diff --git a/website/client/components/avatar.vue b/website/client/components/avatar.vue
index 516535cf65..5f55563e18 100644
--- a/website/client/components/avatar.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/avatar.vue
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@
 
   .avatar {
     width: 140px;
-    height: 147px;
     image-rendering: pixelated;
     position: relative;
     cursor: pointer;
diff --git a/website/client/components/chat/autoComplete.vue b/website/client/components/chat/autoComplete.vue
index 8b5cc3cf43..59038df789 100644
--- a/website/client/components/chat/autoComplete.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/chat/autoComplete.vue
@@ -1,17 +1,68 @@
 <template lang="pug">
-div.autocomplete-selection(v-if='searchResults.length > 0', :style='autocompleteStyle')
-  .autocomplete-results(v-for='result in searchResults', @click='select(result)') {{ result }}
+.autocomplete-selection(v-if='searchResults.length > 0', :style='autocompleteStyle')
+  .autocomplete-results.d-flex.align-items-center(
+    v-for='result in searchResults',
+    @click='select(result)',
+    @mouseenter='result.hover = true',
+    @mouseleave='result.hover = false',
+    :class='{"hover-background": result.hover}',
+  )
+    span
+      h3.profile-name(:class='userLevelStyle(result.msg)') {{ result.displayName }}
+      .svg-icon(v-html="tierIcon(result.msg)", v-if='showTierStyle(result.msg)')
+    span.username.ml-2(v-if='result.username', :class='{"hover-foreground": result.hover}') @{{ result.username }}
 </template>
 
-<style scoped>
+<style lang="scss" scoped>
+  @import '~client/assets/scss/tiers.scss';
+  @import '~client/assets/scss/colors.scss';
+
   .autocomplete-results {
     padding: .5em;
+  }
+
+  .autocomplete-selection {
     box-shadow: 1px 1px 1px #efefef;
   }
+
+  .hover-background {
+    background-color: rgba(213, 200, 255, 0.32);
+  }
+
+  .hover-foreground {
+    color: $purple-300 !important;
+  }
+
+  .profile-name {
+    display: inline-block;
+    font-size: 14px;
+    margin-bottom: 0rem;
+  }
+
+  .svg-icon {
+    width: 10px;
+    display: inline-block;
+    margin-left: .5em;
+  }
+
+  .username {
+    color: $gray-200;
+  }
 </style>
 
 <script>
 import groupBy from 'lodash/groupBy';
+import styleHelper from 'client/mixins/styleHelper';
+import tier1 from 'assets/svg/tier-1.svg';
+import tier2 from 'assets/svg/tier-2.svg';
+import tier3 from 'assets/svg/tier-3.svg';
+import tier4 from 'assets/svg/tier-4.svg';
+import tier5 from 'assets/svg/tier-5.svg';
+import tier6 from 'assets/svg/tier-6.svg';
+import tier7 from 'assets/svg/tier-7.svg';
+import tier8 from 'assets/svg/tier-mod.svg';
+import tier9 from 'assets/svg/tier-staff.svg';
+import tierNPC from 'assets/svg/tier-npc.svg';
 
 export default {
   props: ['selections', 'text', 'coords', 'chat', 'textbox'],
@@ -21,6 +72,18 @@ export default {
       searchActive: false,
       currentSearchPosition: 0,
       tmpSelections: [],
+      icons: Object.freeze({
+        tier1,
+        tier2,
+        tier3,
+        tier4,
+        tier5,
+        tier6,
+        tier7,
+        tier8,
+        tier9,
+        tierNPC,
+      }),
     };
   },
   computed: {
@@ -45,8 +108,8 @@ export default {
       if (!this.searchActive) return [];
       let currentSearch = this.text.substring(this.currentSearchPosition + 1, this.text.length);
       return this.tmpSelections.filter((option) => {
-        return option.toLowerCase().indexOf(currentSearch.toLowerCase()) !== -1;
-      });
+        return option.displayName.toLowerCase().indexOf(currentSearch.toLowerCase()) !== -1 || option.username && option.username.toLowerCase().indexOf(currentSearch.toLowerCase()) !== -1;
+      }).slice(0, 4);
     },
 
   },
@@ -59,9 +122,9 @@ export default {
         this.searchActive = false;
       }
 
