History Main / ExponentialPotential

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' is a particularly triumphant example of this trope. With over 10,000 unique spells/permanents to use in deckbuilding, and new ones created every time a new Expansion Set is released, there's always some new spell or permanent that does ''something'' unique to change the face of the metagame, whether overtly like a Power card, or subtly like some of the more common-yet-effective cards.

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' is a perticularly triumphant example of this trope. With over 10,000 unique spells/permanents to use in deckbuilding, and new ones created everytime a new Expansion Set or Core Set is released, there's always some new spell or permanent that does ''something'' unique to change the face of the metagame, whether overtly like a Power card, or subtly like some of the more common-yet-effective cards.

* An interesting variant of this, which doesn't deal with magic at all, is ''{{Jagged Alliance}} 2''. There is an overwhelming amount of different items and weapons which can be extremely useful in different situations, but it is largely impossible to carry everything you might need. Your window of opportunity for using some of these items is rather narrow as well, so a lot of items get ignored, even grenades at times, simply to avoid massive micromanagement. This becomes even more difficult with mods like ''[=JA2=] v1.13'' which add several hundred items to the game. The solution (as in real life) is to have specialists who carry specific items, but then they can't carry other items and may end up being useless in most situations.

* Obscure PS1 RPG ''ShadowMadness'' has this bad. Despite a level cap of 15 the game has the requisite number of spells expected of a JRPG of the era which means that characters often gain 3 or 4 per level, combined with the games awful menu not really describing what any of them do and a generally obtuse naming scheme it becomes nearly impossible to suss out what spells are actually worth using without taking notes.

* ''{{Homestuck}}'' features a form of punch-card based alchemy that can be used to create and combine any object conceivable, and quite a few that aren't. Most of the protagonists have spent 10+ page montages going to town with this at least once each.

* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'', Wizards can learn practically every spell in the game given enough time and gold, and can also make up their own spells, subject to GM approval. Clerics know all possible cleric spells (except those related to specific domains) automatically; druids have a slightly poorer set, but can also [[{{ShapeShifting}} Shapeshift]] into an enormous variety of creatures. The "Erudite [Spell-to-power]" variant of the [[PsychicPowers psion]] can learn every spell ''and'' [[PsychicPowers Psychic Power]] in the game! (It's generally regarded as a... ''[[GameBreaker slightly]]'' stronger than other psionists and casters). The Archivist, in a manner similar to the Wizard, can learn every Cleric spell (including the domain spells) as well as Paladin, Ranger, Druid, and Adept spells, plus certain PrestigeClass spells ([[GameBreaker as well as the spells of anyone with a feat which lets them treat their spells as divine spells, which can include wizards]]). The [[GadgeteerGenius Artificer]] can create magic items that cast spells he does not know, or convert them from casting one spell to another (as well as making those items for cheap depending on the build).

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'', you'll end up unlocking 19 jobs.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''. You have nearly ''[[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters seven hundred]]'' choices for your Mons, and nearly all of them have about a dozen or two potential attacks for their move list. And that's just from leveling up; include the attacks that can be gained from [=TMs=] and breeding and things get crazy.

* ''Franchise/KamenRider'' flirted with this for a few years. The Heisei Riders are often {{Swiss Army Hero}}es with MultiformBalance, but KamenRiderDecade could {{Power Copy|ing}} and take on ''any'' of their forms, plus his own SuperMode. After him, ''KamenRiderDouble'' could mix-and-match his powers, two slots by three options each, for nine forms plus some {{Super Mode}}s. Then ''KamenRiderOOO'' had ''three'' slots by ''five'' options each for '''125''' forms, before his own SuperMode and additional promotional powersets. Thankfully, ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'' dialed this back by giving him a large ''arsenal'' but not anything combinable.

** Fourze could still qualify, if you consider that his belt has four slots (each representing one of his limbs), each possessing ten options, meaning he has just shy of '''''10,000''''' combinations[[hottip:*:There's a single matched pair that throws off the count slightly]], and his SuperMode can [[AllYourPowersCombined combine the traits of two weapons]], such as [[MacrossMissileMassacre Launcher]] plus [[KillItWithIce Freeze]] producing a freeze missile launcher.

