History Main / UpgradeArtifact

* Subverted with the Wiki/SCPFoundation's [[http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-572 SCP-572]], a [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]] which makes the wielder ''think'' they're an invincible badass. And not only does it give the wielder delusions of grandeur, it's badly balanced and its edge is blunter than a butter knife.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* An episode of the ''Men in Black'' cartoon involved a dislodged part of an alien spaceship that was basically used to refine their fuel. When used on organic beings, it granted PersonalityPowers. Agent J became a cross between Spider-Man and Quicksilver while K became an implacable man of stone. The worms turned into living coffee and tried to drink themselves and each other.
* The Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles receive these in the fifth season of the [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2003 second cartoon]], in the form of amulets which, along with the new weapons they're given, allow them to use ninja abilities reminiscent to those in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}''.

* The ''{{Videogame/STALKER}}'' games features [[ILoveNuclearPower radioactive objects]] that grant you immunities to environmental hazards, [[HealingFactor the ability to mend your wounds]], or [[SuperStrength extra weight capacity]] depending on the artifact.

** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'': The Armor [=DigiEggs=].
*** Especially the [[GoldMiracles (Veemon -> Magnamon -- a Royal Knight and therefore a Mega in all but name) and Destiny (Terriermon -> Gold Rapidmon - a variant of an Ultimate level).

** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'': The [=DigiEggs=].
*** ESPECIALLY Miracles (Veemon -> Magnamon -- a HOLY ***ING KNIGHT and therefore a Mega in all but name) and Destiny (Terriermon -> Gold Rapidmon - a variant of an Ultimate level).

* ''Literature/{{Night Watch|Series}}'': The third book introduces a magical tome titled ''Fuaran'', penned by a witch of the same name centuries ago. Supposedly, it includes a spell for turning {{Muggle}}s into [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Others]] and increased an Other's power UpToEleven. [[spoiler:The book is destroyed at the end of the novel when the person carrying it burns up on re-entry, but a witch named Arina (who was previously in posession of it) manages to partially restore the spell from memory.]] In the spin-off ''School Supervision'', [[spoiler:a rare genie-type Other manages to recreate the book and a so-called ''Anti-Fuaran'' using her manifestation powers. The latter is used to turn an Other into a Muggle, which is necessary in order to then upgrade them back into a "gray" Other (without an alignment)]].

* The [=TMs=] and [=HMs=] in ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', [=CDs=] that you stick to your Pokémon's foreheads. Somehow Pokémon can download the data off the disc like that.
** The various evolution items straddle the line between this an TransformationTrinket. They grant new stats and moves, but unlike 'Trinkets, they aren't reversible.
*** Not to mention Porygon evolves through an item named Upgrade.
** Don't forget Rare Candy, a level in a wrapper.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' you can find a number of mysterious memory modules which claim to permanently boost base stats, if you figure out how to use them, they allow you to undergo powerful operations... that take weeks to recover from.

** 1st Edition ''AD&D'' included magical books and [[AntiGravityClothing ioun stones]] that granted you a free experience level if you read or used them. These were dropped from later editions of the game, on the grounds that levels should be earned through actual play, not found lying around in dungeons. There remain certain artifacts in edition 3.5 (The Book of Vile Darkness, etc) that grant this effect, though they can only be used by specific kinds of spellcasters, and then only once in a lifetime.

** One example is the [[StealthPun Skillful]] melee weapon ability from [[{{Sourcebook}} Complete Arcane]] which allows one to competently operate a weapon without the necessary learning.

* ''[[{{VideoGame/Dota2}} DOTA 2]]'' has Aghanim's Scepter, which buffs some heroes' ultimate ability in a certain way. Meepo, for example, gains one extra clone on purchase, while Juggernaut gains 3 extra slashes on his ultimate.

*** ESPECIALLY Miracles (Veemon -> Magnamon - a HOLY ***ING KNIGHT and therefore a Mega in all but name) and Destiny (Terriermon -> Gold Rapidmon - a variant of an Ultimate level).

