Cheater/Troublemaker

Apart from the standard elemental clans of AQ and the clan titled "AQ Team" in which staff characters are placed, there is also the notorious Cheater/Abusers/Time Wasters Clan. Getting into the clan is relatively easy; leaving is impossible. There are an apparent three separate and distinct sub sections as the title suggests, yet all are treated the same and are listed as 'Cheaters/Abusers/Time Wasters" on a character page.

If a user is caught trying to code or "hack" the game, or apply 3rd party programs in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage or for any malicious purposes, the offender will be at a minimum (and rightfully) enlisted as a Cheater in the clan.

If AQ has some in-house bug, for example a shield costs 300 gold pieces, and sell value is 1000 gold pieces, and one mercilessly exploited the bug to gain advantage, then the offender may be branded an Abuser and thrusted into the clan.

Lastly, the third sub-group of Time Wasters can be widely subjective and dependant on the whims of moderators, AK's (Archknights) and staff members. Usually it will stem from a behaviour or discussion disliked by them on the AQ forums. Even though the forums have very little (if at all) to do with actual game play, an action that is seen as offensive to a mod can label the former as a Time Waster. Considering the fact that the forums are not a requirement to play AdventureQuest or any game, and also that bad behavior is the usual and assumed cause for labeling, this "method" of entering the C/A/T clan is not so much a danger as the above, but severe offenses still hold to this punishment.

Consequences of Being in the Cheater/Abusers/Time Wasters Clan
The known list is as follows;


 * Not able to be listed in AQStats.com.
 * Not able to join one of the eight clans and therefore partake in any clan activities.
 * The staff have released monsters that target and potentially decimate a clan member's experience and/or gold.
 * No chance of parole or release from the clan.
 * Daily XP and Gold cap seems to be lowered to 10% of a non-CAT player.
 * Replacement of equipment with useless items.

Be aware that even though they will put a user in the CAT clan with all its limitations, they will also revoke Guardianship and Z-Tokens from a character in the clan.

It could be rightfully argued that a Cheater is most deserved for a place in this clan and that an abuser who exploits a game bug (with no 3rd party program) is actually just playing the game. Another argument can also be made that the person was simply unlucky to get a fickle young mod label them as a Time Waster.

Regardless of the circumstances and which of the three was the reason, the person is viewed as a 'Cheater'. Sentence for life without parole is the same whether the offender maliciously attempted to cheat or was a little naive on the forums.