If you want some classic fun, check out MODMIX!
Survival SMP
Same vibe, different fun!
This is a small whitelisted SMP called Dusk that feels really cozy and calm. It runs on a vanilla plus Paper server so it is mostly normal Minecraft with some quality of life plugins and a pregenerated world so there is less lag.
The vibe is relaxed and friendly. People focus on building bases exploring together and just hanging out. The community likes doing group builds screenshots and little events and they want the world to last a long time so it feels like a real home.
The rules are simple. No griefing and no stealing. Everyone has to be 18 or older. PvP only happens if both players agree and the whole goal is to keep things cozy and community friendly. There is no pay to win and no admin abuse. It is just normal survival.
The server is on version 1.21.10 and is based in the EU but they accept players from all time zones. There is an active Discord and people can use voice chat and even Simple Voice Chat if they want more immersion. You apply through Discord and they keep the player count small so it stays like a tight community.
This is a modded lifesteal server called Nonamemc and they are starting a new season soon.
The main idea is lifesteal so you fight other players and steal hearts. It is not the first season. Last season was a vanilla season and every season they change the server idea.
Right now they have around fifteen players on daily so it feels like a small and active community. They are getting ready for the next season and want more people to join in.
Lodestone is a Minecraft server that mixes geopolitics and worldbuilding in one place. It is built around custom ideas that you do not really see on other servers in this genre.
The big feature is Spice Trades. You harvest different spices and then sell them at spawn. The environment you use changes how good your spices are so some land is way better than others. This makes the economy feel different and also makes people want to fight over the best land.
The server uses Towny so players can form towns and nations. You can make alliances or go to war with other groups. It feels like a slow build up where towns grow and then big nation conflicts start.
There are chest shops so players can set up places to buy and sell items with just a chest and a sign. This helps build a player run market on top of the spice system.
Lodestone also has Auraskills. You can level up lots of different skills and unlock new abilities. Even though Auraskills is not custom it is not common on servers like this so it helps change the usual gameplay loop.
Right now Lodestone is in closed beta. You have to apply to be a beta tester and then if you get accepted you can join and start playing on the server early.
This server is called 1fighter2defenders and it is a wild survival world with no rules at all. It has no map resets so everything players do stays for a long time.
The server has been running since April 26 2021 so it is really old for a survival world. Thousands of players have joined at least once so you can find old bases ruins and weird builds everywhere.
Here griefing is allowed and building is dangerous and cheating is also allowed. It is totally anything goes so you have to watch your back and be smart if you want to last.
The main version is 1.21 and it supports versions from 1.17 up to 1.21.10 so a lot of players can join from different client versions.
This is a new modded server that just started on 11 28 25. It uses mods like Mekanism Create and Ars Nouveau so it has a mix of tech and magic.
The modpack gets updated every so often and the owner is looking for suggestions for new mods to add. The server has a very small player base right now so it feels calm and you can actually get to know people.
If you want a modded place to play where your ideas matter and the world is still fresh this server is pretty cool.