History Main / NoGearLevel

* In the 'Sudden Death' mode of ''TeamFortress2'', triggered when a match ends in a stalemate, all classes of both teams are forced to use their (in almost all cases quite damaging) melee weapons. HilarityEnsues. (this originated as a custom game modifier [[AscendedFanon that Valve applied across the board]])

* Early in ''{{Tales of Phantasia}}'', you are stripped of your weapons and tossed in jail, but quickly (and morbidly) retrieve a replacement Long Sword from the body of another prisoner who helps you escape with her last breath. You probably just replaced your starting Long Sword, so it's not too bad... but woe to the gamer too clever for his own good who got the very nice Knight's Saber before triggering the jail scene.

** And again, in ''[[KingdomHeartscoded Kingdom Hearts coded]]'', when [[spoiler: Maleficent breaks Data Sora's Keyblade]], to the point of it being a MythologyGag now.

* ''{{Mother 3}}'' has you lose your entire inventory in an undersea whirlpool after a boss just can't accept defeat. Your entire party washes up on shore with only 1 HP each, 0 PP, & whatever was equipped during the battle, and in their desperation, they resort to [[StupidityIsTheOnlyOption eating mushrooms growing near where they washed up]], with [[NightmareFuel predictable]] [[MushroomSamba results.]] (You do get your stuff back on the other side of the jungle, though, after meeting a friendly octopus.)

* ''MassEffect'': Averted. When you first reach Noveria the local security guards want to strip you of your weapons before you enter Port Hanshan. Just before you hand the guns over (or gun the security guards down) a voice over the intercom tells the guards to stop harassing you and let you pass.

** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', Yuffie steals all of your materia once you start the Wutai sidequest.

** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', Yuffie steals all of your materia (except for fire) once you start the Wutai sidequest.

* In ''{{Ys}} IV: The Dawn of Ys'', you start out with the Cleria equipment from ''I and II'', but you are stripped of it and thrown in the dungeon shortly after.

* In ''[[{{Ultima}} Ultima VII Part II: Serpent Isle]],'' you are stripped of all your weapons early on by uncontrolled teleportation magic, but quickly scrape up at least serviceable weaponry. Later on, you are thrown into prison for a crime you may or may not have chosen to actually commit and stripped of all your weapons -- only to discover that THIS is where the previous game's InfinityPlusOneSword was teleported at the start! The weapon retains all its previous power.

** Played straight in ''Ultima IX'', which sends the Avatar into Deceit with no weapons or spells at all. Not only do you have to escape the dungeon without them, you have to complete the island's adventures before your equipment is recovered.

** Also in predecessor ''Dark Forces'' -- Kyle Katarn gets captured by Jabba the Hutt's henchmen and dropped into a pit with a huge lizard-thing. Fortunately, he can dodge its attacks and kill it with enough hits from his fists.

* ''[[VideoGame/StarFox Star Fox Adventure]]'' has Fox get imprisoned and his magic staff (the only piece of equipment he has) taken off him in one stage. The stage thus revolves around sneaking around the prison and getting it back-then administering some much-deserved violence towards the jailers.

* In ''FinalFantasyXII'', you're thrown in jail at one point and stripped of your equipment, but still get to keep all the spells and techniques you've acquired so far.
** Averted strangely in ''FinalFantasyV'', where your party is sent to jail, but allowed to keep all their weapons and items. Going even further, they're in a cell right next to Cid, who was apparently allowed to keep enough explosives to blow a hole through the wall. The game contains a later instance where this trope is played straight.
** Similarly, in ''FinalFantasyX'', your characters are tossed into a dungeon after being arrested and yet still have all of their weapons and equipment.
** In ''FinalFantasyVIII'' your characters are captured and thrown in prison with all their weapons taken from them. Not really a problem since one of your characters [[GoodOldFisticuffs doesn't use weapons]]. So it's up to him to go alone through the prison to find the weapons (conveniently left in a pile where he can get them easily).
*** ''FinalFantasyVIII'' inflicts this trope on the ''player'' as well. When you enter the final boss's castle, all your combat-menu commands are sealed off, with the exception of standard physical attacks. To regain use of them in the castle, the heroes must win several lesser boss battles, with each victory unlocking a combat command of the player's choice.
** In ''FinalFantasyVII'', Yuffie steals all of your materia (except for fire) once you start the Wutai sidequest.

