Ranks

Overview

A trial member surrounded by his friends. Since our founding in October 2004, we've had many different ranks in the (JAWA) Clan. Some have been with us since the beginning, while others have developed over time, and some have come and gone, having served their purpose. Pathways As of April 2023, we're allowing members to choose between two different pathways, Jedi and Sith. The ranks of the Jedi pathway are mostly the same ranks that we've used, with slight modifications, since 2005. However, members who reach the Guardian rank now have the option of choosing between "Guardian", "Sentinel", or "Consular", and using corresponding blue, yellow, or green rank tags on the server. All other Jedi pathway rank tags may be of any colour, except that during official clan events, members are expected to use traditional blue or yellow ranks—or green, in the case of a Consular. The Sith pathway features something that members have been requesting so long that it's become a meme: Sith ranks! The basic rank structure parallels that of the Jedi pathway, but with different rank names, and evil-infused red tags! At the rank of "Warrior", which is the Sith equivalent of the Jedi rank of "Guardian", "Sentinel", or "Consular", members have the option of choosing between "Warrior", "Sorcerer", or "Assassin", with red, purple, or black tags. Above this, both pathways use the same ranks, although naturally the Sith use red! Blue and Yellow Ranks Prior to April 2023, our traditional ranks came in two sets: "blue" or "cyan" ranks, which were obtained by new members, up to the rank of Guardian. Members were promoted to these ranks based primarily on activity and length of service, although members who contributed to the clan in various ways could sometimes be promoted a little faster. Above these were the "yellow" ranks, which could only be obtained through long service, substantial contributions to the life of the clan, or by passing trials of skill, for which members became eligible after reaching the top of the blue ranks. All of the traditional "blue" ranks remain part of the current ranking system for those on the Jedi path, while the "yellow" ranks are part of both the Jedi and Sith pathways. Got questions? See our "Frequently Asked Questions" section, immediately following the summary of our current ranks! After this is a list of discontinued ranks used at various points in the history of the clan, although a few have been resurrected as part of the new rank structure. Still confused? Ask any member of the (JAWA) Council to help you navigate the process!

Current Ranks – Jedi Pathway

Initiate The first rank received by a (JAWA) member after passing his or her trial. Members who show regular activity can expect to hold this rank for about one month. Early in the clan's history, this was a temporary rank, held only as long as it took for the council to evaluate a new member's skill, and assign him or her to either the rank of Padawan or that of Jedi. Later it became a regular rank, and the first held by all new members. Initiate was one of several ranks eliminated in 2015 with the goal of streamlining the clan's rank structure. It was restored in 2023, so that members would have more opportunities to earn promotions. This is one of several current ranks that may be abbreviated on the server: the abbreviation is "Ini". The equivalent Sith rank is "Novice". Padawan A traditional rank in many clans, "Padawan" refers to an apprentice Jedi. This was one of the first ranks in the clan's history. Active members can expect to hold this rank for about two months. Early in the clan's history, new members would be assigned to either this rank or that of Jedi depending on their level of skill. As a result, some members went directly to Jedi without ever holding the Padawan rank. With the elimination of Initiate in 2015, all new members entered the clan as Padawans. Following the reinstatement of Initiate in 2023, Padawan is once again the second rank in the clan. "Padawan" is another rank that may be abbreviated on the server: the abbreviation is "Pad". The equivalent Sith rank is "Apprentice". Adept This rank between Padawan and Jedi was