Dungeons & Dragons: Slang Terms And Acronyms, Explained (2024)

is accessible these days. With online resources, tools, and a huge community, it's easier than ever to find games, ask questions, and learn how to play. Still, veteran players sometimes throw around acronyms, slang terms, and RPG-specific vocabulary like they're common knowledge.

Newer players (especially shy ones) tend to nod and play along, hoping to figure out the meaning of these words later, and that's why we've compiled a list of D&D terms, acronyms, and slang. Each one is explained and demystified for players who are new to the hobby. No more nodding and smiling politely; for now, you are armed with a full set of D&D vocabulary!

Acronyms For Dungeons & Dragons

D&D is a roleplaying game (RPG) where player characters (PCs) want to avoid total party kills (TPKs). So, the first one is an abbreviation and not technically an acronym. Nonetheless, the sentence proves a point - D&D shortens and abbreviates many commonly used terms and phrases.

The following list is not exhaustive, but it covers most acronyms you'll hear at a D&D session:

RPG-Specific Terms For Dungeons & Dragons

Acronyms might be the most impenetrable part of D&D jargon, but many terms can be confusing. Some of these words also describe mechanics and gameplay elements from RPG video games, where knowledge of game systems is less important for the player.

Understanding the following D&D terminology can also help you get a deeper experience with RPG video games!

• Action Economy: Action economy refers to everything you can do on your turn: action, bonus action, movement, reaction, and object interaction.
• Buff: A buff is a positive enhancement to a character's stats or abilities through spells, class features, or magic items.
• Cheese: Exploiting loopholes in the game mechanics to your advantage is called cheesing. Depending on the table, cheesing might be frowned upon. (See the difference between RAW and RAI in the above section.)
• Crit: A critical hit results from an attack roll where the player rolls a natural 20. It's often abbreviated to "crit".
• Dead Level: Level increases where the player gains no new class features are called dead levels.

• Debuff: A debuff is the opposite of a buff. Enemy casters might cast debuff spells against the party at the start of combat.
• Dirty 20: When a roll reaches the number 20 only by adding ability score modifiers or other bonuses.
• Disadvantage: Disadvantage is a gameplay mechanic in which players roll two dice and use the lower number.
• Dump Stat: A dump stat is an ability score that's not important to your character. Intelligence is often a dump stat for Barbarians and Fighters, for example.
• Encounter: An encounter is a situation that the party must expend time and resources to resolve. Combat encounters are the most obvious, but D&D features many kinds of encounters.
• Fudge: If the DM fudges a roll, it means they deliberately misrepresent the number they rolled. This is often done to spare the party from consequences that could end or disrupt the adventure.
• Glass Cannon: A glass cannon is a character that does massive damage but shatters when hit. Warlocks, Sorcerors, and Wizards often make glass cannons.

• Homebrew: Homebrew refers to content made by enthusiastic amateurs and not officially licensed products.
• House Rule: A house rule is a rule that is not in the official rules but that the DM has decided to implement.
• Macguffin: A macguffin is an object (often magical) that propels the plot along or can resolve some pressing issue. Tolkien's One Ring and the Horcruxes in Harry Potter are examples of macguffins.
• Meta Gaming: Metagaming refers to using personal, real-world knowledge to make in-game decisions. In D&D, your character should act according to what they know. Your OoC knowledge is immaterial.
• Modifier: A modifier is the number you add to a roll when you do something related to that ability score. It can be positive or negative. For example, a Fighter might get a bonus for Strength but a penalty for Intelligence.
• Murder Hobo: Murder hobo is a slang term for a player who wanders the game world, killing and looting indiscriminately. Typically, DMs don't appreciate this style of play.

• Nat 20: A natural 20 is when a player scores 20 without adding any modifiers. Natural 20's are an automatic success for Attack Rolls.
• Nerf: When game designers reduce the power of an overpowered item, class, or feature, they use the term "nerf".
• Power Gaming: Power gaming refers to a play style focused on optimizing a character's power and effectiveness, sometimes at the expense of things like roleplay and storytelling.
• Rules Lawyer: A rules lawyer is a player with detailed knowledge of the rules who's willing to make their case for how things should work.
• Tank: A tank is a character designed to soak up damage in melee combat, usually to protect the more vulnerable members of the party.
• Vanilla: If something is described as vanilla, it means it's unchanged from how it was originally published.