History Main / DropTheHammer

* ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'': In "Collection Completed", Anita kills Charles by hitting him in the head with the gold-plated ballpeen hammer he was given as a retirement gift from the tool company.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker'': The Skull Hammer, the flagship item of Forsaken Fortress. Not only can it press rusty switches, but also cause high damage to enemies (and, in the case of Miniblins, they're squashed flat). Using the hammer onto an enemy frozen with the Ice Arrows will kill it instantly.

** The Griffin Riders from ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} II'' and III who have an infinite supply of giant hammers to throw at the enemy. For bonus points their quotes reveal that the [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 "warhammers" cost "40k"]].
** The Doomhammer, [[WeaponSpecialization weapon of choice]] for Thrall, Warchief of the Horde.

** In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'''s end game, one-handed maces (the weapon class which includes hammers) are often designed for healers, playing off the old equation of maces with priests.

** And in regards to the ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} III'' reference above: There are plenty of paladins (and shamans, and druids, and some warriors and death knights) who ''still'' use maces. Before some of the later ''Burning Crusade'' raids went live, [[http://www.wowhead.com/?item=28800 this]] was considered one of the best weapons in the game for retribution paladins. (Do a Google Images search for "Vindicator Maraad.")

* Hammers have become the iconic weapon of the Medic class in ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'', to the point where it's very common to see art of the characters wielding huge warhammers, particularly the young girl portrait. While they primarily serve as the [[CombatMedic healers of the party]], they are just as capable of dishing out tons of damage with their Caduceus skill, even if they're [[GlassCannon a little squishy]]. Fortresses in the fourth installment get in on the action, too.

* As Sheriff Sam Cade in one of the episodes of his 1971-1972 modern western TV series, ''[[Series/CadesCounty Cade's County]]'', Glen Ford had to do battle with a recalcitrant miner in front of a hostile group in a miners' bar with both of them using the supposed miner's weapon of choice, a pick hammer.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonStadium'' (International): For each incorrect command during Clefairy Says!, a Clefairy gets a squeaky one atop the head, and too many will put it out of the game.

* ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'': The Hat of Discipline.

* A woman outside the steps of a subway station in New York was beaten by a man with a hammer.

* ''Literature/TheShining'''s Jack Torrance is well known for being AxCrazy [[AnAxeToGrind with an actual axe]], but his weapon when he finally goes nutso in the original Creator/StephenKing novel is a croquet mallet.

* ''TabletopGame/RocketAge'': Martian War Priests use Hamaxes, hybrid [[AnAxeToGrind axe]] hammers, which can do tremendous damage to people wearing armour when the hammer side is used.

** In ''Hexen: Beyond Heretic'', the Hammer of Retribution is Baratus the Fighter's first ranged weapon: at a distance, swinging it sends out a flying copy that explodes on impact for very high direct damage and moderate SplashDamage. Each attack costs 3 Green Mana, making it very cost-effective. Another bonus is that it can be used in melee range, whereupon each swing deals around the same damage as a powered [[AnAxeToGrind Timon's Axe]][[note]]the only difference is that minimum damage with the Hammer is 60 (20 points less than the Axe)[[/note]], though the attack recovery is longer than the Axe's.

** The Executioner in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' wields a [[AnAxeToGrind giant axe]] that has a hammer head on the opposite side.

** Axem Yellow used one. Makes sense, as he was patterned after [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork GutsMan.EXE]]. He also had AnAxeToGrind.

* Krunch Bloodrage of ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'' uses a big ol' hammer to bash heads when he isn't using his fists. His father [[DualWielding dual wields]] a pair of [[CarryABigStick one-handed maces]] when he [[ISurrenderSuckers "surrenders"]]. OTOH, Krunch's brother Rayd favors the [[AnAxeToGrind battleaxe]].

** Endgame sees you face off against [[spoiler:Radagon of the Golden Order, [[TwoBeingsOneBody still holding the hammer Marika used]] to shatter the Elden Ring]]. You can obtain this weapon for yourself after beating the fight.

See also the HyperspaceMallet, the weapon of choice for cartoon animals seeking to inflict AmusingInjuries (as well as the angry {{Anime}} female's favorite tool against perverts and other sources of irritation). Also see CarryABigStick for other kinds of bludgeoning weapons. Not to be confused with WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer, although you can achieve this with a hammer if it's the only thing you have to work with. Also not to be confused with the slang term for driving at top speed [[AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle (which originated]] among [[HardTruckin long-haul truckers]] who, after putting the pedal to the metal, used to use a heavy hammer to keep it there in the years before cruise control became a standard feature)]]. HammerAndSickle when paired with [[SinisterScythe Sinister Sickle]]. ThunderHammer is what happens when this trope is paired with ShockAndAwe.

