History Main / NonstandardSkillLearning

* In ''CliveBarkersUndying'', all spells are acquired by taking a magic scroll, except for the Lightning spell. For that one, you must take a lightning rod and put it in a orifice on a roof. A lightning will strike the rod and you will receive the electricity, which will give you the spell.

** In ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'', Lucas learns [[LightEmUp PK Flash]] by ''getting struck by lightning.''

* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' you can learn skills by getting further in the story, or using another skill a certain number of times.

* ''VideoGame/GrandiaII'' features Millenia, a demon-like being, who gains new special moves after she absorbs other demon bosses. Ryudo also gains a special skill after defeating his own persona demon.

* Squad members' [[EveryoneHasASpecialMove unique Loyalty Powers]] in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' and ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' can be learned by Shepard, too, but only after completing their personal missions (and only one at a time).

*** Several of Rydia's [[SummonMagic summons]] can only be obtained from getting an item that RandomlyDrops from certain types of enemies. Pray that the RandomNumberGod is in a good mood.

** Undersea skills are learned from following an old sea monkey who [[UnwantedRescue doesn't want to be rescued]] until doing something [[BadAssGrandpa badass]].

** The Overdrives in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' have this feel, due to the [[CastOfSnowflakes diverse nature of the party]]. Tidus and Lulu gain new Overdrives by using previous ones repeatedly and levelling up, respectively. Yuna only has one skill that she starts with, but gets new Aeons to summon with it during the plot. Rikku's overdrives are based on the party's inventory. Auron levels up by collecting movie spheres, Kimahri learns Overdrives from enemies, and Wakka gets additional Reels as prizes from winning Blitzball tournaments. One of the most {{Egregious}} example of GuideDangIt would be Valefor's Energy Ray attack. How do you obtain it? ''By talking to a friggin' dog in the very first village''

* In ''VideoGame/{{Persona4}}'', several of [[MissionControl Rise's]] skills are obtained through [[LevelUpAtIntimacy5 Social Link]] instead of leveling up.

** The [[PowerCopying Blue Mage]] job is basically this as a whole job. While the rest of the jobs usually learn their skills by by gaining ap, Blue Mages don't. There are certain monster skills that the Blue Mages can learn. To learn these skills, the Blue Mage needs to be hit by the skill and survive (some games do it differently, like [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX eating the monster]]). The problem is, the game [[GuideDangIt won't bother telling which skills can be learned and which one can't or which monsters carry which skill]].

* In ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'', some perks/upgrades can only be learned by crafting and consuming unique mutagenic potions, e.g. Golem's Pith potion unlocks the Moonrise ability.

** The Overdrives in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' have this feel, due to the [[CastOfSnowflakes diverse nature of the party]]. Tidus and Lulu gain new Overdrives by using previous ones repeatedly and levelling up, respectively. Yuna only has one skill that she starts with, but gets new Aeons to summon with it during the plot. Rikku's overdrives are based on the party's inventory. Auron levels up by collecting movie spheres, Kimahri learns Overdrives from enemies, and Wakka plays Blitzball. One of the most {{Egregious}} example of GuideDangIt would be Valefor's Energy Ray attack. How do you obtain it? ''By talking to a friggin' dog in the very first village''

*** Because of a trauma, [[ChildMage Rydia]] cannot use the spell Fire, until [[WhiteMagicianGirl Rosa]] convinces her later in a storyline event. Hilariously enough, she can still learn Fira and Firaga given you do enough LevelGrinding.

** In ''{{Mother 3}}'', Lucas learns [[LightEmUp PK Flash]] by ''getting struck by lightning.''

** ''FinalFantasyVII'' averts this at the start, granting characters new Limit Breaks through repeated combat, but to teach a given character their level 4 Limit Break, you'll need a special item. There's also the Enemy Skill materia; see Blue Mages.
** The Limit Breaks in ''FinalFantasyVIII'' are like this. Squall's Limit Breaks are learned by upgrading his weapon, with the final upgrade teaching him all 4 finishers. Zell reads magazines to learn some of the stronger attacks and finishing moves. Quistis uses certain items to learn skills. Rinoa takes her dog for a walk, and learns a new skill during the plot. Irvine can use different bullets based on what's in inventory. Selphie (technically) has all of her best Limit Break Magic available from the word go, but once you use the special ones once they show up more frequently in future.

** The Overdrives in ''FinalFantasyX'' have this feel, due to the [[CastOfSnowflakes diverse nature of the party]]. Tidus and Lulu gain new Overdrives by using previous ones repeatedly and levelling up, respectively. Yuna only has one skill that she starts with, but gets new Aeons to summon with it during the plot. Rikku's overdrives are based on the party's inventory. Auron levels up by collecting movie spheres, Kimahri learns Overdrives from enemies, and Wakka plays Blitzball. One of the most {{Egregious}} example of GuideDangIt would be Valefor's Energy Ray attack. How do you obtain it? ''By talking to a friggin' dog in the very first village''
** In ''FinalFantasyXIII'', most skills (including basic Attack) are represented by nodes on the Crystarium. The exception is the characters' [[SummonMagic Eidolons]], which are obtained during the storyline and stored in the inventory.
** Ramza's skillset gets larger over the course of ''FinalFantasyTactics''. There's also the Ultima spell (learnable only by Ramza and Alma, and only during two storyline fights) and the Zodiac summon (learnable only by summoners, during one optional fight), which are taught by being hit with (and surviving) the skill in combat, as opposed to most skill which are purchased with JP.

