Java Balancing the FFA Shop

[Satirit]

Heya CubeCraft,

I wanted to share a suggestion about balancing the FFA shop, since right now it feels too strong and unbalanced. There are a lot of players shopping on almost every map, which makes fights unfair for others. Below I listed 5 options that could help make the shop fairer and keep FFA more skill-based.

​

Option 1: Remove the /shop Command​

Right now, players can use /shop anywhere on the map, which allows them to instantly replace broken armor and continue fighting almost endlessly.
​

My idea is to remove the /shop command, so players can only shop at the spawn NPC. This would prevent constant re-gearing during battles and make shopping a riskier choice.
This change is meant to balance FFA, but still keep the shop usable for strategic purchases.
​

Players could still buy extra armor before spawning, but that also means a lot of risk, if they die, they lose everything they bought.
​

Featured Kits, like Feather and Invisibility, become extremely powerful when combined with purchased items, making them even harder to fight fairly.
(The Feather kit allows you to launch yourself high up in the air to reach buildings easily and escape. The Invisibility kit has a Resistance III effect)
​

Option 2: Remove Certain Overpowered Shop Items​

The Protection III armor set and Sharpness III diamond sword and axe are too strong and can make fights unbalanced.​

​

My suggestion is to remove these items from the shop.​

​

This is especially important for Featured Kits like Feather and Invisibility, which can already escape or tank damage easily. Combining them with these items makes them almost impossible to kill.
​

Option 3: Increase Shop Item Costs​

The Protection III armor pieces and Sharpness III diamond weapons are currently too cheap. Increasing their cost would make them harder to obtain and ensure that players can’t easily become overpowered.
​

Option 4: Limit the Number of Times a Player Can Shop per Map​

Set a limit on how many times each player can shop in a map. This would prevent players from endlessly re-gearing with new armor or weapons, while still keeping the shop available as a strategic option.​

​

This option might require more server resources to track how many times each player shops, but it could still work as a solution.
​

Option 5: Add Debuffs for Shopped Players​

Apply a debuff whenever a player uses the shop. For example, a player could receive Mining Fatigue I, Slowness I, or Weakness I.​

​

Alternatively, debuffs could also be tied to kill count, for example, applying one of these effects for every 50 kills a player achieves. This would help prevent players from becoming nearly unkillable with purchased items.​

​

This option might require more server resources to track shopping and kill counts, but it could still work as a way to balance the system.
​

Feedback​

Which of these options do you think would make FFA more balanced and fun? Do you have any other options or ideas?

Best regards,
Satirit​