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A player in default clothes, often the stereotype of a noob.
Noob, Newb, Nub or newbie are terms used amongst RuneScape players and much of the gaming communities in general. Both "noob" and "newb" are used to refer to a new player, especially one with a low combat level, though "newb" may be the preferred spelling in this case.
However, in practice, it is more commonly used as a mild pejorative in RuneScape. It is probably one of the most commonly-used and recognised terms in the game. It is popular, perhaps, because players cannot be reported for using it in this way[1] unless it is done to such a degree that it constitutes spamming, which would have to be sufficient "to render the chat window useless". This is in violation of the Jagex Code of Conduct, and may result in temporary mutes or other punishments.
In May 2009, various news sources reported that "noob" was a candidate to be the one millionth word in the English language, which was expected on 10 June[2]. At that time, unofficial definitions of the word included "a derogatory name for someone new to a particular task or community"[3]. However, "noob" ultimately entered the language officially as the 999,998th word, with the millionth being Web 2.0 on 10 June.
Variants
There are many variations to the generally accepted words "noob", "noobie", "newb", and "newbie". These include "narb", "newblet", "nooblet", "nub", "nubcaik", "noobcaek", "nublet", "froob", "choob", "nubsauce" and numerous others. Any of these terms may also be written in leet, such as "n00b" or "n008".
A "froob" is a term for someone who has never left Lumbridge, although players themselves normally use this term as an insult towards those unfamiliar with members worlds. "Choob" usually means an inexperienced high level player or a high level that acts like a noob, but can be used to describe a J-Mod's noob account.
Usage
"Noob" is used by many people simply as an insult regardless of the context, as it is an insult which is not a reportable offence. Even a player of a much lower level may still call another player "noob" for being annoying to them, or for doing something that an experienced player, in their opinion, should know better than to do.
The name "noob" can be effectively ignored because the other player, who may be inexperienced, may just be disgruntled, and is venting their frustration for multiple reasons. Some players who say the word "noob" sometimes log out of RuneScape straight after saying it, to avoid a comeback or any other type of reaction.
Whilst many players use "noob" to describe a new (usually low-level) player, this is not the only meaning. The word "noob" is also used to describe someone who begs or sabotages something (sometimes unintentionally), such as destroying barricades in Castle Wars or placing them in inconvenient locations, or killing brawlers in Pest Control that are blocking other pests, or setting up a Dwarf Multicannon so it will kill enemies for the player. The reasons behind this are typically a lack of knowledge of the game or the rules of the game, meaning that level does not necessarily come into it, though some people do this on purpose simply to annoy members of the opposing team. It may also be used to describe someone who simply acts stupidly, regardless of his or her experience. It can also refer to a player who has been playing for a while but because of some blunder can not become skilled at the game.
As the word "noob" is used so often, over time, it tends to lose its meaning and its offensiveness.
A "newb" usually refers to a new player, and is also a shorter version for "newbie". It is sometimes used as an insult, and therefore loses its meaning for what it truly is. Some players even call themselves newbs (or noobs) because they need assistance.
Friends will sometimes use the word "noob" or "newb" to poke fun at each other, it is not intended to be harmful in that situation.
Another usage for the word "noob" would be in the phrase "noob account", which describes a player's secondary account, usually with lower skills and combat level.
Usage in player killing
"Noob" is very commonly used to express frustration or annoyance against others whilst player killing, usually in the Duel Arena, Fist of Guthix, Clan Wars, and practically any other player versus player(PVP) activity. Almost anything that you do whilst player-killing will cause someone at some time to refer to you as a "noob". Some things the combatant can do which may incite the word "noob" include:
- Having a high Defence level: "Defence noob" or "def noob"
- Having a high Attack level: "Attack noob" or "att noob"
- Having a high Strength level: "Strength noob" or "str noob"
- Having a high Ranged level: "Range noob" or "archer nub"
- Having a high Magic level: "Magic noob" or "Mage Noob"
- Having a high dungeonering level: "Dung noob" or "leeching noob"
- Activating a protection Prayer: "Prayer noob", "pray noob" or "Prayer Coward
- Eating food when they have more than half their maximum Life Points: "Safer (noob)".
- Eating any food at all, especially in Clan Wars: "food noob", "eater (noob)", "foodie" or "foob".
- Using potions in Clan Wars: "potter (noob)", "pot noob" or "l 2 pot (love to potion)".
- Attacking a player without asking: "rusher (noob)"
- Attacking a weakened player: "pjer (pile jumping or player jumping) noob"
- Switching between bow and scimitar/2h: "scimmy noob"or "speed noob"
- Teaming up on the player: "Piler Noobs" (group)
- Tanking when piled/low on Life Points: "Tanker noob"
- Refusal to fight or running from combat: "scared noob" "coward noob" or "running/runner noob" or runner (noob), respectively
- Whining: "noob", "crycrycrynoob" or "cry moar noob"
- Killing a low levelled player or sometimes a player regardless of level: "noob pker" or "l2pknoob"
- Not familiar with Members worlds: "fr00b"
- A high level acting as a "noob" is a "choob"
- Running without using the tele-orb or going to the fist in Fist of Guthix: "Running noob/runner noob"
- Using spells that freeze (aka farcasting): "Fc noob" "Farcast nerd" "Fight properly noob"
Advantages
- Newly made accounts can visit the Wilderness without getting harmed by a large majority of player killers. This is excluded if they enter the deeper levels of the wilderness. They can still be attacked by the monsters in the Wilderness.
References in the game
NOOB engraved in the God Wars Dungeon before the graphical update.
Jagex seems to have realised that noob is such a commonly used word, and they use it themselves sometimes. For example, in the God Wars Dungeon, the word "noob" is carved into the floor beneath a frozen body. "NOOB" is also an acronym for the New Order Occult Bookists. It is also used in QuickChat (although the spelling is newb), when a player presses the shortcut keys GPD4 — usually when told to by another player, will return "I'm a newb" as the chat message.
Several times, a non-player character will use the word as a joke. Indeed, "noob" is such a common word that it is seen as one of the most common words used on RuneScape.
References
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