* ''{{Scribblenauts}}'' is like this to an extent. You have literally anything in the game's dictionary at your disposal, up to the limit on the number of objects imposed by your object bar. The ''player'' is the one who figures out new ways of doing stuff--the first time you try shooting your space shuttle or your mech with your shrink ray opens up a whole world of new solutions.
** A surprisingly large percentage of the game's vocabulary consists of functionally identical chemicals, though.

* An interesting variant of this, which doesn't deal with magic at all, is ''{{Jagged Alliance}} 2''. There is an overwhelming amount of different items and weapons which can be extremely useful in different situations, but it is largely impossible to carry everything you might need. Your window of opportunity for using some of these items is rather narrow as well, so a lot of items get ignored, even grenades at times, simply to avoid massive micromanagement. This becomes even more difficult with mods like ''JA2 v1.13'' which add several hundred items to the game. The solution (as in real life) is to have specialists who carry specific items, but then they can't carry other items and may end up being useless in most situations.

* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'', Wizards can learn practically every spell in the game given enough time and gold, and can also make up their own spells, subject to GM approval. Clerics know all possible cleric spells (except those related to specific domains) automatically; druids have a slightly poorer set, but can also [[{{ShapeShifting}} Shapeshift]] into an enormous variety of creatures. The "Erudite [Spell-to-power]" variant of the [[PsychicPowers psion]] can learn every spell ''and'' [[PsychicPowers Psychic Power]] in the game! (It's generally regarded as ah... ''[[GameBreaker slightly]]'' stronger than other psionists and casters). The Archivist, in a manner similar to the Wizard, can learn every Cleric spell (including the domain spells) as well as Paladin, Ranger, Druid, and Adept spells, plus certain PrestigeClass spells ([[GameBreaker as well as the spells of anyone with a feat which lets them treat their spells as divine spells, which can include wizards]]). The [[GadgeteerGenius Artificer]] can create magic items that cast spells he does not know, or convert them from casting one spell to another (as well as making those items for cheap depending on the build).

* In ''FinalFantasyTactics'', you'll end up unlocking 19 jobs.
** In ''FinalFantasyTacticsA2'', there are '''56''' jobs with hundreds of abilities spread across seven races, though some are basically just one races' slightly different version of the same job (Paladin and Defender, Soldier and Warrior, etc.)
** Blue Mages in ''FinalFantasyXI''. They can learn ''105'' spells, more than any other job, yet they can only use 20 at a time at the level cap. Bards have 68 songs, but can use them all. In fact, most of the mage jobs have a large spell list.

* ''VideoGame/WildARMsXF'' is even more confusing; there are 16 normal classes and six or seven special ones, and each of them come with four to nine unusually unique abilities. Each class and ability can be used in specific situations and often must be used strategically, meaning the game is half strategy and half [[PuzzleGame puzzle]].

* ''WildARMsXF'' is even more confusing; there are 16 normal classes and six or seven special ones, and each of them come with four to nine unusually unique abilities. Each class and ability can be used in specific situations and often must be used strategically, meaning the game is half strategy and half [[PuzzleGame puzzle]].

Cousin to CripplingOverspecialization, in a nutshell this trope refers to any video game or possibly other setting where as you level up, your pool of actions and spells increases more and more, until you have a spell for literally everything and lose sight of the actual good choices, or are simply screwed over by the AI enemies using obscure or unexpected ones. Most common in games that allow you to create your own spells, whether by [[VideoGame/LostMagic scribbling runes in a different order]] or by [[TheElderScrolls making your own]].

* In ''TheElderScrolls'' series, you have FireIceLightning as damage types. You have spells to directly damage health, magic, and stamina...''in two subtly-different varieties''. You have levitation. Jump boosting. Buffs and debuffs for all 20-whatever skills. Demon and undead summoning. Lock opening. Telekinesis. And more. All of these effects can be custom-made based on target, duration, and area of effect, and combined as much as you want, even in impractical combinations such as "set yourself on fire for 5 seconds and heal yourself for 50 points of damage a second for five seconds". And this isn't even including spell mods.

