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The rank system in ClansPlus defines the hierarchy within clans and determines what actions each member can perform.

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Rank Hierarchy

ClansPlus uses three distinct ranks defined in the Rank enum: 
public enum Rank {
    LEADER, MANAGER, MEMBER
}
1

LEADER

The highest rank in a clan. The clan owner has full control over all clan operations and can perform any action.
2

MANAGER

A trusted member promoted by the leader. Managers have elevated permissions and can help manage the clan.
3

MEMBER

The default rank for all clan members. Members have basic permissions as configured by the clan.

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Rank Details

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Leader (Owner)

LEADER

The clan leader is the original creator or a member who was transferred ownership.Capabilities:
  • Full access to all clan features
  • Can promote/demote managers
  • Can transfer ownership to another member
  • Can disband the clan
  • Configure all clan settings
  • Manage permissions for each action
Leadership Transfer: The clan owner can transfer leadership using the SETOWNER subject. This permanently changes the clan’s owner. 
String owner;  // Stores the username of the clan leader

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Manager

MANAGER

Managers are promoted by the clan leader to help with clan operations.Capabilities:
  • Access to permissions configured for MANAGER rank
  • Can perform most clan operations (based on permission settings)
  • Cannot demote other managers or the leader
  • Cannot disband the clan
  • Cannot transfer ownership
Promotion: Leaders can promote members using the SETMANAGER permission: 
// From Subject enum
SETMANAGER("Set manager", "Promote member to a manager")
Demotion: Leaders can demote managers using the REMOVEMANAGER permission: 
// From Subject enum
REMOVEMANAGER("Remove manager", "Remove a manager from clan")

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Member

MEMBER

The default rank assigned to all clan members when they join.Capabilities:
  • Access to permissions configured for MEMBER rank
  • Basic clan features (chat, viewing info, etc.)
  • Can participate in clan events
  • May have limited access to clan management features
Join Process: When a player joins a clan, they automatically receive the MEMBER rank: 
playerData.setRank(Rank.MEMBER);
playerData.setJoinDate(new Date().getTime());

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Permission System

Each clan action (called a “Subject”) can be configured to require a specific minimum rank.

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How Permissions Work

The permission system uses a HashMap<Subject, Rank> to map each action to its required rank: 
HashMap<Subject, Rank> subjectPermission;
For example, a clan might configure:
  • INVITE → MANAGER (only managers and leaders can invite)
  • KICK → LEADER (only the leader can kick members)
  • CHAT → MEMBER (everyone can use clan chat)

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Permission Subjects

Here are all the configurable permissions from the Subject enum:
  • INVITE: Invite a player to clan
  • KICK: Kick a member off of clan
  • SETMANAGER: Promote member to a manager
  • REMOVEMANAGER: Remove a manager from clan
  • SETCUSTOMNAME: Set clan custom name
  • SETICON: Set clan icon
  • SETMESSAGE: Set clan message
  • SPAWN: Teleport to clan spawn
  • SETSPAWN: Set clan spawn
  • CHAT: Clan chat
  • UPGRADE: Upgrade clan
  • MANAGEALLY: Send ally invite and manage clan’s allies
  • OPENSTORAGE: Open and manage clan storage

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Rank Checking

The plugin checks if a player has the required rank for an action using the isPlayerRankSatisfied method: 
public static boolean isPlayerRankSatisfied(String playerName, Rank requiredRank) {
    if (!isPlayerInClan(playerName)) return false;
    
    IPlayerData playerData = PluginDataManager.getPlayerDatabase(playerName);
    
    if (playerData.getRank() == null) return false;
    
    // Leaders can do everything
    if (playerData.getRank() == Rank.LEADER) return true;
    
    // Managers can do MEMBER actions
    if (playerData.getRank().equals(Rank.MANAGER) && requiredRank == Rank.MEMBER) 
        return true;
    else 
        return playerData.getRank() == requiredRank;
}
Leaders automatically pass all permission checks. Managers can perform any action that requires MEMBER rank or MANAGER rank.

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Player Data Structure

Each player’s clan membership is tracked with the following data: 
String playerName;        // Player's username
String UUID;              // Player's unique ID
String clan;              // Clan name (null if not in a clan)
Rank rank;                // Player's rank in the clan
long joinDate;            // When they joined the clan
long scoreCollected;      // Personal score in events
long lastActivated;       // Last activity timestamp

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Rank Display

Ranks can be displayed in-game with custom formatting: 
public static String getFormatRank(Rank rank) {
    if (rank == Rank.MANAGER) return Messages.RANK_DISPLAY_MANAGER;
    if (rank == Rank.LEADER) return Messages.RANK_DISPLAY_LEADER;
    return Messages.RANK_DISPLAY_MEMBER;
}
This allows server administrators to customize how each rank appears in messages, menus, and displays.

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Best Practices

For Leaders

  • Choose managers carefully - they have significant power
  • Configure permissions to match your clan’s structure
  • Set clear expectations for each rank
  • Review permissions regularly

For Managers

  • Respect the leader’s decisions
  • Help new members get started
  • Don’t abuse your elevated permissions
  • Communicate with the leader about changes

For Members

  • Follow clan rules and guidelines
  • Contribute to clan goals
  • Ask managers or leaders if you need help
  • Earn trust to potentially become a manager

For Admins

  • Configure default permissions in config files
  • Balance power between ranks
  • Consider your community’s needs
  • Document your server’s clan policies

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Migration Notes

The plugin includes a migration system for older data: 
// playerName, clanName
public static HashMap<String, String> managersFromOldData = new HashMap<>();
This ensures that managers from previous versions are properly converted to the new rank system.

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Next Steps

Clans Overview

Learn about the clan system basics

Permissions Config

Configure clan permissions

Commands

View rank-related commands

Skills

Discover clan skills and upgrades

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