New Usergroup

[STM1993]

Hmm, if that's the case, then I'd say that the support team is like a basic level of the staff. They have the ability to move/lock threads. If they actually happen to be specialized in one area, they could be given more power in that area. For example, this support member is a coder, so he could be given the task to help do some coding in the forums while the admins may be busy or doing the harder work. Then maybe this support member is an Advanced DCer, but he could be made into a support member specializing in DCing.

The support member cannot warn unlike a moderator (but if he is good enough, he can be promoted to a moderator. And moderators are like the higher level of support members). Now the report function can come in more handy - to ask the actual moderators during complicated situations, not just to report bad things to moderators.

Speaking of this, there should be another type of report, known as the "Request Lock/Move". For this report, you're simply asking the thread/post to be moved/locked (but also with a reason). Support members can view this type of report in particular and do any job necessary, and so do not really have to count on moderators. I suggest this because forum-posters do not actually look at every single section, but rather the sections that interest them. The poster may post in his thread "Can someone lock this?", but ends up it is not locked because none of the staff look at that section. I know the DC section has this or very similar to this, which is the "Solved" button, but I believe it can be applied to other forum sections as well.

It's a good way to help some members start out and have a taste of staff work before they advance up higher.