** Averted rather absurdly in ''[[TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', where you're thrown into a CardboardPrison with all of your equipment still on your person.

* ''VideoGame/CaveStory'' is an odd aversion. While the path to [[MultipleEndings the good ending]] does cause your weapons to RestartAtLevelOne (twice), you don't ever lose any weapons. Even when you get thrown in jail following a textbook example of CutsceneIncompetence, you still have all your weapons upon waking up in the cell.
--->'''DeceasedCrab''': For some reason, when they took all of our weapons and stuff, they decided to... well, they didn't take any of our weapons and stuff. When they captured us, they let us keep it. I don't know why.
* Psygnonis' O.D.T: Escape Or Die Trying has a level where you exit a prison and get jumped by four wardens. Then you find yourself not only without items, but also without spells.
* KyaDarkLineage: After [[spoiler:Brazul captures and imprisons you]], you lose all your equipment and have to retrieve it. It's really difficult not being able to fight Wolfens or use your Boomy.

* In ''KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', the main character throws together a last-minute plan for one of his various tag-alongs to not get stuck in a cell, and it works out perfectly.
** Also of note is that ''everything'' is taken from the player, including clothing.
** This is one of the instances where GunsAreUseless and picking Jolee or Juhani (assuming they have a decent offensive force power) lets them rip through enemies.
*** Except that, because of the way Juhani avoids capture, she doesn't get her weapons taken away.
*** Actually it's pretty well handled: all the available characters have plans that either let them keep their equipment or put them in situations where some low-level replacement gear is available immediately upon breaking out, before you have to fight anyone.

** One nasty stumbling block is that if, when you finally reach the armoury that contains your own heavily-modded equipment, you have a standard weapon (such as one recovered from one of the guards) equipped, then picking up your modded item of the same type ''destroys'' that weapon, recovering only the ammo it was loaded with. If you've collected unomodded replacements for all your original weapons by the time you reach the armoury, it's entirely possible to do this to all your original gear, never even realising that it was ''your'' upgraded items in there at all, and have to start from scratch re-upgrading your items.
*** In ''DX'''s defence, at least you ''can'' get your original arsenal back, which defuses one of the major annoyances of this trope -- and Daedalus ''does'' point out that it's ''your'' kit that you just found when you reach the armoury. It also doesn't ''quite'' force CutsceneIncompetence: you can try to fight if you want. With that many sec-and milbots pointing at you, even a combat-specced character is likely to die (be captured) 'naturally' without finding out that Gunther is immortal and there's nowhere to go if you escape.

* Subverted humorously in ''DragonQuestIX''. Yes, you fell from the back of a dragon, yes, you were captured by the EvilEmpire, this trope appears imminent because [[spoiler:yes, your character model is no longer equipped with the ultra-cool armor you had on in the cutscene beforehand, but there's no need to panic, it's all in your inventory -- just re-equip it and you're good to go... as soon as the plot lets you, that is!]]
* Averted in ''DragonAge''; if you opt to escape from prison on your own rather than wait for rescue, your equipment is returned to you shortly. Played straight in ''Awakening'', where the entire party has to fight clones of themselves wearing their equipment in order to escape, and the main character's gear is recovered last.

* In ''GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas'', CJ loses all his guns after the helicopter he's gunning down from gets... gunned down and crashes in water. You must then make your way aboard the gangster-ridden container ship you were attacking and acquire guns by killing gang members.
** OR [[spoiler:you can simply swim ashore, buy new weapons, and go back.]]
** Of course there is being 'killed' and being arrested. This causes the loss of all of CJ's weapons. At least this isn't too difficult in the beginning, where it would take the matter of minutes to restock for free. Halfway through when CJ is carrying half an army base on his back, this gets bad.
*** By then, however, CJ is likely to have started relationships with Katie and Barbara, saving his weapons in the two cases respectively.
** Many of the San Andreas missions try to eliminate your other weapons by indicating guards will hear anything loud. They will, but just shoot them
*** It's possible to get the silent pistol before the early on Mad Dogg mission, but simple gameplay will not let you use anything but the knife. Until halfway through when for no clear reason, the pistol is useful again.

