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Official Serebii Forums Newbie Help & FAQ 2016 Edition - ASK YOUR QUESTIONS HERE

Ragnarok

#BeastMode
Staff member
Super Mod
Official Serebii Forums Newbie Help & FAQ
2016 Edition

Welcome to the new Help & FAQ thread for Serebii. While the old Newbie Topic and FAQ was well received, it was horribly outdated, with many things not applying anymore to the new forum engine, broken image links and organisational issues. Therefore, with the help of other staff members, I decided to update the entire FAQ to bring it in line with the new vBulletin. Originally it was meant to launch last year, but many things came up which halted progress. Now that everything is completed I feel it's ready for launch with a fresh start in a new thread. Enjoy.

Contents

The following links will open up into a new window.

Viewing the forums
  1. The main page
  2. Forum list
  3. Message list
  4. Posts
  5. Display modes

Posting and replying
  1. Quick Reply box (Basic)
  2. Reply box (Advanced)
  3. Additional options
  4. Making polls

Forum ranking & post counts
  1. Post count
  2. User ranks
  3. Custom user titles

Images, links and cosmetics
  1. Uploading Images to the Net
  2. Changing your signature
  3. Changing your avatar
  4. Changing your profile picture
  5. Changing the forum style
  6. Forum syles to choose from

Moderating, reporting, infractions & the staff forum
  1. What are moderators?
  2. What moderators can do
  3. Moderator issues
  4. Contacting the Moderators
  5. Becoming a Moderator
  6. Reporting posts
  7. Infractions
  8. Staff Contact forum

Serebii Forum Awards
  1. What are they?
  2. How do I get them?
  3. The list

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  1. Regarding Forum Use
  2. Regarding This FAQ
 
Last edited:

Ragnarok

#BeastMode
Staff member
Super Mod
Viewing the forum

The main page

aYfbCyk.png

Quick run-through:

1). When you log in, you will be greeted to the following options on the top right corrner of the forum:

DxeaZc7.png

Username: Lets you access your public profile where you can see who has visited your page, who has left a visitor message as well as your About Me details etc.
Notifications: Leads you to your Private Message (PM) Box and indicates if you have any unread private messages in your inbox.
My Profile: Also leads you to your public profile.
Settings: Access your account settings, such as Signature, Avatar and how you view things through the Settings menu.
Log Out: Logs your account off the forums (you will no longer appear offline nor will the forum log any further activities).​

Below the forum banner, you will be given the following options:

1). See all of today’s new posts via the New Posts link.
2). View your Private Messages.
3). View the Calendar to mark off birthdays and important events. .
4). Check out the forum FAQs.
5). Under Community you can:

See Your Friends & Friends list.
See how many people have joined, and check their profiles on the Member’s List.
Search the Forum for something specific through the Member's List.
  • Go Advanced for more search options.

6). Forum Actions, which lets you:

Mark Forums Read to make all topics appear as viewed.
Leads to your forum settings via General Settings.
Leads to your profile settings via Edit Profile.​

7). Instead of going through your Settings, check out the Quick Links, which lets you:

View any threads you subscribed to through the Subscribed Threads menu.
Open your contacts list via a popup through the Contacts List Popup menu.
View Forum Leaders.
See Who’s Online at the moment.​


Forum list

On the main page, each forum is listed individually. The Forum Name is found at the top, the description along with any Sub-Forums found within are below.

On the right of that, you can see the last replied to topic within the forum, along with the time at which it was replied to, and who it was that made the post. Beside that is the amount of individual Threads within the forum, followed by the amount of individual Posts.

collapse_40b.png
Clicking this will hide a group of particular forums from the main list. They’ll still be there, if you need to see them again just click the reversed icon
collapse_40b_collapsed.png
.

tab-collapsed.png
Clicking this will hide the twitter feed.

Bottom of the forum

TEuXTnO.png

Beneath the list of forums is a little show of what’s happening on the forums. It’s not much, but you can see how manythreads, posts and members there are on the forums in total. You’ll also see the last person to join and the members who’s birthdays it currently is along with their ages. Both these features can be hidden.

At the very base of the Forums is a bar with a few more quick links on. The drop menu on the left is a Skin Changer. It has a list of Styles, that allows you to change what colours and icons are used when you view the forums. There are several to choose from, most reflecting the 17 types from the pokemon games.

To the right are four links:

  • If you have a problem with the forums, registration, or just want to give some feedback then Contact Us, will let you send your issues directly to Serebii.
  • Visit the main website www.serebii.net
  • Check the Archive to see recent posts in a simple text only format.
  • Bounce yourself up to the Top of the forum.

Message list

Vmjn9s8.png

Within each forum, threads are listed in order of most recent replies. You can see older ones by going back through the pages. Like the main forum list, you can see how many replies a thread has, along with how many times it has been Viewed.

The topic itself shows the title, along with who posted it. Beside it, you’ll see how many pages long it is, and in some cases, a star rating. This represents how people have voted for it. You can also see the last person to reply to the topic, and the time that post was made.

You are also able to Search the forum for whatever details you are looking for.

mMOaBKu.png

Post your own Thread by clicking this.

Posts

T7ApkpD.png

Unlike the Thread list, posts are shown in the order they are made. The first post made, is that made by the thread starter. All new replies are then listed after it in the order they are posted. If a topic has several posts, they are continued on more pages.

Before the main post are a few little drop down menus:

  • Check the Thread Tools for some special options.
  • For a simple page without all the unnecessary graphics Show Printable Version
  • Want to show someone this thread? Email this Page to them.
  • Eager to keep up with the topic? Subscribe to this Thread.
  • You can Search the thread for certain details.
  • Rate Thread allows you to rate the topic on how good it is. (This function has been known to not work correctly at times.)
rating_5.gif
Excellent
rating_4.gif
Good
rating_3.gif
Average
rating_2.gif
Bad
rating_1.gif
Terrible​

Change the Display Mode of the topic to view it differently

  • Linear Mode
  • Hybrid Mode
  • Threaded Mode

On to the post itself. The first large bar contains details about the member. Here’s a breakdown of what’s there:

TTcx3MC.jpg


1). The member’s personal avatar.
2). This will show the member’s rank, be it their number of accountable posts, or a moderator’s position.
*Above this is the User Title. Normally it would show the rank, but it is customisable, and can be set to read whatever you like. To change this, you will need to to go Edit Profile.​

  • im_yahoo.gif
    Yahoo
  • im_icq.gif
    ICQ
  • im_aim.gif
    AIM
  • Skype (Skype has several icons depending on the users Skype settings).

3). On the right is the user’s join date and Location, followed by icons that represents the user’s accounts on different Instant Messenger Programs.
4). Below that information is the badges the user has accrued over their time as a member. Badges are awarded to members that have made contributions to the community (which can range from contributing to the landscape of the Competitive Pokémon Forum or winning a moderator sanctioned contest).
5). The body of the post is followed on by a Signature. This is how a member shows off their personality. It appears beneath any post they make.

