diff --git a/common/locales/en/generic.json b/common/locales/en/generic.json
index 79b346fa49..5fc8d72b12 100644
--- a/common/locales/en/generic.json
+++ b/common/locales/en/generic.json
@@ -5,7 +5,19 @@
     "habitica": "Habitica",
     "expandToolbar": "Expand Toolbar",
     "collapseToolbar": "Collapse Toolbar",
-    "formattingMarkdown": "Markdown formatting allowed",
+    "markdownBlurb": "HabitRPG uses markdown for message formatting. See the <a href='http://habitrpg.wikia.com/wiki/Markdown_Cheat_Sheet' target='_blank'>Markdown Cheat Sheet</a> for more info.",
+    "showFormattingHelp": "Show formatting help",
+    "hideFormattingHelp": "Hide formatting help",
+    "youType": "You type:",
+    "youSee": "You see:",
+    "italics": "*Italics*",
+    "bold": "**Bold**",
+    "strikethrough": "~~Strikethrough~~",
+    "emojiExample": ":smile:",
+    "habitrpgIsGreat": "[HabitRPG is great!](http://habitrpg.com)",
+    "markdownImageExample": "![mandatory alt text](imageURL \"optional mouseover title\")",
+    "markdownImageCode": "![a](http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/habitrpg/images/9/96/Icon.png)",
+    "code": "`code`",
     "achievements": "Achievements",
     "modalAchievement": "Achievement!",
     "special": "Special",
diff --git a/website/public/css/game-pane.styl b/website/public/css/game-pane.styl
index 5f7216fff9..1079176186 100644
--- a/website/public/css/game-pane.styl
+++ b/website/public/css/game-pane.styl
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@
 .chat-controls
   > div
     display: inline-block
-    vertical-align: middle
+    vertical-align: top
     &:nth-of-type(1)
-      width: 40%
+      width: 50%
     &:nth-of-type(2)
-      width: 60%
+      width: 50%
 
 .chat-buttons
   @extend $hrpg-button
diff --git a/website/views/shared/formatting-help.jade b/website/views/shared/formatting-help.jade
index 80ef0633df..e7874afe92 100644
--- a/website/views/shared/formatting-help.jade
+++ b/website/views/shared/formatting-help.jade
@@ -1,2 +1,41 @@
-small
-  a(target='_blank', href='http://habitrpg.wikia.com/wiki/Markdown_Cheat_Sheet')=env.t('formattingMarkdown')
\ No newline at end of file
+small(ng-init='showHelp = false')
+  // a(target='_blank', href='http://habitrpg.wikia.com/wiki/Markdown_Cheat_Sheet')=env.t('formattingMarkdown')
+  a(ng-click='showHelp = !showHelp', ng-show='!showHelp')
+    =env.t('showFormattingHelp')
+  a(ng-click='showHelp = !showHelp', ng-show='showHelp')
+    =env.t('hideFormattingHelp')
+div(ng-show='showHelp')
+  br
+  p!=env.t('markdownBlurb')
+  table.table.table-striped
+    tr.info
+      td #[b=env.t('youType')]
+      td #[b=env.t('youSee')]
+    tr
+      td!=env.t('italics')
+      td
+        markdown(text="env.t('italics')")
+    tr
+      td!=env.t('bold')
+      td
+        markdown(text="env.t('bold')")
+    tr
+      td!=env.t('strikethrough')
+      td
+        markdown(text="env.t('strikethrough')")
+    tr
+      td!=env.t('emojiExample')
+      td
+        markdown(text="env.t('emojiExample')")
+    tr
+      td!=env.t('habitrpgIsGreat')
+      td
+        markdown(text="env.t('habitrpgIsGreat')")
+    //tr
+      td!=env.t('markdownImageExample')
+      td
+        markdown(text="env.t('markdownImageCode')")
+    tr
+      td!=env.t('code')
+      td
+        markdown(text="env.t('code')")
diff --git a/website/views/shared/modals/members.jade b/website/views/shared/modals/members.jade
index 28b8f7952b..d48dc03616 100644
--- a/website/views/shared/modals/members.jade
+++ b/website/views/shared/modals/members.jade
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ script(type='text/ng-template', id='modals/private-message.html')
     h4=env.t('pmHeading', {name: "{{profile.profile.name}}"})
   .modal-body
     textarea.form-control(type='text',rows='5',ui-keydown='{"meta-enter":"sendPrivateMessage(profile._id, _message)"}',placeholder=env.t('needsTextPlaceholder'),ng-model='_message', focus-me)
+    include ../formatting-help
   .modal-footer
     //- Due to a quirk in Bootstrap UI, we need to wrap this so the tooltip can
     //- appear when the button is disabled.