* Late in ''KingdomHearts'', Sora loses the Keyblade and must fight through Hollow Bastion using only a toy wooden sword. This is eased, however, by having [[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast the Beast]] fighting alongside him. You can cast spells too, but that might not help so much if you're one of those who specialized in combat.
** Not to mention that since the Keyblade also enhances your magic, that ends up weakened as well.
** Happens again in ''[[KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 358/2 Days]]''. Xion can't remember how to use her keyblade, so you give her yours for a mission. What do you use? A stick.

* On your way to finally put down [[BigBad Gary]] in ''{{Bully}}'', you're met at the doors of the school and rather rudely stripped of ALL weapons. Including the infinite-ammo rubber-band ball and the infinite-ammo slingshot. It's GoodOldFisticuffs to finish your grudge.

* In ''[[{{Prototype}} PROTOTYPE]]'', you lose access to all your selectable powers except for disguise for two whole chapters. Particularly annoying as it's an open world game, and you don't gain them back ''between'' chapters, limiting the number of side-missions you can do successfully at that time.
* ''CaveStory'' is an odd aversion. While the path to [[MultipleEndings the good ending]] does cause your weapons to RestartAtLevelOne (twice), you don't ever lose any weapons. Even when you get thrown in jail following a textbook example of CutsceneIncompetence, you still have all your weapons upon waking up in the cell.

A level where the player finds themself stripped of all weapons and equipment. It most often is [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by having the character arrested/captured/imprisoned, but there are other means of losing your stuff, such as an airplane crash or shipwreck. They may be able to acquire new weapons and equipment, rebuilding their inventory as they go along, or may just have to complete a segment of the game by using abilities which are not so easily removed, such as [[StealthBasedMission stealth]], [[GoodOldFisticuffs unarmed combat]], or [[FunctionalMagic innate powers or magical abilities]].

If the player is ever able to regain their original inventory, expect it to be stashed all together in an easily accessible package, unused by the enemy.

See also ATasteOfPower (an inversion of this which gives you late-game equipment in the very beginning of the game), BagOfSpilling (loss of equipment between games), SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear, and NoItemUseForYou. A variant of UnexpectedGameplayChange.

* In several levels of the ''Driver'' series, eg "The President's Run" and "Chase The Gunman", you are given a slow, clunky car and forced to flee from or chase much faster opponents.

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* ''{{Mother 3}}'' has you lose your entire inventory in an undersea whirlpool after a boss just can't accept defeat. Your entire party washes up on shore with only 1 HP each, 0 PP, & whatever was equipped during the battle, and in their desperation, they resort to [[StupidityIsTheOnlyOption eating mushrooms growing near where they washed up]], with [[NighmareFuel predictable]] [[MushroomSamba results.]] (You do get your stuff back on the other side of the jungle, though, after meeting a friendly octopus.)

* ''{{Mother 3}}'' has you lose your entire inventory in an undersea whirlpool after a boss just can't accept defeat. Your entire party washes up on shore with only 1 HP each, 0 PP, & whatever was equipped during the battle. (You do get your stuff back on the other side of the jungle, though, after meeting a friendly octopus.)

* Level 4-1 in the Wii ''ABoyAndHisBlob'' begins with Blob, the source of all your abilities, getting [[DistressBall suddenly kidnapped.]] You have to make your way through the whole level without him, and then return a second time if you want all the treasures.

** [[spoiler: The third trip to Eldin Volcano]] in SkywardSword, you even have to run around collecting all your gear.

See also ATasteOfPower (an inversion of this which gives you late-game equipment in the very beginning of the game), BagOfSpilling (loss of equipment between games), WutaiTheft, and NoItemUseForYou.

See also ATasteOfPower (a variant of this which occurs in the very beginning of the game), BagOfSpilling (loss of equipment between games), WutaiTheft, and NoItemUseForYou.