Under the signature are four buttons to your right:

Edit Post: Forgotten something? Need to correct some details? Want to delete your post? The edit button only appears on your own posts.
Reply: Quote a post in your own. It will add the current post into yours.
Reply With Quote: Click this on several posts to accumulate Quotes. Then hit Reply and they'll all be in your reply box.
Multi-Quote Button: This streamlines the process of replying to multiple posts in one thread.

To your left:

HwSPlty.png
The report button. Use this to report bad posts. Reports are sent to the moderators, who will respond and deal with the post as soon as possible. Your user name will be attached to the report.

And finally, at the bottom of the page:
5UyRlCl.png
Reply to the thread yourself.

Display modes

By clicking the Display Menu button, you will be given 3 Display options. Display Modes will offer you three different ways of viewing the forum.

l50DDpf.jpg


Linear is the default view of the thread, and is the one most commonly used. The other two will add something new to the page, and take certain things away.

9s5G4KK.png


Switch to Hybrid Mode - The posts all appear as they normally would, but with an extra box at the very top of the page (as shown above). Within this box is a total list of all the posts in the topic. You can click one to bring the post up on it's own. Posts that are quoted are indented, with each subsequent quote indented further.

hmOtAd4.png


Switch to Threaded Mode - Like Hybrid mode, a box is visible showing all posts in relation to one another. However, the only post visible is the first one made. Other posts can be clicked on the be viewed, or using Next and Previous buttons, viewed in succession.
 

Ragnarok

#BeastMode
Staff member
Super Mod
Posting and replying

Quick Reply box (Basic)

1X40zlH.png

In your own options, you can choose to view Reply boxes in two different ways. This is the Basic View. There is nothing here to confuse or overwhelm you. You can see on the top bar what you are doing. Whether you are replying to a thread or posting a new one, as well as where you are posting. You’ll also see who you are logged in as at the top of the page, in case you share a computer with siblings who have their own accounts.

If you’re posting a new thread, the Title field is required, it will be the Title by which your topic is identified. If you are just replying, you can ignore it, as the post title is rarely noticed. The body of your post goes in the Message Box. There are limits on how many characters (individual digits like number, letters, punctuation and spaces) are allowed in a post.

Minimum characters: 10
Maximum characters: 50,000

Post Icons will appear next to your topic on the Forum List page. Beneath that, you can either Submit your reply, but it is suggested that you first of all Preview it, to make sure you’ve not made any mistakes. When you preview, how your post will appear will be shown above the post reply box, which will still contain your post as you wrote it. Below the post window, previous posts in the thread will also be displayed. When you’re done, hit Submit New Thread/Post, and you’ll be redirected to your new thread/post.

Reply box (Advanced)

T7ApkpD.png

The Standard or WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor contains a lot more information which can overwhelm and confuse. Everything you see from the Basic Editor remains the same.

You now have several buttons that control certain aspects of the text you write, and can change how hey look or add different things to your writing. Here’s a breakdown of what’s available:

RiViNMd.png


*Note: Each section of post options has been seperated and numbered to help explain things easier. Run-through of the options in this section will go from Left ----> Right.

1). Option 1 allows you to switch to the WYSIWYG editor. Option 2 removes all formatting from highlighted text.

2). Option 1 allows you to paste text.

3). This allows you to change the font/typeface of the text in your post.

4). This allows you to change the size of the text in your post.

Example:

[NOPARSE]Size 1
Size 2 text
Size 3 text
Size 4 text
Size 5 text[/NOPARSE]

Result:

Size 1
Size 2 text
Size 3 text
Size 4 text
Size 5 text

Default text is set at Size 2, and text can go higher than 5, though there is rarely any need to do so.

5). This allows you to change the color of the text in your post.

Example:

[NOPARSE]red
red[/NOPARSE]

Changing the colour of your text can be done by either adding a particular colour as a word, or by using a HTML code. HTML will allow you a much wider range of colours.

Result:

red
red

It is important to make aware that the tag for changing colour is spelt using the American Color (no u), as opposed to the British colour. The latter will not work in the tag.

6). Option 1 allows you to add files as attachments to your post. Option 2 represent Undo/Redo. Undo reverses the last change you made to your post, while redo restores that change.

7). The lettter "B" allows you to make your text bold. The letter "I" allows you to set your text to italics. The letter "U" allows you to underline parts of your post.

Example:

[NOPARSE]This Text is BOLD
This text is ITALIC
This text is UNDERLINED[/NOPARSE]

Result:

This Text is BOLD
This text is ITALIC
This text is UNDERLINED

8). Option 1 lets you wrap your text in a "CODE" window. The Option 2 lets you wrap your text in a "HTML" window. Option 3 allows you to wrap your text in a "PHP" window.

Example:

[NOPARSE]
Code:
This text is wrapped in a "CODE" window
HTML:
This text is wrapped in a "HTML" window
PHP:
This text is wrapped in a "PHP" window
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

Code:
This text is wrapped in a "CODE" window
HTML:
This text is wrapped in a "HTML" window
PHP:
This text is wrapped in a "PHP" window

9). Option 1 allows you to add a table to your post. This option is followed by others which will be grayed out till a table is added, but what they essentially do is allow you to make changes to your table as you see fit. Option 2 allows you to wrap your text in Subscript/Superscript tags as well as add a horizontal line to your post. Option 3 allows you to wrap your image link in a IMG200 tag, which can change the size of your image. Option 4 allows you to wrap your text in spoiler tags, which can hide parts of your post from normal viewing unless a member wants to see that part of the post. This is an important feature to know. Don't use it to try trolling members please!

Example:

[NOPARSE]
Secrets
Secrets
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

Secrets
Secrets

10). Option 1 allows you to Align Left your text. Option 2 allows you to Align Center your text. Option 3 allows you to Align Right your text.

Example:

[NOPARSE]
This text is on the LEFT (default justification without tags)​
This text is in the CENTER​
This text is on the RIGHT​
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

This text is on the LEFT (default justification without tags)​
This text is in the CENTER​
This text is on the RIGHT​

It is worth mentioning again, that the tags for centering the text is spelt with the American word center, as oppose to the British centre. Again, the latter will not work in the tag.

11). The first option allows you to change highlighted. text to appear as a numbered list. The second option allows you to change highlighted text to appear as a Bulleted List. The third option allows you to Decrease Indent. The fourth option allows you to Increase Indent on highlighted text.

Example:

[NOPARSE]
  • This is a Bullet Point
  • So is this.
  • This is the last one
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

  • This is a Bullet Point
  • So is this.
  • This is the last one

Creating numbered lists is very similar, you just have to add a number to the opening tag.

