Glossary

Some terms used by the Vermintide community may be confusing for new players. Here is a list with definitions to help you understand what your teammates are saying. This list is by no means exhaustive and will be expanded as needed.

2 and 2

 * "Two and two" refers to splitting up the party into two groups of two, typically so that each pair of players is responsible for slaying rats at one end of a tunnel or corridor. Calling for this arrangement explicitly when a horde is incoming avoids having players inefficiently "bounce" back and forth between defending both sides.

Adds

 * Shorthand for "additional enemies". Refers to the game throwing a moderate amount of additional standard enemies at you.

Aggro

 * The attention of an enemy. If you "have aggro" then the enemy is attacking you. To "aggro" an enemy means to get the attention of a passive enemy, who then comes to attack you.

Ambush

 * Preceded by quiet muttering/whispering, an ambush is a sudden attack by a moderate number of standard enemies. C.f. "adds" and "horde".

AoE
"Area of Effect", a term used for describing attacks which do damage over a large area.

Assassin

 * Another name for the Gutter Runner.

Bright Wizard, BW

 * Alternate names for Sienna.

Carry

 * To carry is to be responsible for most of the progress and success in a given mission. To be carried refers to making minimal contributions to the team's progress. An extreme example of carrying occurs when one player single-handedly completes the mission while the others look on from the afterlife (see "clutch").

Clutch

 * To clutch is to perform admirably in the face of long odds, normally when you're the last player standing on your team. Similarly, making a very challenging ranged kill (e.g headshotting a packmaster dragging a comrade in the distance) can be described as making a "clutch shot". For tips and advice on how to clutch, see "The Art of the Clutch".

Dodge-Dancing

 * Combining continuous attacks with periodic dodges to kill rats while avoiding their strikes. See Dodge-dancing for more detailed discussion the Vermintide Long Guide.

Duo

 * Duo refers to playing the game with only one teammate, having killed off two bots at the start of the game either with friendly fire or by using a mod. Duo runs both require and cultivate very close cooperation as well as exceptional individual skills as the two of you will need to handle rats & specials meant for four.

Dwarf

 * An alternate name for Bardin

Effective Dodge Count

 * The number of times you can dodge, consecutively, before the distance of your dodges begin to decrease. This number, as well as your dodge distance, is determined by your hero, career, talents, and equipped weapon.

Elf

 * Another name for Kerillian.

Event

 * An event is a scripted portion of a game level with specific objectives (such as carrying explosive barrels to a target) and often a specific sequence of enemies (such as a horde and then a rat ogre). In referring to maps and strategies, "event" is used as shorthand as in "at the first event, let's not use your strength potion so that we still have it if we get the boss afterwards".

Full Book, Full Book Run

 * A full book run is when a team has the shared objective of collecting all the available tomes and grimoires on a given map. While full book runs increase the quality of loot at the mission's end they are also substantially more challenging than run without tomes or grimoires because not only will the grimoires reduce everyone's maximum health, but carrying the books will prevent the heroes from carrying as much health and strength/speed potions in reserve for difficult circumstances. When working your way up the difficulty ladder full book runs can be used as "intermediate" steps between levels. For instance, being able to beat Righteous Stand on Champion won't adequately prepare you for the level on Lord, but being able to beat it consistently on a full book run means you're significantly closer to your goal.

Finale

 * The last battle of a map, or the event that spawns the last hordes / ogre.

Gasrat

 * Another name for the Poisoned-Wind Globadier.

Green Circles

 * The top scores on the end-of-map scoreboard.

Greenies

 * Another name for Plague Monks.

Grim

 * Shorthand for the Grimoire, an optional mission item that increases the quality of loot if you win but reduces your team's maximum health and occupies the potion slot in your inventory.

Health Pot

 * Another name for the Healing Draughts.

Hookrat

 * Another name for the Packmaster.

Horde

 * A sudden attack from a high number of basic enemies. The AI Game Director periodically throws hordes at the players. C.f. "adds" and "ambush".

Kiting

 * Kiting refers to using constant movement in one direction to both avoid being surrounded by rats and to "collect" most of your enemies in a dense mass behind you. Kiting, especially along a circular route, can allow one player to successfully defend themselves against (and eventually overcome) virtually any amount of enemies and is therefore an essential combat tactic for those attempting true solo missions or trying to clutch for their team.

Leecher

 * Another name for the Chaos Lifeleecher.

Naked

 * A "Naked" boss or monster is one that is not accompanied by a horde.

Pinky

 * A Skaven Slave, usually referring to the ones that sneak up and stab you when you think you're safe. This can also refer to other infantry-level enemies that attack you from behind while alone.

Pushing

 * When coordinating a team, "pushing" refers to relentlessly advancing towards a destination without allowing yourself to be distracted by stopping to fight enemies or by grabbing resources. When a team is "pushing" any player that fails to prioritize movement is at risk of being left behind. The goal of pushing is normally to maximize progress in between moments where the team is absolutely forced to defend itself. Pushing can also be used to coordinate a team relocation to a more tactically sound position when confronted with a dangerous situation. For example: "Stormer, Troll and Assassin! Let's push hard along the fence and hold up in the house".

Pushing can also refer to the basic combat mechanic of "bashing" the rats around by first blocking and then hitting your attack button as a means to stagger enemies.

Pulling

 * Pulling refers to deliberately drawing the aggro of enemies that haven't noticed the players' presence, yet. This can be done either by advancing towards them and then falling back or by firing a ranged weapon at them. The goal of pulling is typically to draw the enemies towards a stronger tactical position rather than fight them in what may be a poor tactical position.

Randal

 * An alternate name for Ranald

Ranger

 * An alternate name for Bardin

Rez, Revive

 * Both terms refer to approaching a downed teammate and then activating your "use" key to bring them back into the game. Also see block revive.
 * Also used to describe freeing a dead teammate.

R O U N D B O Y S

 * Explosive Bombs.

Soldier

 * An alternate name for Kruber.

Soloing

 * Soloing refers most commonly to playing Vermintide by yourself with three bot teammates. It is occasionally also used to describe playing by yourself without any teammates at all, but for this the term "true soloing" is preferred for clarity.

Speedrunning

 * Speedrunning refers to attempting to complete a mission in the least time possible. Enemies are simply avoided and left behind, and heroes, weapons, and talents are normally selected so as to maximize mobility.

Strat

 * Shorthand for "strategy", here being used to refer to a general plan for surviving a section of a mission or accomplishing an objective. A player might say "Shall we use the door ?" on Righteous Stand to refer to holding out against the hordes by positioning the team in front of the door you came in.

True soloing

 * Playing Vermintide by yourself (with no teammates or bots) by starting a mission and then immediately killing off your bots. On difficulties with friendly fire this can be achieved with via friendly-fire. To true-solo without friendly fire you'll need to install a mod that provides a command you can enter in the chat box that will instantly kill all of your bots.

WH

 * Shorthand for Witch Hunter, itself an alternate name for Saltzpyre in Vermintide 1.

Witch

 * An alternate name for Sienna.

Wounds

 * When a player is dropped they earn one Wound. Healing removes all Wounds.

WW

 * Shorthand for Waywatcher, itself an alternate name for Kerillian in Vermintide 1.