History Main / ExclusiveEnemyEquipment

Contrast UnusableEnemyEquipment.

* ''Redneck Rampage'' had the [[ArmCannon Alien Arm Gun]], which was an actual cyber body part that had been grafted to the aliens that fired it at you. You apparently rip it off their bodies after killing them, and fire it by yanking on dangling tendons.

Any weapon or item that can not be found by normal means and is only available by searching the bodies of fallen enemies and/or by [[VideoGameStealing stealing from living ones]]. Common in [[FirstPersonShooter First Person Shooters]] and similar games. If the item is found on the body of an enemy who did not or could not use it in battle, it may be an example of the ImpossibleItemDrop.

* In ''FireEmblem 9'', the only way to get PoisonedWeapons is by stealing.

* In the MMO ''LaTale'' there are certain enemies who drop their weapons, such as the Bogles dropping their Bogle Swords. These weapons are usually much more powerful than store-bought weapons, but also much more difficult and expensive to upgrade as you level.

For the RolePlayingGame version, see RandomlyDrops.

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** ''XCOMApocalypse'' also had this with some weirder items such as Brainsuckers and Entropy launchers... you simply couldn't ever build them. Anything you could build didn't require special resources, but certain things that you could only buy would cease to be available to you if their manufacturers decided they didn't like you or joined up with the aliens instead. Raiding an arms producer gave you the chance to grab loot at a 100% discount. This was the only way to obtain Marsec's otherwise DummiedOut psi-defense helmet.

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* The ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' series features wands and shields that can only be [[RandomlyDrops scavenged]] from the enemies who wield them. The later games have one or two boss-level versions.

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* In ''{{VideoGame/Bayonetta}}'' the titular character can occasionally swipe the weapons of her [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angelic enemies]], although each weapon has a set gauge that drains every time its used and will disintegrate once its out of power. This mechanic is brought back in the [[{{VideoGame/Bayonetta2}} sequel]], only this time in addition to angelic weapons, Bayonetta can also steals the weapons from Infernal Demons.

* Starting with ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver'', the first games in which Pokemon could hold items, wild Pokemon would occasionally be found holding items. Sometimes these were common items like berries; other times, they could only be found attached to wild Pokemon, and even then only rarely. For example, a wild Chansey would sometimes be holding a Lucky Egg, which increases experience gain by 50% for the Pokemon holding it and thus speeds up leveling immensely. These could be found by capturing the wild Pokemon and taking the item off of it from the menus or by using a move called Thief on the Pokemon while fighting it. (Simply knocking out the wild Pokemon wouldn't cause the item to drop.)

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* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'', certain articles of equipment never drop from any fallen foe, nor found in any shop, and can only be acquired by stealing from still active enemies, usually dangerous boss characters. Once the boss is defeated, the equipment is LostForever, unless it's a type that can be scrounged up with the Secret Hunt ability.

** ''XCOMApocalypse'' also had this with some weirder items such as Brainsuckers and Entropy launchers... you simply couldn't ever build them. Anything you could build didn't require special resources, but certain things that you could only buy would cease to be available to you if their manufacturers decided they didn't like you or joined up with the aliens instead. Raiding an arms producer gave you the chance to grab loot at a 100% discount. This was the only way to obtain Marsec's (glitched) psi-defense helmet.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Halo|Combat Evolved}}'', where the Covenant energy weapons, which must be retrieved from slain opponents in most of the game, are often the only ones available. Since they run out of energy quickly and cannot be recharged by the Master Chief, and the player is only allowed to carry two at a time, much of the game is spent scavenging weapons off of the dead. Fuel rod guns also explode shortly after the grunt using them is killed.
** In the sequels, however, not only can you take Covenant weapons from their cold, dead alien fingers, but you can also find them in racks on purplish storage crates. These were usually better, too, as a Covvie weapon taken from a rack almost always had a totally full battery.

* The ''FireEmblem'' and ''Franchise/ShiningSeries'' do this often with the bosses' weapons which can't be found anywhere else but are very powerful and usually magical. In the case of ''Fire Emblem'' as the weapons break with use you'll never see the weapon again after it's broken.

* In the earlier ''{{X-COM}}'' games (''[=UFO=]'' and ''Terror from the Deep'') manufacturing alien equipment required a) prying the items from the cold, dead bodies of your opponents and b) having sufficient {{Phlebotinum}}. A run of bad luck could leave up unable to build various useful devices and weapons, leaving looting and pillaging your only way to increase your stocks.
** ''{{X-COM}} Apocalypse'' also had this with some weirder items such as Brainsuckers and Entropy launchers... you simply couldn't ever build them. Anything you could build didn't require special resources, but certain things that you could only buy would cease to be available to you if their manufacturers decided they didn't like you or joined up with the aliens instead. Raiding an arms producer gave you the chance to grab loot at a 100% discount. This was the only way to obtain Marsec's (glitched) psi-defense helmet.

