I found a vanilla survival SMP that keeps it super simple with lifesteal. If you kill someone you gain a heart and if you die you lose a heart. That is basically the whole twist.
It is not one of those servers with shops or random commands. There is no RTP and no kits so it feels like normal survival.
The server launched 2 days ago so it seems like a good time to join before the world gets fully explored. It runs on Paper 1.21.11.
I found a long term vanilla survival server that is made to stay calm and social. It runs one shared survival world on Hard and it does not do world resets.
It is not trying to control everyone with a bunch of plugins. There are no land claims and no locked chests so you have to play with trust and common sense. They say the server stays peaceful because the rules are clear and the moderation is consistent.
There are no kits and no perks and no donations or paywalls. It supports Java and Bedrock cross play and Bedrock players are treated like normal members.
The server aims for a busy but not chaotic feel with familiar faces and long projects. You can join and explore right away but to break blocks and fully interact you do a short rules step through Discord so everyone starts on the same page.