Nerf

If a patch lowers a weapon’s damage, lengthens a cooldown, weakens an item, or removes a strong interaction, players call the change a nerf. Developers use nerfs to reduce dominant strategies, improve variety, and preserve competitive fairness. The effect can be direct, such as lower health, or indirect, such as changing a map or counter that made a character effective. A nerf is the opposite of a buff. Players may also say something was “stealth nerfed” when they believe its power fell without a corresponding note, whether through an undocumented change or an unnoticed side effect.