Hello! These are the current rules of Bulbagarden, which we expect that you read and adhere to. Not following these rules can lead to warnings and/or infractions. When you build up enough infraction points, you can be banned (i.e., prevented from posting). Here’s the ban structure:
Before you receive an infraction for an offense worth 4 points or less, you must have received a warning first. Please do note that when a moderator posts in a thread to tell everyone to stop a certain behavior, that the moderator’s post does count as a warning. Moderators withhold the right to replace an infraction with a warning at their discretion.
If you are unhappy with a warning or infraction that you have received, discuss it with the moderator that gave you the warning. If you still believe that the moderator was unfair or biased against you after your discussion, please use this form to register your complaint.
Do note that several forums have specific rules themselves, and make sure to abide by these rules as well.
Without further ado, here are the rules. The point value and time before expiration are listed in parentheses after the infraction name.
1. Replying to Spambot(1 point, 1 month)
2. Multiple Posting (2 points, 1 month)
3. Incoherent/Unreadable Post (2 points, 1 month)
4. Unacceptable Signature/Image/Video (2 points, 1 month)
5. Advertising (3 points, 1 month)
6. Pointless Post (3 points, 1 month)
7. Copyright Violation (4 points, 2 months)
8. Flaming & Baiting (5 points, 3 months)
9. Inappropriate Content (5 points, 3 months)
10. Abuse & Harassment (10 points, 4 months)
11. Violent Acts (10 points, 4 months)
12. Graphic Imagery (10 points, 4 months)
13. Intersite Drama (10 points, 4 months)
14. Sockpuppeting (10 points, 4 months)
15. Illegal Account (1000 points, no expiry)
16. Spambot (9001 points, no expiry)
17. Irredeemable User (1000 points, no expiry)
- 10 active infraction points: 2 days
- 20 active infraction points: 10 days
- 30 active infraction points: 1 month
- 40 active infraction points: 2 months
- 50 active infraction points: 6 months
- 1000 active infraction points: Indefinite ban
Before you receive an infraction for an offense worth 4 points or less, you must have received a warning first. Please do note that when a moderator posts in a thread to tell everyone to stop a certain behavior, that the moderator’s post does count as a warning. Moderators withhold the right to replace an infraction with a warning at their discretion.
If you are unhappy with a warning or infraction that you have received, discuss it with the moderator that gave you the warning. If you still believe that the moderator was unfair or biased against you after your discussion, please use this form to register your complaint.
Do note that several forums have specific rules themselves, and make sure to abide by these rules as well.
Without further ado, here are the rules. The point value and time before expiration are listed in parentheses after the infraction name.
1. Replying to Spambot(1 point, 1 month)
- Never reply to an advertisement thread created by a spambot; this tends to attract more of them.
- Instead of replying to it, use the report button to alert moderators of the spambot.
2. Multiple Posting (2 points, 1 month)
- Each post should be unique; please do not post twice in a row if you do not have new information to post.
- “New Information to post” is regarded as either an article, new information, fanwork updates or game updates.
- Posting three or more times (for non new information), or just to "bump" a thread is always prohibited.
- Certain forums may be more lenient on double posting for non information posts. Please read each section's rules before double posting.
- When you would like to make a small adjustment, you can use the edit function, and when you want to reply to several posts at once, you can use the multiquote function. For a how-to on using these functions, please go here.
- You won't be penalized for multiple posts caused by glitches.
- You can also receive an infraction for multiple posting if you create a thread identical to one already on the front page, including the sticky threads.
- More specifically, you can receive this infraction if you ask a simple question in its own thread when the forum has a Simple Questions, Simple Answers thread.
3. Incoherent/Unreadable Post (2 points, 1 month)
- All posts and thread titles should be readable with a basic level of grammar, presentation, and coherence.
- Posts should be made in English, although exceptions such as posting Japanese titles or summaries, or posting an English translation of your foreign text, are allowed.
4. Unacceptable Signature/Image/Video (2 points, 1 month)
- Signatures should not exceed 600 pixels wide and 160 pixels talls, or have a file size larger than 500 kB. Spoiler tags may not be used in signatures. If you are concerned that your signature is in violation of these rules, you can use this thread for help.
- Mods, in exchange for their commitment, are allowed larger signatures.
- After receiving an unacceptable signature warning/infraction, you have a 24-hour grace period before you can be infracted again.
- Also note that signatures are subject to all other forum rules as well.
- Large images outside of signatures must be spoiler tagged using the [noparse][/noparse]tag. If it strecthes the screen, spoiler it. If it fills up most of your screen, spoiler it. If you aren’t sure, spoiler it.
- VB4 resizes images, sometimes making it difficult to tell if it should be spoilered. While you should always spoiler tag any images you think might be too big, if you are seen posting large unspoilered images often a moderator may contact you to request you spoil images. This does not count as an offical warning. If you continue posting large unspoiled images after that, you may be warned or infracted for it.
5. Advertising (3 points, 1 month)
- Users should only advertise websites, YouTube channels, blogs, etc. in either their signature or blog as opposed to in a post.
- Posting in another person’s trade/art/fanfic thread to talk about your own is considered advertising.
- Bulbagarden affiliates are allowed a certain degree of leeway for advertising their sites.
6. Pointless Post (3 points, 1 month)
- All posts have to say something useful and be relevant to the thread topic or the discussion.
- With the advent of the “like” button, just saying “I agree,” or any equivalent, to a post is a pointless post. Please add more thought to your posts.
