A Gaming Glossary: B – The Minmax Papers

backfill	(team shooters, esp. Overwatch) To join a match already in progress as a replacement for a team member who has left that match. >> I backfilled into that match just in time to see the other team win. :/ The term “backfill” is closely associated with Overwatch, but many other games—not all of them team shooters—have some version of backfilling function in their matchmaking.
backup strats	Strats used when another (usually riskier or more challenging) strat fails. >> She missed the quick kill on that boss, but she executed the backup strat perfectly, so the time loss wasn’t too bad. Formulating and practicing backup strats is, for many speedrunners, an important part of preparing for races and marathons.
backwards long jump	A movement technique in Super Mario 64 that involves long-jumping repeatedly in a way that propels Mario backwards at extremely high speeds. This trick is an essential feature of several categories of SM64 speedrunning. >> After finishing his 70-Star run, Bubzia stunned the audience by performing a BLJ blindfolded.
beep strats	Strats specific to low health. In many classic games (for instance, Zelda 2) a persistent warning “beep” sound is played when the player is on low health. Beep strats can take on a special importance in games where damage boosting is an important part of play. >> The new Zelda 2 route relies a lot on beep strats. There just isn’t time to refill your health.
BLJ	see backwards long jump
bloodport	(MMOs, esp. Final Fantasy XI) To teleport back to one’s respawn point by taking a death. A player might bloodport by, for instance, aggroing a high-level mob and waiting to get killed. Outside of MMOs, bloodporting is more often known as a death warp.
buff	from “buff” (adj.) meaning “muscular; in great shape” 1) (v.) To temporarily make (a character) more powerful, as by casting a spell or using a consumable item. This sense of buff is the opposite of debuff. In MUDs and some older MMOs, the act of buffing someone with spells is known as a spellup. >> Let’s make sure we’re all buffed before pulling the boss. (n.) A temporary enhancement effect. >> That food gives a huge buff to stamina. 2) To increase the power of a character, ability, or item when updating a game. This sense of buff is the opposite of nerf. >> Instead of nerfing the other healer classes, why don’t the devs just buff White Mage?