** The original Japanese release of ''Final Fantasy Tactics'' had a problem with this. Elmdore was the only enemy in the game to have the Genji equipment, but he had the Maintenance ability which prevents you from stealing it, making it the only UnusableEnemyEquipment in the game. Their American PS1 port removed his Maintenance ability to allow you to steal his equipment. ''War of the Lions'' restored it, but added a BonusBoss fight it could be stolen from.

[[AC:{{Playstation}}]]
* In ''FinalFantasyTactics'', certain articles of equipment never drop from any fallen foe, nor found in any shop, and can only be acquired by stealing from still active enemies, usually dangerous boss characters. Once the boss is defeated, the equipment is LostForever, unless it's a type that can be scrounged up with the Secret Hunt ability.
** The original Japanese release of ''FinalFantasyTactics'' had a problem with this. Elmdore was the only enemy in the game to have the Genji equipment, but he had the Maintenance ability which prevents you from stealing it, making it the only UnusableEnemyEquipment in the game. Their American PS1 port removed his Maintenance ability to allow you to steal his equipment. ''War of the Lions'' restored it, but added a BonusBoss fight it could be stolen from.

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[[AC:XBox]]

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' has several types of weapon that are exclusive to NPC races and can only be acquired by trading, looting dead invaders or modding. This includes weapons that are ''supposed'' to be UnusableEnemyEquipment such as pikes or [[BFS great swords]], but currently can be used due to a bug with size and weight penalties. Most of the NPC-only weapons are [[SeparateButIdentical only cosmetically different]], offer only ''very'' minor advantages or are outright {{Joke Weapon}}s, with the exception of [[WhipItGood whips and scourges]] before their GameBreaker status got nerfed. Also, elves are the only faction who can make weapons and armour out of wood in vanilla.

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* ''{{Terraria}}'' has several sets of equipment that only drop from rare enemies who wear them, like the zombie bride's wedding set or Tim's wizard hat. Most are [[AndYourRewardIsClothes vanity items]] which only change the look of your character.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'''s wooden weapons, which (aside from crossbows) can only be made by the elves. They're pretty much worthless for actual fighting, but they make great training weapons.
** As of the 2010 version, dwarves can still only craft about 1/3 of all the item types, but can use the others and get them by trading with foreigners or looting foreign invaders.

* In ''{{Halo}}'', where the Covenant energy weapons, which must be retrieved from slain opponents in most of the game, are often the only ones available. Since they run out of energy quickly and cannot be recharged by the Master Chief, and the player is only allowed to carry two at a time, much of the game is spent scavenging weapons off of the dead. Fuel rod guns also explode shortly after the grunt using them is killed.

* ''CityOfHeroes'' uses this for certain costume pieces. Rikti and Rularuu Weapons, Vanguard Equipment, and Roman Armor can be earned via gameplay.

* ''Videogame/MegaManZero 4'' allows you to [[PowerCopying obtain the weapon of an enemy]] if Zero uses the Z-Knuckle on it.

* ''MegaManZero 4'' has the Z-knuckle, which allows you to [[MegaManning obtain the weapon of an enemy]] if you successfully defeat one using it.

* There are certain weapons in ''[[VideoGame/GoldenEye1997 GoldenEye]]'' which can only be obtained by fetching them off of bodies -- even more, there are certain things JamesBond can do with these weapons only on levels where an enemy can, such as simultaneously wielding a submachine gun and a grenade launcher, though he can use both independently on other levels and there is a GameBreaker glitch allowing you to dual wield separate items in other levels as well.

* In ''FrontMission'', the Calm and Gust Wanzer parts are only used and dropped by early enemies. Yup, they're so bad, they can't even be bought.

** The original Japanese release of ''FinalFantasyTactics'' had a problem with this. Elmdore was the only enemy in the game to have the Genji equipment, but he had the Maintenance ability which prevents you from stealing it, making it the only ExclusiveEnemyEquipment in the game. Their American PS1 port removed his Maintenance ability to allow you to steal his equipment. ''War of the Lions'' restored it, but added a BonusBoss fight it could be stolen from.

** As of the new version, dwarves can now use the other 2/3 of the weapons available only by trading with foreigners or looting foreign invaders.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}: FireWarrior'', Kais often found himself deep into Imperium or Chaos territory, having to use scavenged weapons to fight. Unfortunately, you could only carry two weapons, and one of them had to be a Tau gun, which really sucked when you ran out of weapons for your other gun, and no Tau weapons were handy. The fact that the Tau weapons (in the original tabletop, easily the universe's best mass-produced weapon) were crap didn't help matters much.