In video games, astatus effect—also called astatus condition orstatus ailment[1][2]—is a temporary modification to acharacter’sattributes,abilities, or conditions. Status effects are a prominent feature in manymassively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), where they are commonly referred to asbuffs (which provide positive enhancements to attributes like damage, defense, or speed) anddebuffs (which impose negative conditions such as reduced damage, immobilization, ordamage-over-time).
In MMORPGs, these mechanics play a central role in combat and progression systems, shaping player strategy, group coordination, andclass roles.
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The concept of status effects originates fromtabletop role-playing games. ThePlayer's Handbook for the first editionAdvanced Dungeons & Dragons released in 1978 declares that certain spells a player character can cast have "effects" in addition to their range and duration.[3]
The terms "buff" and "debuff" were first used in the 1999 MMORPGEverquest and have been further popularized by Blizzard's 2004 MMORPGWorld of Warcraft.[4]
Status effects have since been featured in a variety of RPGs and become a regularcore mechanic in video game series likeFinal Fantasy,Shin Megami Tensei, andPokémon.[5][6][7]
While implementations vary across gaming genres, a status effect is typically a temporary effect resulting from an in-game event or action, often ending after a set duration or once a specific condition is met.
Status effects, especially buffs, may be applied as a result of one character performing a type of action on another.[8] Players may also acquire status effects by consumingitems, defeating enemies, interacting with the game world orNPCs, or remaining in a particular location.[9][10] Some games offer permanent status effects which persist for an entire level and act as modifications to the game's nativedifficulty.[citation needed]
The process of removing a status effect varies. Some status effects expire after a certain amount of time has elapsed or can be removed with items capable of healing specific status effects, or rarer items which can heal all of them. Many games also include magic spells that can eliminate status effects.
Many games in theFinal Fantasy series include items and spells that remove status effects. Common examples areAntidotes, which cure poison;Smelling Salts, which cure sleep; andRemedies, which cure multiple conditions. The recurring spellEsuna is typically available tohealer-oriented characters or asmateria inFinal Fantasy VII, and removes most negative status effects from the target.[11][12][13]
Status effects are often removed at the end of a battle or once the originating enemy is defeated, however some may persist until they are explicitly cured. Games which allow players to rest may remove some status effects when that action is taken. If a game has multiple classes, one will often be a class capable of healing, who will have a greater ability to remove negative status effects than other classes.
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In addition, many games have weapons,armour, or other equipment that can mitigate status effects or prevent a character from getting one in the first place. Depending on the game, some increase the chance to escape suffering the effect each time the player may potentially receive it, while others grant complete immunity. However, sometimes the equipment that is resisting an effect, will in exchange, as a penalty, increase vulnerability against a different effect, offering the player the opportunity to make tactical choices.