introduced in 2010 under the name of "Apprentice". It was subsequently changed to "Adept", because "Apprentice" was too close in meaning to "Padawan". This was one of several ranks eliminated in 2015 in order to streamline the clan's rank structure. It was restored in 2023, so that members would have more opportunities to earn promotions. Active members will hold this rank for approximately three months. The Sith equivalent of this rank is "Acolyte". Jedi This rank was introduced early in the clan's history in order to fill the gap between "Padawan" and "Knight", before the creation of the Adept rank, and again from 2015 to 2023. Members who remain active can expect to hold this rank for at least four months. The Dark Side equivalent of this rank is "Sith". Knight One of the first ranks instituted by the (JAWA) Clan, active members can expect to hold this rank for at least six months. The Sith equivalent of this rank is "Marauder". Guardian Sentinel Consular Traditionally this rank was Guardian, the highest of the "blue" or "cyan" ranks, members who achieve this level now have the option of choosing between "Guardian", "Sentinel", or "Consular", the three Jedi classes, with rank tags of corresponding colours: blue for Guardians, yellow for Sentinels, or green for Consulars. Currently this is the only rank with fixed colours on the Jedi pathway. Members who achieve this rank can expect to hold it for at least eight months, unless they first pass the Elite Trials or join the (JAWA) Council. "Guardian" is one of several ranks that may be abbreviated on the server: the abbreviation is "Guard". No abbreviations for "Sentinel" or "Consular" have been approved. The Sith equivalent of this rank is "Warrior". Elite The first of the traditional "yellow" ranks, this was created in order to give (JAWA) the equivalent of a skill-based rank, at one time a common feature in other clans. The rank must be earned by passing a series of trials administered by some of the clan's most experienced members. Only members who have attained the ranks of Guardian, Sentinel, Consular, or above are eligible to take the trials. Earning the Elite rank is a badge of honour for a (JAWA) member. Early in the clan's history, this rank was also known as "Master", although that later became a separate, higher rank. Lord The highest rank that can be achieved without passing the Elite Trials or joining the (JAWA) Council, the rank of "Lord" or "Lady" was originally intended as a special recognition for services rendered by former council members. Later it was extended to other long-serving members, following the elimination of the Disciple rank in 2015. Active and contributing members may receive this rank after serving for approximately two years, although it is typically bestowed on former council members irrespective of their length of service. Master This rank, known alternatively as "Master" or "Mistress", was instituted in 2007 to recognize members who had passed the Elite Trials and also received the rank of Disciple. The name had previously been used for the Elite rank. At a later time, the rank was achieved by passing a second set of trials. Currently it is bestowed on those who have both passed the Elite Trials and received the rank of Lord or Lady. It is the highest rank obtainable without serving on the council. Members using the feminine form, "Mistress", may abbreviate it to "Miss" on the server. Council Members of the (JAWA) Council work together to make important decisions regarding the direction of the clan, perform various jobs to update and moderate the Jedi Academy server, (JAWA) forums, and Discord server, supervise members, server administrators, clubs and other endeavours, and keep the clan's records on WikiJawa. Serving on the (JAWA) Council is a great honour, and carries with it great responsibility. Leader Only a few members of the clan have held this rank over the years. Clan leaders are responsible for maintaining the Jedi Academy server, Forums, and Discord server, as well as handling the clan's finances, and serving on the (JAWA) Council. The success of our clan over the years is due in no small part to the efforts of our various leaders.

