DPS check
/diːpiːɛs tʃɛk/
CommonA moment in a game encounter requiring the group to deal enough damage within a time limit or face punishment.
Used both for literal game mechanics and as a metaphor for any situation that punishes not being fast or skilled enough.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | we keep dying to the adds because nobody is passing the dps check in phase 2 | The group is not killing the secondary enemies fast enough before they become unmanageable. | reddit, 2024 |
| 02 | boss has an 8 minute enrage. that's basically a dps check fight | The encounter is designed around dealing enough total damage before the enrage timer kills the group. | reddit, 2023 |
| 03 | honestly life is just a series of dps checks and i keep failing them | Using the gaming term metaphorically to describe real-life pressure and falling short. | x, 2024 |
| 04 | tank meta is ruining pvp because everyone survives every dps check | Defensive builds make it impossible to burst down opponents within the damage window. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- An encounter has a timed phase where the group must deal a fixed amount of damage.
- The group wiped because they did not kill an add or boss fast enough.
- Describing a hard enrage timer on a boss fight.
- Metaphorically, any high-pressure test of speed or output.
Do not use it when
- You mean a general test of player skill beyond just damage output.Use “skill check” instead.
- You mean the group is simply underleveled or undergeared.
DPS check vs raid wipe
DPS check
DPS check is the specific mechanic demanding damage output.
VS
raid-wipe
Raid wipe is the outcome when the group fails any mechanic, including a DPS check.
Origin and context
Term originated in MMO raid culture, particularly World of Warcraft, where encounter designers deliberately tuned damage requirements to filter underprepared groups. Spread to other co-op games and then to broader gaming slang.
- First seen
- 2000s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/dps-checkUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0