History Main / RequiredPartyMember

* In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'''s Subspace Emissary mode, when you head out to fight the FinalBoss, your party will always include [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Luigi]], [[VideoGame/EarthBound Ness]], [[Franchise/{{Kirby}} King Dedede]], [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Bowser]], Franchise/{{Kirby}}, and [[spoiler:Franchise/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}}]]. Anyone else you want needs to be collected as a trophy in the immediate two levels before the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon and restored to normal form ([[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Ganondorf]] in particular can't be unlocked unless you've unlocked both [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link and Zelda]]). On the other hand, [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Toon Link]], [[VideoGame/StarFox Wolf]], and [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Jigglypuff]] can't be unlocked until [[PostEndGameContent after the final boss is defeated]].

* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' games will automatically deploy certain units from time to time for plot reasons. In addition, recruiting optional characters or secret mechs often require specific characters to set flags.

** Also, there are optional dungeons later in the game that require certain characters to be in your party, namely Robo and Marle. Frog, Robo, and Lucca are each required to be in your party to finish certain optional quests, but they're not required for the dungeons/fights that are part of those quests. Finally, Magus gets some special dialogue in two others but is not required for them.

** In the [[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI first game]], WesternAnimation/PeterPan is required to be active to fight the [[BonusBoss Phantom]] in Neverland.

** In ''VideoGame/PersonaQ2NewCinemaLabyrinth'', most of the "special showings" avert this, since while they give bonuses to the party members who participate, they aren't required. The exceptions are the quests in which you fight the BonusBoss of each labyrinth, since a specific character is required for each fight. Another exception is a late-game request that requires Haru and Aigis to be in your active party and Rise to serve as your navigator.

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' has an unusual case of the trope at the end of the 2.5 storyline. [[spoiler: Midgardsormr, a legendary and ancient dragon whom you defeat at one point, not only takes away [[TheGift your special ability that the Mothercrystal blessed you with]], but uses some of that power to construct himself a temporary body and forces himself into your company as a minion/pet. Unlike other minions, Midgardsormr is NOT optional and he automatically gets added to your minion list whether you want him to or not. Said dragon will also pop up during certain cut scenes to give his quips on what the current situation is and you can't stop him from doing so. To drive the point home further, floating/flying minions will sometimes land on your head/shoulder and fly off if you move. Midgardsormr, if you have him out, will perch on your shoulder and will only get off when he feels like it as he sticks to you like glue. That dragon won't be leaving anytime soon. At the end of 3.0, Midgardsormr is impressed by your achievements without your gift and not only do you earn it back, the dragon gains an adult body and allows you to fly on his back as a flying mount while being forced into your mount collection. You don't have to use him as a mount and are free to use a different mount to fly with.]]

** During the final battle against Xemnas, [[spoiler: Riku will be Sora's only remaining party member after the first stage. Like with Jack Sparrow before, [[HeroMustSurvive it's game over if Riku's HP hits zero]].]]

** And railroads you entirely on the Leviathan level, by locking you with Carth and Bastila. Of course, because of [[HeroicSacrifice certain]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge story]] [[TheReveal events]], the whole thing wouldn't work without them. The ''Brotherhood of Shadow'' mod also forces this in several places. Justified on some of it, as you're [[spoiler: playing a flashback to some event in your life as Revan]].

** In both ''VideoGame/TrailsOfColdSteel I and II'', Emma is needed in the final dungeon of the first game, and the shrine trials in the second game. This is because she needs to explain to the party members about the things that are happening. Some party members in the second game are also required during certain sections of the game in the second act; Gaius during Nord, Elliot and Sara to rescue Fiona, Millium because she just wants to tag along, Alisa for Roer, Fie for the third exploration and the first shrine trial, Jusis and Sara for [[spoiler: arresting Duke Albarea]], Laura for the final three shrine trials, and Machias for rescuing his dad. The final boss in the Royal Palace is fought in two stages. In the first stage, the party is made up of the characters who ''are not'' in the active party when you reach the boss. The party becomes very large in ''Cold Steel IV'', being composed of Old Class VII, New Class VII, and various friends and allies. For nearly every mission, characters from the greater party will insist on being in the active party, ostensibly for story reasons, but probably to stop the players from using the same characters over and over again.

** ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'': Liara for the Thessia and (DLC) Eden Prime missions, Tali (if she survived 2) for the first and last missions of the Geth-Quarian arc, and [[spoiler: EDI]] for [[spoiler:the assault on Cerberus headquarters.]]

* ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights2'' had an interesting take on this that alleviated the more annoying aspects of the trope. It forced you to take Shandra along for an entire chapter.... but raised the party member limit by one to accommodate her, allowing you to take whatever team you were comfortable with in the previous chapters, plus her. When [[spoiler: she died, the extra spot became open]].

* Played straight for most of the game yet also subverted at one point in ''VideoGame/SailorMoonAnotherStory''. There are times in the game where you play as one set specific character or a set group of characters, and this holds for the first 3/5ths of the game. In the fourth "chapter" you're allowed to choose groups of Senshi, though Sailor Moon is usually required (in a few cases, Chibi Moon is). At the beginning of the fifth chapter, the Senshi split up, one group going to rescue Sailor Moon's little brother and the other to go visit the Crystal Palace. In the cut scene before choosing teams, it looks like Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury are going with Sailor Moon, while the other five (the "Outers" and Chibi Moon) are the other group. However, aside from Chibi Moon and Sailor Moon, you actually can mix this up and choose whoever you want to be in which group. There is different dialogue in the cut scenes depending on who's in which group.=

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'', an {{NPC}} will occasionally take up one of your precious party member slots, most annoyingly in the [[LuckBasedMission Riovanes rooftop battle]] where Malak is [[spoiler: dead and can't be revived until the post-battle cutscene]] and a suicidally angry Rafa, who will charge headfirst into death unless your party is fast enough to intercept.

** In both ''VideoGame/TrailsOfColdSteel I and II'', Emma is needed in the final dungeon of the first game, and the shrine trials in the second game. This is because she needs to explain to the party members about the things that are happening. Some party members in the second game are also required during certain sections of the game in the second act; Gaius during Nord, Elliot and Sara to rescue Fiona, Millium because she just wants to tag along, Alisa for Roer, Fie for the third exploration and the first shrine trial, Jusis and Sara for [[spoiler: arresting Duke Albarea]], Laura for the final three shrine trials, and Machias for rescuing his dad. The final boss in the Royal Palace is fought in two stages. In the first stage, the party is made up of the characters who ''are not'' in the active party when you reach the boss.

In an RPG, the opposite of an OptionalPartyMember. That is, someone who you ''must'' have in the group, usually due to plot reasons and regardless of the player's own choice in the matter. Depending on the story, they may leave after their work is done, [[SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear taking with them everything they had]], or they may stick around with your RagtagBunchOfMisfits.

** Also sometimes a factor with event legendary Pokemon. You have to bring the three Legendary Golems, Regice, Regirock and Registeel, to Snowpoint Temple to wake up Regigigas in ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondPearlAndPlatinum ''. (And unless you trade or use Pal Park to bring those mons over from ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', you need the special movie Regigigas to awaken the three golems in DPP, in order to wake up the other Regigigas.) Other examples include needing Celebi in your party to get Zorua and needing the three Legendary Beasts for Zoroark in ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite''. In ''[[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver HeartGold and SoulSilver]]'', bringing the Pikachu-colored (Shiny) Pichu to Ilex Forest shrine is necessary to get Spiky-Eared Pichu.
** Other times, the event mons are needed to trigger in-game events. Black and White have specific events for Keldeo, Meloetta and Genesect, and ''VideoGame/PokemonYellow'' has a surfing game that needs the Surfing Pikachu to activate. The Gold and Silver remakes have the Arceus Event, requiring an Arceus as your lead Pokemon to activate it, and the Giovanni battle, which requires specifically a DS-generation event Celebi to activate it.

* In ''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' you have to have the legendary that you caught at Spear Pillar(Dialga or Palkia depending on what clan you did the endgame with)in your party before you can leave the village to face its counterpart.

* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' has several chapters in most of its games where a character is forced into the party and absolutely must be used for that chapter. You usually have to keep them alive too, ie., you can't just let them get beaten and leave the field; if they get beaten, they're dead.

