History Main / HeroicAmbidexterity

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' allows the player to be either left or right handed with a one-handed weapon or spells. Two-handed weapons are still always used right handed, though.
** Same deal with shields, who are always relegated to the left hand.

Heroic Ambidexterity is only vaguely related to real life ambidexterity, as Heroic Ambidexterity is exclusively combat-related; whether it extends to civilian tasks will usually not be discussed. Heroic Ambidexterity also only ever occurs in characters who have excellent dexterity in general and who would be powerful even if they were not ambidextrous (in real life, one can be ambidextrous and still have average or low dexterity). It follows from the latter that the Heroic Ambidexter is strong even among the strong, and conversely, describing a warrior as ambidextrous may be a shorthand for characterizing them as a distinguished champion.

Most of us are only really good doing stuff with a specific hand, the so-called dominant hand (usually this is the right). The other hand is limited to an inglorious existence as the clumsy assistant of its smart twin. ... Isn't that, in a way, wasting a perfectly good hand? Wouldn't it be cool if ''both'' our hands were "right" hands? Wouldn't that make us twice as strong?

* Impossible Super-Ambidexterity: Like Advanced Ambidexterity, but the warrior uses two weapons to successfully engage two ''different'' [[MeleeATrois targets]] at the same time.

Hypothetically HandyFeet (and ArmedLegs and LegCannon) and, better yet, MultiArmedAndDangerous can give said individual [[MultiarmedMultitasking even more options]].

Has nothing to do with AmbidextrousSprite, unless sprite mirroring causes a character's weapon hand to switch.

[[folder:Film]]

* Like his [[ComicBook/JudgeDredd comicbook counterpart]], ''Film/{{Dredd}}'''s version of Judge Dredd is able to shoot with both hands. He noticeably shoots an [[KillItWithFire incendiary round]] off with his left hand, taking out [[OneHitPolykill several mooks at once]].

[[folder: Real Life]]

* ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'': There are a few fighters that fight with basically not stance, which allows those boxer to be adept with either side of their body. The only explicit version of ambidextrous fighter seen in the series are Randy Boy Junior and his father. Randy Boy Junior is proficient in both his left, his right, and "squared" (without a leading foot or arm). This gives Randy Boy Junior the advantage of not being open on any side, and gives the opponent three different styles to fight against. It also gives him the ability to disrupt a counter-puncher's ability to setup counters, as Randy Boy Junior's "Asura" style is significantly more unpredictable.

* ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'': There are a few fighters that fight with basically not stance, which allows those boxer to be adept with either side of their body. The only explicit version of ambidextrous fighter seen in the series are Randy Boy Junior and his father. Randy Boy Junior is proficient in both his left, his right, and "squared" (with a lead arm). This gives Randy Boy Junior the advantage of not being open on any side, and gives the opponent three different styles to fight against. It also gives him the ability to disrupt a counter-puncher's ability to setup counters, as Randy Boy Junior's "Asura" style is significantly more unpredictable.

* ""Manga/HajimeNoIppo": There are a few fighters that fight with basically not stance, which allows those boxer to be adept with either side of their body. The only explicit version of ambidextrous fighter seen in the series are Randy Boy Junior and his father. Randy Boy Junior is proficient in both his left, his right, and "squared" (with a lead arm). This gives Randy Boy Junior the advantage of not being open on any side, and gives the opponent three different styles to fight against. It also gives him the ability to disrupt a counter-puncher's ability to setup counters, as Randy Boy Junior's "Asura" style is significantly more unpredictable.

->''He was the last man in Ireland who had equal dexterity in striking with his right and with his left hand. He was the last man in Ireland who had true valour.''

Has nothing to do with AmbidextrousSprite.

* Link of the ''VideoGame/LegendOfZelda'' series, has traditionally been TheSouthpaw; but in the earliest games, because of technical limitations, his sprite would switch hands depending on which way it was facing, and in later games, to accommodate motion controls, he reverted to being right-handed in order to match the majority of players (although handedness doesn't actually affect gameplay). WordOfGod decided that he's ambidextrous with a preference for his left or right hand, depending on incarnation, in order to smooth over the inconsistencies.

* Shawn Spencer in {{Psych}}. He's typically right-handed, but in "Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark," he manages to successfully shoot out a car's engine using his left hand, with an injured left shoulder.

* ''Film/{{Shooter}}. Bob Lee Swagger is predominantly a righty, but when his right hand gets injured, he is shown to be just as competent with his left. For the record, Creator/MarkWahlberg is [[TheSouthpaw a lefty]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' had an interesting take on this trope; The Marine punches and uses the pistol with his left hand, but fires the [[ShotgunsAreJustBetter shotgun]] and plasma rifle with his right. It's hard to tell which hand he uses for the [[GatlingGood Chaingun]], [[StuffBlowingUp rocket launcher]] and the [[{{BFG}} BFG9000]], as they're just in the centre of the screen. ''VideoGame/Doom2'' adds a right-handed double barrelled shotgun as well as a [[ChainsawGood chainsaw]] operated predominantly using the right hand on the trigger and the left on the support grip.

* ''VideoGame/Quake2'' had a similar option.