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Upgrade Artifact (view source)

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== Anime and Manga ==
* The Stand Arrow from ''[[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure|Jojo's Bizarre Adventure]]''. Normally, it's used to turn normal people into [[Psychic Powers|Stand users]]. However, someone who is already a Stand user will gain additional powers if shot by the arrow again (Yoshikage Kira gained the ability to create time loops near the end of Part 4 to try and escape the heroes), and when a ''Stand'' is shot by the arrow, it becomes a MUCH more powerful version of itself, as seen when Polnareff's [[Royal Rapier|Silver Chariot]] becomes Silver Chariot Requiem and gains [[Freaky Friday Flip]] abilities. Likewise, Giorno's Gold Experience becomes Gold Experience Requiem and goes from being able to transmute objects into being able to [[Divide by Zero]], thereby thoroughly trouncing [[Big Bad|Diavolo]] and his timeskipping abilities.
* Nanoha and Fate in ''[[Lyrical Nanoha]]'' became the overpowered mages they are by [[Training Fromfrom Hell|training a lot]]. Hayate, who received the power and spells of the [[Tome of Eldritch Lore|Book of Darkness]] after she became its Master, beats them both in raw magical strength (but because she skipped the basics she suffers from [[Ace Lightning Syndrome]]).
** While training is responsible for much of Nanoha and Fate's crazy power level, a large portion of it is due to their [[Applied Phlebotinum|Belka Cartridge Systems]], which fall somewhere in between Upgrade Artifacts and ''normal'' old [[Mid-Season Upgrade]]s.
* Subverted/averted in ''[[Dragonball Z]]'':
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*** 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.
* The Hogyoku in ''[[Bleach]]''.
* Pactio cards in ''[[Mahou Sensei Negima]]'' work like this, allowing the [[Squishy Wizard|magister magi]] to buff the [[Battle Couple|partner's]] physical abilities, [[Call on Me|summon them from a great distance]], [[Psychic Link|talk to them telepathically]], [[Transformation Trinket|transform]] and most importantly gain a new artifact. In most cases this artifact is a reflection of the [[Personality Powers|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 [[Training Fromfrom Hell]], though she already had a [[Chekhov's Armoury]]) or a new strength atop their fighting skills (Setsuna's [[Reverse Shrapnel|floating Tanto knives]]). In some cases, the use of this artifact can be determined by the girl's [[Martial Arts and Crafts|inherent skills]], (Haruna's [[Art Initiates Life|drawing speed]], Chisame's [[Extreme Graphical Representation|hacking-skills]]). Otherwise it usually serves as a tactical advantage as not to [[Hard Work Hardly Works|offset the earned talents of trained characters]] while making weak girls useful in combat (Nodoka's [[Mind Probe|mind-reading book]], Yue's [[Magitek]] [[Great Big Book of Everything]]). In exceptional cases, a girl will gain some tactical advantage while already being trained (Kaede's [[Ninja]] [[Bigger on the Inside|scarf]]).
* In a twist, any previously-used object can work like that in the hands of a high-level Psychometrist in the ''[[Zettai Karen Children]]'' universe. Shiho (A [[Power Levels|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 [[Implausible Fencing Powers]] when handling a 5000-years old saber, since she can copy the abilities of all its previous users.
* In ''[[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.
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** Naturally, these were both invented by William Gibson, the latter in ''[[Neuromancer]]'', the former in ''Mona Lisa Overdriv''e. 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.
* One of the most disturbing Upgrade Artifacts is a specific torture rack in a level of Hell in the 3rd Edition [[Dungeons and& Dragons|D&D]] cosmology. Each round a character remains in it, they must not only make a Fortitude save (to avoid passing out) and a Will save (to avoid ''screaming in agony''). If they miss one, they get no benefit. The longer they stay in, the better the benefits, up to fifteen rounds (ninety seconds). However, the benefits must be renewed after 99 days.
* 1st Edition AD&D included magical books and 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 divine spellcasters, and then only once in a lifetime.
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[[Category:Video Game Items and Inventory]]
[[Category:Magic and Powers]]
[[Category:Upgrade Artifact]]▼
[[Category:Magic Items Index]]
▲[[Category:Upgrade Artifact{{PAGENAME}}]]
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