📖 Glossary & Terminology
Master the language of World War Z: Aftermath
💡 Most Common Terms
Pyramid - Zombie climbing formation | Zeke - Regular zombie | FF - Friendly Fire | Wipe - Team death | Kite - Lead zombies while moving | Proc - Trigger a perk effect
A
Adds
Also: Add waves, Additional enemies
Additional zombies that spawn during boss fights or defense sections. Usually refers to regular zombies that appear alongside special objectives.
Example: "Focus the boss, I'll handle the adds."
Combat
AoE
Area of Effect
Attacks or abilities that damage multiple enemies in an area. Includes explosives, fire patches, and gas clouds.
Example: "Use AoE on that pyramid!"
Combat
Aggro
Drawing enemy attention or having zombies focus on you. Certain perks increase or decrease aggro generation.
Example: "Vanguard, take aggro while we reload."
Combat
B
Bull
Special zombie in riot gear that charges at players. Can instantly down teammates if not stopped.
Special Zombie
Blue Coins
Also: Supplies, Blue currency
Currency earned from completing missions. Used to upgrade weapons and unlock cosmetics. Icon is blue with a supplies symbol.
Currency
Breach
When zombies break through defenses or when players use breaching charges to open new paths.
Example: "They breached the left side!"
Combat
Bomber
Special zombie with C4 strapped to chest. Explodes on death if shot in body. Headshots only!
Special Zombie
C
CC
Crowd Control
Abilities or weapons that control large groups of zombies. Includes stuns, slows, fire patches, and explosives.
Combat
Cascade
When one bad event triggers multiple problems. Usually refers to a Screamer calling a swarm that overwhelms the team.
Example: "That Screamer caused a total cascade."
Combat
Choke Point
Also: Choke, Funnel
Narrow passage that forces zombies into a concentrated area. Ideal defensive positions.
Strategy
Clutch
Saving a failing situation through exceptional play, often when most teammates are down.
Example: "Nice clutch with that masking grenade!"
General
Crossplay
Playing with users on different platforms (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch). Enabled by default.
Multiplayer
D
DPS
Damage Per Second
1. The amount of damage dealt over time. 2. Classes focused on dealing damage (Gunslinger, Hellraiser).
Combat
Defense Kit
Deployable equipment found in levels including auto-turrets, mortars, electric grids, and barbed wire.
Equipment
DoT
Damage over Time
Continuous damage effects like fire, poison, or gas that hurt over several seconds.
Combat
Dronemaster
Also: DM, Drone
Support class that deploys an autonomous drone for assistance. Added in Aftermath expansion.
Class
E
Extreme
Highest standard difficulty in the game. Features 50% friendly fire, no player outlines, and maximum zombie spawns.
Difficulty
Electric Grid
Also: Electric fence, Grid
Defense kit that electrocutes climbing zombies. Extremely effective at stopping pyramids.
Equipment
Exterminator
Also: Ext, Fire class
Crowd control class specializing in fire damage through molotov cocktails.
Class
F
FF
Friendly Fire
Damage dealt to teammates. Percentage increases with difficulty. Explosives always deal full FF damage.
Example: "Watch the FF with that RPG!"
Combat
Fixer
Support class specializing in ammo supply and equipment distribution.
Class
Funnel
Strategy of forcing zombies through a narrow path for easier elimination.
Strategy
G
Gasbag
Special zombie that explodes into toxic gas when killed with body shots or explosives. Only headshots are safe.
Special Zombie
GS
Gunslinger
DPS class specializing in accurate shooting and ammo efficiency.
Class
H
Heavy Weapon
Also: Heavy
Powerful weapons with limited ammo including RPG, MGL, Heavy Assault Shotgun, and Payload Rifle.
Weapon
Hellraiser
Also: HR
Explosive specialist class using C4 charges for massive area damage.
Class
Horde Mode XL
Endless survival mode added in Aftermath. Fight increasingly difficult waves for high scores.