* Right at the beginning of ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', Bam receives the [[EmpathicWeapon Black March]] from Yuri as to help him out a little. It works wonders, but even though the [[RoyalRapier Needle]] takes a liking towards him, she is almost never used and at one point given back to Yuri, kind of subverting the whole matter again.

* Subverted/averted in ''Anime/DragonBallZ'':
** Master Korin tells Goku that the "Sacred Water" from a particular jar will make him stronger, but takes the jar away every time Goku wants to drink from it. In the end, the water has no effect: it's the exercise you have to do to get it that makes you stronger. Truth be told, Korin just fills the jar with ordinary water. When the assassin Tao Pai Pai scales the tower, Korin gives him the water straightaway, and even loans him an evil Flying Nimbus cloud to make the return trip down the tower, specifically to prevent him from exerting himself any more (and thus getting any stronger) before his rematch with Goku.
** Though later, Master Korin sends Goku after "Ultra Sacred Water", which DOES have magical powers but tends to kill everyone who can't handle it.
** The legendary sword which is supposed to make Gohan the strongest warrior in the universe is actually just very heavy. Gohan gets stronger because wielding it is like training with impossibly heavy barbells. Also because it's a SoulJar containing an ancient Kai who enacts a power-unsealing ritual on Gohan. Admittedly it seems to be a few hours of him dancing around hooting and reading comic books, but it seems to have worked.
** The Dragon Balls can be used for anything from [[ResetButton resurrecting billions of people]] to [[AllMenArePerverts obtaining panties]]... except leveling up. Unless you count the immortality the balls are capable of granting. Given that Saiyans get stronger every time they get badly beat up, this is all they'd need.
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'':
** The [[MacGuffin Hougyoku]] does this to anyone it comes in contact with. Not only is it responsible for Aizen's many transformations in the Deicide Arc, but its presence in Karakura was also partly responsible (along with contact with Ichigo's overactive reiatsu) for Chad and Orihime unlocking powers in the first place.
** The Sanrei Glove Uryuu uses to power up for the Soul Society Arc has the capacity to do this twice over: its primary effect is to make it harder for the user to gather spirit particles, so it's like training with wrist and ankle weights for added resistance. Removing the Glove after training with it, however, results in a huge temporary boost...that in turn causes complete power burnout. Uryuu ends up using the dangerous secondary effect against Mayuri to try and avenge his grandfather's death.
** The anime-only {{Filler}} arc that follows this restores Uryuu's powers temporarily with a bracelet-like Upgrade Artifact that breaks at the end of the arc, just in time to rejoin the manga plotline where [[ParentExMachina his father]] restores his powers permanently.

* In a twist, any previously-used object can work like that in the hands of a high-level Psychometrist in the ''Manga/PsychicSquad'' universe. Shiho (A [[PowerLevels Level 7]] Psychometer) easily wins a fishing-competition despite having never fished before, simply by using her powers to 'read' the fishing-rod, instantly knowing how best to use it - and later gains ImplausibleFencingPowers when handling a 5000-years old saber, since she can copy the abilities of all its previous users.
* In ''Manga/{{Guyver}}'', the Gigantic upgrade takes the form of a large piece of Creator technology which can be swapped between the Guyvers. It actually began as an escape pod for a Creator ship which was physically and mentally tied into Sho while it crashed.
* ''LightNovel/TheFamiliarOfZero'' presents this in the form of familiar runes. When a mage summons their familiar, the contract of servitude is manifested by a set of runes imprinted on the familiar. This can grant the familiar abilities or attributes they previously lacked, such as near-human intelligence, the ability to speak, or, in the case of the eponymous character, the ability to wield any weapon with ease.
* In ''Manga/{{Hellsing}}'', Father Anderson, while otherwise an ImplacableMan, simply cannot muster enough gumption to go against Alucard, so he decides it's TheLastDance for him. [[spoiler:He tributes his humanity to God by stabbing himself with the Nail of Helena, turning him into a divine monster on par with Alucard and a HumanoidAbomination.]] Alucard himself loathes the use of the trope, as he thinks only a real human has the right to truly defeat monsters, otherwise you're just replacing a monster with a stronger one.

