RPGs Where Builds Matter More Than Gear

As a gamer, I love games where you’re constantly trying to find better gear. It’s all about that satisfying grind for the next awesome weapon or piece of armor. Games like Destiny 2 really focus on gear because it directly impacts how powerful your character is, and Diablo 4 is the same way – always chasing that perfect loot. Getting new stuff is a blast and gives you something to work towards, but honestly, it shouldn’t be the only thing a game is about, you know?

Many RPGs focus heavily on collecting powerful equipment, but others prioritize character progression and development. This list features RPGs for players who prefer building unique characters through smart strategies, rather than worrying about gear – including both older favorites and newer titles.

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy

A Job Is A Job

Bravely Default: Flying Fairy features a traditional battle and equipment system reminiscent of classic Final Fantasy titles. While gaining levels and upgrading your gear is helpful in its turn-based combat, the game’s Job system is truly what sets the gameplay apart.

Players customize their characters by choosing a main Job, such as a Black Mage, and then adding skills from a second Job, like a Monk. They can also equip passive skills to boost stats like HP. Combining Jobs and skills effectively is key to building a powerful and unbeatable team.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Paint Me A Picto

In Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, players equip weapons and special items called Pictos to give their characters new abilities. Once learned, these abilities can be used in the Lumina system to strengthen characters. Combining abilities is a key strategy – it can allow characters to take two turns, or boost their power with elements like fire.

Equipment helps characters reach their full potential, but once skills are mastered, it becomes less crucial. After leveling up and learning skills – both active and passive – characters gain stats that affect how they perform in turn-based combat.

Cyberpunk 2077

Hack The Planet

In Cyberpunk 2077, you design your own character and can upgrade them throughout the game, even turning them into a powerful cyborg if you choose. What makes the game special is that there’s no single ‘right’ way to play – any character build is viable. For example, you can focus on cybernetic enhancements to boost your weapons and create a unique playstyle.

While good shooting is important, skills like hacking and figuring things out are also really helpful in the game. Ultimately, even with powerful weapons, you won’t get far if your character isn’t developed thoughtfully with a specific strategy in mind.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

A Sneaking Future

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a cyberpunk game where you play as Adam Jensen, a special agent. While you don’t get to create a character from scratch, you can customize his body with augmentations to fit your playstyle.

Similar to Cyberpunk 2077, players can purchase cybernetic enhancements to help them complete missions in flexible ways, such as improving lung capacity to resist gas if they anticipate needing to. The game leans more towards stealth, and while direct gunfights can be difficult, upgrading Adam Jensen with modifications that make him quieter or allow for silent, lethal takedowns is more beneficial.

Elden Ring

Build Your Tarnished

When you begin Elden Ring, you choose a starting class, but this mainly determines your initial equipment and stats. You aren’t locked into that style of play; you can freely change your approach and develop your character in any direction you prefer, whether that means focusing on magic or switching to close-combat attacks.

In Elden Ring, improving your character’s stats directly enhances the power of your weapons and equipment – it doesn’t work the other way around. This means spells get more potent, heavy weapons feel less cumbersome, and you have a lot of freedom in how you build your character, making it a versatile RPG.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim

Just Keep Playing

In The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, and throughout the Elder Scrolls series, character progression works differently than in many other games. Whenever you do something – whether it’s casting a spell, making weapons, or anything else – you improve related skills. These skills can then be customized through extensive skill trees, letting you create the character you envision.

As a huge fan, one of the things I love about this game is just how much gear there is! They’ve got different rarities, which is neat – I mean, finding an axe that freezes enemies is awesome. But what really makes it special is being able to craft your own weapons with those same cool effects. It reminds me a lot of Elden Ring in that way – so much freedom to build your character however you want!

Fallout: New Vegas

Weight Distribution

In Fallout: New Vegas, your character’s stats and perks are incredibly important because they decide what you’re capable of doing. For instance, a high Strength stat lets you deal more damage when fighting with weapons up close, and it also allows you to carry more items without slowing down.

Simply having great equipment, like a powerful hammer, isn’t useful if your character isn’t strong enough to wield it. Perks – special abilities characters can learn – are often more rewarding to unlock than just finding better gear, especially when they let you do things like deal extra damage.

Final Fantasy 7

The Material Gang

In Final Fantasy 7, each character has specific weapons they can use, but you have more freedom with armor and accessories. All equipment has slots for Materia, which are like modules that let you cast spells – for example, Fire. But Materia does more than just spells; it can also boost stats like health or change how spells work.

The “Combining All with Fire” ability lets you cast Fire on several enemies at once. Players often use weaker equipment to level up Materia more quickly, especially if there’s a bonus for doing so. While strong melee attacks are useful, experimenting with Materia is the most effective strategy in Final Fantasy 7 and its remakes.

Octopath Traveler 2

Mastering NPCs

In Octopath Traveler 2, you begin by selecting one of eight different characters, and you can unlock the other seven as you play. Each character starts with a unique class, but they can learn additional classes later on, similar to how it worked in Bravely Default: Flying Fairy. Success in the game’s turn-based battles depends more on leveling up and mastering skills than on having the best equipment.

As I play, I’ve noticed my characters get better at using their special abilities on other characters! Like, the more I level up Temenos, the better he is at getting information out of people using ‘Coerce’. And Osvald? He’s a pro at stealing stuff with ‘Mug’ the more proficient he gets. It’s really cool to see them improve!

Persona 5

Ren-dering A Better Hero

Persona 5 is a detailed role-playing game with turn-based battles. While characters can equip various weapons and armor, using skills is more effective than regular attacks. Exploiting enemy weaknesses with elemental skills can stun them, giving you another turn in combat.

Ren is the main character, and he has the unique ability to connect with Personas – mysterious beings found within dungeons. Players can combine these Personas to create powerful combinations with different elemental abilities, helping them gain an edge in battle and earn extra turns. The faster players can defeat enemies, the quicker they’ll progress.

2026-01-18 11:36