Hammers used in battle have a long history, because if a village is facing raids, the first weapons the villagers will use are the work tools they already own, such as a blacksmith's hammer. They come in different sizes, from [[JokeWeapon squeaky mallets]] in a play fight to giant sledgehammers. The lighter ones [[RuleOfFunny inspire laughs]], while the bigger Warhammers inspire terror. Some are {{throw|ingYourSwordAlwaysWorks}}n, but most are used to pound things into a bloody smear in the ground. It sometimes comes with ShockAndAwe due to a certain [[Myth/NorseMythology god of thunder]]. Might be a RocketPoweredWeapon, especially if it’s so preposterously heavy that even a super-strong wielder can’t swing it without assistance.

You will often see hammers used in fictional combat that have very large steel heads like sledgehammers, and which would be impractically cumbersome and stamina-wasting in real combat where the enemy isn’t just going to hold still and let you whack them with all your might. English archers did use large mauls (which they haf for driving stakes) as {{Improvised Weapon}}s if their position was overrun, but these maul heads were so large because they were made of wood (which isn’t as dense as steel), so they were not ideal weapons.

See also the HyperspaceMallet, the weapon of choice for cartoon animals seeking to inflict AmusingInjuries (as well as the angry {{Anime}} female's favorite tool against perverts and other sources of irritation). Also see CarryABigStick for other kinds of bludgeoning weapons. Not to be confused with WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer, although you can achieve this with a hammer if it's the only thing you have to work with. Also not to be confused with the slang term for driving at top speed [[AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle (which originated]] among [[HardTruckin' long-haul truckers]] who, after putting the pedal to the metal, used to use a heavy hammer to keep it there in the years before cruise control became a standard feature)]]. HammerAndSickle when paired with [[SinisterScythe Sinister Sickle]]. ThunderHammer is what happens when this trope is paired with ShockAndAwe.

See also the HyperspaceMallet, the weapon of choice for cartoon animals seeking to inflict AmusingInjuries (as well as the angry {{Anime}} female's favorite tool against perverts and other sources of irritation). Also see CarryABigStick for other kinds of bludgeoning weapons. Not to be confused with WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer, although you can achieve this with a hammer if it's the only thing you have to work with. Also not to be confused with the slang term for driving at top speed [[AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle (which originated]] among [[HardTrucking long-haul truckers]] who, after putting the pedal to the metal, used to use a heavy hammer to keep it there in the years before cruise control became a standard feature)]]. HammerAndSickle when paired with [[SinisterScythe Sinister Sickle]]. ThunderHammer is what happens when this trope is paired with ShockAndAwe.

See also the HyperspaceMallet, the weapon of choice for cartoon animals seeking to inflict AmusingInjuries (as well as the angry {{Anime}} female's favorite tool against perverts and other sources of irritation). Also see CarryABigStick for other kinds of bludgeoning weapons. Not to be confused with WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer, although you can achieve this with a hammer if it's the only thing you have to work with. Also not to be confused with the slang term for driving at top speed [[AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle (which originated among [[HardTrucking long-haul truckers]] who, after putting the pedal to the metal, used to use a heavy hammer to keep it there in the years before cruise control became a standard feature)]]. HammerAndSickle when paired with [[SinisterScythe Sinister Sickle]]. ThunderHammer is what happens when this trope is paired with ShockAndAwe.

You will often see hammers used in fictional combat that have very large steel heads like sledgehammers, and which would be impractically cumbersome and stamina-wasting in real combat where the enemy isn’t just going to hold still and let you whack them with all your might. English archers did use large mauls (which they haf for driving stakes) as {{ImprovisedWeapon}}s if their position was overrun, but these maul heads were so large because they were made of wood (which isn’t as dense as steel), so they were not ideal weapons. There's no denying that big freaking hammers have visual impact, and imply SuperStrength or CharlesAtlasSuperpower when used. What’s funny is how they’ve become so popular that TheCoconutEffect has set in, to the point where if you showed a fantasy character with a realistically-sized warhammer the audience would think it looked too small.

It is fairly common for characters who use sledgehammer-types as their weapon of choice to be Black, probably due to the influence of American folk hero John Henry and the African demigod Makoma.

You will often see hammers used in fictional combat that have very large steel heads like sledgehammers, and which would be impractically cumbersome and stamina-wasting in real combat where the enemy isn’t just going to hold still and let you whack them with all your might. English archers did use large mauls (which they haf for driving stakes) as ImprovisedWeapons if their positionwas overrun, but these maul heads were so large because they were made of wood, which isn’t as dense as steel. There's no denying that big freaking hammers have visual impact, and imply SuperStrength or CharlesAtlasSuperpower when used. What’s funny is how they’ve become so popular that TheCoconutEffect has set in, to the point where if you showed a fantasy character with a realistically-sized warhammer the audience would think it looked too small.

