History Main / LevelLockedLoot

** ''New Vegas'' has a slight twist on the trope: you ''can'' use weapons tiered above your skill level or strength level, but this causes a penalty to range weapons accuracy[[note]]With down-the-sites aim this means more SniperScopeSway, while VATS and hipfire take a direct penalty. The given skill level is what's required for maximum accuracy, though more skill will still increase the damage you do.[[/note]] and non-range weapon attack speed proportional to how far below the requirements you are. The penalties don't really come close to matching the benefits of a stronger weapon, so it really shouldn't keep you from using a stronger weapon.

A game-specific subtrope of PhlebotinumHandlingRequirements, and a form of DoubleUnlock unless the loot is received at the start of the game. Compare with PowerEqualsRarity, StatSticks, ArbitraryEquipmentRestriction & YouHaveResearchedBreathing. See also ClassAndLevelSystem, AnAdventurerIsYou, and [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus]]/[[InfinityMinusOneSword Minus One Sword]].

--> You need a Ph.D. in Kicking Ass to slurp down a bowl of soup, and you'll need to be more than halfway to godhood before you're allowed to face the challenge and responsibility of eating pie.

* ''Literature/TheGam3'': Most weapons and armor we see the description for have a list of abilities required to use the item, effectively preventing a new player from finding the Infinity+1 Sword and becoming god. Some also have a second list of recommended abilities, which unlocks extra uses of the item or makes the item more effective.
* Parodied in reference to an announced ''VideoGame/DungeonSiege'' film in ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'', shown [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/2/25/ here]].

A game-specific subtrope of PhlebotinumHandlingRequirements, and a form of DoubleUnlock unless the loot is received at the start of the game. Compare with PowerEqualsRarity, StatSticks & YouHaveResearchedBreathing. See also ClassAndLevelSystem, AnAdventurerIsYou, and [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus]]/[[InfinityMinusOneSword Minus One Sword]].

** ''New Vegas'' has a slight twist on the trope: you ''can'' use weapons tiered above your skill level or strength level, but this causes a penalty to range weapons accuracy[[note]]With down-the-sites aim this means more SniperScopeSway, while VATS and hipfire take a direct penalty. The given skill level is what's required for maximum accuracy, though more skill will still increase the damage you do.[[/note]] and non-range weapon attack speed proportional to how far below the requirements you are. The penalties don't really come close to matching the benefits of a stronger weapon, so this barely matters.

* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' has a slight twist on the trope: you ''can'' use weapons tiered above your skill level or strength level, but this causes a penalty to range weapons accuracy[[note]]With down-the-sites aim this means more SniperScopeSway, while VATS and hipfire take a direct penalty. The given skill level is what's required for maximum accuracy, though more skill will still increase the damage you do.[[/note]] and non-range weapon attack speed proportional to how far below the requirements you are. The penalties don't really come close to matching the benefits of a stronger weapon, so this barely matters. In both this and ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', you need to undergo the requisite training to use PowerArmor, which generally doesn't occur until late in the game.

* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' has a slight twist on the trope: you ''can'' use weapons tiered above your skill level or strength level, but this causes a penalty to range weapons accuracy[[note]]With free aim this means more SniperScopeSway, while VATS takes a direct penalty. The given skill level is what's required for maximum accuracy, though more skill will still increase the damage you do.[[/note]] and non-range weapon attack speed proportional to how far below the requirements you are. The penalties don't really come close to matching the benefits of a stronger weapon, so this barely matters. In both this and ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', you need to undergo the requisite training to use PowerArmor, which generally doesn't occur until late in the game.

* In ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'' most items have a minimum level that you must be before you can use or equip them.

* Nearly every equip in ''VideoGame/{{Maplestory}}''. This can get really annoying, as you need to raise your more useless stat to wield them, as well as being a high enough level. [[MinMaxing There are ways to get around this though.]]

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' has all gear locked to certain levels in order to prevent new players from acquiring powerful equipment from their friends and using them to blow through the early parts of the game. By the end game, dungeons and raids will start imposing item level requirements as the bare minimum so that players are properly geared for the content. If your gear level average is too low, then you can't play that content until you get better gear.
* ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'' has gear restricted by skill points invested in the relevant weapons and talismans. Higher level gear has higher skill point requirements.

* ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}'' has Level Locked ''Ships'', with mightier ships capable of mounting more and better weapons, as well as having better [[ManaMeter power supplies]]. The [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus One Guns]] can only be installed on the three highest-level ships.

* ''[[DemonsSouls Demon's Souls]]'' has a variant in which stats, not levels, are used to determine the ability to effectively wield weapons. It makes sense, really, since anyone could pick up a bastard sword, but not everyone will have the strength to swing it around one-handed.

* In ''[[VideoGame/{{Diablo}} Diablo II]]'', items do have level restrictions, and some items have strength requirements. These requirements can be slightly reduced in-game if the item has the special suffix 'of Freedom' or if it is socketed with a jewel that grants the same suffix.

* In ''RogueGalaxy'', all weapons have a minimum character level, but by the time you can purchase a given weapon in the local shop, you will probably already be at a high enough level to use it anyway.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 4}}'', Power Armor training is no longer required, but the models of power armor you can obtain depend on your level, for example, the [[ArmorOfInvincibility X-01 armor]] doesn't spawn until at least Level 30. Some weapon spawns such as the Railway Rifle are also leveled, and better upgrades to weapons and armor require higher-level Perks, which are also dependent on your SPECIAL attributes.

[[folder: Fighting Games]]
* ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' has this. All armors and weapons have a CharacterLevel requirement. Similarly, accessories are ranked, from D to Star, the ranking indicating how many of one accessory can be equipped. For example, the player can equip but one Star-rank accessory, but two A-rank accessories, and so on. Mind, [[MyRulesAreNotYourRules this is strictly player-only]], since TheComputerIsACheatingBastard.
** The sequel simplified the level requirements: instead of having nearly every level represented, there are now five tiers of equipment: Level 1, level 30, level 60, level 90, and level 100
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Time Strategy]]
* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar 2'' usually has level requirements for equipping gear.
* In ''VideoGame/UFOAftershock'', there are certain types of equipment that require special training before soldiers can use them. For example, a soldier can't use rocket launchers until he gets the Trooper Level 1 training.
[[/folder]]

* ''VideoGame/DeadIsland'' has weapons that can only be used at certain levels. While it's usually only one level too high by the time you gain access to it, it's annoying to receive unusable equipment as a quest reward and rather absurd in cases where something as simple as a piece of pipe has a level requirement.
* The later ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' games had level-locked equipment [[LevelScaling that would only drop after a certain level]] after it was revealed in the first game that, with a bit of luck, you could charge nigh-naked into the final town of the game and obtain the [[DiskOneNuke best armor available]] before doing a single quest, not to mention the [[VideoGame/Fallout2 second game's]] "Navarro Run".
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' games use the weapon rank system, where every weapon but the basic ones(Iron, Bronze or Slim, depending on game) requires a certain amount of experience with this particular type before a character can use them.
* ''Videogame/{{Ingress}}'': If you're at low level, portals will occasionally give you items one or two levels above your own, which makes them entirely unusable until you can reach it. Fortunately, getting to level 8 (the maximum items can reach) is rather quick, depending on the area.

* Parodied in reference to an announced ''DungeonSiege'' film in ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'', shown [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/2/25/ here]].

* ''DissidiaFinalFantasy'' has this. All armors and weapons have a CharacterLevel requirement. Similarly, accessories are ranked, from D to Star, the ranking indicating how many of one accessory can be equipped. For example, the player can equip but one Star-rank accessory, but two A-rank accessories, and so on. Mind, [[MyRulesAreNotYourRules this is strictly player-only]], since TheComputerIsACheatingBastard.

* The later ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' games had level-locked equipment after it was revealed in the first game that, with a bit of luck, you could charge nigh-naked into the final town of the game and obtain the [[DiskOneNuke best armor available]] before doing a single quest.

* ''VideoGame/DeadIsland'' has weapons that can only be used at certain levels. While it's usually only one level too high by the time you gain access to it, it's annoying to receive unusable equipment as a quest reward.

* In ''{{Summoner}}'', ability to use weapons is dependent on whether to character has the right weapon skill (and whether it's explicitly character-restricted), but gear for everyone but [[BlackMagicianGirl Rosalind]] is also dependent on their Heavy Arms skill.