Example:

[NOPARSE]
  1. This is Number One
  2. Number Two
  3. Number Three
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

  1. This is Number One
  2. Number Two
  3. Number Three

Example:

[NOPARSE]This is some normal text
This is with one Indent​
This is with two​
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

This is some normal text
This is with one Indent​
This is with two​

12). Option 1 allows you to add a URL link to your post. It will place your URL in a tag, and within that tag you can add whatever you want it to display as (such as an image or just text). Option 2 allows you to add email links to your post. Just like the URL tag option, you can change the way the email you post is displayed to other users. Option 3 allows you to Unlink. Option 4 and 5 lets you insert images or videos into your post.

Example:

[NOPARSE]http://www.serebiiforums.com
http://www.serebiiforums.com[/NOPARSE]

Result:

http://www.serebiiforums.com
http://www.serebiiforums.com

As you can see, they appear exactly the same. If you don’t add the url tags, editing your post or quoting it later, you will find they are added by the forum regardless. You are also able to use these tags for a second more useful purpose. By placing the link within the tags, you can change the appearance of the link.

Example:

[NOPARSE]Visit Serebii Forums Today
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

Visit Serebii Forums Today


While the text you entered appears on screen, by clicking it, you are directed to the link provided in the tags. This can also be combined with Images.

email.gif


Adding emails is very much the same as urls, and you can do both a regular link, or one under different words just as above. You need only change the word url for email.

Example:

[NOPARSE]user@mailprovider.com
user@mailprovider.com
This email address is not real[/NOPARSE]

Result:

user@mailprovider.com
user@mailprovider.com
This email address is not real

insertimage.gif


Adding Images to your posts, or your signature is a way of livening them up. It is not a function to be abused however.

Example:

[NOPARSE]
vbulletin3_logo_white.gif
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

[NOPARSE]
vbulletin3_logo_white.gif
[/NOPARSE]

Some forums such as "Other Video Game Discussion" do not allow the use of images in their posts. Attempts to add an image through these tags will result in the link being displayed instead of the image.

13). This allows you to wrap highlighted text in a "QUOTE" tag.

Example:

[NOPARSE]
This is a regular quote
RaZoR LeAf said:
This is a quote made by RaZoR LeAf
[/NOPARSE]

Result:

This is a regular quote
RaZoR LeAf said:
This is a quote made by RaZoR LeAf

*Note: Remember that no matter how much you put inside a quote, it does not count towards the characters of the actual post. A post containing only a quote will fall short of the required 10 character limit. Often you will see posts with a quote and a jumbled word beneath that reads 10charlimit. This is added as an afterthought to fill the required limit.

You can also add ‘smilies’ to your post. Smilies are either small faces that show emotions, or are bouncing Pokémon icons. A few smilies appear randomly in the Reply Window, but you can access a full list of them by clicking the [More] link. You can also add smilie by putting their National Dex Number between two semi-colons, or colons in the case of Unova Pokémon.

The option to use smilies will appear to the right of your post window and should look like this:

NFZ3KHe.png


The most common regular smilies are:

biggrin.gif
- [NOPARSE]:D[/NOPARSE]
confused.gif
- [NOPARSE]:confused:[/NOPARSE]
eek.gif
- [NOPARSE]:eek:[/NOPARSE]
mad.gif
- [NOPARSE]:mad:[/NOPARSE]
redface.gif
- [NOPARSE]:redface:[/NOPARSE]
smile.gif
- [NOPARSE]:)[/NOPARSE]
wink.gif
- [NOPARSE];)[/NOPARSE]
cool.gif
- [NOPARSE]:cool:[/NOPARSE]
frown.gif
- [NOPARSE]:([/NOPARSE]
rolleyes.gif
- [NOPARSE]:rolleyes:[/NOPARSE]
tongue.gif
- [NOPARSE]:p[/NOPARSE]

The forum also has a large selection of Pokemon smilies. These are actual sprites taken from the games. Specifically, they are the two-frame animations found on the status or box screens of Ruby and Sapphire, and Diamond and Pearl. These icons can be added to a post by placing the pokemon’s National Dex number between two semi-colons. For Pokémon which are first seen in Black & White (National Dex numbers over 493), they use colons and do not animate.

Example:

[NOPARSE];025; :494:[/NOPARSE]

Result:

;025; :494:

In the case of Pokémon with several Formes, such as Unown, Shaymin and several others, they have different codes depending on which forme is shown. In some cases the number alone may not work. These and many other Pokémon smilies, (and some general ones too) can be found on this long list.

http://www.serebiiforums.com/misc.php?do=getsmilies&editorid=vB_Editor_001

You can also click on any smilie in this list and it will be added into your current. post. When replying, you can find a link to the list on the right hand side of the Reply Box (as explained in "Reply box (Advanced)").

Overuse of smilies is very frowned upon, and constitutes as spam. As a result, many members do not like the Pokémon smilies being used. These are Pokémon forums, so the majority of members will know what Pokémon is being talked about without need of a tiny image too. Not only that, but excessive use of them slows down the loading times of the page. Don’t use smilies unless you are doing so in very small amounts or for good reason. Spelling words out in Unown is usually not a good idea.

Additional options

Rj46iKQ.png

Additional Options appear beneath all reply boxes, with only one difference each. The above is shown when Replying. The first and foremost option allows you to not show your Signature. This is usually ticked by default. Also ticked by default is Automatically parse links in text. When unticked, this stops all links and URLs from becoming active, meaning you will have to copy them into your address bar in order to use them.

Thread Subscription allows you to receive notices whenever someone else replies to the thread.

  • Do not subscribe is default, meaning you wont Subscribe to the thread.
  • No email notification will mean the only idea you have of what you are subscribed to is by checking your User CP.
  • Instant email notification will let the forums send you an email for the first time that a reply is made to the topic.
  • Daily email notification sends you a daily report of replies to the topic (as oppose to an email for each individual post as above)
  • Weekly email notification send you an email every week detailing the replies.

Rate Thread is just like it is when viewing posts. You can rate a thread between 5 and 1 stars, or choose not to rate it at all.

Making polls

This is what appears when you are posting a New Thread. The only differences are the addition of Disable smilies in text, allowing you to set all smilies to text instead of the images they automatically change to, and that the Rating option has been replaced by a Poll option. To add a Poll to your topic, first check the box Yes, post a poll with this thread. You then add how many fields you want the Poll to have. When you click Submit, you are redirected to a new page where you can edit your poll.

ivRZLAd.png

As pictured above, this will be where you go about adding your Poll. First off you need a Question to ask. If you need more fields than you thought you did, just add more and click to Update Options. You can only have a maximum of 10 fields though, so keep that in mind.

However many fields you required will appear, letting you add in choices for people to choose from. Beneath this, you can decide how long to keep your poll open for. Choose how many days you want it open, or if you want it open forever, just leave the box empty.

A few last minute options, most you’ll have seen before in the Additional Options explained above. Make multiple choice allows members to chose more than one answer. Make Votes Public lets people see who’s voted in the poll and what they chose.

Just hit Submit New Poll to send everything through. It’s a very good idea to Preview first, as you cannot edit your own Poll afterwards.
 

