The Server Rules and Guidelines is the document that server staff use to punish players. All players must follow these rules.
This document is more detailed than a usual set of rules, and is intended mostly for staff, experienced or banned players, and anyone else with a significant interest in the server. For a more digestible set of rules, see Rules, or join the Discord Server and select #rules.
The Server Rules and Guidelines may be updated at any time, though we will try to give notice if this happens. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are acting in accordance with the most up-to-date version of the rules.
If you would like to report any player for breaking the Server Rules and Guidelines, then use the /report command in-game or create a ticket in the Discord Server.
RULE 1: CHEATING
Cheating is defined as creating an unfair advantage over any other player in the server in a way that the gamemode does not intend. Cheating in any way, shape, or form is prohibited.
The most common way of cheating in Minecraft is by using hacks, often through a hacked client. There are a number of different types of hacks. Some of the most popular are as follows:
- Reach
- Aim Assist
- Autoclicker
- Killaura
- Bhopping, or Speed
- Fly
- Nametags
- Autofish
- Blink
- Fakelag
The above is not in any way an exhaustive list of hacks, but provides a basic understanding of what may be considered one. Any module in a hacked client is most likely against the rules, unless specifically otherwise stated by server staff.
Harry's Network has an uncommon exception for the autoclicker hack, which is that players are allowed to use an external autoclicker with a CPS (clicks-per-second) of up to 14. Any higher is prohibited. Many hacked clients (or internal hacks) include other hacks or advantages in their autoclickers which may be against the rules, so we highly recommend an external autoclicker if you choose to use one.
Using visual hacks to cheat is punishable by a 1-3 day ban on the server, while other types of hacks are punishable by a 30-90 day ban.
It is worth noting that many hacked clients (and mods) provide an unfair advantage to players even with no cheats enabled. We encourage players to only use trusted mods and well-respected clients to avoid being banned for this reason.
There are also a number of other ways to cheat on the server. One common type is macros, which players use to make their character perform actions on the server without having to perform the task themselves. Like hacks, these types of cheats are forbidden on Harry's Network, and are punishable by a 30-90 day ban.
FAKE CHEATING
Some players may pretend to cheat in order to "troll" other players on the server (for example, pretending to use a macro that plays the game for you while you are absent). While uncommon, it is possible for a 30-90 day ban to be issued for this offense. In an appeal, the ban can only be reversed if the player has firm proof (video evidence) that they were not cheating.
COMMAND MACROS
An exception to Rule 1 is made for any hotkeys that execute a command for the player (for example, setting a hotkey for the letter 'L' to execute the command '/lobby'). If, however, the hotkey or macro interacts with any in-game GUI, then it is against the rules and may result in a 30-90 day ban.
RULE 1.2: ENCOURAGING OR PROMOTING CHEATING
This rule is an extension to the cheating rule. If you encourage a player to cheat, then you may be held responsible if that player subsequently gets banned for cheating.
Rule 1.2 is rarely enforced on players, but you are much more likely to be punished if you teach players how to cheat (such as describing anticheat bypasses, cheat settings, or by distributing hacks or macros).
Rule 1.2 is punishable by a 30-90 day ban, but more lenient punishments (such as mutes) may be given if the infraction is not serious.
RULE 2: BOOSTING AND EXPLOITING
Boosting involves gaining resources in the game in ways that the game does not intend. This may include adding bot accounts to the server and killing them to gain coins more quickly, or macroing so your account continues to play on the server, even when you are absent or not interacting with the game.
While autofish hacks also break Rule 1, players using autofish will usually instead be banned for Boosting.
Exploiting is a more specific definition of boosting that refers to using hacks or bugs to gain resources in ways that the game does not intend. A bug that allows you to duplicate coins or items, for example, would be punishable for Exploiting.
Both Boosting and Exploiting are punishable by a 30-90 day ban, although leniency is sometimes offered to Exploiting bans if the players involved comply with staff requests and report any bugs that occurred during the incident.
RULE 3: TOXICITY, HARASSMENT, AND DISCRIMINATION
Excessive toxicity or offense is defined by persistently being mean-spirited or insulting to other players on the server. Server staff try to take context into account (e.g. Are they joking with a friend? Are they being provoked?) when punishing players for this reason, but the best way to avoid punishment is to be nice to other players in general, and be a positive influence to the server.
Harassment is hate excessively targeted at a specific or small group of players. If a player is consistently hateful towards any other player on the server, then they are likely to receive punishment in the form of a mute.
Punishments for harassment and excessive toxicity are both judged heavily on the quantity of inappropriate messages that you produce. Sending one rude message (e.g. "kys") is likely to be met with more leniency than sending several rude messages, even if they are of similar nature.
