History Main / NonstandardSkillLearning

* The ''LARP/OtakonLARP'' characters can only learn new skills, and can only earn one rank in that skill.

There are certain skills that cannot be learned through the usual method. They need to be obtained through other means, like advancing the storyline, building up [[LevelUpAtIntimacyFive friendship with your party members]], [[NewSkillAsReward completing]] that old granny's request to [[IrrelevantSidequest buy her groceries]], or defeating the [[BonusBoss super-duper strong hidden monster]] whose existence [[GuideDangIt may or may not be hinted at]]. The point is, don't expect to learn this skill just by the standard procedure.

* In ''VideoGame/DigitalDevilSaga'', if you answer certain dialogue choices throughout [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo the two games]], [[TheChick Argilla]] and [[EleventhHourRanger Seraph]] will automatically obtain the skills Seraph Lore and Reincarnate, respectively, when you reach the final dungeon. Notably, you have to [[OldSaveBonus import a]] ''[[OldSaveBonus Digital Devil Saga 1]]'' [[OldSaveBonus save]] into ''Digital Devil Saga 2'' for those skills to be actually learned by those two, and should you merely import a ''Digital Devil Saga 1'' save into ''Digital Devil Saga 2'', then [[TheSmartGuy Gale]] will always learn Pyriphlegethon, regardless of dialogue choices.

** ''TabletopGame/GeistTheSinEaters'': It only [[PointBuildSystem costs Experience]] to learn most Keys, the "themes" of Sin-Eaters' [[PowersViaPossession ghostly powers]]. However, the Stygian Key, which taps Death itself, requires the student to explore TheUnderworld, learn its secrets from one of the {{Undead Abomination}}s that rule there, and sacrifice part of their body or mind.

* ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'':
** All skills can be improved normally with experience points, but players with other types of 'currency' to burn can buy skill improvements at a Goblin Market. In accordance with the game's fantastical, illogical setting, the marketeers can bottle intangible things like charisma or knowledge of firearms, which they might sell for sanity points, mana, or a character's most cherished memory. The DM sets prices based on the skill's usefulness, its importance to the story, and what will add to the game's atmosphere- [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration goblins don't have the same value system that humans do]].
** Oneiromancer changelings can use people's ''dreams'' to teach them. The student still has to pay experience points, but they can spend their waking hours doing more important things than training, and improve the skill in much less time than normal training would take.

* ''TabletopGame/VampireTheRequiem'': Vampires can usually learn a non-standard [[MagicByAnyOtherName Discipline]] from any vampire who knows it. However, the mirror-themed discipline of Ars Speculorum can only be learned directly from the MirrorMonster who created it, Red Jack, and grants him power over the user.

* In ''VideoGame/BoxxyQuestTheGatheringStorm'', there's a literal SkillTree in East Website/[=YouTube=] that will teach all playable characters an unique ability one at the time. The tree will "reset" at every plot advancement, with the last ability being available only in the post game.

** In both ''Covenant'' and ''From the new World'' the skills of all characters sans harmonixers like Yuri, Kuranto and Shania are tied to their personal sidequests. Some of them make sense (Joachim learning new wrestling moves by sparing with his teacher The Great Gama; Frank gaining new Ninja skills by completing the trials set up by members of his village), other... don't (Karin learning new sword arts by reading chapters of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, Geppeto gaining new puppet spells by trading gay porn to a CampGay Tailor in exchange for new dresses for his doll daughter).

* In ''VideoGame/TheCouncil'', skill points can be 'bought' during levelling up and automatically granted based on how the protagonist is played; failing too many social confrontations will grant the talent "Tactless", which boosts Conviction but makes Etiquette uses cost more Effort Points. Succeeding on one's first try at solving the Greek statues puzzle will [[PersonalityPowers give an Erudition-boosting trait]]. Neither traits or talents are optional, presumably so the player will remain consistent with 'their' version of Louis.

* In ''TabletopGame/ChangelingTheLost'', all skills can be improved normally with experience points, but players with other types of 'currency' to burn can buy skill improvements at a Goblin Market. In accordance with the game's fantastical, illogical setting, the marketeers can bottle intangible things like charisma or knowledge of firearms, which they might sell for sanity points, mana, or a character's most cherished memory. The DM sets prices based on the skill's usefulness, its importance to the story, and what will add to the game's atmosphere- [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration goblins don't have the same value system that humans do]].

