Sometimes, you want to keep out specific nicknames that are used by spambots that come in with a standard name with numbers at the end of their nick. You want to set a nick ban than having to add 100 bans to your banlist. Let's take a look at the following example:

5 users from different IPs/hosts come in to #fleetstreet with the nicks Andrea521, Andrea522, Andrea523, Andrea524 and Andrea525. Instead of adding 5 bans on their hosts, you can simplify the ban by adding a nick ban by using wildcards as discussed previously. So you will type the following command:

which will keep all of them out. The problem is, if they use less or more than 3 characters after that nick, this will render the ban ineffective. Therefore, you will need to set a wider ban to keep them out completely. So the following ban mask will be set:

which will keep anyone with the nick Andrea regardless of any number of characters behind it out of the channel. However, if you have a friend who may be affected by the ban eg. Andrea_Simon, you will then need to place an exception mask. You may refer to to know more on how to place an exception.

The +e or exception mode has been introduced when Bahamut 1.8.* was released. The function of this mode is to allow someone who is affected by a ban which was not intended for him/her to join the channel. For example, if I place a ban on the mask *!*@219.94.* on #fleetstreet but I'd like to allow your friend Ting into the channel, you'd place an exception mode by typing:

which will allow Ting to join the channel. The exception mode is also useful especially when you want to ban a specific host/domain/ISP but wish to allow specific people to join. For more information on the exception mode, you can read the modes document at this link http://docs.dal.net/docs/modes.html#2.3.