A huge part of the fun of a good role-playing game is "leveling up" -- improving your character's skills and stats, buying new weapons and armor, and trying them out in the field. An RPG that keeps those perks coming steadily (without ever becoming too easy) is an entertaining game. When they're too few-and-far between, it can be a slog.
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Better equipment is hard to come by, too, and moving up to an improved weapon isn't just a matter of having the gold to buy it; it also means spending learning points to augment your strength or agility before you can even equip it, and that means leveling up. The armor situation is even worse -- you can't take it off defeated enemies, and except in rare situations, nobody sells the stuff. You get better armor by advancing in your class and earning the armor associated with your new status. All of this can lead to frustration as you're struggling to level up. You'll find yourself wishing you had better weapons and armor and knowing you're a long way from either.