Current Ranks – Sith Pathway

Novice The first rank held by a member on the Dark Side pathway, this is the Sith equivalent of "Initiate" in the Jedi pathway. Active members can expect to hold this rank for about a month. Apprentice The Sith equivalent of "Padawan" in the Jedi pathway, this rank indicates members who are exploring the Dark Side of the Force. Members who are active on the Jedi Academy server, forums, and Discord can expect to hold this rank for about two months. Acolyte This rank is held by members who have been initiated into the mysteries of the Dark Side, and progressed beyond the beginner's level. Active members will hold this rank for at least three months. The Jedi equivalent is "Adept". Sith An experienced user of the Dark Side of the Force. Members who maintain good activity can expect to remain at this rank for about four months. The Light Side equivalent is "Jedi". Marauder Members who attain this rank are advanced students of the Dark Side, and formidable opponents in combat. This is the Sith equivalent of the "Knight" rank. Members can expect to hold this rank for at least six months. Warrior Sorcerer Assassin The Sith equivalent of the highest of the traditional "blue ranks" in (JAWA), this signifies both an experienced veteran and a powerful enemy. Members who achieve this level have the option of choosing between "Warrior", "Sorcerer", or "Assassin", with rank tags of corresponding colours: red for Warriors, purple for Sorcerers, or black for Assassins. Currently this is the only rank with multiple colours on the Sith pathway. Members who achieve this rank can expect to hold it for at least eight months, unless they first pass the Elite Trials or join the (JAWA) Council. Elite A high rank achievable only by passing the Elite Trials, this is one of just two truly skill-based ranks in the clan. Lord The rank of Lord or Lady is bestowed upon Dark Side users with excellent records of service and loyalty to the clan. Master This rank is achieved by passing the Elite Trials, and earning the rank of "Lord". It is the highest rank obtainable without serving on the (JAWA) Council. Council Members of the (JAWA) Council take on considerable responsibility for moderating and supervising the Jedi Academy server, Forums, and Discord server. But as any high-ranking Sith can tell you, with great responsibility comes great power... Leader Clan leaders have helped to guide our community through difficult and frustrating times. Doubtless their strong connection to the Dark Side has helped them to withstand many an otherwise alarming development.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions Q. How do I earn promotions? A. At the end of a new member's trial period—approximately two weeks, if the trialist has remained active—a member of the (JAWA) Council will inform the trialist of the results. The exact timing usually depends on when a council member sees the trialist on the server. If more than two weeks have elapsed since your trial started, and you've been active on the server, you may ask a council member directly. It may just be that no member of the council has caught you on the server since the end of your trial! Most trialists pass their trials, unless they become inactive, or are observed repeatedly breaking major rules—usually after having been warned. If you've passed your trial, a council member will ask you to kneel to hear your trial results, and assign you the rank of "Initiate", or "Novice", if you elect to follow the Sith pathway. Subsequent promotions will be based primarily on activity and length of service to the clan. Members who are active and contribute to the clan in various ways may earn promotions slightly faster. All promotions are given by council members, usually on the server, and sometimes with a ceremony, during which the member being promoted kneels before one or more members of the council. All promotions are discussed and approved by the council, although the clan leaders have the privilege of granting or approving promotions without prior discussion. It is considered bad form to request a promotion, since the council usually likes to surprise members with good news. However, if you think you've been overlooked beyond the point at which a promotion might have been expected, you may ask a council member whether anything is wrong. It may simply be that no council member has noticed you on the server, and realized that you were due for a promotion! Q. What if I fail my trial? A. If you fail your trial due to inactivity, don't worry! You can apply again whenever you become active once more. If you're denied membership due to rule-breaking, it's best to wait at least a couple of months before re-applying, so that you can show you've learned from your mistakes. Incidents of major rule violations will be decided by the council on a case-by-case basis. Q. Can a member be demoted? A. Yes, but it happens rarely, and only for serious rule-breaking or a relentlessly negative attitude. More common are resignations, in which leaders or council members who step down from their positions return to their former ranks, or are granted the rank of Lord or Lady in recognition of their service to the clan. Questions about Pathways Q. How do I choose a pathway? A. If you plan to follow the Jedi pathway, you don't need to do anything. It's the default! If you want to follow the Sith pathway, ask a council member to replace your current rank with its Sith equivalent on your WikiJawa profile. Or, post a request in this topic on (JAWA) Central. If you're not a member yet, you won't be able to see the request topic—but think of this as an added reason to join our family! You can also request that your Force alignment under "overview" on your profile be designated as "Light", "Neutral" or "Dark". This feature also allows you to indicate whether you are a Jedi Guardian, Sentinel, or Consular, or if you are a Sith. Q. Can I change from one pathway to the other? A. Yes, within reason. Everyone has the right to change their mind about their pathway at least once without any penalty. There was some discussion about making people start at the bottom of the rank ladder after that, in order to discourage members from changing pathways repeatedly. But for now we've decided to deal with this on a case-by-case basis, since we're not sure how often it will come up, or whether it'll ever become a problem. Q. Are there any non-Jedi pathways? A. Yes, in a sense. Our ranks have always been Jedi-themed, and that isn't changing. But there are several other pathways you can request on your WikiJawa profile. You can still choose any alignment (Light, Neutral, or Dark), but you can request anything that sounds like a pathway in place of a Jedi or Sith class. It will appear under "overview" on your WikiJawa profile. Q. What about former or retired members? A. It wouldn't make sense to change the ranks of former or retired members to reflect pathways that didn't exist when they were active members of the clan, and it wouldn't be fair to change their profiles in this way without their request. Fortunately, all of the templates required for the rank changes announced in April 2023 are new, so nothing needs to be altered on existing profiles.