Ragnarok

#BeastMode
Staff member
Super Mod
Forum ranking & post counts

Post count

Every time you post, your Number of posts increases. However, there is also a second list that records how many posts you make in certain forums. This is your Post Count. There are several forums where the Post Count is turned off. While any replies or topics you make there are added to your Number of Posts, they are not added to your Post Count. It is the Post Count alone that changes your User Rank.

The forums where the Post Count is off are marked on the main forum page with the line

Posts Do Not Count Towards Postcount

This is because the forums in question earn a large number of posts that are often short. The full list of forums where Posts do not count is listed here:

  • Poképolls
  • Face-Offs
  • Miscellaneous Polls
  • SPPf Help & Newbie Lounge
  • Serebii.net Discussion (and Sub-Forums)
  • Animé Polls
  • G/S/C Rate My Team
  • R/G/B/Y Rate My Team
  • Other Pokemon Games
  • Webmasters & Websites
  • Digital Media
  • Clubs
  • Games
  • Role-Playing Games (and Sub-Forums)
  • Fan Art Shops
  • Tech Help (and Sub-Forms)
  • DP Battles & Trade Forum

This list is subject to change at any time at the Adminstration’s discretion.

User ranks

Here is a list of all the User Titles currently on Serebii Forums. In order to advance to the next level, you must meet the required Post Count quota listed to the right of each User Title...just remember do not SPAM to get them:

Unverified Account: 0
There is no Image until your account is fully verified.

Beginning Trainer: Verified
beginner.png


Boulder Trainer: 20
01.png


Cascade Trainer: 40
02.png


Thunder Trainer: 60
03.png


Rainbow Trainer: 80
05.png


Marsh Trainer: 100
04.png


Soul Trainer: 120
06.png


Volcano Trainer: 140
07.png


Earth Trainer: 160
08.png


Indigo Champion: 170
indigo.png


Coral Eye Trainer: 180
09.png


Sea Ruby Trainer: 195
10.png


Spikeshell Trainer: 210
11.png


Jade Star Trainer: 225
12.png


Orange Champion: 250
orange.png


Zephyr Trainer: 280
13.png


Hive Trainer: 310
14.png


Plain Trainer: 340
15.png


Fog Trainer: 370
16.png


Storm Trainer: 400
17.png


Mineral Trainer: 430
18.png


Glacier Trainer: 460
19.png


Rising Trainer: 490
20.png


Johto Champion: 550
johto.png


Stone Trainer: 600
21.png


Knuckle Trainer: 650
22.png


Dynamo Trainer: 700
23.png


Normal Coordinator: 750
r1.png


Heat Trainer: 800
24.png


Balance Trainer: 850
25.png


Super Coordinator: 900
r2.png


Feather Trainer: 950
26.png


Mind Trainer :1000
27.png


Hyper Coordinator: 1050
r3.png


Rain Trainer: 1100
28.png


Master Coordinator: 1200
r4.png


Hoenn Champion: 1300
hoenn.png


Legendary Pokémon Coordinator: 1450
r5.png


Battle Dome Champion: 1600
29.png


Battle Pike Champion: 1700
30.png


Battle Factory Champion: 1800
31.png


Battle Arena Champion: 1900
32.png


Master Pokémon Breeder: 2000
breed.png


Battle Pyramid Champion: 2100
33.png


Battle Hut Champion: 2200
34.png


Battle Tower Champion: 2300
35.png


Pokémon Snag Master: 2500
snag.png


Supreme Battle Frontier Champion: 2600
frontier.png


Coal Trainer: 3000
36.png


Forest Trainer: 3200
37.png


Cobal Trainer: 3400
38.png


Fen Trainer: 3600
39.png


Relic Trainer: 3800
40.png


Mine Trainer: 4000
41.png


Glacier Trainer: 4200
42.png


Beacon Trainer: 4400
43.png


Sinnoh Tower Champion: 4600
44.png


Sinnoh Battle Tower Champion: 4700
45.png


Sinnoh Factory Champion: 4800
46.png


Sinnoh Hall Champion: 4900
47.png


Sinnoh Arcade Champion: 5000
48.png


Sinnoh Castle Champion: 5100
49.png


Sinnoh Champion: 5200
sinnoh.png


Trio Trainer: 5500
50.png


Trio Trainer: 5566
51.png


Trio Trainer: 5633
52.png


Basic Trainer: 5700
53.png


Insect Trainer: 5900
54.png


Bolt Trainer: 6100
55.png


Quake Trainer: 6300
56.png


Jet Trainer: 6500
57.png


Freeze Trainer: 6700
58.png


Legend Trainer: 6900
59.png


Legend Trainer: 7000
60.png


Unova Champion: 7200
unova.png


Pokémon Champion: 8000
champion.png


Moderator User Ranks

Moderators will be explained in more detail later, but this is a brief outline of what User Ranks appear beneath a Mod’s name.

Moderator
mod.png

Moderators can delete threads, edit threads, move threads, delete posts and edit posts in the forums they moderate. They can also edit Signatures.

Super Moderator
smod.png

Super Moderators can do the same things a mod can do plus more in every forum.

Administrator
admin.png

Administrators can do everything here: edit the forums, edit the members, create styles and a lot of other stuff. Not to mention the usual closing and banning.

Other

There are a couple of other special ranks too.

SerebiiBot
bot.png

This is the unique rank for SerebiiBot. It is a bot that PMs newbies a welcome PM and performs some other automatic forum functions.

Memorial
memorial.png

This rank is displayed on users who have passed away. Their VM walls remain open to the public to pay respects, but any trolling or rude posts on these profiles will result in an instant ban. If you know a user has passed away, you may PM an admin with proof. Misusing the memorial rank, such as faking an obituary to play a prank on someone, will also result in an instant ban.

Custom user titles

When you join, your User Title reads the same as your rank, as shown above. However, you can change your title to read whatever you want. To change your User Title, first enter your Settings page and select Edit Profile under My Settings. Scroll down until you find a section called Custom User Title that looks like this:

cyEfknE.png

Now you can write whatever you want into the box (within reason - don’t be offensive) and then just Save Changes at the bottom of the page. User Titles can be a maximum of 20 characters long including spaces and punctuation.

If at any time you want to return to the default title; i.e. the one that comes with your rank image; then tick the Reset button before Saving, and your rank title will be restored.

To see your new rank in action, just check out any posts you’ve made, or view your own profile.
 

Ragnarok

#BeastMode
Staff member
Super Mod
Images, Links and Cosmetics
(Signatures, Avatars and Styles)


Uploading Images to the Net

In order to show any image on the forums it needs to be uploaded to the internet. There are many Image Hosts on the internet that offer a free service with few limitations on what can be uploaded. The following is a list of the most commonly used:


Though each one differs slightly, they all operate in the same way (except DeviantART, which is a portfolio site rather than just a free host).