* In ''ChronoCross'' very many of the ultimate or signature attacks are only obtained through doing a sidequest, some of which can be impossible to get [[GuideDangIt if you don't make the right decisions]] during gameplay. In fact, getting the special ability for one character, Razzly the fairy, requires that you choose the ''worst'' option out of a quest in the previous disc and results in many innocent deaths (it's the tragedy that ends up empowering her).

* ''{{ADOM}}'' is unique in regards to this trope. You only improve your existing skills by levelling up and the usual way to learn new ones is from [=NPCs=] and wishes. However, mindcrafters and elementalists learn new Mindcrafting powers and new spells, respectively, upon level up.

*** Most other high-end spells that you can normally learn by spending JP can also be learned the same way, but due to the difficulty in actually finding enemies able to cast them and the need to use the same class that naturally learns the said spell, few people find about it on their own.

** The Limit Breaks in ''FinalFantasyVIII'' are like this. Squall's Limit Break availability is based on his equipped weapon. Zell reads magazines to learn finishing moves. Quistis uses certain items to learn skills. Rinoa takes her dog for a walk, and learns a new skill during the plot. Irvine can use different bullets based on what's in inventory. Selphie (technically) has all of her best Limit Break Magic available from the word go, but once you use the special ones once the show up more frequently in future.

* ''{{ADOM}}'' is unique in regards to this trope. You only improve your existing skills by levelling up and the usual way to learn new ones is from NPCs and wishes. However, mindcrafters and elementalists learn new Mindcrafting powers and new spells, respectively, upon level up.

** In SagaFrontier2, you can also enter one-on-one battle mode and enter your commands manually (i.e. "Slash + Backslash = Cross Slash", rather than selecting the "Cross Slash" skill from your menu), triggering new skills that way.

* In ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'', starting from the second game there is always one party member whose ultimate skill is obtained through story instead of leveling up. In ''VideoGame/Disgaea2CursedMemories'' we have Yukimaru's [[SelfDuplication Midare Fubuki]]. In ''VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice'' we have MainCharacter Mao's [[OneWingedAngel Vasa Aergun]]. Finally [[TokenHuman Fuuka's]] [[HumongousMecha Prinny Kaiser XX]] in ''VideoGame/Disgaea4APromiseUnforgotten''.

** In ''{{Mother3}}'', Lucas learns [[LightEmUp PK Flash]] by ''getting struck by lightning.''

** The [[PowerCopying Blue Mage]] class is basically this as a whole class. While the rest of the classes usually learn their skills by leveling up, Blue Mages don't. There are certain monster skills that the Blue Mages can learn. To learn these skills, the Blue Mage needs to be hit by the skill and survive (some games do it differently, like [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX eating the monster]]). The problem is, the game [[GuideDangIt won't bother telling which skills can be learned and which one can't or which monsters carry which skill]].

** In ''{{Mother3}}'', Lucas learns [[LightEmUp PK Flash]] by ''getting struck by lightning.''** In ''{{Mother3}}'', Lucas learns [[LightEmUp PK Flash]] by ''getting struck by lightning.''

[[AC:ActionRPG]]
* The ''KingdomHearts'' series spreads learning abilities across various methods (level up, progress the plot, defeat a boss, or complete some other challenge), but that comes across as not having one "standard" method in the first place. Though stat boosts come primarily through level-ups, so that might create an expectation that most character growth is from experience points.

[[AC:EasternRPG]]

* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' you can learn skills by getting further in the story, or using another skill a certain number of times.

[[AC:FirstPersonShooter]]
* In ''CliveBarkersUndying'', all spells are acquired by taking a magic scroll, except for the Lightning spell. For that one, you must take a lightning rod and put it in a orifice on a roof. A lightning will strike the rod and you will receive the electricity, which will give you the spell.

[[AC:{{Roguelike}}]]
* ''{{ADOM}}'' is unique in regards to this trope. You only improve your existing skills by levelling up and the usual way to learn new ones is from NPCs and wishes. However, mindcrafters and elementalists learn new Mindcrafting powers and new spells, respectively, upon level up.

[[AC:TurnBasedStrategy]]
* In ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'', starting from the second game there is always one party member whose ultimate skill is obtained through story instead of leveling up. In ''VideoGame/Disgaea2CursedMemories'' we have Yukimaru's [[SelfDuplication Midare Fubuki]]. In ''VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice'' we have MainCharacter Mao's [[OneWingedAngel Vasa Aergun]]. Finally [[TokenHuman Fuuka's]] [[HumongousMecha Prinny Kaiser XX]] in ''VideoGame/Disgaea4APromiseUnforgotten''.

[[AC:WesternRPG]]

* Creator/{{Obsidian|Entertainment}} did something similar to the ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' example two years earlier in ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2: Mask of the Betrayer'', where increasing your RelationshipValues with party members unlocked bonus feats (mainly skill and ability boosts applied to both you and the party member). Meanwhile the ''Storm of Zehir'' expansion has a list of Teamwork Feats which require two steps to unlock: meet requirements outlined in the game manual, then accept and complete a corresponding sidequest from the Adventurers' Guild at Crossroad Keep. All three games also give history feats for completing story requirements, and in ''[=SoZ=]'' some of them grant bonuses.