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Plot Coupon That Does Something: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
{{Video Game Examples Need Sorting}}
In general, recent [[RPG]]s have some kind of "X system", where X is some entity or concept that, flavor-wise, drives the [[Game System]].▼
▲In general, recent{{when}} [[RPG]]s have some kind of "X system", where X is some entity or concept that, flavor-wise, drives the [[Game System]].
This trope describes what happens when X is ''also'' a key plot point. Those things you [[Gotta Catch Them All|have to find all of]]? Maybe there's a special one that could save or destroy the world. Maybe each time you get a [[Plot Coupon]], it comes with some new spells, abilities, or commands you can use. The point is, a single concept is central to both the gameplay or customization ''and'' the narrative at hand.
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Contrast the [[MacGuffin]], which serves no purpose besides driving the plot.
{{examples}}
* ''[[Final Fantasy III]]'' and ''[[Final Fantasy V]]'', the shattered fragments of the [[Cosmic Keystone]] crystals are the justification for the Job system.
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* The most obvious example from ''[[Billy vs. SNAKEMAN]]'' is the Witching Hour, which centers around your ability to [[New Game+|loop]], but there are numerous subtler examples, even without resorting to [[All There in the Manual|reading the manual]]. [[Word of God]] claims that ''every last'' gameplay detail means something in the story.
* Eight magical orbs in [[Silver]]. Ultimately used to destroy the ''[[Big Bad]]'''s source of power but also work wonders (literal and very harmful wonders) on the ordinary enemies.
* Many quests in ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' involve bringing items back to a questgiver NPC who asked you for them, whether to prove you killed the target or because it's something valuable to the NPC. Probably more than 90 percent of these are nothing but [[Plot
* For something even more fundamental, the [[Experience Points]] in ''[[Knights of the Old Republic]] 2''.
* In an early cutscene in ''[[Baldur's Gate]] 2'', [[Big Bad|Irenicus]] and Imoen are arrested by the Cowled Wizards for using arcane magic, which is illegal in the city the game takes place in. Noticeably, this law is ''not'' restricted to that cutscene, and you will actually come into conflict with the Wizards if you use arcane magic in the city. It is mentioned in certain dialogues that it ''is'' possible to freely use arcane magic if one has a special license, which you can buy.
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* The Soul Cube in ''[[Doom]] 3'' and the Artifact in ''[[Doom]] 3'' Resurrection of Evil are integral to the plot of both games. They are also ''very'' useful in gameplay. The Soul Cube [[One-Hit Kill|instantly kills]] any non-boss enemy and transfers all of its [[Life Energy]] to the player, healing him/her. The Artifact, once fully upgraded, can [[Bullet Time|slow down time]], [[Quad Damage|increase the power of your weapons]], and [[Invincibility Power-Up|make the player temporarily invulnerable]].
* The first ''[[Breath of Fire]]'' game features an item called the EKey, which you get early and is one of seven [[Cosmic Keystone|CosmicKeystones]] keeping the power of Tyr at bay. The EKey is also fairly unique in that you can use it repeatedly during battle to create an earthquake that [[Area of Effect|harms all enemies for 30 damage]], useful since your [[White Magician Girl]] has little offensive capabilities at that early point in the game.
* Some [[Plot
* The badges in ''[[Pokémon]]''. In the first games, the badges actually gave a slight stat boost (don't ask us how) to your [[Mons]]. In later games, they have two uses; acting as "licenses" for HM field moves, and allowing the use of higher-level traded {mons}, which will otherwise disobey you.
** Also, in both [[Pokémon Diamond and Pearl|Generation IV]] and [[Pokémon Black and White|Generation V]], the level and quality of items available in shops is dependent on how many badges a player has (basically the same progression as the old games, but neatly [[Averted Trope|averting]] the odd issues with some stores selling much more advanced items than others).
** The introduction of innate abilities in ''[[Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire]]''/''Emerald''. The three "mascot" [[Olympus Mons]] (Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza, respectively) in these games have their abilities be pivotal to the story: awakening the first two are the goals of the two villainous teams, while the last one is needed to calm the ensuing battle. The first two have abilities that act as though Sunny Day / Rain Dance respectively is always in effect. This applies out of battle as well, as you need to stop them once they are awakened. Rayquaza's Air Lock prevents weather conditions from taking effect, and is shown as the only way to nulify the world-ending powers of the former.
* In ''[[Golden Sun]]: The Lost Age'' for the GBA, the heroes need to gather the pieces of a trident in order to harm Poseidon, but the trident can be used in any battle to do damage to a selected enemy.
** Most of the [[Plot
*** This grows incredibly silly as increasing numbers of these powers are just things you can already do, but applied to a different obstacle (the number of powers that use the cartoon glove signifying Generic Telekinesis is ridiculous in and of itself).
* With each of the Seven Needles that Lucas pulls in ''[[Mother 3]]'', his PK Love attack gets upgraded, as the result of the magic from {{spoiler|the Dark Dragon that sleeps beneath the earth}} awakening the ability within him. It is possible that the same thing is happening with [[Enigmatic Minion|the Masked Man]], as he reaches three of the Needles no matter what you do, and can use all levels of PK Love.
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]▼
[[Category:Gameplay and Story Segregation]]
[[Category:Video Game Items and Inventory]]
▲[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
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