Game Mode
I
Infector
Special zombie that spits green projectiles causing virus infection. Infected players turn into zombies after 60 seconds without healing.
Special Zombie
Insane
Second-highest difficulty. Features 25% friendly fire and significantly more special zombie spawns.
Difficulty
K
Kite
Also: Kiting, Train
Leading zombies while moving backward and shooting. Key survival technique for maintaining distance.
Example: "Kite them around the room while we reload."
Strategy
L
Lurker
Stealth special zombie that pounces on isolated players. Makes growling sounds before attacking.
Special Zombie
LFG
Looking For Group
Player searching for teammates to play with.
Multiplayer
M
Masking
Also: Masking gas, Mask
Effect that makes players invisible to zombies. Provided by Fixer's masking grenades and some perks.
Ability
Medic
Support class focused on healing and keeping the team alive with stim pistols.
Class
Meta
Most effective tactics available. The current best strategies, weapons, or class builds.
General
Mutator
Special modifiers in Challenge Mode that change gameplay rules like "Six Skulls" or "Iron Man".
Game Mode
P
Pyramid
Also: Zombie pyramid, Tower
Formation where zombies climb on each other to reach elevated positions. Shoot the base to collapse.
Example: "Pyramid forming on the left wall!"
Combat
Prestige
Resetting a max-level class to level 1 in exchange for permanent red perks. Can prestige up to 9 times per class.
Progression
Pin/Pinned
When a player is grabbed by zombies or pounced by a Lurker, requiring teammate assistance.
Combat
Proc
Triggering a perk or ability effect. From "programmed random occurrence."
Example: "That headshot procced my ammo refund."
General
R
Red Perks
Permanent passive bonuses unlocked through prestige. Located in columns 1, 5, 9, and 13 of the skill grid.
Progression
Revive
Also: Res, Rez
Helping a downed teammate back up. Takes 3 seconds base, faster with certain perks.
Combat
Rats
Environmental hazard in Aftermath campaigns. Swarms of rats that damage players standing in them.
Enemy
S
Screamer
Special zombie that calls additional swarms if not killed quickly. ALWAYS highest priority target.
Special Zombie
Slasher
Melee tank class with stun gun. Specializes in close combat and crowd control.
Class
Swarm
Large wave of zombies, usually triggered by events or Screamers. The game's signature massive zombie hordes.
Combat
Special
Also: Special infected, Special zombie
Elite zombie types with unique abilities: Bull, Screamer, Gasbag, Lurker, Infector, Bomber.
Enemy
Spawn
1. Where enemies appear. 2. Where players respawn after death. 3. To appear/generate in the game.
General
Stim
Also: Stim pistol, Stim shot
Medic's healing ability that grants instant health and temporary health.
Ability
T
Tank
1. Role that absorbs damage for the team (Vanguard, Slasher). 2. To endure enemy attacks.
Role
Temp Health
Also: Temporary health, White health
Temporary health bar (shown in white) that depletes over time. Granted by various perks and medkits.
Combat
Tier
Weapon upgrade level from 1 to 5. Higher tiers have better stats and perks.
Weapon
V
Vanguard
Tank class with electrified riot shield. Added in Aftermath expansion.
Class
Virus Sample
Collectible currency found in missions used to unlock weapon variants and perks.
Currency
W
Wipe
Also: Team wipe
When the entire team dies and must restart from checkpoint.
Example: "That Bull charge caused a wipe."
Combat
Y
Yellow Coins
Also: Class points, Yellow currency
Currency earned by leveling classes, used to purchase perks. Can be spent on any class.
Currency
Z
Zeke
Also: Zekes
Common term for regular zombies. From the phonetic pronunciation of 'Z' for zombie.
Example: "Zekes incoming from the left!"
Enemy
Zone
1. Area of effect for abilities. 2. Defensive position or area to hold.
General