-      if (newText[newText.length - 1] !== '@') return;
+      if (newText[newText.length - 2] !== '@') return;
       this.searchActive = true;
-      this.currentSearchPosition = newText.length - 1;
+      this.currentSearchPosition = newText.length - 2;
     },
     chat () {
       this.resetDefaults();
@@ -79,18 +142,44 @@ export default {
     },
     grabUserNames () {
       let usersThatMessage = groupBy(this.chat, 'user');
-      for (let userName in usersThatMessage) {
-        let systemMessage = userName === 'undefined';
-        if (!systemMessage && this.tmpSelections.indexOf(userName) === -1) {
-          this.tmpSelections.push(userName);
+      for (let userKey in usersThatMessage) {
+        let systemMessage = userKey === 'undefined';
+        if (!systemMessage && this.tmpSelections.indexOf(userKey) === -1) {
+          this.tmpSelections.push({
+            displayName: userKey,
+            username: usersThatMessage[userKey][0].username,
+            msg: {
+              backer: usersThatMessage[userKey][0].backer,
+              contributor: usersThatMessage[userKey][0].contributor,
+            },
+            hover: false,
+          });
         }
       }
     },
+    showTierStyle (message) {
+      const isContributor = Boolean(message.contributor && message.contributor.level);
+      const isNPC = Boolean(message.backer && message.backer.npc);
+      return isContributor || isNPC;
+    },
+    tierIcon (message) {
+      const isNPC = Boolean(message.backer && message.backer.npc);
+      if (isNPC) {
+        return this.icons.tierNPC;
+      }
+      return this.icons[`tier${message.contributor.level}`];
+    },
     select (result) {
-      let newText = this.text.slice(0, this.currentSearchPosition + 1) + result;
+      let newText = this.text.slice(0, this.currentSearchPosition + 1);
+      if (result.username) {
+        newText = newText.concat(result.username);
+      } else {
+        newText = newText.concat(result.displayName);
+      }
       this.searchActive = false;
       this.$emit('select', newText);
     },
   },
+  mixins: [styleHelper],
 };
 </script>
diff --git a/website/client/components/chat/chatCard.vue b/website/client/components/chat/chatCard.vue
index a52824ec37..4200a718a9 100644
--- a/website/client/components/chat/chatCard.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/chat/chatCard.vue
@@ -4,36 +4,48 @@ div
   .message-hidden(v-if='msg.flagCount === 1 && user.contributor.admin') Message flagged once, not hidden
   .message-hidden(v-if='msg.flagCount > 1 && user.contributor.admin') Message hidden
   .card-body
-      h3.leader(
-        :class='userLevelStyle(msg)',
-        @click="showMemberModal(msg.uuid)",
-        v-b-tooltip.hover.top="tierTitle",
-      )
-        | {{msg.user}}
-        .svg-icon(v-html="tierIcon", v-if='showShowTierStyle')
-      p.time(v-b-tooltip="", :title="msg.timestamp | date") {{msg.timestamp | timeAgo}}
-      .text(v-markdown='msg.text')
-      hr
-      div(v-if='msg.id')
-        .action(@click='like()', v-if='!inbox && msg.likes', :class='{active: msg.likes[user._id]}')
+    h3.leader(
+      :class='userLevelStyle(msg)',
+      @click="showMemberModal(msg.uuid)",
+      v-b-tooltip.hover.top="tierTitle",
+      v-if="msg.user"
+    )
+      | {{msg.user}}
+      .svg-icon(v-html="tierIcon", v-if='showShowTierStyle')
+    p.time(v-b-tooltip="", :title="msg.timestamp | date")
+      span(v-if="msg.username") @{{ msg.username }} •
+      span {{ msg.timestamp | timeAgo }}
+    .text(v-html='atHighlight(parseMarkdown(msg.text))')
+    hr
+    .d-flex(v-if='msg.id')
+      .action.d-flex.align-items-center(v-if='!inbox', @click='copyAsTodo(msg)')
+        .svg-icon(v-html="icons.copy")
+        div {{$t('copyAsTodo')}}
+      .action.d-flex.align-items-center(v-if='!inbox && user.flags.communityGuidelinesAccepted && msg.uuid !== "system"', @click='report(msg)')
+        .svg-icon(v-html="icons.report")
+        div {{$t('report')}}
+        // @TODO make flagging/reporting work in the inbox. NOTE: it must work even if the communityGuidelines are not accepted and it MUST work for messages that you have SENT as well as received. -- Alys
+      .action.d-flex.align-items-center(v-if='msg.uuid === user._id || inbox || user.contributor.admin', @click='remove()')
+        .svg-icon(v-html="icons.delete")
+        | {{$t('delete')}}
+      .ml-auto.d-flex
+        .action.liked.d-flex.align-items-center(v-if='likeCount > 0')
+          .svg-icon(v-html="icons.liked")
+          | + {{ likeCount }}
+        .action.d-flex.align-items-center(@click='like()', v-if='!inbox && msg.likes', :class='{active: msg.likes[user._id]}')
           .svg-icon(v-html="icons.like")
           span(v-if='!msg.likes[user._id]') {{ $t('like') }}
           span(v-if='msg.likes[user._id]') {{ $t('liked') }}
-        span.action(v-if='!inbox', @click='copyAsTodo(msg)')
-          .svg-icon(v-html="icons.copy")
-          | {{$t('copyAsTodo')}}
-        span.action(v-if='!inbox && user.flags.communityGuidelinesAccepted && msg.uuid !== "system"', @click='report(msg)')
-          .svg-icon(v-html="icons.report")
-          | {{$t('report')}}
-          // @TODO make flagging/reporting work in the inbox. NOTE: it must work even if the communityGuidelines are not accepted and it MUST work for messages that you have SENT as well as received. -- Alys
-        span.action(v-if='msg.uuid === user._id || inbox || user.contributor.admin', @click='remove()')
-          .svg-icon(v-html="icons.delete")
-          | {{$t('delete')}}
-        span.action.float-right.liked(v-if='likeCount > 0')
-          .svg-icon(v-html="icons.liked")
-          | + {{ likeCount }}
 </template>
 