* ''ComicBook/DoctorFate'': The Helmet of Fate will grant anyone who [[EmpathicWeapon it allows]] to wear it incredible magical power and knowledge.
* Lord Sovereign from ''ComicBook/AstroCity'' needs a piece of the Sekmeht Stone to contain and focus his energy powers.

* Subverted in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'', where [[spoiler:Po trains for most of the film to become the Dragon Warrior and be granted the Dragon Scroll, only to discover that the scroll is a mirror.]] It pulled double-duty as a SecretTestOfCharacter: [[spoiler:neither Shifu nor Tai Lung, nor even Po at first, could figure out why it was "empty", just apparently a blank but rather reflective scroll. It took learning there is no secret ingredient to the [[ChekhovsGun Secret Ingredient Soup]] for Po to realize that the scroll didn't MAKE you the Dragon Warrior, but made you realize you had it all inside of you already.]]

* The movie ''Film/DarkCity'' combines the Upgrade Artifact and the TrainingMontage. The psychic hero John has been captured and will be brainwashed, but the doctor in charge of the operation instead uses a different syringe containing the memories of a lifetime of training and use with his fledgling powers. Needless to say, much ass-kicking ensues.
* Used in ''Film/BattlefieldEarth'', though when the humans need to learn how to fly Harrier Jets, they inconveniently forget about the Upgrade Artifact and learn how to fly Harriers thorough trial and error in a few days. There's a reason this movie was so critically panned. (If only it was just that; other movies survive nonsensical plot holes; ''Battlefield Earth'' doesn't for other reasons.)

* The [[CoolSword magical sword Need]] in the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' books will give its bearer magical protection if a fighter, fighting skills if a mage, or both if the bearer is neither. Then things get more complicated...
* The Literature/{{Helm}} is an unusually slow-acting example -- much of the knowledge it imparts is not accessible by the wearer for months.
* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': Harry Dresden was already a powerful wizard, but he'd usually run into bad luck using [[LandOfFaerie The Never-Never]] as a shortcut to get places. But when [[spoiler: his daughter]] was kidnapped in ''Literature/{{Changes}}'' he needed to go from Chicago to South America in a hurry, which was when the Leanansidhe gave him [[spoiler: the jewel from his mother's amulet]], which contained secret knowledge of the paths through that realm.
* The Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration novel ''Debtor's Planet'' had a "learning helmet" that was widely used on the adult population of a low-technology planet during one phase of trying to turn it into a pirate base to trouble the Federation. It could, in a single session, implant advanced technical knowledge equivalent to several years of intense study, equivalent to, for example, attending Starfleet Academy. It also left many people with profound psychological problems, such as one character who frequently finds herself curled into a ball under her desk. One man who was deemed too crippled to bother with is glad he wasn't taught this way, and is glad that children are being taught in recognizable, traditional schools.
* ''Literature/{{Nightside}}'': When John Taylor gets Excalibur his hand-to-hand combat skills, speed and efficiency all improve and he gains considerable fencing prowess. According to him it's more like Excalibur is making moves and just needs the wielder for the ride. Overlaps with ''EmpathicWeapon''.
* ''Literature/OutOfTheDark'': The Shongairi test direct "neural education" on humanity and finds us surprisingly better at receiving it than most of the Hegemony's species. [[BlatantLies This in no way]] [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard comes back to haunt them]] [[ForegoneConclusion in the end]]. Although, to be fair, the "neural education" would've been useless if not for [[spoiler:Dracula and his kind]].
* ''Literature/{{Night Watch|Series}}'': The third book introduces a magical tome titled ''Fuaran'', penned by a witch of the same name centuries ago. Supposedly, it includes a spell for turning {{Muggle}}s into [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual Others]] and increased an Other's power UpToEleven. [[spoiler:The book is destroyed at the end of the novel when the person carrying it burns up on re-entry, but a witch named Arina (who was previously in posession of it) manages to partially restore the spell from memory.]] In the spin-off ''School Supervision'', [[spoiler:a rare genie-type Other manages to recreate the book and a so-called ''Anti-Fuaran'' using her manifestation powers. The latter is used to turn an Other into a Muggle, which is necessary in order to then upgrade them back into a "gray" Other (without an alignment)]].

