Newbie A newbie ( aka newb , nub [ cake ] , noob , or n00b ) , also called a scrub ( or to some a " rookie " ) , is a player who is either new to " World of Warcraft " or knowledgeable ( or feigning knowledge ) about the game or certain elements yet ignorant of how to actually play . Note that while all these terms are derived from the word newbie and have the same literal meaning , their connotations are quite different . Newb commonly speaks of a new player , while a noob , n00b , or nub means someone who thinks he knows everything , criticizing others while doing many of the things listed below and calling people who tell them they ' re doing something wrong a n00b . Some examples are " The Paladin bubbled while carrying the flag , NOOB ! " and " Even though I ' ve been through Waling Caverns 3 times , I still feel like a noob there . " Usage . The terms newb or newbie typically refer to someone new to the game , and thus forgivable of any innocent mistakes they might make . Noob or nub ( and their Leetspeak variations ) carry a harsher meaning , that of a player being stupid or ignorant . Beyond a certain character level , players who make mistakes are usually assumed to be noobs , or else new players who have purchased their accounts instead of leveling up themselves . Either way , other players generally regard them with contempt . Most players are mature enough to recognize that everyone was once a newb , and offer tips and other assistance to inexperienced players . Some , however , have severe disrespect for anyone who they consider a " noob " . A " noob " described by wowcrendor is someone who is either : A . New to the game B . Bad at the game C . Is being called a noob by a noob because the noob is mad at his noobness and retaliates by calling the non - noob a noob . Knowing the difference between Noob and Newb . Many people seem to believe " Noob " and " Newb " tend to have the same meaning . However to some , this is inaccurate . Some veteran players believe that " Noob " is meant as an offensive derogatory term for anyone who is bad , ignorant , or stupid and not necessarily new to the game . On the other hand , " Newb " may not be meant to be an offensive term . It is more of a description of a particular player than an insult . Some people who don ' t know the difference unfortunately may substitute " Noob " for " Newb " leading to controversy over the differences between the two terms . Noob is commonly used by high level characters directed at other high level characters when they do something wrong . It is similar to terms such as " Dumbass " . Newb however is completely different . It is ONLY used to describe those who are actually new to the game , usually a low level character . This is not an insult . Examples : Avoiding the label . There are some times where the label cannot be avoided , either because the player really is new ( as in , just began playing WoW and is learning the ropes for the first time ) , by committing an act that they should ( and perhaps do ) know that they shouldn ' t be doing , or by other players that are only trying to troll or have an attitude that some could call Elitist . Though not doing the things listed below will prevent you from acting like a noob , good humor , admitting to being new and asking about things you don ' t know will prevent you from acting like a noob . Nonetheless , there are ways that someone can avoid being called such :