L2vsthe long game: a magazine about online role-playing games

An independent magazine about online role-playing games. We publish no server announcements or ratings, run no ads and sell nothing; we are not connected with the former site on this domain.

Glossary

Game terms

Online role-playing worlds quickly develop a language of their own: short words for roles, events and everyday activities. To a newcomer it can sound like code, even though most terms stand for simple ideas. We've gathered the most common terms about characters, clans and the economy and explained them without jargon, so general chat stops feeling like a puzzle.

Learning a world's language gets you halfway to feeling at home in it. The rest comes with your first evenings together.

— From the editors

How this section works: it's a dictionary of general terms found across different online role-playing games. In specific worlds the words may sound different or mean something slightly different, so if in doubt, ask in your game's chat or check its help pages.

Character

Class
The set of skills and abilities you choose when creating a character. Your class determines how you fight and how you are useful to a group.
Role
A character's job on the team: protecting, healing, dealing damage or supporting allies. Sometimes one class can fill several roles.
Leveling
A character's development: growth in level, skills and gear. In the long game, direction matters more than speed.
Gear
Everything your character wears or holds: weapons, armor, jewelry. It's chosen to suit your role and gradually improved.
Durability
How much wear an item can take. When durability runs out, the item stops working properly and needs repair.
Alt (second character)
An extra hero on the same account. It lets you try another role or craft but takes time away from your main.

Clan

Clan
A lasting community of players with a shared name, house rules and goals. In some games this kind of group is called a guild.
Alliance
A union of several clans that go into battle together and share holdings.
Clan leader
The player responsible for the community: accepting members, assigning permissions and speaking for the clan with others.
Treasury
The clan's shared pool of money and items. It pays for buildings, upkeep of holdings and preparation for battles.
Siege
A mass battle for a fortress or castle on a schedule known in advance. It usually involves many players on both sides.
Recruitment
Bringing new members into a clan. Good recruitment starts with a conversation about house rules, not with level requirements.

Economy

In-game currency
Money inside the world, used to buy items, repairs and other players' services. The rules usually forbid selling it for real money.
Crafting
Making items from gathered materials. Crafters supply the world with gear and consumables.
Consumables
Items used up on use: potions, scrolls, arrows. They take a noticeable share of your budget in the long game.
Auction house
An in-game marketplace where players list items for sale and buy other players' items. Prices there come from supply and demand.
Inflation
The gradual rise in prices of everything in the game when players have more money than ways to spend it.
Tax
A fee the game charges for trading, repairs or ownership. Taxes pull excess money out of circulation and keep inflation in check.
  • Mechanics

    How experience, gear wear, crafting, markets, clan holdings and seasonal events work, and how to avoid burning out on the game too soon.

  • Guides

    Guides to the key crossroads of the long game: role, clan, budget, big battles, returning after a break and account protection. Plus our article catalogue.

  • FAQ

    Answers about the magazine, clan life, game fatigue, sharing accounts, phishing and the risks of unofficial servers.

  • Worlds

    A catalogue of online world types (classic, seasonal, clan-driven, trade-focused and peaceful) and the questions that help you pick yours.

What we draw on

  • Terms of service and rules of online games (in general terms)
  • Editorial materials of L2vs

We write about the general principles of life in online role-playing worlds. Every game has its own rules, menus and mechanics, and they often change with updates, so check the exact wording against your game's terms of service and help pages.