History Main / DestroyableItems

* Many of the more famous {{Roguelikes}} have this mechanic. ''[[VideoGame/AncientDomainsOfMystery ADOM]]'' in particular is incredibly sadistic about this: it has the four-story Tower of Eternal Flames, during which every turn has a chance of destroying items you have equipped or in your inventory. Including, at a lower rate, the items that protect the rest of your equipment or inventory from burning up. All the while you have to deal with constant damage and powerful monsters - and this happens a bit more than halfway through the game. Not to mention the many (''many'') other areas or effects that can destroy things.

* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'''s items can be destroyed, but must be [[ViolationOfCommonSense directly targeted by standard attacks]]. Spells and AoE effects won't affect them.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', if items come in contact with fire, cacti, lava, or an explosion, they are destroyed. They can be used as garbage disposal if you don't like dropping items and having them pollute your playing area until they despawn.

* Pretty much most if not all ''VideoGame/{{Bomberman}}'' games.
** In some versions, the ''bad'' items could not be destroyed and were merely blown somewhere else. The ''good'' items however...
* In the third edition of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' if a creature rolls a 1 on a reflex saving throw from a [[FunctionalMagic spell]], the spell also affects a randomly-determined item it's carrying, potentially destroying it.
** Extended into the arcade games made by Creator/{{Capcom}}, but since it's a beat'em-up, it means that whenever you get hit, there's a chance that any of the magic items you're carrying might break. Most likely intentional, as many of them have effects that would trivialize the game even more if you could hold on to them all the way to the end.
** Attacks can destroy some disposable items in ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline''. It's particularly irritating when it happens to expensive ammunition or potions.

* In ''Videogame/{{Gauntlet}}'', it was not only possible to accidentally shoot your food, you could shoot magical potions as well. If you went so far as to shoot poisoned food, it had a negative effect on your enemies.
** And in the ''[[VideoGame/{{Gauntlet}} Gauntlet Legends]]'' series, anything could be blown up, including food. Food could also be poisoned if a green barrel was blown up near it.
* In ''VideoGame/ImpossibleMission 2'', it was possible to destroy needed music samples by accidentally putting a land mine instead of a time bomb in front of a safe.
* The ''VideoGame/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'' game for the Sega Genesis is particularly evil with this trope. After collecting a certain number of tokens, you can call for an air support drop. The crate you get usually contains ammo, health, armor, and sometimes even an extra life. However, be careful busting this crate open; if the ammo inside is anything explosive, the entire contents of the crate will go up in a large explosion, ''likely blowing up the player'' as well.
* In ''VideoGame/TheIncredibleHulkUltimateDestruction,'' all the FetchQuest items are destructible.
** Lampshaded in that the army tends to go for whatever FetchQuest item you happen to be carrying, because they know they can't take the Hulk down so they opt to stop you from completing your objective instead.
* ''VideoGame/CrystalQuest'' would occasionally spawn a Bonus Crystal worth as much as dozens of regular crystals. If you shot it instead of grabbing it, it would flash the word "Lost!" instead of its point value.
* Many of the more famous {{Roguelikes}} have this mechanic; environmental damage is Nethack is a killer not so much from pure hitpoints, but from shattering potions, wands and rings. ''[[VideoGame/AncientDomainsOfMystery ADOM]]'' in particular is incredibly sadistic about this: it has the four-story Tower of Eternal Flames, during which every turn has a chance of destroying items you have equipped or in your inventory. Including, at a lower rate, the items that protect the rest of your equipment or inventory from burning up. All the while you have to deal with constant damage and powerful monsters - and this happens a bit more than halfway through the game. Not to mention the many (''many'') other areas or effects that can destroy things.
** Particularly annoying in ''Videogame/{{DRL}}''. The slightest [=AoE=] damage will destroy any item on the ground, even if that item is armor that would have protected you from that damage, or even if the item is invincible once you have it.

* ''Videogame/NeverwinterNights2'': To prevent players from just bashing chests open, destroying a chest has a chance to destroy its contents too. Unfortunately, this also applies to chests accidentally damaged by area-of-effect spells. ''Dammit, Qara!'' ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II'', by the same people has this, too, only without the [=AoE=] issues.
* The {{VideoGame/XCOM}} series plays this trope pretty heavily, along with destroyable terrain. Items even have different amounts of 'hit points' and a few are explosive in their own right. Most frustratingly, the enemy [=UFOs=] are packed with valuable equipment to salvage and research, all of which is ridiculously delicate/explosive.

* In ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2'', dropping a [[TemporaryPlatform loose tile]] on top of a potion will destroy it. It's all too easy to destroy the [[HeartContainer large potion]] in level 10 this way.

