House Change

Eligibility System

Threshold Requirements:

• First change: Total donation points ≥ 5000 (server default; admins can adjust)
• Second change: Total donation points ≥ 5005
• Third change: Total donation points ≥ 5010
• Each change after the first only raises the bar by 5 more points, not another full 5000

Point Consumption (Optional, Server-Dependent):

• Free mode (default): Once you cross the threshold, changing houses is FREE — your donation points aren't spent, they just needed to reach the milestone. On top of that, a free house change quietly hands you back +1 donation point as a small thank-you for going through the process.
• Paid mode: Changing houses actually SPENDS your donation points (the first change costs the full starting threshold, later changes cost the smaller increment each time)
• Which mode is active is an admin-configured, per-server choice

Examples:

• Free mode, 5000 threshold, 5-point increment:
  • At 5000 total points: Can change house (free, unlimited, and you gain 1 donation point for doing it)
  • At 5005 total points: Can change again (free, +1 point again)
  • At 5010 total points: Can change again (free, +1 point again)
  • Points never consumed, just milestone gates — and each change nets you a little bonus
• Paid mode, 5000 threshold, 5-point increment:
  • At 5000 points: Pay 5000 to change (left with 0 points)
  • Earn 5 more points: Pay 5 to change again
  • Points actually spent, no bonus point awarded

House Change Process

Step 1: Access Lodge:

• Navigate to Prefect's Lounge (lodge.php)
• If eligible: "Change House" section appears
• Link shows cost: "Change House (free)" or "Change House (5000 points)"
• If not eligible: No link (threshold not reached)

Step 2: House Selection:

• Explanation: "Because you have earned sufficient points, you have been granted the ability to change your house."
• Dropdown menu: Lists ALL houses on server
• No restrictions (can pick any house, even current one)
• Button: "Change House"

Step 3: Confirmation:

• Select house from dropdown, click button
• If your server charges for changes and you don't have enough points: "It seems that you do not have enough points to change your house at this time."
• If sufficient: Immediate house change

Step 4: Result:

• Your house membership switches to the selected house
• Your house rank resets to ordinary member (you lose any leader/officer rank)
• Points spent (only on servers running paid mode)
• On free-mode servers, you instead gain +1 donation point for the change
• Your change count goes up (used to calculate the next threshold)
• Message: "Congratulations, your new house has been set to [HouseName]."
• News post: "[PlayerName] has joined [HouseName]."

Strategic Considerations

Why Change Houses:

• Roleplay: Character development arc (redemption, betrayal, etc.)
• Social: Join friends' house
• Competitive: Switch to winning/dominant house
• Escape: Leave toxic/inactive house
• Sorting Regret: Fix initial sorting mistake

Costs to Consider:

• Lose house rank (member status, no leadership)
• Leave house vault access (can't retrieve items)
• Abandon house-specific progress (depends on modules)
• Reputation loss with former housemates
• Actual point cost (if take=1)

Optimal Timing:

• Before investing heavily in house vault
• After reaching 5000 donation milestone naturally
• When new house has specific benefits you want
• During house recruitment drives (coordinated mass-join)

Free vs Paid Mode

Free Mode (recommended, and the default):

• Points act as milestone gates only
• Once reached 5000: Can change houses forever (free)
• Each free change even nets you +1 donation point back
• Encourages house experimentation
• Rewards long-term donors without punishment
• Simpler to understand

Paid Mode:

• Points actually consumed on each change
• First change costs 5000 points (expensive!)
• Subsequent changes cost 5 points each (cheap!)
• No bonus point awarded in this mode
• Creates point sink (reduces donation point inflation)
• Makes first change VERY costly (barrier to entry)
• Subsequent changes trivial (5 points = ~$0.50)

The description text shown on the donation points page adjusts to match whichever mode your server runs: "The ability to change houses upon reaching 5000 and every 5 points thereafter. (this doesn't use up those points)" vs "costs 5000 points initially and 5 points for every change thereafter."

Rank Reset Mechanic

Why Rank Resets:

• Joining house = starting fresh (logical)
• Prevents instant leadership takeover (security)
• Forces earning trust in new house (social)
• Prevents abuse (switch houses, steal resources as leader, switch back)

What You Lose:

• House leader status (if you were leader)
• Officer privileges (if you were officer)
• Custom house rank (reset to default "Member")
• Permissions tied to rank

What You Keep:

• Character stats/items
• Personal bank account
• Dragon kills/levels
• Reputation with NPCs
• Everything not house-specific

Admin Configuration

What Admins Can Tune:

• Starting threshold: Donation points needed for your first change (default 5000)
• Increment per change: How much more you need for each change after the first (default 5)
• Spend points on change?: Whether the points are actually consumed, or just act as a milestone gate (default: not consumed)

Behind the scenes the server also quietly tracks how many house changes you've bought, so it knows what the next threshold should be — this is automatic and not something you manage yourself.

Typical Configurations:

• Generous: 1000-point starting threshold, +1 per change, free mode (easy access)
• Default: 5000-point starting threshold, +5 per change, free mode (milestone reward)
• Strict: 10000-point starting threshold, +100 per change, paid mode (rare privilege)

Limitations

• No Confirmation Dialog: Dropdown + button = instant change (no "are you sure?")
• No Undo: Once changed, must change again (costs another increment)
• Rank Loss Permanent: Can't restore leader status automatically
• No House Restrictions: Can pick same house you're already in (wastes change)
• No Cooldown: Can spam changes if you have points (if take=0)

Integration with Other Systems

House Systems:

• Uses the same house-membership and house-rank system as sorting
• Compatible with house vault, house halls, house buffs
• Leaving house = lose vault access (items stuck)
• Rejoining old house = member rank (not restored rank)

Sorting System:

• Players without house see "Get Sorted" instead of "Travel"
• After house change: Normal travel returns
• Can bypass initial sorting via house change (if rich enough)