Community levels and points
Help other members and you earn points. Points move you up through five levels, shown as a small tag under your name. Levels are a thank-you, not a power: everyone is treated the same.
Log in to see your own level and progress.
The levels
| Level | Name | Points needed | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Surface Dweller | 0 | Just joined. Welcome to the Underground. |
| 2 | Trench Digger | 10 | You have started digging: a few posts and replies. |
| 3 | Vein Finder | 50 | Your answers keep turning up the good stuff. |
| 4 | Deep Prospector | 150 | A trusted, regular helper. |
| 5 | Underground Asset | 400 | A pillar of the community. |
How you earn points
| What you do | Points | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Start a thread | +2 | Once it is live. Threads stop earning after 6 points in a day. |
| Write a reply | +1 | Once it is live, and at least 40 characters. Replies stop earning after 10 points in a day. |
| Another member marks your reply Helpful | +2 each | Votes stop earning after 20 points in a day, and no more than 3 votes from the same member count toward you. |
| The person who asked marks your reply as the solution | +10 | The biggest reward. It does not count on your own thread. |
| You mark a solution on your own thread | +1 | Closing the loop helps the next person who finds the thread. |
Fair play
- Points are worked out from your live posts, votes and solutions. If a post is deleted or hidden, its points go with it.
- Waiting, hidden and deleted posts earn nothing, and you cannot earn points from your own votes.
- Your total is private: other members see only your level name.
- Staff show a Staff tag instead of a level.
- Posting just to collect points does not work, because of the daily limits. The quickest way up is a clear answer that solves someone's problem.