PvP Gamemode: Capture the Gem, How to Host and Play

Information about how to play and host the most popular Terraria PvP gamemode, Capture the Gem.

Basics of Capture the Gem

Capture the Gem, or CtG, has been a well played gamemode, popular since it's conception in early days of Terraria. The idea was originally created by Miles of the Odyssey Gamez youtube channel. In CtG two teams have a chest with a gem. They must first prepare by making defenses around the chest and getting ibetter items. Then the two teams fight, trying to get the other teams gem, the team who gets both gems in their chest wins.

There have been many videos, variations, teams, tournaments and games of Capture the Gem. It was mostly played on its home group, Odyssey PvP, another popular variation by PsiSyndicate was made and played for some time, until PsiSyndicate stopped playing Terraria. There have been several tournaments, the biggest one being Gem Wars with 64 teams, which was played fully except for the double elimination of the final 8. It is still hosted often at the steam group Odyssey PvP where it is hosted along with many other gamemodes: Link to Group

If you see something incorrect about this guide please explain in the comments. The same goes if you are unsure about something and I will clarify it further.

How to Play

This is the standard ruleset for CtG, there are a lot of possible changes which can be made when hosting.


Pre-Game:

-You must create a new mediumcore character in Terraria
-Join the server with that character
-You should be transported to your base, some hosts won't though and you might have to walk when the game starts
-Join your designated team, enable PvP and set your spawn at the bed if you are at your base


Preperation Phase:

During this time you should places blocks to make it harder to reach your gem chest and obtain items for fighting with.

-There will be a set time for preperation, standard is 15 minutes but it is often changed
-During this time you can not cross the border in between the two sides
-Do not fight across the border during this time
-Banned items are useable during this time
-You can not move your gem chest or the gem inside the chest
-You can not change your spawn, or move your bed or make it so you can't set your spawn at your base
-You can not make NPC housing, this can happen accidently if you place a work bench in your base or a torch in a living wood chest room
-If a NPC does spawn you are not allowed to use it
-You can not place blocks which require more pickaxe power than a copepr pickaxe provides. This includes: ebonstone, crimstone and obsidian
-You can not duplicate lava as part of your chest defense


PvP Phase:

During this time you must fight the other teams and take their gem and place it in your gem chest. Your team wins when you have both gems in your gem chest

-You can not use any banned item in PvP, but you can still use them if they are used for PvE. They can not be used in any way to give you a positional advantage, create/destroy blocks for a strategical PvP advantage or to damage other players
-You can not edit any of the opposiing teams base, or move their gem chest
-When you have a gem you must return it to your chest, do not kill for fun or hide in the wrong direction
-You can not go underground when you have a gem
-You can not use a magic mirror or recall potion while holding a gem
-You can not open your chest to prevent players from the other team opening


Banned Items:

-Grenades
-Bombs
-Dynamite
-Molotov Cocktails
-Starfury
-Gravitation Potions
-Invisibility Potions
-Featherfall Potions


Rules Video (Slight Outdated):

It goes without saying using modded Terraria clients to gain an advtange or ruin the game, or joining with a geared up character during the game is severe rule breaking

How to make a CtG Map

Unlike most Terraria PvP gamemodes, there are no pre-made maps for CtG. Instead you must make your own, though it is very easy.

Step 1 - Create a World:

-Generate a world in Terraria, large is usually best as smaller sizes can have biomes too cramped together
-Use this mod to generate worlds without crimson/corruption/snow/jungle. I recommend keeping all the other settings as default, but the biomes listed can make maps very unbalanced
-Make sure there is a cave a reasonable distance both sides from the spawn, if you want a balanced map

Step 2 - Make the Bases

-First off make a building at spawn to keep all players in one place at the start. A small wood box is normally made
-Create bases 600ft (300 blocks) away from the spawn
-Bases are normal about 6-12 blocks wide and 4-8 blocks high
-They should include back walls, doors and a bed. You can add your own decorative items
-Make sure each base has some indication on which colour team they are for
-You can use TEdit to copy and paste bases between worlds, find out more about TEdit here: http://www.terrariaonline.com/threads/tedit-terraria-map-editor.35394

Step 3 - Place the Gem Chests
-Place a chest 150ft (75 blocks) away from each base, so they are closer to the spawn than the base
-Use chests hard to obtain such as dungeon chests, to indicate which is the correct gem chest
-Place a large gem in each chest, corresponding to the team colour of that side

How to Host

You can host this with a group of friends or reliably get players at the Odyssey PvP steam group. Make sure you know how to host a server with TShock (guide will be made soon). Set up your server with your CtG world and then follow these steps:

-Make sure all players have a new mediumcore character, mediumcore characters appear as blue when you hover your cursor over them
-Make sure antibuild (/antibuild) is on and mobs are on (/maxspawns and /spawnrate)
-When you have enough players decide on teams, unless they are pre set. Do not put experienced players together as they cause unbalanced games. If you must have experienced players together then make sure the other team has at least twice as many players. You should be trying to make the teams as balanced as you can, don't just have you are your three teammates against 4 un co-ordinated players
-Teleport players to their bases. Make sure the bases are locked by placing some blocks next to the doors
-Make sure all players have PvP enable and set their team and their bed
-Start the game by using /antibuild, so players can mine the blocks next to the doors
-Make sure you keep track of the time, a counter helps. When preperation time is over make sure to announce it
-Set the time to noon before it turns to night
-Make sure everyone follows all the rules
-If rules are broken judge how severe/intentional the case was and decide on telling them off, giving them a time out, kicking them from the game or banning them from the server
-If things get serious then tell players to disable PvP and stop moving, so you can sort out the problem
-Confirm the winning team by checking the gem chest

More about CtG

You can play CtG on the Odyssey PvP group: Link to Odyssey PvP

For advice on playing the game read this guide on chest defense: Chest Defense Guide

These youtube channels contain lots of videos on CtG, use the search function on the channels:
Odyssey Gamez
PsiSyndicate
Shiny ChoCo

[Tylertothekore]

a few years

[Tylertothekore]

wow its been a long time since people have said something

[AshenRustedArmor]

I'm making portal CtG. I suppose this breaks some rules, but I dont care! :)

[rangseysom12]

ok

[TaterBlight]

WEE :trolol:

[Retrolicious]

rod of discord is banned automatically since those games happen on prehardmode maps and u are not allowed to enter with a pregeared hero!
baih, nice guide btw !

[lunselion]

Rod of Discord

[alphe]

Don't forget to ban the Teleportation Rod.
I think that is what is called.

[Unborn_Dragonborn]

is there any ctG maps i could join

[Creed Bratton]

ok thx