History Main / EvolvingWeapon

* ''{{Diablo}} II: Lord of Destruction'' introduced several magic item properties that scale by character level, including bonuses to armor value, damage, and accuracy. Unfortunately, they're rarely worth keeping for very long, as something better will usually [[RandomlyDrops drop]].

* The Fell Arms in the ''TalesSeries'' are recurring weapons that gain attack power for every enemy their wielder defeats and are by far the strongest weapons available once they're at maximum power (And usually well before that, too).

* BloodRayne's Carpatian Dragons in {{BloodRayne}} 2 ''are'' of vampiric nature, and level up through use, to an extent. Simply firing them improves their power and blood capacity, and they also acquire more powerful modes after defeating powerful vampires/dhampirs, even if they aren't used through the entire battle.

** Very unusually for this trope, ''devolution'' is in full effect; any man-made object is slowly shifting into a less usable form the longer it goes unused. This means it's very difficult to maintain anything not made for a single specific purpose in its full condition. It also causes problems with higher technology, due to the intolerance of electronic components to slight physical changes and degradation. Most of the (rather well-prepared) hero's equipment is entirely useless within a week. Even his RobotBuddy, who never turns off and so counts as always "practicing" itself, tends to lose functionality not related to executing its immediate instructions.

* Psyphers in ''OdinSphere'' gain strength by absorbing Phozons, small bits of life force released whenever a living thing dies.

* ''Retro Mud'' has the Fellblade, which is essentially this.

* The Sealed J-Sword in ''PhantasyStar Online''. Normally a semi-decent weapon that inflicts serious status ailments on you, with enough kills with it equipped, and it will evolve into one of the most powerful weapons in the game.

* Elric's sword, Stormbringer, will get stronger after killing some poor sap and eating his soul.

* In the PS2 game ''Shinobi'', enemies you kill with Akujiki take a few seconds to actually fall over dead. During this time, Akujiki glows with power and does more damage, allowing to kill more enemies in rapid succession to further extend the time before they die. It is possible to one-hit kill every boss in the game if you kill their [[FlunkyBoss minions]] fast enough first.

* In the Mega Man Battle Network games, there are two BattleChips (a.k.a. weapons programs useable once per battle per chip) that you can gain, both swords, called the Custom Sword (CustSwrd) and the Muramasa, respectively, that gain power due to a special condition -- in the Custom Sword's case, its power is determined by the 'custom gauge' at the top of the screen (it can get to around 200 maximum, but when the bar maxes out the power immediately drops to 0), but in the Muramasa's case, it will hit the two panels in front of Mega Man for an amount of damage equal to the HP HE'S LOST. Capped at 999, sure, but 999 in ONE ATTACK (when most Mooks will have phenomonally less, and most bosses hit will lose around or over half their HP) is kind of a big deal.

* The Marker in ''Qix++'' can be upgraded in four features using points earned in the stages. It's appearance changes the more upgrades you get. Unfortunately, it's only good in the section you're playing. Start a new section, and you're back to the crappy Marker you started with.

* In the light novel and manhua ''1/2 Prince'', the prince starts the series with a black dao that can level up with the user.

* Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 has the named Soul Reaver - remnants of powerful magic sword, fused with protagonist. It becomes stronger when Raziel hits with it. It becomes ''much'' stronger, when it consumes a soul of killed enemy. It starts to eat wielder's life when become overpowered. And it slowly returns to normal state, when combat is over.

* The Devil's Arms in ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' which have their attack power based on killcount.
* In the PSX version of ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny'', some of the characters have [[EmpathicWeapon Swordians]], special swords with personalities that can talk. They gain EXP along with their owner, and can level up to get stronger and learn new spells for their owners to use. While all the Swordian Masters of the party have other weapons that they can use, the spells and evolution of the Swordians tends to make them the weapon of choice.
* In addition to the Devil's Arms present throughout the TalesSeries the Sorcerer's Ring is this in VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia. Over the course of the game higher levels of aer(read magic) will make it shift and become stronger. The plot only requires it to get to level three but to complete the Devil's Arms sidequest it has to get to level five.

* The titular ''VideoGame/{{Daikatana}}'' gains levels if you use it and becomes deadlier and faster. However your character doesn't gain any experience points this way and does not get to raise his stats.

* The titular Anime/TurnAGundam has this going for it for several reasons. First, Loran uses the instructions manual to find out about all the Gundam's various systems. Two, the grit and grime that was inhibiting its power system gradually falls off, letting the Gundam use its full strength in battle. Three, weapons for it are found over the course of time, causing the machine to change from having a beam rifle that melts after one shot and antiquated maces to powerful beam sabers and a much more reliable beam rifle. And lastly, the revelation about the power of the Moonlight Butterfly and the Turn A's nanomachines.

* In the light novel and manhua ''1/2 Prince'', the titular character starts the series with a black dao that can level up with the user.

* In both of the ''DarkCloud'' games, weapons are leveled up by killing monsters with them.
** Many weapons can also literally evolve if you got their stats high enough.

* In ''ChronoTrigger'', one of the main characters, Frog, gets insanely depressed over a sword called the Masamune. You finally get the weapon, and you would think that that's his ultimate weapon, but no. He has to go and "[[TimeToUnlockMoreTruePotential unlock its true form]]".

* The titular ''{{Daikatana}}'' gains levels if you use it and becomes deadlier and faster. However your character doesn't gain any experience points this way and does not get to raise his stats.

* Skill Cracking in ''DevilSurvivor'' works like this: you hunt down a demon who holds the skill you want with a specific character. If said demon successfully dies at the hands of that character, you wil gain the option of adding that skill to your set. Later, certain game mechanics allow you to teach cracked skills to your demons.

Just as characters can get stronger by killing things (leveling up), so too can their weapons. Absolutely no modifications are made to the weapon, they just get stronger by killing things. Which makes no sense without some kind of AppliedPhlebotinum at work. Is occasionally [[HandWave handwaved]] that the weapon has a sort of vampiric nature, or that killing a certain creature for so long has made it more effective against them.

* Pins that Neku uses in ''TheWorldEndsWithYou'' will sometimes evolve if you kill enough Noise, or have on him while the DS is off or in mingle mode. [[GuideDangIt You're never informed which needs which]].

* ''TheLordOfTheRingsOnline'' introduced Legacy Weapons with the Mines of Moria expansion. Legacy weapons gain XP and level-up independently from their wielder, with some quests even granting Weapon XP as a specific reward. Each level-up grants points to spend on customising various benefits of the weapon, which can also be enhanced by adding special upgrade-items to it. At intervals of several levels, the weapon must be Reforged by a specialised NPC before it can continue to advance. Reforging allows further customisation of the weapon's abilities, increases its base power level, and allows the player to give it a unique name.

* In ''{{Fable}} 3'', the first weapons you got are evolving weapons (It's not even a secret) that change depending on what you've done before upgrading the skill (Ranged changed your gun). So every player ends up with a unique weapon by the end of the game.

* SuperRobotWarsAdvance has the protagonists' machines, SuperRobotWarsZ has the Gunleon, and in SuperRobotWarsL, the Rushbird gains new attacks and abilities as the game progresses.

* The Solar Gun Lenses in ''{{Boktai}}: The Sun Is In Your Hand'' inexplicably gain levels up to III by killing things with them equipped.

!!Examples of Type One

!!Examples of Type Two

* In ''TeamFortress2'', the demoman has a sword that he can use to decapitate enemies. Each head gives the demoman extra health and boosts his speed -- at least, until he dies.