Hammers used in battle have a long history, because if a village is raided, the first weapons the villagers will use is the tools they already use, such as blacksmith's hammer. They come in different sizes, from [[JokeWeapon squeaky mallets]] in a play fight to giant sledgehammers. The lighter ones [[RuleOfFunny inspire laughs]], while the bigger Warhammers inspire terror. Some are {{throw|ingYourSwordAlwaysWorks}}n, but most are used to pound things into a bloody smear in the ground. It sometimes comes with ShockAndAwe due to a certain [[Myth/NorseMythology god of thunder]]. Might be a RocketPoweredWeapon, especially if it’s so preposterously heavy that even a super-strong wielder can’t swing it without assistance.

Hammers used in battle. They come in different sizes, from [[JokeWeapon squeaky mallets]] to giant sledgehammers. The lighter ones [[RuleOfFunny inspire laughs]], while the bigger Warhammers inspire terror. Some are {{throw|ingYourSwordAlwaysWorks}}n, but most are used to pound things into a bloody smear in the ground. It sometimes comes with ShockAndAwe due to a certain [[Myth/NorseMythology god of thunder]]. Might be a RocketPoweredWeapon, especially if it’s so preposterously heavy that even a super-strong wielder can’t swing it without assistance.

Hammers used in battle. They come in different sizes, from [[JokeWeapon squeaky mallets]] to giant sledgehammers. The lighter ones [[RuleOfFunny inspire laughs]], while the bigger ones inspire terror. Some are {{throw|ingYourSwordAlwaysWorks}}n, but most are used to pound things into a bloody smear in the ground. It sometimes comes with ShockAndAwe due to a certain [[Myth/NorseMythology god of thunder]]. Might be a RocketPoweredWeapon, especially if it’s so preposterously heavy that even a super-strong wielder can’t swing it without assistance.

Historically, blunt force weapons like maces, hammers, and [[EpicFlail flails]] were far more effective against heavy armor than blades because of their ability to transmit force through the armor to the flesh and bone underneath. War hammers appeared in Europe during TheLateMiddleAges to combat plate armor. They usually featured [[PowerfulPick a pick-like beak]] on one side that could pierce some of the thinner plates, and a hammer head on the other for inflicting blunt trauma to targets such as the head; this part often featured claw-like prongs or a texture resembling a meat tenderizer to help it bite into the armor's surface instead of glancing off. Either end could also be used as a hook to control an opponent. A one-handed warhammer used a relatively small head around the size of a modern claw hammer’s, relying on the top-heavy balance and the acceleration provided by a long handle instead of excessive mass.

You will often see hammers used in fictional combat that have very large steel heads like sledgehammers, and which would be impractically cumbersome and stamina-wasting in real combat where the enemy isn’t just going to hold still and let you whack them with all your might. English archers did use large mauls for driving stakes as improvised weapons, but these maul heads were so large because they were made of wood, which isn’t as dense as steel. There's no denying that big freaking hammers have visual impact, and imply SuperStrength or CharlesAtlasSuperpower when used. What’s funny is how they’ve become so popular that TheCoconutEffect has set in, to the point where if you showed a fantasy character with a realistically-sized warhammer the audience would think it looked too small.

This trope also covers smaller handheld hammers. While they aren't as big and intimidating as War Hammers or Sledgehammers, they are still something to be afraid of as they can crack skulls just fine as their bigger brothers. Claw Hammers and Mallets are especially popular with this in mind. In fact when using claw hammers, the other end of it which is the eponymous "claw" can be used like a pick to just straight up stab somebody with it. Just like how the other end of some war hammers have [[PowerfulPick pick-like beaks]].

See also the HyperspaceMallet, the weapon of choice for cartoon animals seeking to inflict AmusingInjuries (as well as the angry {{Anime}} female's favorite tool against perverts and other sources of irritation). Also see CarryABigStick for other kinds of bludgeoning weapons. Not to be confused with WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer, although you can achieve this with a hammer if it's the only thing you have to work with. Also not to be confused with the slang term for driving at top speed [[AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle (which originated among truckers who, after putting the pedal to the metal, used to use a heavy hammer to keep it there in the years before cruise control became a standard feature)]]. HammerAndSickle when paired with [[SinisterScythe Sinister Sickle]]. ThunderHammer is what happens when this trope is paired with ShockAndAwe.