* The original ''VideoGame/ValkyrieProfile'' allowed you to pick up chests and item bags and at times required you to do so to use them and your ice crystal creation powers to build stairways to reach even better treasure. Unfortunately, due to the way the controls are mapped, it's easy to pick up an unopened treasure chest by accident when trying to open it and then panic, press the wrong button and have Lenneth gleefully toss it and the InfinityPlusOneSword it contains into a wall, shattering both into a million pieces. Which ultimately doesn't make much sense, as vast majority of the items you obtain are explicitly stated to be coated in Ether and thus made unbreakable.
* ''VideoGame/{{Ultima}}'':
** In the ''VideoGame/UltimaUnderworld'' games, dropping almost any item in water causes it to be lost forever. This generally doesn't matter, although it's liable to happen in one level which requires you to grab an essential quest item while skidding across ice towards a river.
** Happens to anything dropped in the water in ''VideoGame/UltimaVIII'', [[http://www.it-he.org/u8_galle.htm leading to]] [[LordBritishPostulate inevitable]] [[http://www.it-he.org/u8_beren.htm shenanigans.]]
* In ''VideoGame/JaggedAlliance 2'', any item can be destroyed. Usually this occurs through explosions which damage a character, thus damaging the items he is carrying. Also, weapons become damaged (and can be potentially destroyed) by firing them repeatedly, and armor is damaged every time you get shot. Finally, wading or swimming through water will cause damage to most items you're carrying. Fortunately you can repair most items back to 100% condition.
* In ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'', the Volatile Ammo mutator makes ammunition packs destroyable (which will cause them to fire five to ten rounds in random directions). Since the ammo will respawn after some time, it's actually a valid tactic to use them as ExplodingBarrels by sniping the boxes when an opposing player gets near them. Thankfully (or not), the [[NukeEm Redeemer]] doesn't have any ammo drops aside from the weapon pickup, or else it would just get silly.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2'', some enemies gain abilities that break armour/weapons at a certain late-game part unless you have a special ability equipped... the main problem with that being there so much better Passive abilities to use over Safeguard.
** The original ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' also had Knights, whose main ability was to break weapons and armor. Some bosses in the game have even stronger abilities that do this.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Worms}}'', boxes can be destroyed with explosive and fiery results. This can work for or against you, depending on who's nearby.

* Some Oversouled enemies in ''Videogame/FinalFantasyX2'' have attacks that destroy an item.
* The ''VideoGame/CatacombFantasyTrilogy'' series. You can make powerups (zappers, x-terminators and cure potions) explode by shooting your magic missiles at them, though scrolls, keys and radar gems are immune. This matters little because there's an unreasonable abundance of these items.

* In ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIV'', if you use the shovel a certain number of times in the wrong place, it breaks, and if you haven't used it for what you needed to do yet, you're [[UnWinnable screwed]].
** In ''VideoGame/KingsQuestI'', one of the random monsters is a dwarf, which will steal one of your treasures if it touches you. Since there is no way to get it back, the treasure is effectively destroyed. Since the ''goal'' of the game is to [[UnintentionallyUnwinnable collect treasures...]]
* ''Videogame/DonkeyKongCountry1'' and its sequels had boss fights (or puzzles) that required the use of barrels. Wouldn't you know it, if anything minor touches those barrels, they ''explode'' into pieces, even though they're made of wood with metal bands. This is especially annoying in any boss fight where there's lots of stuff flying around on the screen and you need to use said barrels against the boss.
* ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' has ammo and explosive stockpiles that are amazingly valuable when raiding camps and bases, as most enemy weapons are rusted to the point of near-uselessness and they won't necessarily have something you can take ammo from. Explosive stockpiles, obviously, go up in a massive fireball that will probably burn everything nearby and create a spreading fire, while ammo stockpiles fire a hail of bullets in every direction for about 5 seconds or so. While this is often a tactically sound method of eliminating enemies or distracting them, it can result in a massive OhCrap for players running low on ammo and grenades.

* ''VideoGame/BillyHatcherAndTheGiantEgg'' uses this sometimes in the form of special-purpose eggs that must be negotiated to a goal. Especially annoying because giant eggs are also used to combat enemies, essentially binding your ability to fight back by nullifying your only weapon.
* ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave'' has objects littered around all of their stages. These items all have the exact same stats as a character does. Including HP. What's more, destroying them even gives EXP.
* The [[VideoGame/{{X}} X-Universe]] series, starting with ''X2: The Threat'' uses this to avert CriticalExistenceFailure. Once your hull integrity goes below ~85%, weapons and upgrades start to get destroyed by enemy fire.