From there, you will be given a series of different text boxes. The one you want is usually the last, and is most often label Direct link for Layouts. it is a URL only, with no other tags or HTML around it. Select and copy this link. If need be, paste it into your browser, go to the page with the image on and save it into your favourites. If you ever lose your signature, you can find the image again straight away.

Changing your Signature

A signature appears beneath any post you wish it to, on any part of the forum. It is personal space you can fill with anything you want (within reason), to display, advertise or general speak out about things.

To access the page where you edit your signature, you must first go into your Settings page, the on the left hand side, click Edit Signature in My Settings.

8eG383r.png


When you go to edit your signature, a preview of what it will look like will appear above the Edit box. The Edit box will contain nothing different to that which was explained earlier. All the same buttons work. When deciding on a Signature, please consider the signature rules that are already in place to avoid any potential issues. Failure to follow those rules could affect your signature privileges. You can find a link to the signature rules as well as the signature check thread here and here.

Changing your avatar

FGz9WGN.png


Changing your Avatar is simple up to a point. As with the majority of options, head to the User CP then Edit Avatar. You’ll see first the current avatar you have, if you even have one at all. Below that, the default display of Avatars is the Standard R/S Avatars, i.e. the pokemon sprites from Ruby and Sapphire. There is a drop down list that allows you to view all the Avatars available:

Code:
Standard R/S Avatars (389 avatars)
Fire Red/Leaf Green (157 avatars)
Emerald (386 avatars)
Diamond & Pearl (550 avatars)
DPPt Sprites - Back (636 avatars)
Platinum Sprites (301 avatars)
Official Sugimori Art (336 avatars)
Official Pkmn Center Art (506 avatars)
Pinball R/S 1 (205 avatars)
Pinball R/S 2 (119 avatars)
Dungeon 2 Headshots (584 avatars)
Shiny Pokemon - RS (386 avatars)
Shiny Pokemon - FR/LG (152 avatars)
Shiny Pokemon - Emerald (386 avatars)
Shiny Pokemon - DP (514 avatars)
Special Avatars (4 avatars)
Trainers - Sinnoh (127 avatars)
Trainers - Hoenn (94  avatars)
Trainers - Kanto - 3rd Gen (62 avatars)
Trainers - Johto/Kanto (68 avatars)
Trainers - Kanto - 1st Gen (47 avatars)
Shiny Pokémon - DP (514 avatars)
Shiny Pokémon - Platinum (300 avatars)
Pikachu Impersonations (12 avatars)
Standalone Pokemon (78 avatars)
4th Generation (16 avatars)
Summermon (9 avatars)
Anime Character Avatars (154 avatars)
Show Avatars (362 avatars)
Show Avatars - Kanto Battle Frontier (228 avatars)
Show Avatars - Diamond & Pearl (180 avatars)
Movie Avatars (369 avatars)
Misc Anime Avatars (34 avatars)
TCG Pokemon Pictures (535 avatars)
TCG - EX Delta Species (86 avatars)
TCG - EX Legend Maker (57 avatars)
TCG Trainer Pictures (54 avatars)
Pokédolls (18 avatars)
Christmas Pokemon (10 avatars)
Pokemon Dash (17 avatars)
Pokémon XD (2 avatars)
Manga Avatars (42 avatars)
Smash Bros Brawl (19 avatars)

And many more!

The only problem you’ll face is that sprites are in random order. This is due to a forum problem that the administrators have tried to fix on numerous occasions, but only for it to all go wrong again. So when you’re done, go to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes.

Some members on the forums have Custom Avatars, avatars that are not available on the forums, but have been added by themselves. These members are Moderators, and they are the only forum members allowed to have Custom Avatars. The reasoning behind this is due to the enormous strain on the server that would occur should 20,000 members be allowed to upload them.

Changing your profile picture

Your Profile Picture is sort of like a Custom Avatar, but it only appears in your profile. This is less stress on the server as it is not veiwed by several people at the same time, all the time. To change it, browse to the User CP again, and click Edit Profile Picture.

9LXcKwK.png

The image you use has to be 100*100 pixels in size, and less than 64.0 kbs. The picture can either be one from the internet, in which case you need only insert the URL into the box provided, or on your computer in which case clicking Choose File will open a menu to allow you to search your computer for it. When you’re done, just hit Save Changes.

Changing the Forum Style

There are several forum styles to choose from. They are all based around Games or Types. There are two places to change them:

At the very bottom of the main forum page, as shown in the first section Viewing the Forums. It’s a drop down list, with all the styles on. Just clicking one will refresh the forums into the chosen style.

The other option is in your profile. Settings then General Settings. You’ll find it at the bottom of the page under Miscellaneous Options > Forum Skin.

ypkKAbi.png


Just like at the bottom of the page, chose an option from the list. Save Changes and you’ll return to the User CP in the new Style.

Forum Styles to choose from:

Default Styles

Serebii.net Style
Happy Style (vb Default)

Games

Black and White

Types

Bug
Dark
Dragon
Electric
Fairy
Fighting
Fire
Flying
Ghost
Grass
Ice
Poison
Psychic
Rock
Steel
Water
 

Ragnarok

#BeastMode
Staff member
Super Mod
Moderating, reporting, infractions & the staff forum

What are Moderators?

Moderators, or Mods for short are members with the ability to control certain aspects of the forum. They are the staff who watch over particular forums, and make sure that rules are not broken and make sure discussion doesn't deviate. Almost every forum has one or more moderator. The moderators of the forum are chosen based on the knowledge, dedication and respect they have gained in their time on the forums and through other Serebii.net related media.

What Moderators can do.

Moderator
mod.png

*Regular Moderators have their names appear in Red.

Regular Moderators are the most common staff members you will encounter.

Moderators can:
  • Close topics / open topics
  • Delete threads and posts / restore threads and posts
  • Edit posts
  • Move Threads

but only in the forums they are assigned to. Exception is usually granted in the case of advertisement bots or anything more serious that requires immediate attention.

They also have the Forum wide ability to:
  • Apply Infraction points from a standard set. Mods usually will not infract posts outside their section, but they have the ability to do so if needed.
  • Edit or Delete Signatures.

Super Moderator
smod.png

*Super Moderators will have their names appeear in Orange.

Super Moderators are the people you should notice about the forums a lot. They were once regular moderators, but have shown a level of dedication and ability that has put them at this high level.

Super Moderator can:
  • Close topics / open topics
  • Delete threads and posts / restore threads and posts
  • Edit posts
  • Move Threads
  • Edit or Delete member signatures
  • Apply Infraction Points, using either a Standard Set or a Custom options.
  • Ban members without the need of Infraction points!

In every forum.

Administrator
admin.png

*Administrators will have their name appear in Blue.

Administrator, or Admin, is the highest rank attainable on the forum bar one. The Admins have each shown themselves to be not only well known, well respected and excellent and their jobs, but completely trusted by Serebii himself.

