Стало проскакивать это слово в связи с поширением ММО. Значение - урезание характеристик персонажей. А вот происхождение я не прозреваю. :fp:
ЦитироватьIn video gaming a nerf is a change to a game that reduces the desirability or effectiveness of a particular game element. The term is also used as a verb for the act of making such a change.[1][2] The opposite of nerf is buff.
The term originated with Ultima Online and refers to the Nerf brand of toys which are soft and less likely to cause serious injury.[1][3][4] It is used in the context of virtual worlds such as MMORPGs (like UO) and MUDs,[1] but has become a part of the general vocabulary of gamer slang and can be found in various places where adjustment of power levels from one version of a game to the next is relevant.
(wiki/en) Nerf_(video_gaming) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nerf_(video_gaming))