* In ''VideoGame/SecretAgent'', killed humanoid enemies leave behind a tombstone that gives 1000 points when collected. If accidentally shot, it disappears and gives only 100 points.
* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'': Zombie enemies usually drop ammo and weapons when they die, but these dropped items get destroyed if crushed by a DescendingCeiling. All other items are immune to this, though, including ammo and weapons placed on the map by the level designer. Certain source ports do away with this.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', if items come in contact with fire, cacti, lava, or an explosion, they are destroyed. They can be used as garbage disposal if you don't like dropping items and having them pollute your playing area until they despawn.
* ''VideoGame/NetHack'' has a variety of ways to both destroy and prevent items from being destroyed. For example, if your character falls into water, their scrolls will become blank and their potions will dilute - unless they're being stored in an oilskin sack.
* In the ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' series, blasts from traps, the Aftermath ability, and the Selfdestruct and Explosion moves will destroy any items caught in their radius. There's also Pokemon traps, which inexplicably turn any items in a room into enemy Pokemon when triggered, and any items that land in a hole or lava will be lost for good, as well. The traps are by far the most aggravating cause of item loss, as it's all too easy to forget to check for them when you catch sight of something valuable.
* The coins in ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheTriad''. A bonus is actually offered for shooting all that are in a level.
* ''VideoGame/{{Glider}} PRO'' makes it possible for bonus items to be permanently destroyed by switches or triggers designed to do so. Even [[StarShapedCoupon Magic Stars]] can be destroyed this way, making the game unwinnable; this effect may cause a graphical glitch and is proscribed by the LevelEditor.
* ''Every item'' in ''VideoGame/PlanetBlupi'' can be destroyed in one way or another, usually via explosion.
* In ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' games, Wumpa Fruits and even [[OneUp extra lives]] can be spun away by Crash, or be blown away by explosives. In the "being chased" levels, the thing that chases you (boulders, giant polar bears, triceratops etc) can also do the same. ''[[VideoGame/CrashBandicootNSaneTrilogy N. Sane Trilogy]]'' even has an achievement for spinning away an extra life.
* In ''VideoGame/DarkSouls2'', wooden chests can be destroyed if you hit them too much, turning the contents into the useless "Rubbish" item. This becomes much more of an issue after being introduced to [[ChestMonster Mimics]].
* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'''s items can be destroyed, but must be [[ViolationOfCommonSense directly targeted by standard attacks]]. Spells and AoE effects won't affect them.
* Mushroom patches in ''VideoGame/{{Darkwood}}'' can be destroyed by flinging rocks at them or just running over them (which will poison you unless you have the Light Step perk or the Rubber Boots on the hotbar). Useful to get rid of the patches of small white mushrooms that are nothing but a hazard, but very detrimental if you accidentally destroy a harvestable red patch – no Odd-Looking Mushrooms for you.

* In ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' games, Wumpa Fruits and even OneUps can be spun away by Crash, or be blown away by explosives. In the "being chased" levels, the thing that chases you (boulders, giant polar bears, triceratops etc) can also do the same.

** In ''VideoGame/KingsQuestI'', one of the random monsters is a dwarf, which will steal one of your treasures if it touches you. Since there is no way to get it back, the treasure is effectively destroyed. Since the ''goal'' of the game is to [[UnwinnableByMistake collect treasures...]]

* The 2D ''VideoGame/DukeNukem'' games. In a partial subversion, a chicken leg item could be shot ''once'' and become a full roasted chicken. Of course, shooting it another time would destroy it.

** Particularly annoying in ''Videogame/DoomTheRoguelike''. The slightest [=AoE=] damage will destroy any item on the ground, even if that item is armor that would have protected you from that damage, or even if the item is invincible once you have it.

* In ''Franchise/CrashBandicoot'' games, Wumpa Fruits and even OneUps can be spun away by Crash, or be blown away by explosives. In the "being chased" levels, the thing that chases you (boulders, giant polar bears, triceratops etc) can also do the same.

** Particularly annoying in ''Videogame/DoomTheRoguelike. The slightest [=AoE=] damage will destroy any item on the ground, even if that item is armor that would have protected you from that damage, or even if the item is invincible once you have it.

** Particularly annoying in ''Videogame/DooMTheRoguelike. The slightest [=AoE=] damage will destroy any item on the ground, even if that item is armor that would have protected you from that damage, or even if the item is invincible once you have it.

* ''Videogame/NeverwinterNights2'': To prevent players from just bashing chests open, destroying a chest has a chance to destroy its contents too. Unfortunately, this also applies to chests accidentally damaged by area-of-effect spells. ''Dammit Qara!''
** ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic II'', by the same people, too. Only without the [=AoE=] issues.
* The {{VideoGame/XCOM}} series plays this trope pretty heavily, along with destroyable terrain. Items even have different amounts of 'hit points' and a few are explosive in their own right.
** Most frustratingly, the enemy [=UFOs=] are packed with valuable equipment to salvage and research, all of which is ridiculously delicate/explosive.

* In ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'', the Volatile Ammo mutator makes ammunition packs destroyable (which will cause them to fire five to ten rounds in random directions). Since the ammo will respawn after some time, it's actually a valid tactic to snipe the boxes as an opposing player gets near them. Thankfully, the [[NukeEm Redeemer]] doesn't have any ammo drops or else it would just get silly.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Worms}}'', boxes can be destroyed with explosive results. This can work for or against you depending, of course, on who's nearby.

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'': Zombie enemies usually drop ammo and weapons when they die, but these dropped items get destroyed if under a DescendingCeiling. (All other items are immune to this, though, including ammo and weapons placed on the map by the level designer.)
* In ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', if items come in contact with fire, cacti, lava, or an explosion, they are destroyed.

* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'''s items can be destroyed, but must be directly targeted by standard attacks, while spells and AoE effects won't affect them.