Why Would You Want to Be a Bot?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to chat on Discord as an actual bot? Getting the purple "Bot" tag gives you the power to impersonate an AI chatbot, opening up creative possibilities for pranking, social experiments, and more.

In this comprehensive 2800+ word guide, you‘ll learn how to get the bot tag in Discord alongside your username, plus advanced tips to control your bot convincingly. Follow these 8 nerd-approved steps to create your own bot account.

Before we dive in, let‘s look at why you may want the bot tag in the first place:

• Pranking possibilities – Confuse your friends by having a "bot" say ridiculous or funny things in chat channels. Set up memey scenarios.

• Creative content – Roleplay as a quirky AI character. Write fiction or interact as your bot. Entertain your community members.

• Social experiments – Analyze how people interact with AI perceived as real. Conduct Bot Turing Tests in your server.

• Undercover moderating – Secretly monitor your server as an undercover bot and gather intel.

• Status symbol – The bot tag is rare and coveted on Discord. Flex your technical prowess.

I don‘t necessarily recommend malicious pranking, but harmless fun is what Discord is all about. Just use good judgment!

Now let‘s get into the steps to create your own bot account…

The first step is to head over to the Discord Developer Portal and create a new bot application. This is where your bot account will be registered.

Here‘s how to set it up:

1. Log in to the Developer Portal with your Discord account.

2. Click "Applications" in the sidebar, then "New Application".

3. Give your application a name (this will be your bot‘s username) then click "Create".

4. Upload an avatar image for your bot if desired.

5. Go to the "Bot" tab and click "Add Bot". Confirm by clicking "Yes, do it!".

A bot user should now be registered under your application. Make sure to copy and save the Token shown on this page – it functions as your bot account‘s password.

And that‘s it – you‘ve created the foundation for your bot account! Next we‘ll get it joined to your server.

Now that your bot exists on Discord, you need to invite it to whatever server you want it to join. This is where your friends or community will actually see it in action.

Here‘s how to get it invited:

1. Go back to the "General Information" tab in your application.

2. Copy the Client ID listed there.

3. Paste the ID into this URL template, replacing [ClientID]:

https://discordapp.com/oauth2/authorize?&client_id=[ClientID]&scope=bot

4. Visit the generated link and select the server to add it to.

5. Click "Authorize" to approve joining the server.

Head to your server, and your brand new bot should be there! It will have the purple "Bot" tag and BOT role automatically.

Time to take control of it…

Now that your bot is created and joined to your server, you need a way to actually control it. This is where an open source bot account client comes in handy.

You have a couple options for clients, but I recommend the Discord Bot Account client since it works across Windows, Mac, Linux, and more.

Here‘s how to get set up:

1. Download and install the client for your operating system.

2. Launch the app, and it will prompt you to enter a token on the login screen.

3. Paste in the Token for your new bot (that you saved earlier) and click Login.

4. Wait a minute for it to sync and connect in the background.

Once finished, you‘ll be logged in to your bot account directly through the Discord client! Time for some bot-only fun.

Now that you‘re logged in, you have full control to send messages, upload content, and do anything else – all while masquerading as an AI bot.

Others will see your bot‘s profile picture and name when you chat or react to messages.

Here are some fun things you can do while controlling your bot:

• Send silly messages in channels to confuse people.

• React to messages using your bot‘s profile.

• Pretend to go rogue or malfunction in amusing ways.

• Slowly develop an in-character personality.

• Claim to be an AI in development when people catch on.

Get creative and entertain yourself and your server members! Just avoid being too disruptive or harmful.

To make your bot seem more legit, you‘ll want to customize its profile beyond just the default settings.

Here are some profile improvements to consider:

• Username – Change it from the default by updating your app.

• Avatar – Upload a custom profile picture for your bot.

• About Me – Add a clever or robotic "About Me" section.

• Custom Status – Set a status like "Chatting with humans" or an emoji.

• Badges – Bots get badges like Hypesquad automatically.

• Server Roles – Use your own account to assign special roles.

• Emotes – Bots get access to external emotes automatically.

Take time to really craft your bot‘s personality and profile. This helps sell the illusion and makes it more fun.

While posing as a bot is fun, there are some limitations to be aware of:

Can I make my bot talk fully automatically?

Unfortunately no – without actual coding, you have to manually type and send each message.

Can my bot react to keywords or phrases?

Not without a custom script. The client only gives manual control.

Is this against Discord‘s Terms of Service?

Discord‘s TOS permits impersonating bots, but discourages disruptive behavior.

Use good judgment when pranking others. Most will find the joke funny if done responsibly!

Manually controlling your bot can be limiting if you have to be at your computer.

That‘s where remote access apps like Parsec come in handy – they let you control your computer from anywhere.

Here is how you can use Parsec to control your bot remotely:

1. Download and install Parsec on your computer and phone (or other device).

2. Ensure your computer and device are on the same WiFi network.

3. Launch Parsec and generate a link code.

4. On your mobile device, input the link code to connect.

5. Once connected, you‘ll see your computer screen and can control it with touch.

6. Launch the Discord client and control your bot account from your phone!

Remote access gives you more flexibility to respond from anywhere through your bot. Just make sure you have a strong WiFi connection.

Once you get the hang of manually controlling your bot, here are some pro tips to make it seem more like true AI:

• Add small delays – No bot responds instantly. Adding 1-3 second delays between messages feels more natural.

• Make minor typos – Bots aren‘t perfect spellers. Pepper in small typos or autocorrect fails occasionally.

• Limit its uptime – Hop on sporadically rather than having your bot online 24/7. Mimics limited availability.

• React randomly – Program random reactions like laughs or thinking emojis with simple scripts.

• Consistent personality – Determine a persona and have your bot behave consistently in that way.

With the right mix of automation and manual control, you can make your bot indistinguishable from advanced AI like Anthropic‘s Claude.

Beyond just pranking, there are lots of creative ways you could use your bot powers:

• Write ongoing serialized fiction through your bot.

• Develop an elaborate personality and backstory.

• Make it an NPC account in a roleplaying server.

• Have it post periodic updates like a news bot.

• Conduct social puzzles and ARGs with it.

• Perform server moderation and administration discretely.

Think outside the box – a fully controlled bot account opens up many possibilities!

Here are some key points to recap on getting the bot tag in Discord:

• Create a bot user on the Discord Developer Portal.

• Invite your bot to your desired Discord server.

• Download a bot account client like Discord Bot Account.

• Log in to your bot through the client with your Token.

• Customize your bot‘s profile for authenticity.

• Manually chat and react to prank your friends.

• Use Parsec or similar tools to control remotely.

• Add delays and imperfections to seem more AI-like.

The process takes a bit of work, but gives you a powerful way to mess with your friends and explore the Discord platform.

I hope this 2800+ word guide helped explain exactly how to get the coveted bot tag in Discord alongside your username. While it takes some technical effort, the end result opens up a lot of creative possibilities.

You now have the power to impersonate a robot, confuse your friends, and entertain your community in new ways. Just be responsible, use good judgment, and have fun while you explore the features of your new bot account!

Let me know if you have any other questions. I‘m happy to provide tips to fellow Discord nerds and developers.