+<style lang="scss">
+  .at-highlight {
+    background-color: rgba(213, 200, 255, 0.32);
+    color: #6133b4;
+    padding: 0.1rem;
+  }
+</style>
+
 <style lang="scss" scoped>
   @import '~client/assets/scss/tiers.scss';
 
@@ -54,7 +66,14 @@ div
     color: red;
   }
 
+  hr {
+    margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
+    margin-top: 0.5rem;
+  }
+
   .card-body {
+    padding: 1rem 1rem 0.5rem 1rem;
+
     .leader {
       margin-bottom: 0;
     }
@@ -62,6 +81,7 @@ div
     h3 { // this is the user name
       cursor: pointer;
       display: inline-block;
+      font-size: 14px;
 
       .svg-icon {
         width: 10px;
@@ -73,7 +93,7 @@ div
     .time {
       font-size: 12px;
       color: #878190;
-      width: 150px;
+      margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
     }
 
     .text {
@@ -87,6 +107,7 @@ div
     display: inline-block;
     color: #878190;
     margin-right: 1em;
+    font-size: 12px;
   }
 
   .action:hover {
@@ -115,7 +136,7 @@ import moment from 'moment';
 import cloneDeep from 'lodash/cloneDeep';
 import escapeRegExp from 'lodash/escapeRegExp';
 
-import markdownDirective from 'client/directives/markdown';
+import habiticaMarkdown from 'habitica-markdown';
 import { mapState } from 'client/libs/store';
 import styleHelper from 'client/mixins/styleHelper';
 
@@ -161,9 +182,6 @@ export default {
       }),
     };
   },
-  directives: {
-    markdown: markdownDirective,
-  },
   filters: {
     timeAgo (value) {
       return moment(value).fromNow();
@@ -273,6 +291,14 @@ export default {
     showMemberModal (memberId) {
       this.$emit('show-member-modal', memberId);
     },
+    atHighlight (text) {
+      return text.replace(new RegExp(/@\w+\b/g), match => {
+        return `<span class="at-highlight">${match}</span>`;
+      });
+    },
+    parseMarkdown (text) {
+      return habiticaMarkdown.render(text);
+    },
   },
 };
 </script>
diff --git a/website/client/components/chat/chatMessages.vue b/website/client/components/chat/chatMessages.vue
index 22af3fdfd9..626b087c40 100644
--- a/website/client/components/chat/chatMessages.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/chat/chatMessages.vue
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
           v-if='msg.userStyles || (cachedProfileData[msg.uuid] && !cachedProfileData[msg.uuid].rejected)',
           :member="msg.userStyles || cachedProfileData[msg.uuid]",
           :avatarOnly="true",
+          :overrideTopPadding='"14px"',
           :hideClassBadge='true',
           @click.native="showMemberModal(msg.uuid)",
         )
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@
           :member="msg.userStyles || cachedProfileData[msg.uuid]",
           :avatarOnly="true",
           :hideClassBadge='true',
+          :overrideTopPadding='"14px"',
           @click.native="showMemberModal(msg.uuid)",
         )
 </template>
@@ -47,6 +49,10 @@
 <style lang="scss" scoped>
   @import '~client/assets/scss/colors.scss';
 
+  .avatar {
+    margin-left: -1.75rem;
+  }
+
   .hr {
     width: 100%;
     height: 20px;
@@ -71,6 +77,7 @@
 
   .card {
     margin-bottom: .5em;
+    padding: 0rem;
   }
 </style>
 
diff --git a/website/client/components/groups/chat.vue b/website/client/components/groups/chat.vue
index 9c89526fbf..f19ceeb517 100644
--- a/website/client/components/groups/chat.vue
+++ b/website/client/components/groups/chat.vue
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@
       width: 100%;
       background-color: $white;
       border: solid 1px $gray-400;
-      font-size: 16px;
       font-style: italic;
       line-height: 1.43;
       color: $gray-300;
diff --git a/website/server/models/message.js b/website/server/models/message.js
index 5e7089677c..68ced421ab 100644
--- a/website/server/models/message.js
+++ b/website/server/models/message.js
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ const defaultSchema = () => ({
   text: String,
 
   // sender properties
-  user: String, // profile name
+  user: String, // profile name (unfortunately)
+  username: String,
   contributor: {type: mongoose.Schema.Types.Mixed},
   backer: {type: mongoose.Schema.Types.Mixed},
   uuid: String, // sender uuid
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ export function messageDefaults (msg, user) {
       contributor: user.contributor && user.contributor.toObject(),
       backer: user.backer && user.backer.toObject(),
       user: user.profile.name,
+      username: user.auth.local.username,
     });
   } else {
     message.uuid = 'system';