History Main / PlayerExclusiveMechanic

* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' is this throughout most of the game thanks to the gambit system. Since you don't start out with quite a few gambits, the AI-controlled characters will be severely limited to what they can do. It is subverted later since you can buy all the gambits though.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' has this problem when it comes to using Full ATB Skills. AI controlled characters will never use full ATB skills and since you can't change characters in-battle, you're stuck with only using 1 character's full ATB skill each fight.

* ''VideoGame/{{Halo 2}}'': A human player flying a Banshee can use a fuel-rod cannon as a secondary attack. The AI can't. This was not available in online multiplayer.

* The LevelEditor for ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'' has several grades of AI available for map builders. The ones labeled "Campaign Easy" and "Campaign Medium" are restricted on what units and buildings they are allowed to construct (for instance, "Zerg Campaign Easy" will only build basic zerg units such as zerglings and mutalisks). Mind you, these were designed for the early stages of the singleplayer campaigns, where the player is also restricted in what units to build, so in the original context it was more a metter of keeping the playing field level. It only really qualifies for this trope if these AI settings are used in a game without an equivalent restriction on the human player.

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Awakening]]'''s signature Pair Up and Dual Combat mechanics were for player use only. The Risen may love their ZergRush on the map, but individual fights would nearly always end up being two of you versus one of them.

* Bots in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' cannot use unlockable weapons. Even with just stock, engineer bots cannot haul buildings (instead detonating their old ones when the time comes to move the rear lines forward) and Soldiers/demomen cannot RocketJump.

* In the ''[[Videogame/{{X}} X-Universe]]'' series, strafing thrusters are exclusive to ships piloted by the player. It makes more sense in ''X2: The Threat'' and previous games where strafing thrusters were an upgrade, but less so in latter games where they are a built-in component on every ship. The player can cause enemy ships to bail out (thus allowing them to claim the ship for usage or resale), but [=NPCs=] cannot cause other [=NPCs=] to bail out, a behavior which is rectified in the ''Xtended'' GameMod for ''X3: Terran Conflict'', though this can cause some {{Disc One Nuke}}s if the player can find high-end starships waiting to be claimed after their pilots bailed out from pirate attacks.

** Non-player-piloted ships never use their WASD strafing thrusters.

* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'', [=NPCs=] are incapable of scaling uneven ground (be it jumping up or climbing down) and will be forced to switch to either magic or bows to attack the enemy. It's possible to endlessly kite the CityGuard by placing a rock or fence between you and them and just jump over it, while they have to walk all the way around it. Fixed in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'', where [=NPCs=] can scale small walls, albeit often taking [[ArtificialStupidity stupid paths]] to do so.

* In ''DynastyWarriors 7'', players with a characters [[WeaponOfChoice EX Weapon]] equipped, gains access to the [[SignatureMove Ex Attack]]. When a player performs a certain charge attack. Which the computer doesn't use.

* The LevelEditor for ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'' has several grades of AI available for map builders. The ones labeled "Campaign Easy" and "Campaign Medium" are restricted on what units and buildings they are allowed to construct (for instance, "Zerg Campaign Easy" will only build basic zerg units such as zerglings and mutalisks). Mind you, these were designed for the early stages of the singleplayer campaigns, where the player is also restricted in what units to build, so in the original context it was more a metter of keeping the playing field level. It only really qualifies for this trope if these AI settings are used ina game without an equivalent restriction on the human player.

* The LevelEditor for ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'' has several grades of AI available for map builders. The ones labeled "Campaign Easy" and "Campaign Medium" are restricted on what units and buildings they are allowed to construct (for instance, "Zerg Campaign Easy" will only build basic zerg units such as zerglings and mutalisks).

