History Main / StarterGearStayingPower

* The pistols in ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' and ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' are weak and boring compared to the more powerful guns like an automatic shotgun or an assault rifle, but the pistols are the only weapons that have BottomlessMagazines and are also the only weapons that can be used GunsAkimbo for extra firepower. There's even an achievement in the first game for completing a full campaign using nothing but the pistols.

* {{Downplayed}} with the Prototype Vibroblade in ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic''. It's a really good weapon you get before leaving the tutorial level, and better with the upgrades you can scrounge. Before you get a lightsaber, it's best as your main hand weapon. Once you ''do'' get a lightsaber, the "balanced" bonus and the stats still make it a decent fallback weapon in the off-hand if you have the feats for dual-wielding, as a vibroblade will cut through shielded enemies that slow down lightsabers or blasters.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ultrakill}}'': The Revolver you get in the beginning of the game is the most versatile weapon even later on, thanks to solid damage, useful alternate fire-modes, and having synergies with other weapons,. It can even be upgraded into an alternate, even stronger version. The Feedbacker (your first arm) is also versatile, as it lets you parry for extra damage and health.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ultrakill}}'': The Revolver you get in the beginning of the game is the most versatile weapon even later on, thanks to solid damage and useful alternate fire-modes. It can even be upgraded into an alternate, even stronger version. The Feedbacker (your first arm) is also versatile, as it lets you parry for extra damage and health.

* In the ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'' series, the Mega Buster you start out with is usually your go-to, for its simplicity, consistency, and its lack of a need for weapon energy. Titles that include the charge shot give it even more versatility.

* From Software games such as ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' and ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' revel in this trope. Even though you can find all sorts of fancy weapons and magic as you progress, your starting gear is almost always designed to be completely viable from the start of the game until the end as long as you make sure to keep upgrading it as you go. In fact, ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'' may be the only real exception to this as all of it's classes were designed to have a flaw to them instead of being well rounded like the other games, which means some start with subpar weaponry (with one class not even starting with a weapon).

* From Software games such as ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' and ''VideoGame/Bloodborne'' revel in this trope. Even though you can find all sorts of fancy weapons and magic as you progress, your starting gear is almost always designed to be completely viable from the start of the game until the end as long as you make sure to keep upgrading it as you go. In fact, ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'' may be the only real exception to this as all of it's classes were designed to have a flaw to them instead of being well rounded like the other games, which means some start with subpar weaponry (with one class not even starting with a weapon).

* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' has two examples.
** The Mercenary starting class has the [[DualWielding Sellsword Twinblades]], which not only deal high damage due to their multi-hit attacks but also have very good Dexterity scaling (after infusing them with a Sharp Gem) that boosts their damage output to absurd levels.
** The Knight class has a large number of advantages that allow players to beat the game without ever changing any piece of gear. The Knight armor set has protection that rivals that of heavier armor sets while remaining bearable in weight, the Long Sword is a basic but very well-rounded weapon that [[BoringButPractical isn't flashy but doesn't leave the wielder vulnerable after attacks]], and the Knight Shield blocks 100% of all incoming physical damage (which encompasses the vast majority of all damage in the game) while allowing the wielder to parry incoming attacks to inflict high-damage criticals. Even in multiplayer scenarios, a basic Knight stands a very good chance against opponents of equal skill who wields much fancier equipment.

* In ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance3TheBlackOrder'': In a game with [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters so many characters]] that you treat them as equipment pieces (it's actually fairly late before you can actually start equipping characters), you start off with Guardians of the Galaxy which has Star Lord, the character who has the most number of synergy with other characters. In a game where synergy is a huge factor in winning tough battles, Star Lord can be used all the way so long as you take into account his lacklustre physical stats.

** The Mercenary starting class has the [[DualWielding Sellsword Twinblades]], which not only deal high damage due to their multi-hit attacks but also have very good Dexterity scaling (after infusing them with a Sharp Gem) that boosts their damage output to absurd levels. They're the {{speedrun}} weapon, since with the proper build and equipped rings they can shred even endgame bosses to ribbons in under two minutes.

* In ''VideoGame/MarvelUltimateAlliance3TheBlackOrder'': You start off with Guardians of the Galaxy which has Star Lord, the character who has the most number of synergy with other characters. In a game where synergy is a huge factor in winning tough battles, Star Lord can be used all the way so long as you take into account his lacklustre physical stats.

** The Mercenary starting class has the [[DualWielding Sellsword Twinblades]], which not only deal high damage due to their multi-hit attacks but also have very good Dexterity scaling (after infusing them with a Sharp Gem) that boosts their damage output to absurd levels. They're the {{speedrun}} WeaponOfChoice, since with the proper build and equipped rings they can shred even endgame bosses to ribbons in under two minutes.

* ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'' has the Infantry. Weak, small, only three movement range, and no special weaponry. However they're cheap to deploy, can cross mountains, rivers, and shoals, and can capture properties. They seem small in a world of tanks, bombers, heavy artillery, and the science-fiction arsenal of Black Hole, but if you don't deploy enough Infantry to take properties and hold them, which in turn provides you much-needed funds and places to heal and resupply, you will lose that match.

** Your starter equipment can also serve as this, so long as you're okay with forever looking like a scrub. The game gives you headgear, clothing, and shoes that grant Quick Respawn, Ink Recovery Up, and Special Saver (respectively) as their main abilities: while not the optimal combination for every weapon kit out there, especially if you're an experienced player who doesn't necessarily need the safety net that these abilities provide, they are still solid perks that are worth having. And if you like the rookie look but want different main abilities, then ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' allows you to swap them out for different ones that ''do'' fit your preferred play style if you have enough ability chunks to do so.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' also features an EvolvingWeapon system where any base weapon can be upgraded to a character's InfinityPlusOneSword. Most characters' starter weapons are BoringButPractical with balanced stats, making them a viable pick until the end of the game.

May be a JackOfAllStats. {{Evolving Weapon}}s are especially likely to become this.

* The Gadgeteer class in ''VideoGame/Wizardry'' 8 is a case of this. On the surface, they seem to just be rogues with guns and are weaker in combat, and start with a homebuilt gun that they occasionally tweak as they level up. The trick is finding gadget parts, which are usually far in between, and putting them together to assemble powerful weapons of destruction while that omnigun becomes one of the most potent ranged weapons in the game when its owner reaches a high enough level. If the player knows what she's doing, a Gadgeteer can become one of the most powerful characters in the party.