Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, community sites named in the text and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Buffers, Walls and Regen Defences
The buffer is the ring of land around a base's shell where the defences go: water walls, sand walls and other layers that make attackers burn TNT and time before they reach the base. Servers often limit how big a buffer can be and which defences, such as regen walls, are allowed.
What is a buffer?
The CosmicPE wiki defines the buffer as the area outside the shell where defences are normally placed, and says on that server it can reach up to 20 chunks from the base. A buffer works by distance: every wall an attacker has to break is another set of shots and another chance for defenders to respond.
What kinds of walls go in a buffer?
- Watered walls: layers of blocks with a one-block water gap between them; TNT exploding in the water usually breaks no blocks.
- Sand walls: CosmicPE's guide allows one sand wall per chunk in the buffer.
- Slabs in the water gaps to stop sand stacking.
- Reverse layers under the base against breaches from below.
minecraft.wiki's cannon armour page adds that cobblestone generators can count as active shielding and are a better version of water shielding.
What is a regen wall?
Regen defences regenerate: they rebuild broken blocks automatically, so cannon damage closes up again. The CosmicPE guide lists them as regeneration-based defences and notes they are disabled on that server, which is why wraps are its main defence there. minecraft.wiki calls the cannon-fight version active shielding: closing a hole before the next shot arrives, with falling blocks or pistons. See armor and shielding.
Why do servers limit buffers?
Without limits, bases could be walled out for hundreds of chunks and raids would never finish. Server rule pages commonly cap buffer size, the number of walls per side or which defences are allowed. Always read your server's base rules before building.
How do raiders get through a buffer?
With cannons built for the defences: hybrids for water, tunnelers for depth, and good intel about which layers are slabbed. Base layout: base building.
Frequently asked questions
What is a buffer in Minecraft factions?
The area outside a base's shell where defences such as water walls are built.
What is a regen wall?
A defence that rebuilds broken blocks automatically. Many servers ban or disable them.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.