** ''Franchise/MassEffect'' plays with this trope - the first game usually builds enemies from the same stat and skill templates as the [[ManualLeaderAIParty squad]], with a few [[SecretAIMoves Secret AI Races]] such as batarians, and also exclusive equipment here and there on both sides - the exceptions to this rule are obvious - [[EverythingsDeaderWithZombies Husks, Thorian Creepers]], and the FinalBoss to name but three. But [[PlayerCharacter Shepard]] has almost exclusive access to Unity/First Aid in all three games, which revives and restores the HitPoints of the entire team. VideoGame/MassEffect3 allows [[HeroOfAnotherStory other player characters]] to use the ability with a radius restriction with the Medi-Gel Transmitter [[PowersAsPrograms Gear]], but, being playable, it's still played straight. And they never meet [[TheHero Shepard]], anyway - preventing an aversion of WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou, as the third game adds a new, more shooter-conventional revival mechanic which is still this trope.
*** The [[MirrorBoss final battle]] and Armax Arsenal Arena BonusBoss of the Citadel DLC both use both this and SecretAIMoves in spades. [[spoiler: Shepard's clone]] cannot use some mechanics such as shooter-conventional revives, [[LastChanceHitPoint shield and health gates]], RealTimeWeaponChange (or even [[RealTimeWithPause non-real-time]]) and [[spoiler: Brooks]] doesn't get the unshielded ragdoll and biotic protection that Shepard's AI teammates get, but they get the ability to use First Aid as an AutoRevive for both [[spoiler: him/her and Brooks]], restore DeflectorShields with it, as well as get a full heal under fire [[EasierThanEasy even on Narrative]] (which would logically be [[HarderThanHard Insanity]] for the enemy) up to five times before going down, and [[spoiler: Brooks]] hits hard with her Crusader shotgun on high difficulties, while Shepard's squad would do ScratchDamage on as low as Normal. The Heavy Melee clash would technically count as a [[SecretAIMoves Secret AI Move]], as mechanically, [[spoiler: the clone]] initiates it, and the player breaks free by mashing the melee button. This goes so far as the BonusBoss, consisting of versions of [[spoiler: the clone]] of every CharacterClass, being unable to clash with classes that don't wield the appropriate Omni-Blade or have mastery of their [[spoiler: Lazarus gifted, in this instance]] biotic powers beyond one bonus power.

* Quite possibly the most infamous example is ''VideoGame/BigRigsOverTheRoadRacing''. This is the racing [[ObviousBeta "game"]] in which the AI is not given the option to ''win'', stopping just short of the finish line, and that's after a patch.

* In ''VideoGame/FTLFasterThanLight'', the AI is unable to manually open its doors to vent the atmosphere and attempt to suffocate the player's boarding party (although note that many AI-flown ships lack exterior doors altogether), or funnel them into the Medbay where its own crew is at an advantage.

** ''Franchise/MassEffect'' plays with this trope - the first game usually builds enemies from the same stat and skill templates as the [[ManualLeaderAIParty squad]], with a few [[SecretAIMoves Secret AI Races]] such as batarians, and also exclusive equipment here and there on both sides - the exceptions to this rule are obvious [[EverythingsDeaderWithZombies Husks, Thorian Creepers]], and the FinalBoss to name but three. But [[PlayerCharacter Shepard]] has almost exclusive access to Unity/First Aid in all three games, which revives and restores the HitPoints of the entire team. VideoGame/MassEffect3 allows [[HeroOfAnotherStory other player characters]] to use the ability with a radius restriction with the Medi-Gel Transmitter [[PowersAsPrograms Gear]], but, being playable, it's still played straight. And they never meet [[TheHero Shepard]], anyway - preventing an aversion of WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou, as the third game adds a new, more shooter-conventional revival mechanic which is still this trope.
*** The [[MirrorBoss final battle]] and Armax Arsenal Arena BonusBoss of the Citadel DLC both use both this and SecretAIMoves in spades. [[spoiler: Shepard's clone]] cannot use some mechanics such as shooter-conventional revives, [[LastChanceHitPoint shield and health gates]], RealTimeWeaponChange (or even [[RealTimeWithPause non-real-time]]) and [[spoiler: Brooks]] doesn't get ragdoll and biotic protection that Shepard's AI teammates get, but they get the ability to use First Aid as an AutoRevive for both [[spoiler: him/her and Brooks]], restore DeflectorShields with it, as well as get a full heal under fire [[EasierThanEasy even on Narrative]] (which would logically be [[HarderThanHard Insanity]] for the enemy) up to five times before going down, and [[spoiler: Brooks]] hits hard with her Crusader shotgun on high difficulties, while Shepard's squad would do ScratchDamage on as low as Normal. The Heavy Melee clash would technically count as a [[SecretAIMoves Secret AI Move]], as mechanically, [[spoiler: the clone]] initiates it, and the player breaks free by mashing the melee button. This goes so far as the BonusBoss, consisting of versions of [[spoiler: the clone]] of every CharacterClass, being unable to clash with classes that don't wield the appropriate Omni-Blade or have mastery of their [[spoiler: Lazarus gifted, in this instance]] biotic powers beyond one bonus power.

