Starboard: Automatically Highlight Popular Messages

The starboard copies messages that collect enough reactions with a certain emoji (⭐ by default) automatically into a highlight channel. That keeps the best posts visible even as the chat moves on. If the number of stars later falls below the threshold, Kage removes the entry.

For a short walkthrough, see the guide Setting up the starboard.

Requirements

• Access to the module: You sign in to the dashboard with Discord and need the Manage Server permission (or access granted for this module).
• Plan: The plan notice at the top of this page shows which plan the module needs. If the plan lapses, Kage pauses the starboard.
• A highlight channel: Kage needs Send Messages and Embed Links there.
• In the watched channels: Kage must be able to read the messages (View Channel, Read Message History).

How the starboard works

1. Someone reacts to a message or withdraws their reaction. Kage responds to both.
2. Kage checks: Is the starboard active, a highlight channel chosen, and is it the configured emoji? Reactions in the highlight channel itself and in excluded channels never count.
3. Kage loads the message. If "Ignore bot messages" is on (default) and the message is from a bot, the flow ends.
4. Kage reads the current number of stars fresh from the message instead of counting itself.

- If self-stars are allowed, Discord's total counts.
- If they are not allowed (default), Kage subtracts the author's own star. For that it reads the individual reactors. For very popular messages (over 200 reactions), it uses Discord's total.

1. If the number reaches the threshold (default 3) and there is no entry yet, Kage posts an embed in the highlight channel.
2. If an entry exists, Kage updates the star count in the embed.
3. If the number falls below the threshold again, Kage deletes the entry in the highlight channel.
4. Adding, updating and removal appear in the module's Logs tab.

The embed

It shows the message text, the author's name and avatar, the first image of an attachment, a jump link to the original message, and in the footer "⭐ count • #channel".

Leaderboard

With /starboard-leaderboard (German /starboard-rangliste), any member shows the top 10 authors whose messages landed on the starboard most often. Everyone in the channel sees the reply. The same leaderboard is in the dashboard.

Settings at a glance

The starboard has only the one command, for the leaderboard.

Checking the result

1. Test message: Write a message and have several accounts react with the emoji until the threshold is reached (self-stars do not count by default).
2. Highlight channel: The embed appears with the jump link.
3. Withdrawing: Withdraw reactions until the number falls below the threshold. The entry disappears.
4. Leaderboard: /starboard-leaderboard names the author.

Troubleshooting

Nothing lands in the highlight channel

Check that the starboard is active and a channel is chosen and saved, that the right emoji is used and the threshold is reached. Check whether the message is in an excluded channel or from a bot. Check Kage's permissions in the highlight channel.

The star count is wrong

By default, the author's own star does not count. For messages with more than 200 reactions, Kage uses Discord's total, which includes the author's star.

An entry has disappeared

The stars fell below the threshold, or someone deleted the entry in the highlight channel. Kage removes entries automatically when there are too few stars.

Further reading

More community features: Polls and Suggestions.