* ''TabletopGame/TheOneRing'': Characters can normally use a downtime phase to [[DiscardAndDraw exchange]] one of their Traits for a new one. However, if they are able to arrange the meeting, they can gain the [[GoodSmokingEvilSmoking Smoking]] trait for free from Gandalf the Grey Wizard, or learn Shadow-Lore from Saruman the White for only a permanent [[KarmaMeter point of Shadow]].

* In ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', the basic psychic abilities are not part of the normal class-based SkillTree, but instead unlocked randomly after a 10-day stay in the psi labs. More advanced psychic powers are tied not to the CharacterLevel but to [[StatGrinding a separate Psi-EXP count that increases every time the unit successfully uses a psionic skill]], while the most powerful psi ability, Rift, can only be learned by [[spoiler:the Volunteer, a single soldier who enters the Gollop Chamber for the final mission]].

* In ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'', the basic psychic ability Mind Flay is not part of the normal class-based SkillTree but is unlocked randomly for soldiers with particularly high Will score after a prolonged stay in the psychic labs. More advanced psychic powers are tied not to the CharacterLevel but to [[StatGrinding how often you use Mind Flay and other powers you already unlocked]], while the most powerful psychic ability, the Rift, can only be learned by [[spoiler:the Volunteer, a single soldier who enters the Gollop Chamber in the endgame]].

* The Blaster skill in both ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic VI'' and ''VII'' is unlocked by story events towards the end of the games, unlike the standard method of finding a related store and paying for basic training.

* In ''Videogame/FateGrandOrder'', Mash Kyrielight's skills and level cap increases are gated by story progress. This means that she takes a lot longer to reach her full potential but will eventually become a very useful defensive support unit.

*** ''VideoGame/Disgaea5AllianceofVengeance'' pulls a two-fer on this trope. Aside from Killia learning Avidya Holy Water and Macrocosm in this manner, there's also each of the story characters' [[LimitBreak Overload Skills]], which coincide with some CharacterDevelopment.

** In both ''Covenant'' and ''From the new World'' the skills of all characters sans harmonixers like Yuri, Kuranto and Shania are tied to their personal sidequests. Some of them make sense (Joachim learning new wrestling moves by sparing with his teacher The Great Game; Frank gaining new Ninja skills by completing the trials set up by members of his village), other... don't (Karin learning new sword arts by reading chapters of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, Geppeto gaining new puppet spells by trading gay porn to a CampGay Tailor in exchange for new dresses for his doll daughter).

* Smeargle, from ''Videogame/{{Pokemon}}'', who is the only Pokemon who can permanently learn attacks via Sketch. Everyone else has to level up to learn new moves, use a TM, HM or move tutor, or even be bred from two compatible Pokémon with the moves you want.

** In ''VideoGame/Disgaea3AbsenceOfJustice'' we have MainCharacter Mao's [[OneWingedAngel Vasa Aergun]].

** Another skill example in ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn Radiant Dawn]]''. Normally characters learn their [[LimitBreak ultimate skill]] on promoting to their 3rd-tier class. Ike, however, learns Nihil in addition to [[SignatureMove Aether]] when promoting to Vanguard. This is probably a case of AntiFrustrationFeatures, as Nihil negates enemy skills and the Black Knight's Eclipse skill is so powerful no-one in the game can survive it. Given that Ike has a forced DuelBoss against the BlackKnight later, giving him Nihil avoid the fight being a complete LuckBasedMission.

There are certain skills that cannot be learned through the usual method. They need to be obtained through other means, like advancing the storyline, building up [[LevelUpAtIntimacyFive friendship with your party members]], completing that old granny's request to [[IrrelevantSidequest buy her groceries]], or defeating the [[BonusBoss super-duper strong hidden monster]] whose existence [[GuideDangIt may or may not be hinted at]]. The point is, don't expect to learn this skill just by the standard procedure.

For a completionist, this might be the LastLousyPoint. May be related to EveryoneHasASpecialMove, if these moves must be unlocked by the story.

* In ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'', 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 ([[TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening it's the tragedy that ends up empowering her]]).

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

* In the ''[[Franchise/SaGaRPG SaGa]]'' series, you can generally spark learning new skills (randomly, of course) by spamming abilities lower on the skill tree.