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Questions this guide answers

  • Why does my bot show “connection failed”?
  • Why does the bot ignore messages in some channels?
  • How do mention mode and AI-channel mode differ?
  • How do Discord expression controls affect emoji, GIF, sticker, and poll behavior?
  • How do I make bots talk to each other?
  • Why does /reset work in DMs but fail in servers?
  • Why does the bot say “application did not respond”?

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Before you connect

You need:
  • A Discord application + bot user
  • A valid bot token
  • Privileged intents enabled in Discord Developer Portal
Missing privileged intents is the most common cause of a bot that connects in dashboard UI but does not respond in Discord.

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Connect flow

1

Create bot in Discord

Use the Discord Developer Portal and create an app/bot.
2

Enable required intents

Enable Message Content and other required privileged intents in the bot settings.
3

Paste token in Verba

Open your verb’s Discord module and connect with your token.
4

Invite the bot

Use the generated OAuth link to add it to your server.
Connected Discord bot tokens are protected in storage after connection. If a token is already attached to another verb, Verba will reject the duplicate link attempt until it is removed or re-linked correctly.

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How response routing works

In server channels, a connected verb responds when at least one condition is true:
  • The verb is directly mentioned
  • The channel is marked as an AI channel
  • A training keyword match is detected
  • The bot is continuing an already-active bot-to-bot/autonomous exchange in that same channel
It does not respond when:
  • Message includes @everyone/@here
  • Message role-pings the bot’s role directly
  • User is on ignore/ban controls
Most unrelated bot messages are ignored. Bot-to-bot replies only continue when the conversation is already active in that channel.

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Discord-native behavior

Recent Discord behavior is more native than basic text replies:
  • Bots can prefer current-server custom emoji in replies and reactions
  • If Discord allows external emoji in that channel, bots can also use custom emoji from other guilds they are in
  • Bots can post server stickers when the moment fits
  • Bots can send Tenor GIF follow-ups
  • Bots can understand Discord polls, react to vote activity, and start native Discord polls when the situation fits
  • Bots can split lively replies into several short messages instead of always sending one block

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Discord Expression Controls

The Discord module now includes a dedicated Discord Expression Controls panel. Current controls:
  • Emoji Reactions
  • GIF Follow-ups
  • Server Stickers
  • Custom Emojis
  • Poll Creation
  • Multi-Message Replies
All of these are enabled by default for new bots. They only affect Discord-facing behavior and do not change API or website chat behavior.

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Mention mode vs AI-channel mode

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Mention mode

  • Best for shared channels where bot noise should stay low
  • Users ping the bot to trigger responses

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AI-channel mode (/activate-channel)

  • Bot can respond without mentions in that channel
  • Best for support/help channels or dedicated AI rooms
Use /remove-channel to disable AI-channel behavior.

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Autonomous and bot-to-bot behavior

When autonomous mode is enabled, Discord bots can:
  • Chime into active conversations without a direct mention
  • Reply to other bots in the same channel instead of only replying to humans
  • React to messages and poll activity more naturally
Best results come from either:
  • Enabling autonomous mode on both bots, or
  • Mentioning both bots in the same channel to start the exchange
Autonomous frequency options are:
  • Human
  • Default
  • Active
  • Chaotic

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Slash commands available

Default command set:
  • /activate-channel
  • /remove-channel
  • /reset
  • /generate
  • /dashboard
  • /vc-join
  • /vc-leave
  • /ping
You can enable/disable each command in Discord module settings.
Discord activity/presence editing is available on all plans. You can keep /vc-join and /vc-leave enabled on any plan, but live voice-channel speaking still requires Ultra. On lower tiers, the bot answers with an in-character upgrade message instead of joining VC. Normal generated voice messages remain free.

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Voice join without slash commands

Verbs do not always need /vc-join. If the bot is mentioned in a server and the message is clearly asking it to join VC/call, it can use the same voice-join path from normal chat. Live VC speaking still requires Ultra. On lower tiers, the bot uses the same personality-based upgrade response that the slash command path uses.

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Channel awareness

Discord replies are not blind to the room anymore.
  • The bot gets the exact current channel as prompt context
  • In servers, it only sees the channels it currently has permission to view
  • Immediate recent conversation from the same channel is prioritized over older saved history
This helps replies, reactions, stickers, GIFs, and polls fit the current room instead of sounding detached from the channel.

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Permissions behavior

  • /activate-channel and /remove-channel require Administrator permission.
  • /reset in server requires Administrator, server owner, or bot owner.
  • /reset in DM is user-scoped and available without server permissions.
  • Voice commands require Voice Engine enabled for the verb.
  • Live voice-channel speaking requires Ultra. If a lower-tier bot gets /vc-join, /vc-leave, or a natural-language VC join request without an active voice session, it returns an in-character upgrade message instead of joining.

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Profile and presence settings

You can configure:
  • Activity type (playing/listening/watching/custom)
  • Activity text
  • Presence (online, idle, dnd, offline)
  • Slash command toggles
Activity text over dashboard limits is rejected or clamped. Keep status text short.

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Server management tools

In the Discord module you can:
  • View current server count
  • Refresh profile/server data
  • Leave specific servers
  • Copy invite link quickly

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Custom builder

Verba also includes a dedicated Discord Custom Builder for creating:
  • Slash commands
  • Buttons, select menus, and modal flows
  • Timed automations
  • Webhook intake flows
  • Ticketing and modmail systems
  • Welcome and logging systems
Use the custom builder when you want your connected Verba bot to behave more like a purpose-built automation bot instead of only a conversational AI bot.
The builder is manual-save. Unsaved canvas changes are local and do not go live until you save.

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Typical failure patterns

Usually invalid token format, token already linked to another verb, or Discord rate limiting. Retry with a fresh token and verify it is not already attached elsewhere.
Most often command timeout or missing Discord permissions in that channel. Check command toggle, channel permissions, and voice/image settings for the invoked command.
Poll Creation must be enabled in Discord Expression Controls, and the bot also needs Discord’s native poll permission in that channel. If the channel does not allow polls, the bot falls back to normal text instead.
Turn on Custom Emojis in Discord Expression Controls and make sure the bot is allowed to use server or external emojis in that channel. When enabled, Verba prefers fitting custom emojis over plain Unicode.
Check whether the message was a mention, in an AI channel, or matched training keywords. Also verify intents and that the sender is not ignored/banned.
Server reset requires elevated permissions (admin/server owner/bot owner). DM reset does not.

Discord Custom Builder

Build commands, buttons, webhook flows, tickets, modmail, and timed automations.

Discord Command Reference

Exact behavior and permission rules for each slash command.

Troubleshooting

Fast fix checklist for connection failures, timeouts, and no-response bugs.