Flame bait is a post that is intended to start people bickering. Okay, maybe it doesn't have to be the intention, but it is certainly the result. Bickering begins.
You probably already knew that. It isn't a new term. We bring it up for selfish reasons. Wikis are not immune to flame wars. We'd like to head them off by limiting Flame Bait.
Here is a list of things we call Flame Bait, the forbidden tropes, the ones that open the door to horrible things. Please don't list them anywhere, not even in YMMV tabs. Seriously. We're begging you. Don't do it, or you will be caught in the middle of an Internet Backdraft. These are things proven to start the bickering up.
- Character Alignment (See The Great Character Alignment Debate for specific rules)
- Character Derailment
- Dethroning Moment of Suck
- Fallen Creator
- Fan Dumb
- Hatedom
- Hate Dumb
- Idiot Plot
- Internet Backdraft
- Mary Sue
- Periphery Hatedom
- Ruined FOREVER
- Snark Bait
- So Bad, It's Horrible
- Unfortunate Implications
- Unpleasable Fanbase
- What an Idiot!