Destiny 2
World of Warcraft
What Does Cheese Mean in Gaming?
An unintended but effective strategy that skips or trivializes a boss mechanic or challenge, often patched later.
What does cheese mean in games?
A cheese is an unintended strategy that makes a fight or challenge much easier than designed, for example by standing where the boss cannot reach you or skipping a mechanic entirely. To cheese an encounter is to beat it this way. The term is everywhere in Destiny 2 raids and dungeons, and common in WoW and other games too.
Where the term comes from
“Cheesy” has long meant cheap or low-quality in English. Strategy-game players used it for cheap early rushes that win before the opponent can react, and the word spread to every genre to describe a win that feels too easy for what the game intended.
Typical cheeses
- Safe spots: standing on a ledge or behind geometry where enemies cannot hit you.
- Skipping a mechanic: killing a boss so fast, or in a way, that a dangerous phase never starts.
- Damage tricks: stacking buffs or abilities in ways the designers did not plan.
- Pulling out of position: dragging a boss or group of enemies to a place where they behave unexpectedly.
Cheese vs. exploit
The line is not always clear. A cheese uses the game’s normal rules in a smart, unintended way; an exploit abuses a clear bug, such as duplicating items or falling through the map. Developers usually tolerate cheeses and patch the popular ones, often with a hotfix or a nerf, while serious exploits can lead to penalties. When in doubt, check the developer’s rules for that activity.
Cheese in Destiny 2 and WoW
In Destiny 2, finding a new cheese in a raid or dungeon is almost a sport, and solo flawless runs often rely on one. Bungie tends to remove the most effective ones quickly, especially from new endgame content. In World of Warcraft, raid bosses that can be cheesed are usually hotfixed fast, and abusing clear bugs during races has led Blizzard to take action. In both games, a cheese can replace a lot of Power or gear, which is why players race to use one before it is patched.
Example
Players discover that a dungeon boss gets stuck on a pillar and stops using its strongest attack if pulled to one corner. Groups that were wiping for hours start clearing it in minutes. A week later, a hotfix removes the spot and the fight goes back to normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cheesing a boss bannable?
Usually not. Most cheeses are simply patched. Penalties are typically reserved for exploits that abuse obvious bugs or give unfair advantages, so it depends on the game and the situation.
Why do players call a strategy cheesy?
Because it feels cheap: it wins without engaging with the challenge as intended. It is often said half-jokingly, even by the players using it.