Poll of the Day > What would you say are the best RPGs where you don't level up in the trad sense

(+) Yeah! (+)

For example, in the Zelda games you do grow as you finish levels, if you count them as RPGs, but I'm more looking for something where aside from a few high value/critical items your character doesn't particularly "grow" during the course of the game

Battle Network

Metalsonic66 posted...

Battle Network

that's a pretty good example - Aside from a few critical items (like the armors in MMBN 1 or the Codes in MMBN 3) you rely entirely on equipment

any yugioh rpg or the pokemon tcg games

not sure I would consider such a game an RPG. if you can't level/grow your character, then that means there is little to no customization, which makes it an action game not an RPG.

Monster Hunter

Terraria

Minecraft Dungeons

Metalsonic66 posted...

Monster Hunter

Micell posted...

Terraria

TheSlinja posted...

any yugioh rpg or the pokemon tcg games

all good - just trying to tink it more towards the RPG end

Sahuagin posted...

then that means there is little to no customization,

all these games have a ton of customization lmao

also another one, Custom Robo more the DS one than the GC one tho.

Sahuagin posted...

not sure I would consider such a game an RPG. if you can't level/grow your character, then that means there is little to no customization, which makes it an action game not an RPG.

You can have customization and growth without levelling up.

illusion of gaia

As influential as they are on JRPGs, the Ultima games.

Most of them either have you buy your stats or are situational. And the games are usually less about how strong your character is and more about having the right items/skills to get past a situation. You can usually take a character from base to maxed out in about 5-10 minutes.

Would you count the Dark Clouds here? Your weapon is technically what levels upplus the fruit things for HP.

But yeah, I generally agree with the comment that character battle growth is a required element for an RPG.

Lokarin posted...

all good - just trying to tink it more towards the RPG end

Yeah I dunno if I would count Terraria, as much as I love it

Metalsonic66 posted...

Yeah I dunno if I would count Terraria, as much as I love it

honeslty, I forgot WHY I made the topic...

I was thinking about RPGs where you don't level at all, outright - and couldn't think of anything, then I made the topic, but then I forgot and was all like "I think I'll pay Terraria"

adjl posted...

You can have customization and growth without levelling up.

he specifically ruled out Zelda which doesn't even have levelling up (aside from 2). he specifically says no growth apart from maybe a couple of key items. that describes something like DOOM or Sekiro, which are action games. (even Sekiro and the newer Dooms have growth comparable to Zelda and are clearly not RPGs.)

but I'm also open to counter examples. I haven't played the games mentioned so far.

you could maybe, for example, have no character progression, however the game is nevertheless a sort of "choose your own adventure" narrative, where you define your character through narrative choices, not building them up in some way.

but... that would seem more like an interactive story/movie than a game. something like The Walking Dead I guess. no one would call that an RPG. I think you would have to take the branching narrative to the extreme to make it one.

a game that comes to mind is Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. but still, not really an RPG. more like an interactive story.

"RPG" essentially means "game where the central mechanic is that I get to shape my own character" and if you can't improve your character while you play, I don't see how that can fit.

I think there's some RPGS where you don't level up but can improve gear instead.

Sahuagin posted...

"RPG" essentially means "game where the central mechanic is that I get to shape my own character" and if you can't improve your character while you play, I don't see how that can fit.

if you've ever played battle network its pretty hard to say it isnt an rpg
if the point of levels is to give you options to customize or grow your character then BN gives you that without levels by battles and sidequests giving you chips and programs to further customize megaman

TheSlinja posted...

without levels

the OP says that it's not specifically about "levelling", but about "growth". you guys are reading the title and not the first post.

Sahuagin posted...

the OP says that it's not specifically about "levelling", but about "growth". you guys are reading the title and not the first post.

Then none exist. Unless he's not including gear.

If we go into the tabletop realm, there are systems like Blades in the Dark, or Lazers and Feelings; less about your stat block and more about the co-operative story building.

Revelation34 posted...

Then none exist. Unless he's not including gear.

I just mean in a non-traditional sense... like, perhaps you gain no xp but how much your town's relation improves you get more love-points or something

Lokarin posted...

I just mean in a non-traditional sense... like, perhaps you gain no xp but how much your town's relation improves you get more love-points or something

I don't know any then. There's RPGs where experience doesn't really matter but it still exists. Like Zestiria.

Final Fantasy