The Complete Guide to Adding Roles in Discord

So you created a Discord server but are overwhelmed trying to manage permissions between the flowering chat channels and influx of new members.

Not to worry! Discord provides advanced role tools that you can leverage to organize your community effectively no matter the size.

In this guide, I‘ll explain Discord‘s permission system and walk you through how to create roles, set permissions, assign members, and more.

Whether you want to set up moderators, reward active members, or better manage growth, mastering roles is key. So let‘s dive in!

Why Discord Roles Matter

Discord experienced over a 300% increase in daily voice chat minutes in 2021 alone.

As servers swell to communities of hundreds or thousands, effectively delegating permissions between members is essential to:

• Retain order in fast-moving chat channels
• Surface trusted members to moderate
• Segment users by common interests or seniority
• Automate routine management tasks
• And more!

Supercharged with granular permissions, roles make all this possible.

Think of roles like permission groups you can:

• Assign members to
• Color code distinctly
• Position in a hierarchy

Let‘s walk through how to add roles within a server…

Preview: The Role Creation Process

Here‘s a quick overview of the key steps we‘ll cover to guide you:

Access Server Settings – Venture into the backend of your server
Create New Role – Blank slate to build onto
Customize Basics – Name, color, display options
Set Permissions – Crucial access settings
Manage Hierarchy – Order roles appropriately
Assign to Members – Get your shiny new role in use!

Now let‘s explore each step more in depth. I‘ll provide images, examples, and best practices along the journey to role mastery.

Accessing Your Server Settings

First things first, you need to enter your server‘s configuration portal. Here‘s how:

1. Open the Discord server itself
2. Click on the server name in the upper-left corner
3. Select Server Settings from the menu

This navigates you away from the channels into the server‘s admin backend. That wasn‘t too painful right?

From here choose Roles in the left sidebar to reveal existing roles + options.

Onwards we go…

Step 1: Creating a Brand New Role

With the Roles tab open, let‘s make our first one! Hit the tantalizing + button to launch the Role Editor wizard.

Think of this as a blank role template to start customizing. Here you can dial in:

❇️ A fitting name
🎨 Custom color scheme
💎 Display badge for prestige
➕ Notification permissions
🔐 And critically…access rights

We‘ll focus first on core identity elements like naming before diving into advanced permissions.

# Role Editor Overview

### Guidelines
- Descriptive names 
- Distinct colors
- Visibility options
- Permission settings

Let‘s create a hypothetical "Server Booster" role for superfans who financially support the server.

The process so far:

With identity set, we can now define what this role grants members access to…

Step 2: Configuring Role Permissions

Permissions determine what members assigned to a role can see and do across channels.

It‘s a crucial step, so let‘s explore how to secure roles properly.

In the Role Editor, select the Permissions tab to reveal the full menu. You‘ll see permission categories like:

• Channel management
• Member actions
• Message behaviors
• Server administration

And tons more fine-grained options.

# Common Permission Types

- Read/Send Messages
- Upload Files 
- Embed Links  
- Add Reactions
- Manage Channels
- Ban Members
- Change Nicknames
- ...And More

Toggle specific permissions on or off until you achieve the desired access.

For example, the "Server Booster" role may warrant:

✅ Reading all channels
✅ Uploading custom emotes
❌ Banning or kicking members

Configure to your server‘s needs!

Step 3: Organizing Roles Hierarchically

Beyond isolated roles, Discord also employs hierarchy to mediate overlapping roles.

Hierarchy flows top down – higher roles supersede those below regardless of conflicting permissions.

For example, give "Administrators" priority over "Moderators" access-wise.

Let‘s examine how to manage this chain of command.

In your Server Settings under Roles, simply drag and drop roles vertically to organize them:

Review periodically as new roles emerge or server needs change over time.

Now you‘re ready to push your polished role out to members…

Step 4: Assigning Roles to Members

With setup complete, let‘s get your role into use across members!

You have two options to designate roles currently:

1. Manual – Tediously assign to individual users
2. Automatic – Bot assigns roles upon join or milestones

We‘ll focus on the manual method here, but automation through bots can save massive time.

Manual Assignment

First, access your newly created role from the Roles list. Select Manage Members.

From here, search/select members to assign the role to their profiles:

Repeat for additional members eligible for the role. Revisit anytime to revoke or add members.

And that‘s the entire role creation process! Let‘s quickly recap…

Summary: Steps to Make Roles

The key aspects to manifest roles include:

1. Navigating into Server Settings > Roles sections

2. Building new roles with the Role Editor

3. Configuring advanced permissions

4. Organizing roles hierarchically

5. Distributing roles manually or via bots

With roles, you can segment members meaningfully, limit access to vulnerable channels, automate management routines, and more.

Well-executed roles bring order and efficiency to discord communities at any scale.

Tempted to explore further? Here are some pro tips…

Expert Role Tips to Streamline Management

Over years participating and advising Discord servers, I‘ve compiled best practices worth sharing:

### Permission Strategies

- Audit bot logs for frequent permission issues 
- Create overflow channels for unruly conversations
- Limit lower tier roles to read-only access

### Hierarchy Considerations

- Keep roles ≤ 10 for simplicity  
- Review hierarchy monthly as new roles emerge
- Place bot roles at the bottom  

### Assignment & Automation

- Announce new roles in #News & highlight benefits  
- For large servers, rely on bots for assignments
- Bots can auto-add roles upon joining or hitting milestones

Start by introducing just a handful of key roles, see what proves useful, then build complexity.

Now that you‘re a role expert, get creative empowering members and organizing your community!

If questions remain around mastering Discord permissions, check the FAQ below. Onwards!

FAQ: Common Discord Role Questions

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions around administering roles:

Q: What‘s the maximum number of roles per server?

A: Currently up to 250 custom roles can be created on a server.

Q: Should I avoid overlapping permissions between roles?

A: Some overlap is fine. Just be aware the role hierarchy determines which role permissions take priority in edge cases.

Q: Can I automatically add roles when members join?

A: Yes! Setup bots like Dyno or MEE6 to auto-assign new joiners a member role or guest role for instance. Super handy.

Q: What are the #1 most important permissions to secure?

A: The ability to ban, kick or prune members should be exclusively limited to trusted roles only. Monitor via logs.

Still hungry for more Discord wisdom? Check my guide on becoming a Discord expert in 30 days!

Now wrap your head around roles, then craft the perfect permissions scheme for your server‘s needs. Here‘s to community!