- Posting to say “we already have this thread” is pointless, as is pointing out that someone else is breaking the rules (unless a moderator is doing one of these things). Use the report function instead of pointing it out in-thread.
- Posts that are not relevant to the topic or to the discussion fall under pointless post: make sure your post is relevant.
- Posts reporting Japanese news that are translated using online translators (such as Google Translate or BabelFish) also fall under Pointless Post. Please post the original Japanese text and wait for someone proficient in Japanese to translate it.
- Furthermore, if a thread is user-specific (for fanfic, art, or for trades), it is for that user (and interactions concerning that user) only. Do not talk about other artists’ work, they have their own threads.
- Making a post about a banned topic is also considered a pointless post.
- Don’t post to say a thread is useless or boring -- instead of making one of these posts, just don’t post at all.
- The Anime forum uses Bulbapedia’s translations of Japanese episode titles and is closely associated with Bulbapedia in general. Criticisms of titles (including alternate translations), as well as Bulbapedia in general should be taken to the Bulbawiki General forum. Posts made in other parts of the forum about these issues will be counted as pointless posts. Similarly, criticism of Bulbanews articles should be constructive and point out what the error is. Comments in Bulbanews threads should also stay relevant to the article.
- Finally, repeatedly reporting rule-abiding posts is considered Pointless Post.
7. Copyright Violation (4 points, 2 months)
- Users should not request or provide help to illegally view copyrighted material such as fansubs and scanlations or to download illegal programs such as emulators.
- They should also not claim fanworks as their own if they are not the creator and wish to post them.
- When posting fanworks that are not yours, please cite the original creator. Failing that, you may say that you don't know where it's from.
- Discussion of fansubs and fan scanlations is allowed as long as no translation group or hosting site is identified.
- Links to legal/licensed subs and scanlations (such as those hosted by Crunchyroll) are allowed.
- Youtube links to full or partial Pokémon episodes, movies, shorts, or specials are not allowed if they are longer than 2 minutes.
- Discussion on ROMs is allowed; however, do not mention or link to specific ROMs or emulators, mentioning/showing specific ROMs, or ask for help in using them.
- The discussion or posting of Pokémon fan-made video games is not allowed.
8. Flaming & Baiting (5 points, 3 months)
- Users should never attack or insult another user or a group of users via posts, their signatures, avatars, usertitles, blog entries and comments, social groups, visitor messages or private messages.
- Mentioning a user or a group of users under the guise of another name still counts as flaming and baiting.
- Picking on a user for their grammar, spelling, or the content of their posts is unacceptable.
- While criticism of their work is fine, any expressions of a desire to physically or otherwise personally harm a member of staff involved in the Pokémon franchise (anime, games or otherwise) will not be tolerated. There is never a need to resort to violent or malicious threats against other people.
- Continuing to post inflammatory opinions in an excessive amount of threads or where they don't belong after being asked to stop is unacceptable as well.
- Threats such as reporting a user, gloating and mockery are unacceptable behavior as well.
9. Inappropriate Content (5 points, 3 months)
- Posting humorous pictures of graphic violence or sex is regarded as inappropriate content.
- Posting written sexual content is also Inappropriate Content, with the only exception being properly labeled fanfics.
- Posting written violent content is also subject to Inappropriate Content, with the only exception being properly labeled fanfics.
10. Abuse & Harassment (10 points, 4 months)
- Users should never pressure other users into talking to them or into giving away personal information about themselves.
- Users should immediately stop contacting or make jokes about other users that have asked them to stop.
- Violation of either of these tenets will result in an Abuse & Harassment infraction.
11. Violent Acts (10 points, 4 months)
- Wishes or threats for another person (regardless of whether they are a user or not) to suffer or die are unacceptable. However, it is permissible in the News of the World and Nicoleta’s Bus subforums ONLY in regards to discussions on serious issues (such as the death penalty, abortion, reacting to a horrible crime and force used by a state).
- Similarly, posts supporting crimes against humanity (murder, genocide, rape, etc.) are unacceptable.
12. Graphic Imagery (10 points, 4 months)
- Users should not post images, videos or links to sites that depict genitalia, nude female-like nipples or sex acts.
- Depicting sex acts where the participants are not nude violates Graphic Imagery.
- Posting violent images, scatological images, or shock pictures.
13. Intersite Drama (10 points, 4 months)
- Posting on Bulbagarden to complain about a user or the actions of a user on another website.
- Posting to argue about the quality of other sites in comparison to Bulbagarden.
- Posting on Bulbagarden to complain about how Bulbagarden operates when a user is a position of staff of another Pokémon site.
- Reporting another user for actions taken off of Bulbagarden.
14. Sockpuppeting (10 points, 4 months)
- Bulbagarden does not allow a user to have more than one account in normal circumstances and so users caught with another account (a sockpuppet) will receive this infraction on their main account.
- Siblings or other people who live with you that have an account does not count as sockpuppeting.
- Some games and events around Bulbagarden allow users to use sockpuppets. Using a sockpuppet originally created for these for a different purpose afterwards will count as a violation.
15. Illegal Account (1000 points, no expiry)
- This infraction is only given to accounts that are used to sockpuppet or evade bans.
- A user’s main account does not receive this infraction.
16. Spambot (9001 points, no expiry)
- This infraction is given when an account is created for the sole purpose of advertising.
17. Irredeemable User (1000 points, no expiry)
- This infraction is used when the Head admin and (vice-)webmaster(s) have decided that a certain user’s behavior will no longer be tolerated on Bulbagarden.
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