Warnings & Mutes
Warnings and mutes are lighter enforcement tools that sit below strikes. Use warnings as a formal escalation step and mutes to temporarily restrict a player's chat access without removing them from the server.
Open Enforcement Board →What is this?
The softer half of the enforcement ladder. A warning is a formal recorded notice that doesn't count toward the risk score. A mute uses Discord's native timeout to silence the user for a set duration. Both are visible on the player's passport and in the audit log.
Why you might want it
For ways to say "cut it out" that don't end someone's day. A warning puts a player on notice without burning a strike. A mute cools off a heated user without removing them from the server. Enough warnings in the same category can auto-convert to a Minor strike under Rule Enforcement Settings, so the warning shelf doesn't grow forever.
Formal Warnings
A warning is a formal notice to a player that their behavior is unacceptable. Unlike strikes, warnings don't carry severity weights and don't directly affect the player's risk score. They serve as a documented escalation step before strikes are issued, and can auto-convert into strikes once a player accumulates enough of them.
When to use warnings:
- First offense for minor rule breaks (for example, mild toxicity, accidental griefing).
- When you want to put a player on notice without formal punishment.
- As a required step before escalating to strikes (some communities have a warn-first policy).
- When the situation is ambiguous and you want a documented record.
Issuing a Warning (Dashboard)
Open the Rule Enforcement Board
Click Rule Enforcement Board in the sidebar.
Click "Issue Warning"
Under Warnings & Mutes, click the Issue Warning card.
Search for the Player
Use Player Lookup to find the target user (Discord mention, username, Steam ID, or Alderon ID).
Pick a Reason Code
Select a reason from the dropdown. The default is Rule Violation. Other options:
- Rule Violation (default)
- Minor Offense
- Verbal Warning Follow-up
- Inappropriate Behavior
- Spam
- Other
Add Details (Optional)
Use the Additional Details textarea for context. This appears in the audit trail and on the player passport.
Submit
Click Issue Warning. A toast confirms the warning and the player's passport updates immediately.
Removing a Warning (Dashboard)
Open the Rule Enforcement Board
Click Rule Enforcement Board in the sidebar.
Click "Remove Warning"
Under Warnings & Mutes, click Remove Warning.
Find the Player
Search the player and pick the specific warning entry to remove. A confirmation dialog appears.
Confirm
Click Confirm. The warning is marked removed and an entry is added to the audit trail.
Role-Based Mutes
Mutes restrict a player's ability to chat in your Discord server without removing them entirely. Arkanis uses a role-based mute system: when a player is muted, they receive a mute role that overrides channel permissions to deny sending messages.
What muted players can still do:
- View channels they have access to (read-only).
- Use the case system to contact moderators.
- React to messages (depending on your role configuration).
What muted players cannot do:
- Send messages in regular channels.
- Use voice channels (if configured).
- Add reactions (if configured).
Issuing a Mute (Dashboard)
Open the Rule Enforcement Board
Click Rule Enforcement Board in the sidebar.
Click "Issue Mute"
Under Warnings & Mutes, click the Issue Mute card.
Search for the Player
Use Player Lookup to find the target user.
Pick a Duration
Use a preset button or enter a custom duration in minutes:
- Preset buttons: 5m, 15m, 30m, 1h, 6h, 24h.
- Custom: enter any number of minutes in the input.
Add a Reason
Explain the mute in the reason textarea. The reason appears in the audit log and on the passport.
Submit
Click Issue Mute. Arkanis assigns the mute role to the player, schedules the auto-lift, and logs the action.
Lifting a Mute (Dashboard)
Open the Rule Enforcement Board
Click Rule Enforcement Board in the sidebar.
Click "Lift Mute"
Under Warnings & Mutes, click Lift Mute.
Pick the Mute
Select the active mute you want to lift from the list of currently muted players.
Confirm
Click Confirm. Arkanis removes the mute role and logs the lift in the audit trail.
Warnings vs Strikes vs Mutes
Choosing the right tool depends on the severity and type of the infraction. Here's a general escalation guide:
First offense, minor issue, ambiguous situation. “We noticed this, please don't do it again.”
Chat-specific issues: spam, toxicity, heated arguments. Gives the player a cooldown while keeping them in the server.
Clear rule violation that needs to be tracked. Repeated offenses, serious infractions, anything that should count toward the risk score.
Severe violation or accumulated strikes. The player cannot remain in the community.
From Discord
All warning and mute actions are also available from /enforcement panel. Use the Warnings & Mutes dropdown group.