--- title: "Setting Up AdvancedBan for Punishment Logging | ZCS" description: "A second option alongside LiteBans for structured ban, mute, and kick history. The core concept is the same; the command set and config style are what differ." url: "https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/advancedban-setup-guide" updated: "2026-10-20T07:15:13.005688+00:00" source: "ZCraft Studios" --- > Site index for AI agents: https://www.zcraftstudios.com/llms.txt (full reference: https://www.zcraftstudios.com/llms-full.txt). Every page is available as Markdown by adding `.md` to its URL or sending `Accept: text/markdown`. 1. [Home](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/) 2. [Blog](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog) 3. Setting Up AdvancedBan for Punishment Logging [ All posts](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog) # Setting Up AdvancedBan for Punishment Logging ZCraft StudiosOct 3, 2026Updated Oct 20, 2026 A second option alongside LiteBans for structured ban, mute, and kick history. The core concept is the same; the command set and config style are what differ. ## In this guide - [Install AdvancedBan](#install-advancedban) - [Core Punishment Commands](#core-punishment-commands) - [Checking Punishment History](#checking-punishment-history) - [Viewing Active Punishments](#viewing-active-punishments) - [Customizing Punishment Messages](#customizing-punishment-messages) - [Network-Wide Punishments](#network-wide-punishments) - [AdvancedBan vs. LiteBans](#advancedban-vs-litebans) - [Staff Accountability](#staff-accountability) - [Moderation audit](#moderation-audit) - [Troubleshooting: Punishment history is missing](#troubleshooting-punishment-history-is-missing) - [Separate punishment policy from technical enforcement](#separate-punishment-policy-from-technical-enforcement) - [Official documentation and links](#official-documentation-and-links) - [An operational test worth running](#an-operational-test-worth-running) ## Setting Up AdvancedBan for Punishment Logging _Covers the same ground as LiteBans (structured punishment history), with its own command syntax and config style._ AdvancedBan is a dedicated punishment plugin, logging bans, mutes, kicks, and warnings with full history per player. It's functionally similar to LiteBans, with its own configuration approach and command set. ## Install AdvancedBan [AdvancedBanPunishment management with bans, mutes, warnings and player history.On SpigotMC ](https://www.spigotmc.org/resources/advancedban.8695/) Download AdvancedBan from the project linked above. Check the supported Minecraft version, server platform, Java requirement and dependencies for the selected release. 1. Back up the server files and any plugin database. 2. Stop the server before changing JAR files. Put the compatible plugin build and its required dependencies in the correct plugin folder. 3. Start the server and read the startup log. Resolve missing dependencies or version errors before editing the generated configuration. 4. Stop the server, make one small configuration change, then restart and test it with a non-operator account. Confirm AdvancedBan loads after a clean restart. Test the feature you need with an ordinary player account before adding optional integrations. ## Core Punishment Commands ``` /ban [reason] /tempban [reason] /mute [duration] [reason] /kick [reason] /warn [reason] /unban /unmute ``` ## Checking Punishment History ``` /history ``` shows every logged punishment for a player, including expired ones. That's the core feature that separates a dedicated punishment plugin from EssentialsX's basic commands. ## Viewing Active Punishments ``` /banlist /mutelist ``` list currently active bans and mutes server-wide, including which staff member issued each. ## Customizing Punishment Messages `messages.yml` and `templates.yml` control the exact text shown on ban/mute/kick screens and in staff broadcast messages. This is the file most servers end up spending real time on, since it's the first thing a punished player actually sees. ZCraft Studios' **[AdvancedBans Messages Config](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/products)** is a pre-written version of both files (English and Spanish) if writing the full MiniMessage-styled text from scratch isn't the priority. ## Network-Wide Punishments Like most dedicated punishment plugins, AdvancedBan needs to run on every backend server behind a proxy, all pointed at the same MySQL database, for a punishment to actually apply network-wide rather than being bypassable by switching to a different backend server. ## AdvancedBan vs. LiteBans The functional overlap between the two is significant, since both solve the same core problem. The practical difference mostly comes down to command syntax preference and which plugin's message-file structure a server (or the admin configuring it) finds more straightforward to work with; neither has a decisive technical advantage over the other for typical use. ## Staff Accountability `/history` doubles as an accountability tool: reviewing a specific staff member's issued punishments (not just a specific player's received punishments) is useful for spot-checking that moderation decisions are reasonable and consistent across a staff team. ## Moderation audit Test warning, mute, ban, unban and history lookup using a staff test account. Verify that each action records the actor, reason and timestamp. Check whether permissions prevent junior moderators from issuing permanent punishments. Keep the moderation policy separate from the plugin configuration so staff members know when to use each action. ## Troubleshooting: Punishment history is missing Confirm the chosen storage backend is reachable and that the plugin can write to it. Review error logs after making a test warning or mute. Verify that you are searching for the same player identity used by the server's authentication configuration. ### How to verify the fix Avoid deleting punishment records while diagnosing a missing display. Preserve staff action logs and use a controlled test account to reproduce the problem. ## Separate punishment policy from technical enforcement Write the moderation policy independently of command syntax. State which behavior deserves a warning, which cases require evidence and which role can approve a longer punishment. Then configure permissions to match those responsibilities. Test a junior moderator's denied actions as well as allowed ones. Staff should not learn the boundaries only when a live incident occurs, and a plugin's available command set should not decide your policy for you. When a record or punishment is missing, preserve the original event and inspect storage before issuing another sanction. Compare the player identity, backend and expected expiry with the history output. On a network, test both visibility and enforcement from another route. Keep appeals linked to the original case so the reviewer can distinguish a technical failure from a policy disagreement. If you switch tools, rehearse how existing history is retained or exported on a copy. ### Troubleshooting paths - Missing history: inspect storage errors and player identity. - Visible record but no enforcement: test the backend and connection route. - Wrong role can punish: compare permissions with the written staff policy. \* ## Official documentation and links - [Official project repository](https://github.com/DevLeoko/AdvancedBan) - [Building a Ban Appeal Process That Doesn't Waste Staff Time](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/minecraft-server-ban-appeal-process) ## An operational test worth running Test ban, mute, kick and history commands with a moderator role that has only intended permissions. Review how the plugin persists punishments across restarts, and verify that reconnecting through a proxy does not bypass the expected restriction. If migrating from a different punishment plugin, test migration on a database copy rather than production. ## Continue reading - [LiteBans vs AdvancedBan vs Essentials Punishments](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/litebans-vs-advancedban-vs-essentials-punishments) - [Setting Up CoreProtect: Block Logging and Rollback](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/coreprotect-block-logging-setup) - [Setting Up LiteBans for Ban, Mute, and Kick Logging](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/litebans-setup-guide) [ Previous guide New Player Onboarding: Build a Server Tutorial Flow](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/new-player-onboarding-tutorial-setup)[ Next guide mcMMO Setup: RPG Skills, Levels and Balance](https://www.zcraftstudios.com/blog/mcmmo-rpg-skills-setup)