* Franchise/StargateVerse:
** ''Series/StargateSG1'' has the Ancient library device, which can imprint itself into a human mind, resulting in major technological advances. The drawback is [[spoiler:the human brain can't handle it and the Ancient knowledge must be removed before there's permanent damage.]]
** ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' has a device that accelerates a human's evolution to that of an [[SufficientlyAdvancedAliens Ancient]], granting him PsychicPowers such as telepathy, telekinesis, healing, and super-intelligence (even more if the human in question is already a genius). Unfortunaly, the goal of the device is to force [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence Ascension]]. If the subject is not ready mentally to become an EnergyBeing, he will die in a matter of days. Fortunately, it is possible to reverse the process.
* In ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' the episode "Spock's Brain" has a Teacher which gives whoever uses it the ability to perform brain transplants and removal, perfectly. The downside is [[spoiler:the knowledge is short-lived]].
* In ''Franchise/PowerRangers'', any Ranger will instinctively know how to use all of his or her gear and HumongousMecha, and generally only needs to be taught an [[ByThePowerOfGreyskull activation phrase]] or two. Fighting skills also seem to come with the suit. Billy, the very first Blue Ranger, used Ranger fighting skills while in Ranger form, but in human form, didn't have them and still had to be taught karate to use it out-of-suit. Later Rangers have kept their fight skills in civilian form. Justified in some seasons, where it shows the Rangers have been training for a while before ever getting a morpher. Subverted in ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'', where Ziggy's fighting abilities still merely approach competence even after FallingIntoTheCockpit.

* ''Series/{{Chuck}}'': as of season 3, [[spoiler:having the new Intersect means you have a GreatBigBookOfEverything worth of feats at your disposal]].
* Imprinting can work this way in ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}''.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' and other cyberpunk [[TabletopGames tabletop roleplaying games]] use "skill softs" and linguasofts, datachips containing memories and trained reflexes or foreign languages copied from a donor and uploaded into the recipient's brain via a datajack. For physical skills like combat or piano playing, it's necessary to install a skill wire cyber system into the body's nervous system and limbs which basically remote-controls the body and overwrites its reflexes with new ones while the skill chip is activated. In ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}} Cyberpunk'', "slave chips" can be used to paralyze a subject (usually a prisoner) or overwrite his personality with a new subservient one, for example to turn someone into a sex slave.
** Naturally, these were both invented by Creator/WilliamGibson, the latter in ''Literature/{{Neuromancer}}'', the former in ''Literature/MonaLisaOverdrive''. The sex chip was usually implanted voluntarily (it makes earning money as a hooker less... icky) and the knowledge imparted by the memory chips vanished as soon as they were removed. His choice of name for memory chips, ''micro softs'', dates the novel somewhat.
** Also notable is the fact that a skillsoft [[TechnicianVersusPerformer cannot make you nearly as capable as normally-trained experts]], represented as a cap of rank 4 on the skillsoft's rating as opposed to rank 6 in the skill (7 with natural talent) trained normally.

* The only way to learn new proficiencies during a campaign in ''TabletopGame/HcSvntDracones'' is a device called a "Neuroplex", an ocular implant that flashes pages and images related to the subject while the user is asleep or otherwise not conscious of what they're reading. It gives you one point about every two weeks, up to three in a skill, though achieving four points requires a specific Quest anyways.

** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' the characters had no skills (apart from unique limit breaks). EVERY skill that the player characters had was determined by what "Materia" was inserted into their weapons and armor. Some Materia could be "chained", having a Support materia enhance the active materia (making for some incredibly powerful combinations such as Final Blow + Phoenix, which revives the character equiped with it up to 5 times in the same battle).. One Materia (the Yellow Materia) would even let you use certain enemy skills against them - ''once the materia had "learned" the skill by being equipped AND having that character get hit by the skill in question''. This of course was problematical for skills such as Death Sentence, which would kill the character after a timer runs out if it hits.
* Applied without much explanation in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' - when picking up a new hammer or set of boots, Mario automatically learns a new skill, for no apparent reason. Granted, there ''is'' a brief [[HeKnowsAboutTimedHits tutorial session]] with Toadette; maybe Mario's just a [[InstantExpert quick learner]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 2}}'' you can find a number of mysterious memory modules which claim to permanently boost base stats, if you figure out how to use them, they allow you to undergo powerful operations... that take weeks to recover from.
** ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' has a better example, in the form of bobbleheads and books that raise a specific skill when grabbed.
** ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' brings back the implanted stat boosters, except this time you'll be back on your feet in a matter of hours. There are also some new, more situational implants in the ''Old World Blues'' DLC that do things like making you move faster while sneaking.
* All of the weapons in ''VideoGame/{{Drakengard}}'' come with a magical spell the protagonist can use perfectly once he equips the weapon. He can also use a variety of weapons and weapon styles perfectly, but that's [[HandWave probably because he's a]] BadassNormal.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' series of games, not only does Samus acquire new powers and skills by collecting artifacts, she often [[BagOfSpilling loses these artifacts]] and has to collect them all over again.
* ''VideoGame/NiGHTSJourneyOfDreams'' has the Persona masks, which enable [=NiGHTS=] to take on the appearance of a rocket, a dragon, or a dolphin and grant them special abilities.
* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', Emiya Shirou's (and by extension, [[spoiler:Emiya/Archer]]'s) unique [[FunctionalMagic Tracing]] allows him to gain the abilities of his faked weapons' previous owners. Each of the three scenarios also has another Upgrade Artifact: In ''Fate'', it was [[EleventhHourSuperpower Avalon]]. ''Unlimited Blade Works'', it was the eponymous [[FieldOfBlades Reality Marble]]. In ''Heaven's Feel'', Shirou is BlessedWithSuck as [[spoiler:his left arm is lost in a fight and replaced by Archer]]'s, which allows him to match up against Servants but quickly overwhelms his mind and body.

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'': All base classes can promote at level 10 when using the right item. However, doing so also means missing out on the other 10 levels the character can gain in that class, so it's better to wait until the character has reached the level cap. Unlike a level, a promotion adds predefined stats to the character, and sometimes gives them a new ability and/or the ability to use new weapon types.
* In ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' you acquire new biometals.
* ''VideoGame/SecretOfMana'' had you collect eight orbs each for your eight weapons. Once hammered into place by a trusty dwarf, you could then proceed to ... wait a bit longer for your strongest charge attack (it also increases the base attack of the weapon).
** The second/final class changes in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' are sealed, requiring characters to not only reach level 38, but to have an item to break the seal. The item is different for each and every class, and must be "grown" from a seed that RandomlyDrops from a few specific (though thankfully unlimited) monsters. [[GuideDangIt That last part is never explained in-game.]] In the remake, a post-game questline involves the protagonists gaining yet another class change which requires going on a character-specific quest to obtain the artifact required for said upgrade.
* The augmentation canisters in ''VideoGame/{{Geneforge}}'' can instantly give your character new abilities or more points in a skill. Unfortunately, they tend to make you more arrogant, violent, and inhuman. Using more than a certain number of them will alter the [[MultipleEndings ending]] you get.

