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Setting up a levelling system on Discord

A levelling system grants experience to members who post, and shows that progression as a level, a profile card and a leaderboard.

Its real value is not the number on display: it is giving the team an objective criterion for opening the server up gradually, and giving members a reason to come back.

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What it is actually for

On an open server, every newcomer has the same access as a member who has been there two years. A levelling system grades that access with no manual arbitration: a free-talk channel opens at level 5, the ability to post links at level 10, a regulars' channel at level 25.

It is also an indirect anti-spam filter. A throwaway account will never reach level 10, and the channels that matter stay out of reach without a single rule being written.

Choosing the thresholds

The usual mistake is setting the first threshold too high. A member who sees nothing change in their first three weeks concludes the system is not for them.

A progression that works gives a visible first reward quickly, then spaces the next ones out:

  • Level 5: a coloured role with no particular permission. Reached in a few days, it signals the system exists.
  • Level 10: access to one or two additional channels.
  • Level 25: the right to post links or images where that was restricted.
  • Level 50 and beyond: a recognition role, with no extra rights, for established members.

Setting it up with Eric

  • Enable the Levels module in the dashboard for the server concerned.
  • Create the roles matching the chosen thresholds.
  • Attach each role to its level in the module.
  • Place the bot's role above every role it will grant, or Discord will refuse the assignment.
  • Check with *disprole that the mappings are right, and with *level that the card renders.

Settings that make it counterproductive

  • Rewarding message count without a cap encourages flooding: channels fill with one-word messages.
  • Announcing every level-up in the main channel turns conversation into a notification feed. A dedicated channel fixes it.
  • Tying moderation permissions to a level: seniority is not judgement, and a noisy member reaches a high level faster than a thoughtful one.
  • Resetting counters to balance a leaderboard: the surest way to lose the most invested members.

Frequently asked questions

What is a levelling system for on Discord?

To grade access to the server with no manual arbitration — opening channels or rights as a member gets involved — and to give a reason to come back. It is also an indirect filter: a throwaway account never reaches a high level.

At what level should the first role be granted?

Low enough to be reached in a few days, typically level 5, and with no particular permission. A first threshold set too high makes members conclude the system is not for them.

Should moderation rights come with levels?

No. A level measures activity, not judgement. A very talkative member progresses faster than a thoughtful but quiet one, and moderation rights should stay a decision of the team.