** In the main series games, besides having access to a much more extensive inventory the player seems to be the only trainer to be able to foresee the Pokemon his/her opponent will use next and switch the active Pokemon without taking a turn if necessary. This is called the "Shift" battle style and it's enabled by default on the options screen. However it only works in single-player mode against the AI. In multiplayer battles you don't get the opportunity for a free switch-out when your opponent sends in their next Pokemon.
** In ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'', the player can use the "Call" command on Shadow Pokemon that have entered Hyper/Reverse mode (which occurs during the purification process). In ''XD'', the player can also use the Call command on their own Franchise/{{Pokemon}} to wake it from sleeping or raise its accuracy (without having to use an item for this).

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' has this problem when it comes to using Full ATB Skills. AI controlled characters will never use full ATB skills and since you can't change characters in-battle, you're stuck with only using 1 character's full ATB skill each fight.

* The original ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'' had the player character instantly drown if they attempted to swim, while the AI didn't even attempt to enter the water. In [[Franchise/AssassinsCreed all other installments]], the player character can swim, but enemies still drown instantly, allowing for easy getaways if the player is ever able to swim away. No justification is given for why even characters armored as lightly as the player have SuperDrowningSkills.

* In the original ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'', Gordon Freeman can climb ladders and duck to fit through crawl spaces; the other NPCs cannot (other than animals small enough to fit in the crawlspaces). This limits, for example, how far Barneys can accompany you as backup.

* Bots in ''TeamFortress2'' cannot use unlockable weapons. Even with just stock, engineer bots cannot haul buildings (instead detonating their old ones when the time comes to move the rear lines forward) and Soldiers/demomen cannot RocketJump.
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* In ''SuperMarioKart,'' opponents in a race are unable to use items generated from item boxes. The AI compensates in [[SecretAIMoves several]] [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard ways]].
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* The LevelEditor for ''VideoGame/{{StarCraft I}}'' has several grades of AI available for map builders. The ones labeled "Campaign Easy" and "Campaign Medium" are restricted on what units and buildings they are allowed to construct (for instance, "Zerg Campaign Easy" will only build basic zerg units such as zerglings and mutalisks).

* In the main series ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games, besides having access to a much more extensive inventory the player seems to be the only trainer to be able to foresee the Pokemon his/her opponent will use next and switch the active Pokemon without taking a turn if necessary. This is called the "Shift" battle style and it's enabled by default on the options screen. However it only works in single-player mode against the AI. In multiplayer battles you don't get the opportunity for a free switch-out when your opponent sends in their next Pokemon.
** In PokemonColosseum and PokemonXD, the player can use the "Call" command on Shadow Pokemon that have entered Hyper/Reverse mode (which occurs during the purification process). In XD, the player can also use the Call command on their own Pokemon to wake it from sleeping or raise its accuracy (without having to use an item for this).
* FinalFantasy
** FinalFantasyXII is this throughout most of the game thanks to the gambit system. Since you don't start out with quite a few gambits, the AI-controlled characters will be severely limited to what they can do. It is subverted later since you can buy all the gambits though.
** FinalFantasyXIII has this problem when it comes to using Full ATB Skills. AI controlled characters will never use full ATB skills and since you can't change characters in-battle, you're stuck with only using 1 character's full ATB skill each fight.

* Zigzagged in the ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' series, where the non-main character [=PCs=] can be controlled by AI. The allied AI is (thankfully) far more effective than the enemy's, as it knows which enemy is the weakest and will attack it first until it dies, then move to the next, or if it's buffed (if a SquishyWizard starts attacking instead of throwing fireballs, the enemy likely starts with spell reflection, which the player can't see). By contrast, two enemies will for example first buff their group, and the other will then nullify all magic effects on all fighters, wasting their turns.
* Almost all items in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}''. This is exceedingly frustrating, due to the game's ManualLeaderAIParty. Despite a spared item pool, your party cannot use anything but the two weakest healing items. As such, if your character is incapacitated through a status effect and you don't have a member that knows the counterspell, you're left as a passive observer until it wears off.