* ComicBook/{{Steel}}, aka [[MeaningfulName John Henry Irons]], [[Franchise/TheDCU DCU]] Superhero in PoweredArmor. As a GadgeteerGenius, his hammer is a bit more complicated than just a lump of metal on a stick. Initially it was just steerable once thrown, but the version he developed during the [[Creator/ChristopherPriestComics Christopher Priest]] run "harnesses kinetic energy", meaning that the further it travels, the harder it hits.

* ComicBook/{{Steel}}, aka [[MeaningfulName John Henry Irons]], [[Franchise/TheDCU DCU]] Superhero in PoweredArmor.

* ''Series/SweetHome'': Sang-wook kills Yun-jae with a hammer -- [[HoistByHisOwnPetard the same hammer Yun-jae tried to kill him with.]]

See also the HyperspaceMallet, the WeaponOfChoice for cartoon animals seeking to inflict AmusingInjuries (as well as the angry {{Anime}} female's favorite tool against perverts and other sources of irritation). Also see CarryABigStick for other kinds of bludgeoning weapons. Not to be confused with WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer, although you can achieve this with a hammer if it's the only thing you have to work with. Also not to be confused with the slang term for driving at top speed [[AndKnowingIsHalfTheBattle (which originated among truckers who, after putting the pedal to the metal, used to use a heavy hammer to keep it there in the years before cruise control became a standard feature)]]. HammerAndSickle when paired with [[SinisterScythe Sinister Sickle]]. ThunderHammer is what happens when this trope is paired with ShockAndAwe.

* Saki in ''Manga/CorpsePrincess'' uses a huge, fancy-looking hammer as her WeaponOfChoice.

* ''Fanfic/TheNightUnfurls'' has the Kirkhammer, one of Sanakan's [[WeaponOfChoice weapons of choice]] in the original story. Like in ''VideoGame/BloodBorne'' canon, it has a sword as the haft that [[BifurcatedWeapon can attach itself onto a great stone head]] to form a large hammer.

** ''Series/KamenRiderGhost'' has the [[SwissArmyWeapon Gan Gun Saber]], which can become a hammer when it combines with the Spider Lantern; though he can use it whenever he wishes, it tends to be used as the WeaponOfChoice for [[UsefulNotes/MusashiboBenkei Benkei]] Soul.

* In ''Myth/ClassicalMythology'', notably in ''Literature/TheIliad'', the Greek warrior Ajax wields a massive warhammer as his WeaponOfChoice. He's so big and strong that he can wield the hammer with one hand, while lesser men would need two.

* ''VideoGame/BeyondGoodAndEvil'': Hammers seem to be the war weapon ''[[WeaponOfChoice de rigueur]]'' -- both the good guys and the [[AlienInvasion evil army]] use them. Some of them are [[WeaponOfChoice part axe]] as well, and some even shoot ''[[FamilyFriendlyFirearms lasers]]''.

* ''VideoGame/{{Brawlhalla}}'': Some characters use the Grapple Hammer as their primary or secondary [[WeaponofChoice weapon of choice]].

* ''VideoGame/DarkCloud2'' features various warhammers as the main character's WeaponOfChoice.

** Jayce, defender of Piltover, is a GadgeteerGenius that invented his own WeaponOfChoice, the extremely advanced Mercury Hammer, which [[ShockAndAwe discharges lightning]] and can [[SwissArmyWeapon switch into]] a longer-ranged cannon form from its melee hammer form.

* Fuuto, TheBigGuy of the team in ''VideoGame/MiniNinjas'' wields one as his WeaponOfChoice. How he came to use it is the focus of the mini-movie detailing his backstory.

** Shao Kahn's infamous "Wrath Hammer" is his iconic WeaponOfChoice, which he uses to knock any foolish foes into next week.

** Mario himself sometimes uses the hammer as a callback to his ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'' days. The Hammer has become Mario's WeaponOfChoice in the [[VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG various]] ''[[VideoGame/PaperMario Mario]]'' [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigi RPGs]].

** The Doomhammer, WeaponOfChoice for Thrall, Warchief of the Horde.

** In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles3'', this is [[PintSizedPowerhouse Sena]]'s original WeaponOfChoice, though any of the main party members can wield it if they take on her 'Ogre' class. It's an Attacker-type weapon that makes its wielder capable of [[PowerfulButInaccurate strong but less accurate attacks]]. Notably, when the party are able to swap classes for the first time, [[TheBigGuy Lanz]] initially finds himself struggling to lift this hammer, even with his equipped power frame, and marvels at how strong Sena must be to be able to swing it as she had without any assistance.

* White Mage of ''Webcomic/EightBitTheater'' has a hammer as her WeaponOfChoice, as the white magi of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyI'' frequently used them.