buff
verb
to improve a weapon, ability, etc. in a video game
What does buff mean?
To buff something (such as a weapon or ability) in a video game is to improve or enhance it, to make it better, more effective, more powerful, etc. One can also buff another character, or multiple characters. In some role-playing games, for example, a magician can buff one’s entire party with a spell protecting them from certain forms of enemy attack. Buff is also uses as a noun to refer to something, such as a spell or item, that results in such improvements.
Examples of buff
Like previous Monster Hunter games, cooking is a big part of survival with DIY meals able to replenish your health and buff your stats.
—Ali Shutler, 17 Mar. 2025
“Cheer” is also a nice callback to one of Tidus’s best abilities in FF10. While in battle, it buffs the strength and physical damage resistance of all active party members, up to a stack of five.
—Below is a list of every single buff Mosslax can give you, determined by the flavour of the food you give them.
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Where does buff come from?
The gaming uses of buff appear to be extensions of the existing verb buff meaning “to polish or shine” (representing improvement) as well as the adjective buff (or buffed) meaning “having a physique enhanced by bodybuilding exercises” (representing enhanced strength). These and other uses of buff trace back to the Old Italian word bufalo, meaning “wild ox.”
How is buff used?
The verb use of buff is the antonym of the gaming sense of nerf meaning “to reduce the effectiveness of (something, such as a character, attribute, or weapon) in a video game.”
There is also debuff (both noun and verb), used for actions and items, etc., that negate buffs.
This Fire Nihility character is all about debuffing enemies and dealing continuous damage over time (DoT). … Jiaoqiu’s lower damage output means he plays the role of a Debuff Support better than a DPS. You’ll want to use him with characters that can best take advantage of his debuffs, such as a Nihility DPS or general DoT-based teams.
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