* The ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'' series centers around a device called the Animus, which allows a user to experience the lives of their ancestors stored in GeneticMemory via a virtual reality simulation. Prolonged use of the Animus causes something called a "bleeding effect", whereby the skills of one's ancestors imprint themselves upon the user. Thus, someone can learn to be a master Assassin through mental osmosis of a sort, with only a few potential side-effects... like insanity.
* ''VideoGame/Borderlands1'': Multiple:
** Players literally find "artifacts" that they use to apply [[FireIceLightning elemental effects]] to their action skill. In later games, Artifacts instead give you a random set of passive buffs.
** The main storyline in the ''Claptrap's New Robot Revolution'' DLC offers a corner case--one of the quest rewards is a skill point, meaning your character suddenly improves a skill just for finishing that quest.
* The ''{{Videogame/STALKER}}'' games features [[ILoveNuclearPower radioactive objects]] that grant you immunities to environmental hazards, [[HealingFactor the ability to mend your wounds]], or [[SuperStrength extra weight capacity]] depending on the artifact.
* The relics in later ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games are like this, often cube shaped things that give you magic powers. You can even turn them on and off at will!
* In ''VideoGame/NexusTheJupiterIncident'' you manage to acquire a disabled mechanoid. Angel, the ship's AI advisor, subsequently integrates the mechanoid craft into the Angelwing at a molecular level, in spite of being told not to. The Cptn. Cromwell, while already having gotten several ship upgrades, [[TakingALevelInBadass takes a new level of awesome.]]
* ''Circuit's Edge'', the cyberpunk murder-mystery adventure based on ''[[Literature/MaridAudran When Gravity Fails]]'' by Creator/GeorgeAlecEffinger, features a wide variety of mind-enhancing and skill-providing software directly installed in one's brain in a vein similar to fellow cyberpunk pioneer, Neuromancer.
* This is how you improve your ship in ''VideoGame/DarkstarOne''. By collecting enough artifacts, you can upgrade the Darkstar's wings, hull or engines, and unlock new abilities for the Plasma Cannon.
* ''VideoGame/{{Snailiad}}'' has the Devastator, which upgrades all three of your weapons.
* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls''
** Skill books have been present in the series since ''Morrowind''. When read, they'll [[RareCandy automatically increase one of your skills by one point]]. They also typically contain [[InGameNovel short stories]] related to the skill in question.
** Several games in the series include the Oghma Infinium, an artifact of the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] [[KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge Hermaeus Mora]]. When read, it will impart knowledge on the reader which drastically increases the abilities of the reader (with the exact mechanics varying by game).
** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' has the Bittercup, an artifact of the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] [[DealWithTheDevil Clavicus]] [[LiteralGenie Vile]], which will [[RareCandy instantly give a massive boost]] to your top two attributes, up to the limit of 100. However, this one also come with a downside, as it will ''decrease'' your lowest two attributes by the same amount.
* ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'' features skill manuals, items that instantly teach a character the new skill, which becomes a plot device as the rookie Raimon team keep relying on getting new GameBreaking abilities every chapter to climb up the tournament. It doesn't work by the half of the game and the heroes are finally told they need to train properly instead of spending times looking for papers.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Overlord}}'' the eponymous Overlord has to track down and return Tower Objects to his ominous dark tower in order to upgrade his stats, gain/upgrade spells, and access better armour.
* The Prothean beacons in ''Franchise/MassEffect'' were set up to be this, one has supposedly helped advance the humans to the galactic stage and another has been a part of the asari's advanced culture.
* Played with in ''VideoGame/AtelierIris2TheAzothOfDestiny''. Equipping a new weapon, armor or accessory will grant a character a skill, but unless you spend some time grinding to master the skill, the skill will only remain available while said item is equipped.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' Franchise has many Magic and Unique items which enable the use of abilities you haven't invested skill points into, or even abilities from a different class. However, take off that piece of gear or store that charm in your chest, and you can kiss that ability goodbye.
* Certification Points in ''Videogame/PlanetSide 1'' are used as justification for players becoming {{Do Anything Soldier}}s given enough time. Every Battle Rank, soldiers get one Certification Point to spend on unlocking equipment, which grants them knowledge on its usage and grants them access to buy the equipment from equipment or vehicle terminals. "Medical", for example, allows you to [[HealThyself heal allies and yourself with the Medapp]], but you don't learn its resurrection function until you certify "Advanced Medical". Certification points can be refunded every 6 hours, which causes you to lose knowledge on how to use the equipment and the ability to acquire it from equipment terminals.
* In ''VideoGame/DarkBall2'' you collect Blessings, most of them are acquired upon [[PowerCopying beating a boss]].
* ''[[{{VideoGame/Dota2}} DOTA 2]]'' has Aghanim's Scepter, which buffs some heroes' ultimate ability in a certain way. Meepo, for example, gains one extra clone on purchase, while Juggernaut gains 3 extra slashes on his ultimate.
* One of the random bonuses equipment in ''VideoGame/TitanQuest'' can have is to improve a player character's existing skills, even beyond the cap allowed naturally. Rarely items can grant the player character new skills, either those from a different mastery than their current build or completely unique to the item.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Infamous}}'' games utilize this with the sewer-based Power Stations in the first game and Blast Cores in the second. Both unlock brand new abilities for Cole to use, although the Blast Cores do knock him out for several hours.
* ''VideoGame/{{Greedfall}}'': Equipment can grant a level in a talent when worn. The only one that's ''sort of'' plausible is Charisma, if it makes the wearer more attractive. Intuition (knowing what to say in a given situation)? Science (making potions and explosives)? Lockpicking (ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin)? Not so much.