* Played straight for most of the game yet also subverted at one point in ''VideoGame/SailorMoonAnotherStory''. There are times in the game where you play as one set specific character or a set group of characters, and this holds for the first 3/5ths of the game. In the fourth "chapter" you're allowed to choose groups of Senshi, though Sailor Moon is usually required (in a few cases, Chibi Moon is). At the beginning of the fifth chapter, the Senshi split up, one group going to rescue Sailor Moon's little brother and the other to go visit the Crystal Palace. In the cut scene before choosing teams, it looks like Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury are going with Sailor Moon, while the other five (the "Outers" and Chibi Moon) are the other group. However, aside from Chibi Moon and Sailor Moon, you actually can mix this up and choose whoever you want to be in which group. There is different dialogue in the cut scenes depending on who's in which group.
* In ''VideoGame/ShadowHeartsCovenant'' and ''From The New World'', you don't ''need'' Anastasia or Johnny in every battle... but if you don't, you can't get the enemy's photos (which are required for certain sidequests), because they're the ones with the cameras.

** During one fight in the game, specifically the boss fight of World 2, Princess Peach is forcibly added to your party at the expense of someone else depending on the "Mario, one Mushroom Kingdom, one Rabbid" formula. If you brought two Rabbids, one will be abducted at random, but Luigi will ''always'' be ejected if you try to bring him -- [[DevelopersForesight did you really think the devs would let you cheese the MELEE-focused boss with the FriendlySniper?. (Seriously, use Luigi in a re-fight. You'll ''immediately'' understand.) An odd case where the character forcing is based on gameplay rather than plot.

* ''VideoGame/MarioPlusRabbidsKingdomBattle'' is more a case of "Required Party Member ''Type''": On top of CantDropTheHero being in play with Mario, the player must ''always'' deploy one out of four VideoGame/RavingRabbids in their three-man squad, but is always free to choose which Rabbid to deploy (the game begins with two of the Rabbids in the starting party).

* The ''VideoGame/SonicAdvanceTrilogy'' only permits you to fight the TrueFinalBoss of every installment should you be playing as Sonic.
** ''Sonic Advance 3'' additionally forces [[spoiler:[[EnemyMine Dr. Eggman]]]] to be your partner for the TrueFinalBoss.

* This happens frequently in the ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon'' series, particularly in the games after the first. You're often denied the ability to bring any party members of your own choosing in the story dungeons, either having to manage with just you and your partner, or being forced to take along a NPC as well (who annoyingly needs to survive through the dungeon and ''cannot be issued commands'' like normal party members, which can lead to losses via ArtificialStupidity).

* In ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter Tri'' and ''3 Ultimate'', several Moga Village quests require you to bring at least one of your Shakalaka comrades to begin the quest. In ''4'' and ''4 Ultimate'', some Caravan quests have the Ace Palico's deployment as a requirement to start.

** You also have to bring each party member along on his/her loyalty mission, for what should be pretty obvious reasons. Because of this, loyalty missions tend to be tailored to the associated party member's special skills.

** The early missions in the third game force you to take along an exact party: Anderson on Earth, Ashley/Kaidan and James on Mars (until you meet Liara, then Ashley/Kaidan and Liara), and James/Liara on Menae (unless Garrus survived; then he'll replace Liara). In all cases, the game goes out of its way to justify what the other characters are doing, and you don't have anyone else in your party to bring.

* ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'' gives you numerous quests that cannot be completed without a certain party member. You get forced to take Carth when you first enter Taris, you have to have Mission to get into the Vulkar base, T3-M4 is required to get into the Sith base, you need HK-47 to complete the light-side track with the Sand People on Tantooine, you need Bastilla for the beginning of Dantooine, etc.

*** On the unknown planet, your party members will leave when you prepare to open up the temple, but Jolee and Juhani will come back and insist on accompanying you in.

** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', Collette is required in all of the boss fights at the end of Sylvarant's temples, while Sheena is required for all summon seals. Also, in order to get the location information for monsters into your Monster Book, you need to use the Magic Lens with Raine, not any of the other characters. Raine is also required for the Windmaster boss fight, because she is participating in the ritual, and Lloyd is required for [[spoiler:the third battle with Yggdrasill, the [[DuelBoss third battle with Kratos]] and the battle with Origin]].

*** All paralogues focusing on playable characters require you to bring the character in focus.
*** Hubert is required for Crimson Flower Chapter 12.

** In ''VideoGame/PersonaQ2NewCinemaLabyrinth'', most of the "special showings" avert this, since while they give bonuses to the party members who participate, they aren't required. The exceptions are the quests in which you fight the BonusBoss of each labyrinth, since a specific character is required for each fight.

