanding that the player who's better in the moment will emerge victorious. That also tends to mean that fights can cause emotions to run high.

Regardless of how any particular fight ends, avoid being toxic in chat. Don't taunt defeated players with "gg ez" in chat, as it just ruins the vibe of the game for everyone. On the other hand, don't randomly accuse people of cheating or hacking just because a fight was lost. That's equally toxic and leads to a community where no one enjoys actually playing the game.

If something simply has to be said after a fight, try to limit it to constructive feedback or genuine appreciation for a good fight. Additionally, using the whisper Minecraft console command can help keep tempers cool by leaving the interaction out of global chat, essentially being an in-game direct message.