Adminstrators can:
  • Close topics / open topics
  • Delete threads and posts / restore threads and posts
  • Edit posts
  • Move Threads
  • Edit or Delete member signatures
  • Apply Infraction Points, using either a Standard Set or a Custom options.
  • Ban members without the need of Infraction Points
  • Ban IPs (Prevent access to the forum from certain Pcs.)
  • Close / Open / Delete / Restore Forums
  • Change Styles
  • Change User Names (Currently unavailable)
  • Reverse Infractions and Remove Signature Strikes (but only if proved that they given incorrectly.)
  • Many more things

Admins have control of the whole forum.

The only rank higher than Admin is Founder, a rank that belongs to one person only, namely the creator of the forums, Serebii.

To see a list of all the Staff Members, their ranks and the forums the moderate, then click this link:

Moderator Issues

Since moderators have control over your topics and your profiles, sometimes you might get upset over what you think is unfair treatment. You should be assured that this is not the case. The moderators treat everyone fairly, and it is only through receiving bad treatment themselves that they will treat you differently.

However, should you have a complaint to make, first send a PM to the Moderator in question and politely put across your point. If you want to make a formal complaint against a Moderator, then you should go to a member of staff of a higher rank.

Moderator --> Super Moderator --> Admin --> Serebii

Contacting the Moderators

If you have any reasons to contact the staff and you think that it can not fit in to an automatic report, then you should send them a Private Message. The topic should be clear, so the Moderator knows it is a report of some kind, and the body of the PM should include the problem and a direct link to the page or profile.

Becoming a Moderator

A lot of people wonder how they can become moderators on the forum.

  • Don't Ask. The most important of all points and it's first on the list. Don't post about it, don't send PMs about it, and don't talk about it in the chatroom. If you're asking about it, then you most likely don't have the necessary qualities required of a mod.
  • Know the Rules. In the forums you frequent there are set rules that you should know. Not only that, but there's the overall forum rules. It says a lot about the person if they break basic rules, and a mod shouldn't be breaking the simple things.
  • Have the skills. Do you have something to contribute to the forums? If you do, then you'll be considered to be in the ranks above the regulars. It doesn't make you better than them, it just means that you have something to offer that's new, exciting or useful. It will let others know that you have skills that make you stand out.
  • Know the current situation. Look around, and check out how many mods there are at the moment.
  • Be patient. Nobody is saying you wont ever be modded. You might, the future is never certain, but don't expect it. You might think you're modding material, but it's not your decision to make. Be a good member and do the best you can to help. Don't forget that you're here primarily to have fun.
  • Understand. Realizing what a mod does. It’s not all fun and games. Mods have to do a lot on the forum, dealing with members, rule breakers, SPAM, forum maintenance and dealing with abuse from members. If you don’t think you can do all this on a regular basis then you are not mod material.
  • Don’t Mini-Mod. By this we mean don’t act like a moderator. Don’t reply to spam and tell people not to spam. Don’t warn people when you don’t have the ability to back up your warnings. While the mods appreciate members helping out by pointing things out to newer members, we don’t need you to do our jobs for us. Mini-modding is not going to get you any closer to being a mod. Using the report function however is far more useful for us.

Reporting Posts

Moderators cannot be everywhere at once, so there is a way for you as members to tell us where there is a problem. The Report feature is represented in every post with a
report.gif
icon. By clicking this you can send a message to the forum moderators telling them that the post is a problem.

All you do to start it off is to click the warning button and you are sent to a new page

IoG240K.png


All you need to do is add the details for the report. Make it straight to the point and clear as to what the problem is. If it’s about the member’s signature, be sure to mention that. If your comment is too vague, then the mod dealing with it won't know why you’ve reported it. Once you hit ‘Send Report’ two different things will happen. First, the moderators of the forum will receive an e-mail with the details of the report in (if the forum has no mods, then the admins will receive it). Secondly, a topic with the report in will be created in a special forum where all mods can see it, and deal with it if it is severe (such as a troll).

In some cases, it may appear that the Moderator has done nothing. Infractions are not visible to everyone but the recipient and staff members.

Infractions

If you break a rule, you will probably end up receiving an infraction. Each infraction is worth a certain amount of "points" and the more points you have the closer you are to being banned. Infractions all have an expiration date (usually it is 45 days unless stated otherwise), at which point they will still appear on your profile but will no longer count towards point totals. Remember that only staff members and yourself can see your infractions.

The standard infractions appear below. Note that Supermoderators and Administrators can give infractions of any value with any expiration date.

Also, there are some variations that can occur with the standard infractions. If you receive a Warning instead, you will have an infraction with the same description and expiration date, but it will add 0 points to your total.

The other variation is the Extend option. Basically, if you are infracted for standard offense and then receive another punishment for the same offense, the second infraction will last longer. For example, if you receive a 3-point Spamming infraction (which typically lasts 45 days), and then 10 days later receive another 3-point Spamming infraction, your new Spamming infraction will not expire for 80 days (the time from the old Spamming infraction [45 days - 10 days] is added to the time for a new Spamming infraction [45 days]). Also note that this is not something manually done by staff members, it is now automatic and we do not choose whether to do it.

1. Foul Language - 1 point
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

2. Abusing Smilies - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

3. Advertising - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

4. Asking for/offering forbidden/hacked Pokemon - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

5. Bumping Topics - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

6. Discussing Cheat Codes/Devices - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

7. Disobeying the Rules of a specific sub-forum - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

8. Double Posting - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

9. Mini-Modding - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

Mild Signature Infraction - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

10. Replying to spam - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

11. Sending Chain PMs - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

12. Sending Unsolicited PMs - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

13. Spamming - 3 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

14. Triple Posting - 4 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

15. Abusing Image Macros - 5 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

16. Discussing Illegal Content - 5 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

17. Flaming/Insulting Other People - 5 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

18. Harassing Others - 5 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

Inappropriate Posting - 5 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

Moderate Signature Infraction - 5 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

Openly Complaining about Infractions/Punishment - 5 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

19. Outward Prejudice - 5 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

20. Posting with intent to annoy others - 5 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

21. Quadruple Posting - 5 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

22. Reputation Abuse - 5 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

23. Continuously disobeying the Rules of a specific sub-forum - 6 points
Warning? No - Extend? Yes

24. Quintuple Posting - 6 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

Heavy Signature Infraction - 10 points (lasts 180 days)
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

25. Making an Alternate Account While Unbanned - 10 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? No - Extend? Yes

26. Posting more than 5 times in a row - 10 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

27. Trolling - 10 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? No - Extend? Yes

28. Unintentional Plagiarism - 10 points
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

Explicit Posting - 20 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

Posting Malicious Links - 20 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? Yes - Extend? Yes

29. Providing Links to Illegal Content - 40 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? No - Extend? Yes

30. Intentional Plagiarism - 40 points (lasts 90 days)
Warning? No - Extend? Yes

31. Posting Porn or other explicit material - 70 points (never expires)
Warning? No - Extend? No

32. Advertisement Bot - 130 points (never expires) (this is only for actual adbots, and normal users will never see this infraction)
Warning? No - Extend? No

33. Evading Ban - 130 points
Warning? No - Extend? No

34. Giving your account details to a Banned user - 130 points
Warning? No - Extend? No

As for what the points actually do, these are the point requirements for bans:
15 points - 1 week ban
30 points - 2 week ban
45 points - 1 month ban
60 points - 2 month ban
75 points - 3 month ban
90 points - 6 month ban
110 points - 1 year ban
130 points - permanent ban

And remember that these are only active points, if your points expire they do not count.

