In Smite I have access to several gods. For each god I have used they have 4 abilities. In several guides, the fourth ability is referred to as "ult". For example:
Use your ult to stun a group of enemies
I am guessing that "ult" means "ultimate". Is this correct? If so, why is the fourth ability referred to as "ultimate"?
Does this term apply outside of Smite?
24 Answers
The origin of this term comes from the grand MOBA of all of them: the WC3 map "DOTA".
In Warcraft 3 generally the characters learned on level 6 their so called "ultimate" (I'm actually not even sure they had a name or in general just were named ultimate).
So of course these special match making abilities were in the DOTA map called "ultimates" as well. This obviously abbreviated into "ult" or "ulti".
In this regard the term was pulled into all games that were direct siblings of that WC3 map, if not by the devs, then by the community as they had been used to calling it that way.
But this is just true for siblings of DOTA (i.e. not for all MOBAs). For example, in Awesomenauts there is no equivalent of overskill like the ultimates from WC3. Therefore, no one would name them as "ultimates".
You are correct, ult is short for Ultimate, and refers to the (most of the time) most powerful of your abilities. It's usually on the 4th sloth on most MOBAs and it takes some time to be able to actually unlock it and level it up, 5-6 levels of experience for most MOBAs.
You may hear the term be used outside Smite in game like CS, in a mode based on MOBAs still, and there it too refers to the ultimate ability at your disposal.
1Your "ult" is your ultimate ability. This is typically the ability that becomes available to you in a MOBA once you have leveled up around 5-6 times. This ability is called ultimate because it typically is more powerful than your other abilities and usually can be used much less than your other abilities. This term also applies in League of Legends, but I don't know about DOTA. I feel it is generally widespread.
Yes, "ult" stands for your ultimate ability, usually requires a buildup of some sort and is almost always incredibly powerful. Shown here, an example from D&D Neverwinter, the large orange gem in the center slowly fills as you damage your enemies, when it is full, you can use your "daily power" a reference to D&D. It is in other words, your "ult"imate power.
