| abstract
| - In many RPGs The Hero's quest is a long one fraught with danger. So naturally whatever you're doing, you'll want the best equipment available at any given moment, and so most games will deliver. Your average RPG hero (and their party) will come to wield axes of stone, swing Flaming Swords, carry staffs that allow them to summon the very gods, draw bows crafted by reclusive masters in their field and deck themselves in the hides of legendary beasts and metals dug from far beneath the earth or beyond the stars. ...but you still need to start somewhere. Enter this trope; the default equipment from the start of the game. Generally speaking there's a few things you can expect from this default equipment;
* It will either be the most basic item you can buy in the first shop you find, or completely unique (but still useless when you find something else).
* In the later case it might be more useful, or at least hanging on to will get you the Infinity+1 Sword.
* If the game feels really generous you might even get a few basic Standard RPG Items in your inventory.
* Weapons will be the default type for the character's class.
* If there is more than one type of armour slot (outside of just "armour" for example for helms, gloves, accessories) then expect the more advanced ones to simply be empty. If you start off without a weapon, this may well be the only point in the game where you don't have one equipped.
* Sometimes the character will start off completely unarmed. In this case the plot (or a handy chest) will provide the Starter Equipment. Probably during a tutorial. Characters that join later in the game don't count since they always have generic equipment for that level (or even better equipment if you're lucky). Sometimes, at the beginning of the game, you'll be given something better to use before this trope catches up with you. Keep in mind that items that aren't upgraded or replaced as the game goes on and just serve to introduce game mechanics are not this trope, since they only act as an in universe explanation for that ability (so healing items which you'll be able to buy better versions of count, as do equipable items, but a PDA you're given that serves as your pause menu or a pair of gloves that enable Video Game Stealing but are never replaced or upgraded does not). Compare Emergency Weapon for an early piece of equipment that has some slight advantage (typically being unbreakable or never running out of ammo) to make it a backup rather than just a springboard to later weapons and the equally useless Vendor Trash. If the hero starts out on an important quest but still gets no help with getting better equipment then this is With This Herring. Using it may be the aim of a Self-Imposed Challenge. This can overlap with Weapon, Jr.. Examples;
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