Buff

Buffs are positive or negative effects on a character's attributes that last for a limited time. Most positive buffs are given when the player uses consumable items like food or medicine, and most negative buffs, also called debuffs, are inflicted on the player during combat. Multiple buffs and/or debuffs can be active at one time.

Six buffs stacked at one time, including one debuff

Each type of buff has a unique icon that will appear next to the player's ⁠⁠ bar while the player is experiencing the corresponding buff. Buffs can also be examined on the player's Character page; hovering over the icons will display information about them and their remaining duration. If the buff affects ⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠, the number of points regained or lost can be seen bouncing off from the character's head each time the buff(s) affect the character.

While active, most buffs do not show any special animation on the character they are affecting, other than debuffs. Being poisoned shows small acid green puffs of smoke, being burned shows red and yellow flames on the affected character, and being stunned shows yellow stars swirling around the character's head.

Example of Xu and a player both being poisoned while on a date

In certain situations, such as if a NPC is taken into the Hazardous Ruins during a play date or date, NPCs may also get afflicted by debuffs. If an NPC passes out due to buff damage or other enemy damage, they will simply rise again after being downed for a few seconds.

Sources

Buff consumables

Main article: Buff consumables

The majority of buff consumables the player will eat are those that they craft themselves on a Cooking Set or with Ack's services. Most of these consumables will only give a positive buff, though Spicy Tea provides a +30% Critical Chance boost while inflicting -3 ⁠⁠ per second. However, that small amount of damage can be offset by eating other Health buff consumables.

The player can have several temporary buffs from consumables active at a time as long as those buffs affect different attributes. Buffs affecting the same attribute do not stack: if the player uses a consumable that grants the buff of the same type as they already have active, the active buff will be cancelled and replaced by the new one.

The Round Table

Once a day the player can dine at The Round Table by interacting with the counter inside the restaurant to get up to four buffs. These buffs are active right after the meal and last 180 seconds each.

Vending Machine

Main article: Deepest Ruin Vending Machine

Special consumable items can be bought and used only within the Deepest Ruin. Some boost the same stats other foods are capable of boosting, though others have unique effects such as doubling loot or gol drop rate.

Festivals

The player may receive buffs while consuming items at certain festivals, such as eating food made at the cook off during the Autumn Festival, or eating from the hot pot at the Winter Solstice.

Couples furniture

Certain furniture can only be used when the player is married, though the player does not actually have to use the spouse furniture with their spouse and can still gain buffs from using the furniture alone.

The spouse furniture that give buffs are as follows:

• Double Fitness Mat
• Double Lounge Chair
• Double Rocking Chair

Types of buffs

Positive buffs

Positive buffs help the player survive or work longer, or do more damage in battle.

Positive buffs
Buff	Effect	Source
Health regeneration	Restores ⁠⁠ by a set amount or percentage each second.	Health buff consumables
Stamina regeneration	Restores ⁠⁠ by a set amount or percentage each second.	Stamina buff consumables, Double Rocking Chair
Endurance regeneration	Restores Endurance by a set amount or percentage each second.	Hot Springs Inn, Double Lounge Chair
Attack bonus	Increases Attack by a set amount or percentage.	Attack buff consumables, Double Fitness Mat
Defense bonus	Increases Defense by a set amount or percentage.	Defense buff consumables
Critical bonus	Critical Chance: increases chance of Critical Hits happening. Critical Damage: increases Critical Hit damage inflicted. (Melee and ranged damage have separate stats.)	Critical buff consumables, Dessert (melee damage) or Drink (ranged damage) restaurant consumables
Detox	Removes poison debuff if the player is poisoned, and prevents poisoning while the buff is active.	Simple Antidote, Bamboo Incense
Invincibility	Prevents the player from getting hurt. (Automatically applied to player while the "Chances Remaining" screen is shown after dying in a Hazardous Ruin for the first or second time during the current attempt at the level, and disappears when play is resumed.)	Hazardous Ruins

Negative buffs

The following are negative effects that characters can be afflicted with.

Negative buffs
Debuff	Effect	Source
Stun	Prevents the target from moving or doing any actions.	Scare Soaker attacks, ghost attacks, Wasted Food
Poison	If caused by an enemy's attack: prolonged poisoning effect that lowers ⁠⁠ by a set amount or percentage each second for a small amount of time. If caused by a trap: lowers ⁠⁠ by a set amount or percentage every second until the player moves out of the trap causing the debuff; causes more damage per second than prolonged poisoning. May also cause prolonged poison debuff, even after leaving trap.	Poison-based attacks, Sewage Plant traps
Burn	If caused by an enemy's attack: prolonged burning effect that lowers ⁠⁠ by a set amount or percentage each second for a small amount of time. If caused by a trap: lowers ⁠⁠ by a set amount or percentage every second until the player moves out of the trap causing the debuff.	Fire-based attacks, Computer Lab Ruin traps

Gallery

Invincibility buff active

Stunned by falling objects trap

Burning in a trap