What Does OP Mean in World of Warcraft?

"Overpowered"

• The first meaning of "OP" is "overpowered." "OP" is frequently used with this meaning during discussions concerning different classes and their abilities, both within the game's chat channels and on the game's forums. For example, another player may state that "hunters are OP" or "Army of the Dead is OP."

"Original Poster"

• When used within the game's forums, "OP" can also mean "original poster," referring to the person who created the first post in a specific forum thread. For example, a post within a forum thread discussing the merits of a specific weapon enchantment could say "I believe the OP is wrong when he states that this enchant is useless." This secondary use of "OP" may lead to some confusion if somebody uses this acronym in both its meanings within the same forum post. For example, somebody may state "I think OP is correct in saying that hunters are OP." In this case, you will have to base yourself on context to determine which meaning of "OP" is the intended one.

Related Terminology

• When dealing with "OP" in its first meaning of "overpowered," you may encounter related terms that are also used to discuss classes and their abilities, such as "nerf" and "buff." To nerf something means to decrease its power; players who believe a certain class or ability is overpowered will frequently call for a nerf. For example, a player may say "Army of the Dead is OP, it needs a nerf." "Buff," on the other hand, means the opposite of "nerf." Players may call for a buff when they believe a certain class or ability needs an improvement. For example, a player may say "hunters are OP and I can't beat them as a mage, my class needs a buff."

Considerations

• Using "OP" to mean "original poster" is harmless, although it may confuse some people. On the other hand, although "OP" in its meaning of "overpowered" can be an useful term to express your belief that a certain class or ability is too powerful, consider bringing examples and proof that what you are stating is indeed the case; simply claiming that a class or ability is "OP" may cause other players to dismiss your statements as "whining."