When you get an infraction PM, you will see a message looking something like this:

gW2Dcfs.png


and after you receive one, you can check the status of your infractions by looking at a tab on your public profile, which will look something like this:

lqiTo42.png


Your infraction history will also appear in your Settings page and will look like this:

eFuGEKG.png


Remember Super Mods and Admins, and Serebii, can apply custom Infractions. The two applied to Serebii Member in that image are custom infraction and are deliberately set low.

Once you've reached the limit for a ban, the system will automatically ban you, at the same time as infraction that breaks the limit.

For more information about the infraction point system, visit this thread.

Staff Contact forum.

What is it?

The Staff Contact forum was created as a way for members (both banned and unbanned) to directly contact the moderating staff about an issue they are having with the forum.

The most important thing to remember about this forum is that when you create a thread, only you and the moderating staff can see it. No other registered members can see the threads you create and the posts within them. It is completely private. This means you can ask the staff anything you want without having to worry about other users seeing. Keep in mind that all SPPF rules apply here still.

When posting in the Staff Contact forum, if you are banned you will appear as a guest. This is the only forum where we allow non-members to make threads. If you are posting while not logged-in, you will not be able to see the thread after it is created. After you submit the thread, the forum will prompt you to log in and you still won't be able to see what was created. This is okay however, as the staff can still see what is posted. However, it is important you provide your forum username and an email address when using this forum as a guest if you wish for the staff to respond to your question(s).

For regular members, keep in mind that:

  1. This is not a forum for game help.
  2. This is not a forum for asking for help with figuring out something on the forum.
  3. This is not a forum for pointing out something with the website.
  4. This is not a forum for sending a message to one specific moderator (unless you are banned).

A lot of these are already addressed in other forums on the site and if your question is about a specific thread/section or is directed at a specific moderator, then it is probably best to send a private message rather than use the Staff Contact forum. You can PM multiple people at once, so you can generally PM all of the mods of a specific forum at once if you wish.
 

Ragnarok

#BeastMode
Staff member
Super Mod
Serebii Forum Awards

What are they?

You may have noticed some members have badges on their posts. These are Serebii Forum Awards, which are given as recognition for contributions towards the landscapes of specific sub forums. These can range from creating competitive Pokémon guides, writing Pokémon fanfiction or creating art for use on Serebii.

How do I get them?

The exact criteria for qualifying for these badges are kept secret, but all you need to do is contribute to a sub-forum of your interest on a consistent basis. Using the competitive forum as an example, writing guides, consistently giving good team advice or writing for Pokémmon of The Week are ways of being awarded a badge. Getting a badge however doesn't mean you won't be able to lose them. You will still be required to make regular contributions for a long time after you get your badge, and failure to remain active could mean it is taken away.

It should also be known that your post history can either work in your favour or against you. By getting a badge, you are representing that forum. So if you are caught breaking the rules, that could mean your badge is taken away.

The list.

SPP Badges

CompetitiveForumArtist.png
SPP Artist: A badge to signify users who have contributed artwork to SPP.

SiteContributer.png
Site Contributor: A badge to signify that the user has contributed to the main Serebii.net site.

FormerStaffMember.png
Former Staff Member: A badge to signify that the user was once staff on the Forums.

ChatStaff.png
Chat Staff: A badge to signify that the user is a staff member on the Serebii.net Chatroom.

RPG Badges

Yp2L0gv.png
PASBL League Official: A badge to signify users who are League Officials, performing official duties for the PASBL.

Competitive Forum

TournamentOrganizer.png
Official Tournament Organizer: This badge is awarded to people I personally handpick to host official tournaments. You will need to have a track record of hosting tournaments to completion in order to be up for consideration.

PokemonofTheWeekContributer.png
Pokémon of The Week Contributor: This is awarded to those that make regular, good contributions to the Pokémon of The Week.

CompetitiveForumContributer.png
Competitive Forum Contributor:This is for those that make regular contributions to many sections within the competitive forum. This can be in the form of guides or events that promote discussion in any forum.

CertifiedTeamRater.png
Certified Team Rater: This is for those that have solid grasp of the metagame and can translate that into solid team rating.

Trade Badges

CertifiedTrader.png
Certified Trader: A badge to signify that the user has proven themselves to be a very reliable trader.

Scammer.png
Scammer: A badge to signify that the user has been proven to scam users. Beware.

Debate Forum Badges

CertifiedDebater.png
Certified Debater: A badge to signify that the user has proven themselves to be one of the core Debaters on the Serebii Debate Forum.
 

Ragnarok

#BeastMode
Staff member
Super Mod
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Regarding Forum Use

What are Referrals?

When someone joins the forums they can say if they have been referred here by another member. If a joining member provides your username in the registration form, then you gain a referral from that person. You can view the number of referrals you have made from your profile page.

Why can’t I turn off Invisible mode?

If you are having trouble turning the invisible mode off, switch the forum skin by the drop-down menu at the bottom left of any forum page, or the bottom of the General Settings page. If that fails to work, clear your cookies and cache, and try again. You may have to switch skins after clearing your cookies and cache.

Why do I have 65535 Private Messages?
Why do I have Private Messages from 1969?

Why do I have notifications for unread visitor messages when I don't have any?

These are both forum glitches to do with the database, and nothing to worry about. Try logging out and clearing your cookies. However, if this fails to work, the problem will fix itself in due time.

In the case of notifications for visitor messages, sending youself a visitor message and then deleting it is a known way to fix the problem.

What is a Read Receipt?

These are receipts that let the sender know if you have read their PM. The option to accept a Read Receipt pops up when you open a PM. Clicking Okay sends an acknowledgment to the person who sent the PM, letting them know it has been opened and read. It is impolite not to answer or to ignore the read receipt, particularly if it was requested from a moderator.

Where can I find .............. for my sig?

Whatever you want to put in your sig, you should be able to find elsewhere on the internet. Search engines will provide you with images. Please note that credit must be given for any fanart used in your signature to its creator, as per signature rules.

How do I add a Custom avatar?

Custom avatars are available only to staff members. Due to the large number of members, if everyone had a custom avatar uploaded then the forums would lag under the additional stress placed on the servers.

Why can’t I change the Reply settings to WYSIWYG?

For some reason, the option does not appear on certain skins. To solve this problem, just change skins and the option will appear. Change them back, and the option will disappear, but the changed settings will remain active.

