Bot Busting Moderate vs Macroing Major in OSRS
Jagex uses both Bot Busting Moderate and Macroing Major labels to punish macroing (automation) in Old School RuneScape, but the distinction confuses most players. This guide cuts through the myths, explains what each offence actually means, and highlights why punishments can feel random—even on a first strike.
This Comparison Is Not About Manual vs Automated Moderation
Some players assume Bot Busting Moderates come from human moderators while Macroing Majors come from automated detection. That is flat-out wrong. Jagex’s systems can issue either punishment regardless of whether the flag was raised automatically or by a person.
High-profile streamers have been automatically macro-detected, immediately hit with Macroing Major permanent bans on their first offence, and later had those bans quashed once reviewed. The label reflects the severity Jagex assigns to the behaviour, not who pushed the button.
Macroing Major: Severe Automation, Instant Permanent Bans
Macroing Major is reserved for the clearest, highest-impact forms of botting:
- Input-generating software such as bots, AHK scripts, macro recorders, or custom clients
- Any third-party client outside Jagex’s Approved Client list
- Repeat offences or behaviour that looks like industrial-scale macroing
Punishment: almost always an immediate permanent ban, even on a first detected offence. Jagex explicitly reserves the right to skip temporary warnings when the abuse appears obvious or damaging.
Bot Busting Moderate: Lower Impact, Temporary Bans
Bot Busting Moderate covers edge cases and lower-impact automation:
- Crude macros, single-skill scripts, or behaviour that looks experimental
- First-time situations where moderators believe intent or scale was limited
- Scenarios where Jagex wants to warn but not permanently remove the player
Punishment: temporary bans (commonly 48 hours to two weeks). However, stacking moderates or tripping a heavier detection routine will escalate you to Macroing Major.
Why First-Offence Outcomes Feel Random
Jagex explains on the official forums that temp bans as “warnings” are now the exception, not the rule. Guaranteed warnings encouraged players to bot freely until they hit the warning. To protect detection, Jagex now mixes temporary and permanent penalties—even on first offences—without telling you which is coming.
“Temp bans as warning are not guaranteed, they are more an exception… If players were guaranteed a warning, they would make as much use of macros until the warning was issued. The guaranteed warning wasn’t a deterrent to stop, it was an invitation to start.”
(forums.rs)
Detection timing is also intentionally obfuscated:
“These bans are issued at a random time interval after the macroing is detected to protect the macroing detection systems. It is very possible to get a macroing ban on a day you didn’t play or during a moment that you’re not using the detected macro.”
(forums.rs)
Bottom line: you cannot rely on getting a temp ban before a perm ban, nor can you predict when the hammer will fall once you’ve been detected.
Quick Comparison
| Offence Type | Typical Punishment | What Triggers It |
|---|---|---|
| Macroing Major | Permanent ban | Clear, high-impact automation or use of unapproved input-generating clients |
| Bot Busting Moderate | Temporary ban | Lower-impact or first-time automation where intent seems limited |
- Both offences can be issued automatically or manually.
- Either can happen on a first offence, but Macroing Major almost always means a perm ban.
- Randomized ban timing protects Jagex’s detection methods.
Want to Reduce Your Risk?
Understanding the labels doesn’t prevent bans. Developing safer habits does. Our anti-ban playbook covers:
- Human-like input routines and activity rotations
- Safer client configurations and what to avoid
- Scheduling systems that limit detectable patterns
- Case studies from successful automation setups
Read the complete Botting Guide →
Staying informed is the only way to keep your accounts alive—especially when first-offence punishments are unpredictable by design.