# Creating Settlements

Players can claim land on the server by creating settlements in [The Frontier](/land-management/server-worlds.md#the-frontier). It costs new players 2,500 emeralds to create their first settlement, with the cost of upgrading and creating settlements increasing for each player over time as they claim more land.

### Finding Claimable Land

To get started, use the `/explore unclaimed` command to find claimable plots in The Frontier. If you find a plot you like but do not have enough emeralds to claim it then you can use the `/plot save` command to save the location so that you can come back and claim it later. Once you find the right location and have enough emeralds, you can claim it using the `/settlement create` command.

### Claiming Land For Settlements

Creating a settlement claims the first settlement plot. Additional plots can then be claimed for the settlement using the `/settlement claim` command. Those plots can then be converted into [homes](/land-management/home-ownership.md) and [shops](/land-management/shop-ownership.md) using the `/home create` and `/shop create` commands. Homes and shops can be rented and sold to other players. Shops can be used to trade items for emeralds with other players.

### Upgrading Settlements

Settlement owners can upgrade their settlements using the `/settlement upgrade` command which increases the number of plots that can be claimed for the settlement. Settlements start at level 1 allowing them to claim up to 10 plots. When a settlement is upgraded to level 2, the settlement owner will be able to claim up to 25 plots. After that, the number of plots that can be claimed increases by 25 plots per additional level. For example, level 3 settlements can claim a total of 50 plots while level 5 settlements can claim a total of 100 plots. Settlements can be upgraded all the way to level 15 which allows a total of 350 plots to be claimed. Upgrading settlements also increases the [settlement limits](/additional-features/non-vanilla-mechanics.md#settlement-limits).

{% hint style="info" %}
The cost of upgrading a settlement is equal to the cost of creating a new settlement.
{% endhint %}

### Changing Settlement Names

Settlement owners can name their settlement using the `/settlement rename <name>` command while standing in the settlement that they want to rename. Players can teleport to settlements by name using the `/settlement spawn <name>` command.

### Changing Settlement Spawn

Settlement owners can set their settlement spawn location using the `/settlement setspawn` command while standing in any plot claimed by the settlement as long as the plot has not been claimed by a home, shop, or market.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Pro tip:** Players can [use the "F3 + G" keyboard shortcut to show and hide chunk borders](https://www.wikihow.com/See-Chunk-Borders-in-Minecraft) which is helpful when claiming plots for settlements and when using plot commands.
{% endhint %}


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