# Start a troll

> Put yourself — or a school, a team, a business or an event everybody knows — up for a friendly roast. You set what's off limits, the heat, how many shots each person gets and how long it stays open.

Section: Posting · Updated: 2026-10-05
URL: https://commonyard.app/guides/start-a-troll/

A troll is a roast with rules. You pick who or what gets trolled, set the rules, and the yard takes its shots. People laugh at the shots that land, and when it closes, the funniest is crowned. It's meant to be fun, not a fight.

![The post screen with Troll chosen: the post's words, who gets trolled with A school picked and named, and the box you tick to say you're responsible](https://commonyard.app/guides/img/composer-troll.webp "Pick who gets trolled, and name them.")

## Steps

1. Tap the round **+** at the bottom of the screen.
2. Under **ASK PEOPLE TO**, tap **Troll**.
3. Under **Who gets trolled?**, pick **Me**, **A school**, **An event**, **A celebrity**, **A politician**, **A business**, **A team**, **A place** or **Something else** — and type its name.
4. Write what there is to troll: your outfit, your cooking, what the school is famous for, how the team played this week.
5. Tick the box to say you're responsible for the post.
6. Pick what's **Off limits**. Each target comes with the kind choices already on — no family jokes when it's you, nothing about a school's people or party politics when it's a school.
7. Add up to three rules of your own if you like — **Pidgin only**, **One line only**, **Rhymes only** — or type one.
8. Pick the **Heat**: **Mild** (light teasing), **Hot** (a proper roast) or **Shito** (extra pepper). Every heat is still friendly.
9. Pick the **Shots**: **One each** or **Three each**.
10. Pick how long it's **Open**: **1 hour**, **1 day** or **3 days**.
11. Tap **Post**.

![The troll's rules on the post screen: off limits, ideas for your own rules, the heat, the shots and how long it stays open](https://commonyard.app/guides/img/composer-troll-rules.webp "Off limits, your own rules, heat, shots and how long it's open.")

## While it's open

You're the host. You don't take shots at your own post, but you can:

- **Laugh** 😂 at the shots that land.
- **Stamp** your favourite — **GOT ME** when it's about you, **HOST'S PICK** when it isn't.
- **Clap back** once at any shot.
- Give a **RED CARD** to a shot that broke your rules, and say which rule. It leaves the roast for everyone.
- **CLOSE IT NOW** to end it early.

When it closes, the shot with the most 😂 is crowned.

## The rules that are always on

Whatever you pick, there's no hate, no threats, nothing sexual and no private details — and about anyone but yourself, nothing made up. Personal roasts are only for yourself or adult public figures: roast public work and actions, not private lives. Never name a private person, and never target children.

## Good to know

- Taking part? See [Take a shot at a troll](/guides/take-a-shot/).
- A troll goes to the whole Yard or to one of your yards, like any post.