Discrimination is to target any group of people based on a specific attribute of them. This comes in many forms, though some of the most common are racism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism. Discrimination comes in many forms - slurs are the most common, and punishments will be issued even if the player is using the slur purely for shock value.
None of the above qualities have any place on Harry's Network, and will be punished either with an automatic 1 day mute, with a manual 3-30 day mute, or with a 30-90 day ban in more serious cases. In the Discord server, Rule 3 is punishable with a 1-30 day mute or a permanent ban depending on the severity of the offence, chosen by the staff member.
In gamemodes that support renaming items, showing or dropping items to communicate could result in a temporary or permanent blacklist from item renaming.
GUILD AND PARTY CHAT
Messages in guild and party chat are given some additional leniency for Rule 3 compared to messages sent in public chat, as we largely expect guild moderators and leaders, and party leaders, to self-moderate their own communities to some extent. With that being said, if the owners of these communities fail to reasonably self-moderate, any players breaking rules in these chats will be punished in accordance with the rules.
RULE 4: ADVERTISING
Advertising external sites, like other Minecraft servers or Discord servers is punishable by a mute. There is some leniency given to solicited advertising (such as telling a friend to "join Hypixel", or asking your guild to join a Discord server that you've created for it). Unsolicited advertising, such as spamming the link to your Minecraft server in chat, is the main target of this rule.
You are much more likely to be muted for advertising if there is any sort of personal gain involved in the advertising (e.g. an affiliate link or if the website being advertised is your own or belongs to a friend).
Advertising is punishable by an automatic 1 day mute or a manual 3-30 day mute.
RULE 5: DDoS/DOX THREATS
DDoSing or DOXing any player on the server, or merely threatening to do so, is taken very seriously. Depending on the severity of the offense, the player may be issued a 3-30 day mute or a 30-90 day ban. In the Discord server, Rule 5 is usually met with a 7 day mute or permanent ban.
RULE 6: SCAMMING
Scamming occurs when players agree to a trade but a player fails to provide what is promised. Similarly to Rule 3, context is taken into account, and a lot of evidence is needed for a victim to report someone of scamming. It is therefore important for any player in a trade to take screenshots or video clips as often as possible if there is any chance that they will be scammed.
To report a scammer, create a ticket in the Discord Server with the reason "Other" and explain the situation.
While staff do their best to ban the scammer and recover lost items, there are several influences that may prevent them from doing this, so please exercise caution. Trading Harry's Network items for real life currency (or currency in another game), for example, is allowed, but we're usually unable to offer any protection to players who do this.
Another factor is if you choose to account share with someone else. While this is also allowed, it means that all actions that this player chooses to make are the equivalent of your own, if you're unable to prove otherwise. More specifically, if the player you account share with chooses to give all of your items to themselves, then you chose to give them all of your items under these rules.
Finally, cases which involve gambling, duels, or any other type of wager do not qualify as scamming under Rule 6 if the loser fails to provide what is promised, as no trade was agreed.
In cases where we are able to reliably confirm scamming, it is punishable by a 30-90 day ban and the items will be returned to the victim if we are able to do so. If we are unable to locate the scammed items, then we will not be able to refund the victim.
HOW BAN DURATIONS WORK
Ban durations are not selected by the staff issuing them - rather, they are calculated automatically based on the player's history with rule-breaking on the server. Harry's Network does not publish exactly how this calculation works, but a new player will always receive the lowest possible punishment if they are banned.
APPEALING AN OFFENSE
Appealing a ban can be done by creating a Ban Appeal ticket in the Discord Server and following the steps. Once you have initialised your appeal, you will need to explain why you should be unbanned.
Appealing a mute can be done by creating a ticket with the reason "Other" and explaining the situation, though the chance of being unmuted is much lower than the chance of being unbanned.
The best ban appeal is the one that you make yourself, but we have a few tips to help give you the best chance of a successful appeal.
- Honesty is always the most successful strategy - when we're reading through an ban appeal, the main thing we're looking for is whether you're telling the truth. There is nothing more annoying than being lied to, so being honest in your appeal helps you stand out from everyone else.
- Be non-confrontational - when someone is asking you for something, do you want to be yelled at or insulted? Probably not, and neither does the person reading your ticket. First impressions are important, and being polite will greatly improve the chance of your appeal succeeding.
- Do not ask for "evidence" of your ban - for security reasons, we're usually unable to share this information, or many other details for your ban. We know this is frustrating, but if you follow the other tips in this section, then the chance of your appeal succeeding should be high.