* ''KamenRider'' flirted with this for a few years. The Heisei Riders are often {{Swiss Army Hero}}es with MultiformBalance, but KamenRiderDecade could {{Power Copy|ing}} and take on ''any'' of their forms, plus his own SuperMode. After him, ''KamenRiderDouble'' could mix-and-match his powers, two slots by three options each, for nine forms plus some {{Super Mode}}s. Then ''KamenRiderOOO'' had ''three'' slots by ''five'' options each for '''125''' forms, before his own SuperMode and additional promotional powersets. Thankfully, ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'' dialed this back by giving him a large ''arsenal'' but not anything combinable.

* ''{{Pokemon}}''. You have nearly ''[[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters seven hundred]]'' choices for your Mons, and nearly all of them have about a dozen or two potential attacks for their move list. And that's just from leveling up; include the attacks that can be gained from [=TMs=] and breeding and things get crazy.

** The sequel plans to add ''adjectives'' to the already incredibly complicated equation.

* Obscure PS1 RPG ShadowMadness has this bad. Despite a level cap of 15 the game has the requisite number of spells expected of a JRPG of the era which means that characters often gain 3 or 4 per level, combined with the games awful menu not really describing what any of them do and a generally obtuse naming scheme it becomes nearly impossible to suss out what spells are actually worth using without taking notes.

Cousin to CripplingOverspecialization, in a nutshell this trope refers to any video game or possibly other setting where as you level up, your pool of actions and spells increases more and more, until you have a spell for literally everything and lose sight of the actual good choices, or are simply screwed over by the AI enemies using obscure or unexpected ones. Most common in games that allow you to create your own spells, whether by [[LostMagic scribbling runes in a different order]] or by [[TheElderScrolls making your own]].

* ''LostMagic'': Where to ''start''? The game gives you up to eighteen runes, which you can also combine, either in twos only or also in threes. This gives you a potential '''5832''' spells, out of which '''400''' are in the game, and the bosses and you can do ''everything''. Terrain change, buff, debuff, shooting, summoning, nuking, tanking, capturing, walls, traps, StandardStatusEffects, Roulette, etc..

* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'', Wizards can learn practically every spell in the game given enough time and gold, and can also make up their own spells, subject to GM approval. Clerics know all possible cleric spells (except those related to specific domains) automatically; druids have a slightly poorer set, but can also [[{{ShapeShifting}} Shapeshift]] into an enormous variety of creatures. The "Erudite [Spell-to-power]" variant of the [[PsychicPowers psion]] can learn every spell ''and'' [[PsychicPowers Psychic Power]] in the game! (It's generally regarded as ah... ''[[GameBreaker slightly]]'' stronger than a standard psion). The Archivist, in a manner similar to the Wizard, can learn every Cleric spell (including the domain spells) as well as Paladin, Ranger, Druid, and Adept spells, plus certain PrestigeClass spells ([[GameBreaker as well as the spells of anyone with a feat which lets them treat their spells as divine spells, which can include wizards]]). The [[GadgeteerGenius Artificer]] can create magic items that cast spells he does not know, or convert them from casting one spell to another.

* ''KamenRider'' flirted with this for a few years. The Heisei Riders are often {{Swiss Army Hero}}es with multiple forms, but KamenRiderDecade could {{Power Copy|ing}} and take on ''any'' of their forms, plus his own SuperMode. After him, ''KamenRiderDouble'' could mix-and-match his powers, two slots by three options each, for nine forms plus some {{Super Mode}}s. Then ''KamenRiderOOO'' had ''three'' slots by ''five'' options each for '''125''' forms, before his own SuperMode and additional promotional powersets. Thankfully, ''Series/KamenRiderFourze'' dialed this back by giving him a large ''arsenal'' but not anything combinable.

* ''KamenRider'' flirted with this for a few years. The Heisei Riders are often SwissArmyHeroes with multiple forms, but KamenRiderDecade could {{Power Copy|ing}} and take on ''any'' of their forms, plus his own SuperMode. After him, KamenRiderDouble could mix-and-match his powers, two slots by three options each, for nine forms plus some {{Super Mode}}s. Then KamenRiderOOO had ''three'' slots by ''five'' options each for '''125''' forms, before his own SuperMode and additional promotional powersets. Thankfully, ''KamenRiderFourze'' dialed this back by giving him a large ''arsenal'' but not anything combinable.