{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17","type":"mechanic","id":"metroidvania--family-group-17","lang":"en","title":"Permanent progression and character builds","summary":"Found upgrades expand the character’s abilities. Limits on simultaneous use encourage a set tailored to a chosen play style.","updatedAt":"2026-10-21","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/metroidvania--family-group-17.md","aliases":["Progression and character builds"],"tags":["Metroidvanias","Systems"],"sourceIds":["source-1696c3167e4356ed"],"sources":[{"id":"source-1696c3167e4356ed","title":"Hollow Knight","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Constant improvements and build choices change the hero's capabilities and the cost of compromises."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants and applications\n\n<a id=\"family-group-17-variants\"></a>\n\n- A new ability as an expansion of actions. Rule: Permanent upgrade adds an action that changes exploration and combat. <a id=\"variant-mv-186\"></a>\n- Strengthened version of the ability. Rule: Improvement changes the distance, number of uses or type of obstacle overcome. <a id=\"variant-mv-187\"></a>\n- Fragments of continuous improvement. Rule: Several finds are collected into an increase in health, energy or capacity. <a id=\"variant-mv-188\"></a>\n- Experience and levels. Rule: Repeated actions increase characteristics on a numerical scale. <a id=\"variant-mv-189\"></a>\n- Distribution of characteristics. Rule: The player allocates development points to the selected hero properties. <a id=\"variant-mv-190\"></a>\n- Skill tree. Rule: Sequence of purchases or finds unlocks related upgrades. <a id=\"variant-mv-191\"></a>\n- Weapons, armor and accessories. Rule: Equipment changes the characteristics and available techniques. <a id=\"variant-mv-192\"></a>\n- Amulets, runes and fragments. Rule: Interchangeable modifiers change ability rules and build behavior. <a id=\"variant-mv-193\"></a>\n- Limit slots or build costs. Rule: You cannot use all the advantages found at the same time. <a id=\"variant-mv-194\"></a>\n- Synergies and trade-offs. Rule: Combinations of improvements create a special effect or enhance a property at the cost of another. <a id=\"variant-mv-195\"></a>\n- Development from use. Rule: Frequent use of an action enhances that particular action or related skill. <a id=\"variant-mv-196\"></a>\n- Reconfiguration and development reset. Rule: The player changes the selected improvements with the given restrictions. <a id=\"variant-mv-197\"></a>\n- Temporary loss and return of abilities. Rule: A story or challenge temporarily reduces the range of actions and changes the available solutions. <a id=\"variant-mv-198\"></a>"},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"The author's working taxonomy of mechanics, access rules, structural patterns and support systems. This is not an industry standard or a statement that every item is required or present in every game. Hybrids and support are highlighted separately. Any finite list is limited by the level of detail; combinations and new options remain open."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"metroidvania","id":"family-group-17","title":"Metroidvanias","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/metroidvania/#family-group-17","categoryIds":["section-4"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-21","title":"Progression and character builds","description":"Found upgrades expand the character’s abilities. Limits on simultaneous use encourage a set tailored to a chosen play style.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/hollow-knight-charms.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Hollow Knight","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/367520/ss_33a645903d6dd9beec39f272a3daf57174a6cc26.1920x1080.jpg?t=1776125684","credit":"Team Cherry","rights":"© Team Cherry. All rights reserved.","caption":"A charm set is limited by notches","alt":"Hollow Knight: equipped charms and used notches appear above the collection, with the selected charm’s cost on the right.","markers":[{"x":22,"y":28,"label":"The equipped set determines current abilities"},{"x":79,"y":28,"label":"Each charm has a notch cost"}]},"tips":["Show build limits alongside upgrade effects.","Allow players to change their set before a new kind of challenge."],"examples":[{"title":"Hollow Knight","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/metroidvania"}}