Dark Age of Camelot is Mythic Entertainment's fantasy MMORPG, launched in North America in October 2001 and in Europe in early 2002. Its central idea has rarely been matched since: three realms - Albion, Midgard and Hibernia - locked in permanent war, with large-scale Realm vs Realm combat as the endgame. Development later passed to Broadsword Online Games, and the expansions are now free downloads.

Player-run servers, known in the DAoC community as freeshards, have existed almost as long as the game; fans started an open-source server emulator in 2003. Most freeshards exist to bring back an earlier ruleset - the frontiers and balance from before later revamps and expansions changed the game - with a fresh population fighting over the keeps.

Three Realms at War

Each realm has its own races, classes and mythology: Arthurian Albion, Norse Midgard and Celtic Hibernia. You level through PvE, but the reason to reach the cap of 50 is the frontier. There, the realms fight over keeps and towers and raid each other's strongholds to steal relics that boost the holder's whole realm. Control of the way into Darkness Falls, a dungeon tied to the frontier war, adds another prize. Kills earn realm points, which raise your realm rank and buy realm abilities, so a character keeps growing long after its last level.

Gear has its own depth. Crafters make much of the best equipment, and spellcrafting lets players tune armor stats into a complete template, which is why a good crafter is one of the most valued people in any realm.

What to Look For in a Dark Age of Camelot Private Server

The era and ruleset

This is the first question for any freeshard. Classic servers rebuild the early game, often with the original Old Frontiers zones. Others run the New Frontiers layout introduced in 2004, and some include Trials of Atlantis, the 2003 expansion that added master levels and artifacts on top of normal progression. These are different games in practice, so pick the era you want before you look at anything else.

Realm balance

Three realms only work when all three can field a fight. If one realm is much larger, it holds the keeps and relics and the other two give up. Look at the population of each realm, and check whether the server rewards players who join the smallest side.

Leveling speed and PvE

The official climb to level 50 was long. Many freeshards speed it up so players reach RvR sooner; others keep the classic pace because the PvE trip through each realm is part of the appeal. Check the rates, and whether the server hands out starter gear so new characters can join the frontier without months of farming.

Crafting and gear templates

On a classic server, the gear you fight in is mostly crafted and spellcrafted by players. Some freeshards keep that economy; others simplify it with merchant gear. Neither is wrong, but if you enjoy crafting, a server that removes it removes a large part of what made DAoC special.

Group size and time zone

RvR ranges from solo duels to eight-player groups and huge realm battles. Some servers set rules that favor small, organized groups, while others lean toward big zergs. Weigh that together with the hours your realm is busiest, since peak times differ for European and American players.

Getting Started

Decide on the era first, then the realm - ideally the one that needs players - then a class with a clear role in RvR groups. Join a guild early, because the frontier is a team game and lone players rarely hold a keep. Vote for the server you play on; rankings here start again every month, so the list below shows where players are active now.