* In ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', while Redcloak is a formidable spellcaster in his own right, his Crimson Mantle artifact grants him longevity, resistance to disease, and the knowledge needed to alter the order of the cosmos (with the [[CosmicKeystone right tools]], of course).
** Given that he was a novice acolyte before he donned the cloak, and the first spell he cast after putting it on was Smite, and the universe quite explicitly runs on [[RPGMechanicsVerse D&D 3E rules]], he probably gained at least six character levels from it too.

* In ''Webcomic/DemonFist'', Pandora's Spear gives the wielder SuperSpeed, SuperStrength and a HealingFactor. It may also grant knowledge of [[BladeOnAStick spear-fighting techniques]], but it's unclear since the only observed wielder had been obsessed with it for years.

* Subverted with the Wiki/SCPFoundation's [[http://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-572 SCP-572]], a [[KatanasAreJustBetter katana]] which makes the wielder ''think'' they're an invincible badass. And not only does it give the wielder delusions of grandeur, it's badly balanced and its edge is blunter than a butter knife.

* In the ''Westernanimation/ChipNDaleRescueRangers'' episode "It's a Bird, It's Insane, It's Dale!", the eponymous Dale comes into possession of an alien rock that causes anyone who comes in contact with it to become [[RubberMan stretchy and bouncy]], and decides to become a superhero known as Rubber Bando. Naturally, the episode's villain ''also'' acquires a piece, and uses it to commit ''Franchise/CarmenSandiego''-scale acts of theft.

* An episode of the ''Men in Black'' cartoon involved a dislodged part of an alien spaceship that was basically used to refine their fuel. When used on organic beings, it granted PersonalityPowers. Agent J became a cross between Spider-Man and Quicksilver while K became an implacable man of stone. The worms turned into living coffee and tried to drink themselves and each other.

** The second/final class changes in ''VideoGame/TrialsOfMana'' are sealed, requiring characters to not only reach level 38, but to have an item to break the seal. The item is different for each and every class, and must be "grown" from a seed that RandomlyDrops from a few specific (though thankfully unlimited) monsters. [[GuideDangIt That last part is never explained in-game.]]

* ''Literature/OutOfTheDark'': The Shongairi test direct "neural education" on humanity and finds us surprisingly better at receiving it than most of the Hegemony's species. [[BlatantLies This in no way]] [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard comes back to haunt them]] [[ForegoneConclusion in the end]].