Discontinued Ranks

These are ranks that have been discontinued, or which are no longer used for their original purpose. In some cases, ranks that were discontinued have been re-instated, or the names used for new ranks in other ranking systems, including the current one. Adept Originally called "Apprentice", this rank was introduced as an intermediate stage between Padawan and Jedi. In 2015, the rank was merged into the Jedi rank as part of a ranking structure change. Members holding the rank of Adept at that time became Jedi. This rank was revived in its original position in April, 2023. Apprentice This was the original name of Adept, a rank coming between Padawan and Jedi. It was renamed because "Apprentice" is very close in meaning to "Padawan". Chancellor This rank was created as part of a Light Side-Dark Side system in 2006. Each faction had its own leader: Kel was the leader of the Light side, and Draggy of the Dark Side. The Chancellor rank allowed Link to remain neutral. The system was discontinued after about a week, and Link returned to the Leader rank. Consular The original version of the Consular rank was the Light Side replacement for Disciple in the Light Side-Dark Side system in 2006. It was discontinued along with that system after only a brief trial, but various proposals to revive Consular as a rank have been made from time to time since. The rank is now part of the Jedi pathway, corresponding to the traditional Guardian rank, for those members who choose to join the Consular class of Jedi. Darth The Darth rank was created as the Dark Side equivalent of the Elite rank during the clan's brief Light Side-Dark Side experiment in 2006. It was discontinued along with that ranking system, but proposals to create a new rank by this name have been part of numerous suggestions for Sith ranks. It was not made part of the new Sith pathway in April 2023, because Sith of various ranks would want to be called "Darth". Disciple Members who had shown great loyalty or made significant contributions to the clan over the years were awarded the rank of Disciple. Prior to the establishment of the Master rank, it was the highest rank that could be held by members not serving on the (JAWA) Council. The rank was typically given to long-serving members, as well as former council members who had stepped down. Disagreement over whether the name of this rank made sense led to numerous proposals to rename it over the years, with suggestions including "Master", "Elder", and "Sage". In 2007, "Master" became a separate rank, bestowed on members who had both passed the Elite Trials and earned the Disciple rank. In 2015, Disciple was merged with the rank of Lord, formerly a higher rank granted to long-serving former council members, but subsequently the equivalent of the former Disciple rank, between the ranks of Guardian and Master following the elimination of the Elite rank. Founder This is a special rank bestowed upon Matt when he returned to the clan after a long absence in 2006. Not part of the clan's regular rank structure, it was meant to convey our respect for the clan's founding members, and uniquely the tags for this rank are dark blue. After a number of years away from the clan, Matt returned a second time, and elected to begin as an active member at the bottom of our rank structure, instead of using Founder tags. Full Member At the time of the clan's founding by Matt and Iniowe, this was the highest rank obtainable by members. The rank was the equivalent of the traditional Guardian rank, which similarly was the highest rank obtainable without passing the Elite trials, serving on the (JAWA) Council, or being awarded a higher rank by the council or leaders in recognition of some special service. There was no tag for this rank, which consisted solely of our clan tag followed by a member's name. This style is currently used by retired members on the server. The phrase "full member" is still used occasionally upon a new member's induction to the clan, but it no longer represents a distinct rank. Hopeful This was the lowest rank in the Dark Side ranks during the clan's brief experiment with Light Side-Dark Side ranks in 2006. Members with this rank could be promoted to Student. The rank was discontinued along with the Light Side-Dark Side system. Initiate This was originally a temporary rank to which new members would be assigned upon completing their trials and joining the clan. An initiate's skills would then be assessed by one or more members of the (JAWA) Council, typically over a few days, and then the member would be assigned either the rank of Padawan or that of Jedi. Some members were assigned at the time of their initiation into the clan, and so never held this rank. Later, Initiate became a regular rank, and the first one held by new members, typically for about two weeks. It was discontinued in 2015, but revived in its original position in April, 2023. Recruiter Recruiter was introduced by Link in early 2005 to allow trusted members to recruit without first obtaining a council member's permission. They had access to a recruitment board, giving them some of the same responsibility as council members, but could not issue promotions. The first member to hold the rank of Recruiter was Muffin_Man, followed by Kel, SilentBlueFire, Draggy, Tuti, Gunmetal, Wodec, Koga, and 1UP. The rank was discontinued in 2006, as recruitment duties became a regular function of the (JAWA) Council. Sage A rank of this name was proposed on various occasions, usually as a replacement for the Disciple rank, or as an alternative for the first version of the Lord rank. However, like "Elder", the name never caught on. A version of this rank was contemplated by Nightwing at the end of 2017, probably with the intention of retiring from leadership duties to this rank. A rank template for "Sage" was prepared, but no promotion bar was ever uploaded, so this plan seems to have been abandoned. Senator The Senator rank was created for Zantos in 2008, as a rank intermediate between Link and the (JAWA) Council. As communication between Link and the council improved, the rank became unnecessary, and was discontinued after just a few months. Zantos, the only member ever to hold this rank, went on to serve as Leader in 2014. Sentinel During the clan's brief Light Side-Dark Side rank system in 2006, Sentinel became the Dark Side equivalent of the traditional Guardian rank. It was discontinued along with the other new Light Side-Dark Side ranks, but suggestions to create a new rank by this name have resurfaced every so often. In April 2023, this became one of two alternatives to the Guardian rank in the Jedi pathway, the other being Consular. Student This was the second of the Dark Side ranks during the clan's 2006 experiment with a Light Side-Dark Side ranking system. It came between the ranks of Hopeful and Sentinel. Like the other Dark Side ranks, it was discontinued after just a short time, when the clan reverted to its previous ranking system.