What is a bishie and where can I get one?

‘Bishie’ is a shortened form of the Japanese word Bishounen, a term used to described beautiful boys. However 'bishie' itself has a more sexually neutral meaning it can apply to any gender. People can 'claim' characters or objects to be their Bishie for the sake of bragging rights for your signature.

I can’t log out! Help!

If you're having difficulties logging out, then you need to clear your cache of cookies. These are files that are stored whenever you visit a website, and remember the things you have done, such as logging in. The easiest way around this is to clear all your cookies. You can also only delete the cookies that are related to serebiiforums from your browser options.

For Internet Explorer Users:
1). Go to Tools and then Internet Options
2). Scroll to Cookies and choose 'Delete All Cookies'

For Firefox users:
1). Go to Tools and then Options
2). Go to Privacy and then scroll to Cookies and click 'Clear'

For Google Chrome users:
1). Click the menu button (right of the url box), select More tools, and then Clear browsing data.

For Mac Safari users:
1). Go to Safari (on the menu bar) and then Preferences
2). Go to Security and then Show Cookies
3). Choose 'Remove All'

Why didn’t my topic appear?

Some forums such as the Trade Shops section are currently set to an option known as Moderated. That means all topics posted are first sent to a queue where they are viewed by the mods, who either approve the thread (which results in it becoming publically visible), or disapprove it (which results in it being deleted). If your topic is not visible within a few days, it was most likely rejected for not following the rules set by the forum. Read the rules and try again.

On some occasions when the server is slow, it may take a moment or two for the forum to catch up and show your topic. If you don’t see it, then either refresh the page or wait a few minutes first to see if it appears. If your topic has mysterious vanished, then chances are it has been moved to a forum you cannot access, merged with another thread, or been deleted by the staff for breaking rules.

Where has my topic gone?
Why is my topic closed?


If your topic has mysterious vanished, then chances are it has been moved to a forum you cannot access, or it has been deleted by the staff for breaking rules. You can always PM a forum moderator in charge of the section your thread was originally in, or check threads created by yourself via your profile page ('View Latest Started Threads' link below your profile picture, left sidebar) to see if it is in a new section or deleted.

A topic I was taking part in has been closed. Can I restart it?

In most cases the answer is no, unless the original thread had been closed because it had been bumped (revived from over a month since a previous post) by another user. It's advised to check the thread for any posts made by a moderator on why it is closed. If you wish to restart it and the thread hadn't simply been bumped, you can PM the moderator who closed the thread for permission.

Do I need permission for a topic?

Not under most circumstances. If you are unsure as to where a topic belongs, PM a Moderator of the forum you think it belongs in and they will help you or guide you to the right place.

Why hasn’t Serebii responded to my PM?

Serebii is a busy man, and gets messages all the time that are pointless. Unless it’s very important that it goes straight to him, you should PM a mod or admin with anything you have to say. If it’s just praise, then keep it to yourself. Your continued enjoyment of the site and forums is enough.

Why can't I post this url/image/email?

Members with less than 10 posts in their postcount are unable to post any links. The purpose of this feature is to prevent automated accounts - adbots - from spamming the forums with advertisements. Simply post in any section that contributes to postcount until you reach 10 according to your postbit, and then you will be able to post urls and images.

Why am I told my post has urls and cannot be posted when I don't have any links in it?

The forum filter mentioned above may be misinterpreting part of your post as a url. Make sure you avoid using .com or the like, as well as the @ symbol in your posts (e.g. Lucario @ Life Orb), as this triggers the filter. Alternatively, make 10 posts on the forums.

Regarding This FAQ

Why isn’t my question answered here?

It’s impossible to guess what everyone is going to need help with. If you have a question that isn’t answered in this FAQ, then post here and ask it. Just make sure you’ve actually read the FAQ first. It’s very annoying when a question is asked that has the answer in the middle of the page already.

You spelt ____ wrong.

If there are spelling errors in the FAQ, or other mistakes you spot such as out of date links, or images missing then PM a Super Moderator / Administrator so it will be fixed right away. Please don’t post here about it though, this is for help only.

I think that's everything. Contents page is done but I want to amend it once everything has been given the all clear. Reputation is missing but that doesn't really need to be changed plus it is disabled. When I launch the new thread I'll leave some deleted posts in case it comes back for that section as well as others that might need covering in the future.
 
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Hey guys, Ruin Maniac Mike here. For some reason in the ASB section, despite the thread not being closed I'm not able to post in the Sigless Squad Submissions. I'm not sure what's going on, but has this happened before? Or do I need to do something first before I can post there?
 

FieryDanny

Pokémaniac
Trying to figure out sprites...

I am trying to figure out the sprites in the posts here on serebii. I know you can get moving sprites of gens 1-4 like so ;025; ; 025 ; and non-moving sprites of gen 5 like so :503: : 503 : .

Is there any way to do the 6th gen pokemon?
 

Bananarama

The light is coming
I am trying to figure out the sprites in the posts here on serebii. I know you can get moving sprites of gens 1-4 like so ;025; ; 025 ; and non-moving sprites of gen 5 like so :503: : 503 : .

Is there any way to do the 6th gen pokemon?

The gen 6 smilies are not available to use, as of right now. As far as I know, there are no current plans to add them.
 
So I saw that despite the actual pages still being open are recently updated, both of the Fizzy Bubbles registration threads are closed. Does this mean that the Fizzy Bubbles RP is not longer accepting newcomers, or is it just not as alive as we think?
 

ellie

Δ
Staff member
Admin
Fb closes registration from time to time. They only have so many people to handle updating all the threads etc so they take on the amount of people they can handle. Check to make sure the forums themselves don't have anything stating when they will open again. If you have more fb questions though you should ask those mods directly.
 

Fairfax

get out of my way
Hey guys, Ruin Maniac Mike here. For some reason in the ASB section, despite the thread not being closed I'm not able to post in the Sigless Squad Submissions. I'm not sure what's going on, but has this happened before? Or do I need to do something first before I can post there?

I have the same question, but it doesn't look like anybody else has answered it. I can understand if there's a minimum post count needed before posting to the ASB section to prevent spam, but I haven't been able to find any information on what that amount is. Help!
 

Bananarama

The light is coming
I have the same question, but it doesn't look like anybody else has answered it. I can understand if there's a minimum post count needed before posting to the ASB section to prevent spam, but I haven't been able to find any information on what that amount is. Help!

It's 10 posts throughout the forums. You would need at least 10 posts in order to post in the ASB section.
 

Case Azula

Hades's Assassin
How do you join a guild???
 

Bananarama

The light is coming
How do you join a guild???

That depends on what guild you want to join. They all have special application forms that you need to fill out, but some, for example, might require you to PM them to the guild leader and some might require you to post the form on the thread. All of the necessary information should be in the first few posts in the guild.
 
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PinkPotatoEgg

Not-a-weeaboo-
What are sticky threads?
 
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