diff --git a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Configuration.java b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Configuration.java
index 624e4bb..04f01c5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Configuration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Configuration.java
@@ -101,4 +101,12 @@ public boolean deathBanEnabled() {
                 Objects.requireNonNull(config.getString("relative-time.duration-indefinite"))
         );
     }
+
+    public @NotNull String staffTeamId() {
+        return Objects.requireNonNull(config.getString("staff-team.id"));
+    }
+
+    public @NotNull Component staffTeamName() {
+        return MiniMessage.miniMessage().deserialize(Objects.requireNonNull(config.getString("staff-team.name")));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Member.java b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Member.java
index 01e6f3e..1ef1955 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Member.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Member.java
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package pro.cloudnode.smp.smpcore;
 
 import io.papermc.paper.ban.BanListType;
+import net.kyori.adventure.text.Component;
 import org.bukkit.OfflinePlayer;
+import org.bukkit.scoreboard.Scoreboard;
+import org.bukkit.scoreboard.Team;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -212,6 +215,21 @@ public boolean delete() {
         return members;
     }
 
+    public static @NotNull Set<@NotNull Member> getStaff() {
+        final @NotNull Set<@NotNull Member> members = new HashSet<>();
+        try (
+                final @NotNull PreparedStatement stmt = SMPCore.getInstance().conn
+                        .prepareStatement("SELECT * FROM `members` WHERE `staff` = true")
+        ) {
+            final @NotNull ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery();
+            while (rs.next()) members.add(new Member(rs));
+        }
+        catch (final @NotNull SQLException e) {
+            SMPCore.getInstance().getLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, "could not get staff members", e);
+        }
+        return members;
+    }
+
     public static int count() {
         try (
                 final @NotNull PreparedStatement stmt = SMPCore.getInstance().conn.prepareStatement("SELECT COUNT(*) as `n` FROM `members`")
@@ -235,4 +253,34 @@ public static int count() {
     public static @NotNull Set<@NotNull String> getAltNames() {
         return get().stream().filter(Member::isAlt).map(m -> m.player().getName()).filter(Objects::nonNull).collect(Collectors.toSet());
     }
+
+    public static @NotNull Team createStaffTeam() {
+        final Scoreboard scoreboard = SMPCore.getInstance().getServer().getScoreboardManager().getMainScoreboard();
+
+        final Optional<Team> existing = Optional.ofNullable(scoreboard.getTeam(SMPCore.config().staffTeamId()));
+        existing.ifPresent(Team::unregister);
+
+        final Team team = scoreboard.registerNewTeam(SMPCore.config().staffTeamId());
+
+        team.setAllowFriendlyFire(false);
+        team.setCanSeeFriendlyInvisibles(true);
+
+        team.setOption(Team.Option.DEATH_MESSAGE_VISIBILITY, Team.OptionStatus.FOR_OWN_TEAM);
+
+        team.displayName(SMPCore.config().staffTeamName());
+        team.prefix(SMPCore.config().staffTeamName().append(Component.text(" ")));
+
+        for (final Member staff : getStaff())
+            team.addPlayer(staff.player());
+
+        return team;
+    }
+
+    public static @NotNull Team getStaffTeam() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(
+                SMPCore.getInstance().getServer().getScoreboardManager().getMainScoreboard().getTeam(
+                        SMPCore.config().staffTeamId()
+                )
+        ).orElseGet(Member::createStaffTeam);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Nation.java b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Nation.java
index c7e125e..b12cbe1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Nation.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/Nation.java
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 import org.bukkit.scoreboard.Team;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 
-import java.sql.Connection;
 import java.sql.PreparedStatement;
 import java.sql.ResultSet;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
@@ -128,6 +127,9 @@ public Nation(final @NotNull String id, final @NotNull String name, final @NotNu
         team.displayName(Component.text(shortName).color(TextColor.color(Integer.decode("0x" + color))).hoverEvent(HoverEvent.showText(Component.text(name))));
         team.prefix(Component.text(shortName + " ").color(TextColor.color(Integer.decode("0x" + color))).hoverEvent(HoverEvent.showText(Component.text(name))));
         for (final @NotNull Member member : citizens()) try {
+            if (member.staff)
+                continue;
+
             team.addPlayer(member.player());
         }
         catch (final @NotNull IllegalArgumentException ignored) {}
@@ -145,7 +147,9 @@ public void add(final @NotNull Member member) {
         member.nation().ifPresent(nation -> nation.remove(member));
         member.nationID = id;
         member.save();
-        getTeam().addPlayer(member.player());
+
+        if (!member.staff)
+            getTeam().addPlayer(member.player());
 
         Audience.audience(onlinePlayers()).sendMessage(SMPCore.messages().nationJoinJoined(member));
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/SMPCore.java b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/SMPCore.java
index 99c0e42..e8ed2a2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/SMPCore.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/SMPCore.java
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ public void reload() {
         config.reload();
         if (messages != null) messages.reload();
         setupDatabase();
+        Member.createStaffTeam();
         if (rest != null) rest.javalin.stop();
         rest = new REST(config.apiPort());
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/listener/PlayerJoinListener.java b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/listener/PlayerJoinListener.java
index bbadd86..a17985b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/listener/PlayerJoinListener.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pro/cloudnode/smp/smpcore/listener/PlayerJoinListener.java
@@ -21,12 +21,26 @@ public void putPlayerInNationTeam(final @NotNull PlayerJoinEvent event) {
             final @NotNull Optional<@NotNull Member> member = Member.get(player);
             final @NotNull Optional<@NotNull Team> team = Optional.ofNullable(player.getScoreboard()
                     .getPlayerTeam(player));
+            final Team staffTeam = Member.getStaffTeam();
+
             final @NotNull Optional<@NotNull Nation> nationFromTeam = team.flatMap(Nation::get);
             if (member.isEmpty()) {
                 // no longer a member, but in a nation's team?
                 nationFromTeam.ifPresent(ignored -> team.get().removePlayer(player));
+                staffTeam.removePlayer(player);
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (member.get().staff) {
+                if (team.isPresent() && !team.get().equals(staffTeam))
+                    team.get().removePlayer(player);
+
+                staffTeam.addPlayer(player);
+
                 return;
             }
+            staffTeam.removePlayer(player);
+
             final @NotNull Optional<@NotNull Nation> nation = member.get().nation();
             if (nation.isEmpty() && team.isPresent()) {
                 // no longer in a nation, but in a nation's team?
diff --git a/src/main/resources/config.yml b/src/main/resources/config.yml
index ee1baa8..fcfc296 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/config.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/config.yml
@@ -47,3 +47,7 @@ relative-time:
   past: <t> ago
   duration: for <t>
   duration-indefinite: <u><b>forever</b></u>
+
+staff-team:
+  id: staff
+  name: <hover:show_text:'The shield that guards the realms of men.'><dark_red><b>STAFF</b></dark_red></hover>