* Pactio cards in ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' work like this, allowing the [[SquishyWizard magister magi]] to buff the [[BattleCouple partner's]] physical abilities, [[CallOnMe summon them from a great distance]], [[PsychicLink talk to them telepathically]], [[TransformationTrinket transform]] and most importantly gain a new artifact. In most cases this artifact is a reflection of the [[PersonalityPowers partner's personality]], often giving otherwise [[{{Muggles}} mundane girls]] an ability to fight on the same level as trained martial artists and [[{{Obake}} demons]] (Asuna's {{BFS}} before her TrainingFromHell, though she already had a ChekhovsArmoury) or a new strength atop their fighting skills (Setsuna's [[ReverseShrapnel floating Tanto knives]]). In some cases, the use of this artifact can be determined by the girl's [[MartialArtsAndCrafts inherent skills]], (Haruna's [[ArtInitiatesLife drawing speed]], Chisame's [[ExtremeGraphicalRepresentation hacking-skills]]). Otherwise it usually serves as a tactical advantage as not to [[HardWorkHardlyWorks offset the earned talents of trained characters]] while making weak girls useful in combat (Nodoka's [[MindProbe mind-reading book]], Yue's {{Magitek}} GreatBigBookOfEverything). In exceptional cases, a girl will gain some tactical advantage while already being trained (Kaede's {{Ninja}} [[BiggerOnTheInside scarf]]).
* In a twist, any previously-used object can work like that in the hands of a high-level Psychometrist in the ''Manga/ZettaiKarenChildren'' universe. Shiho (A [[PowerLevels Level 7]] Psychometer) easily wins a fishing-competition despite having never fished before, simply by using her powers to 'read' the fishing-rod, instantly knowing how best to use it - and later gains ImplausibleFencingPowers when handling a 5000-years old saber, since she can copy the abilities of all its previous users.

* ''[[VideoGame/NightsIntoDreams NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams]]'' has the Persona masks, which enable [=NiGHTS=] to take on the appearance of a rocket, a dragon, or a dolphin and grant her/him special abilities.

** The [[MacGuffin Hougyoku]] does this to anyone it comes in contact with. Not only is it responsible for Aizen's MANY {{Squick}} and {{Narm}} filled transformations in the Deicide Arc, but its presence in Karakura was also partly responsible (along with contact with Ichigo's overactive reiatsu) for Chad and Orihime unlocking powers in the first place.

* Right at the beginning of ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod'', Baam receives the [[EmpathicWeapon Black March]] from Yuri as to help him out a little. It works wonders, but even though the [[RoyalRapier Needle]] takes a liking towards him, she is almost never use and at one point given back to Yuri, kind of subverting the whole matter again.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'', players literally find "artifacts" that they use to apply [[FireIceLightning elemental effects]] to their action skill. In later games, Artifacts instead give you a random set of passive buffs.

* The Prothean beacons in MassEffect were set up to be this, one has supposedly helped advance the humans to the galactic stage and another has been a part of the asari's advanced culture.

** The second and final class changes in ''VideoGame/SeikenDensetsu3'' are sealed, requiring characters to not only reach level 38, but to have an item to break the seal. The item is different for each and every class, and must be "grown" from a seed that RandomlyDrops from a few specific (though thankfully unlimited) monsters. [[GuideDangIt That last part is never explained in-game.]]

** ''Manga/DigimonVTamer01'': The Digimental.

** ''Anime/DigimonTamers'': Cards.
** ''Manga/DigimonNext'': The [=DigiMemories=].

* The same thing applies in ''FireEmblem,'' where all base classes can promote at level 10 when using the right item. However, doing so also means missing out on the other 10 levels the character can gain in that class, so it's better to wait until the character has reached the level cap. Unlike a level, a promotion adds predefined stats to the character, and sometimes gives them a new ability and/or the ability to use new weapon types.