** In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2'', you were often forced to take certain clan members on certain missions, mostly [[spoiler:Adelle's Heritor missions]] and sub-plots involving the [[OptionalPartyMember optional unique clan members]].

** In both ''VideoGame/TrailsOfColdSteel I and II'', Emma is needed in the final dungeon of the first game, and the shrine trials in the second game. This is because she needs to explain to the party members about the things that are happening. Some party members in the second game are also required during certain sections of the game in the second act; Gaius during Nord, Elliot and Sara to rescue Fiona, Millium because she just wants to tag along, Alisa for Roer, Fie for the third exploration and the first shrine trial, Jusis and Sara for [[spoiler: arresting Duke Albarea]], Laura for the final three shrine trials, and Machias for rescuing his dad.

In an RPG, the opposite of an OptionalPartyMember. That is, someone who you ''have'' to have in your group, usually due to plot reasons and regardless of the player's own choice in the matter. Depending on the story, they may leave after their work is done, [[SoLongAndThanksForAllTheGear taking with them everything they had]], or they may stick around with your RagtagBunchOfMisfits.

* In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'''s Subspace Emissary mode, when you head out to fight the FinalBoss, your party will always include [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Luigi]], [[VideoGame/EarthBound Ness]], [[Franchise/{{Kirby}} King Dedede]], [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Bowser]], Franchise/{{Kirby}}, and [[spoiler:Franchise/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}}]]. Anyone else you want needs to be collected as a trophy in the immediate two levels before the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon and restored to normal form ([[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Ganondorf]] in particular can't be unlocked unless you've unlocked both [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link]] and [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Zelda]]). On the other hand, [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Toon Link]], [[VideoGame/StarFox Wolf]], and [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Jigglypuff]] can't be unlocked until [[PostEndGameContent after the final boss is defeated]].

** ''Gates to Infinity'' is more merciful about this, as the Pokémon who you're forced to take are either an official part of your team (meaning you can level them up and customize them to your liking beforehand) or are extremely overpowered, plus it no longer matters if they get KO'd and you can issue them orders.

[[folder:Role Playing Game]]

** Every character (except [[spoiler:Magus]]) is forced on you for a dungeon when he or she first joins. Frog and Ayla get ''two'' such dungeons and Robo is a mandatory party member when you're exploring the factory ruins. {{C|antDropTheHero}}rono is forced on you for most of the game, but eventually, he becomes optional [[spoiler:after he dies and is retrieved].

* The ''[[VideoGame/DotHackGUGames .hack]]'' games would occasionally require you to use specific teams for story events. When this happened, you could bet you were going to see an FMV before the dungeon was out. There were also side-dungeons which your party members invited you to, thus requiring you to use that particular person. At one point this results in an inadvertent TwoTimerDate when Kite is invited to the same dungeon by both Black Rose and Terajima Ryoko.

* Your party is perpetually altering itself in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'', but it's always doing so at the story's discretion.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' is an odd case in that this happens frequently in the first half of the game (such as with Banon's EscortMission, or Locke and Celes being mandatory for the opera house storyline), but in the second half, almost nobody is ''technically'' required except for a few characters. You could go straight to the final dungeon with only three characters if you wanted to.
** A more minor example of the Event Flag version of this trope occurs in cutscenes after you can begin swapping party members in and out of your group. While dialogue is largely the same regardless of who is with you, particular characters will get lines attributed to them specifically. If that character is not in your group the line will simply have quotation marks around it and no named speaker
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' '''loves''' this trope; at various points in the game, one character or another is required to be in your party to advance the plot, whether you like it or not. Yuffie and Vincent are the only exceptions since they are optional party members and have no relevance to the main plot.
** Barret forces himself into the party as they investigate who is framing him.
** Red XIII is forced onto you when you explore the caves in Cosmo Canyon as he learns about his father.
** After getting the Keystone, Aerith is forced into your party as you explore the Temple of the Ancients so she can understand herself and her ancestors. [[spoiler:Meta-explanation: it's required because she needs to be there to get abducted. And no, [[KilledOffForReal you are not]] [[TearJerker getting her back]]. Can also be a PlayerPunch if you were trying to get her together with Cloud.]]
** Done once again in the Whirlwind Maze where Tifa forces herself into your active party so she can see Sephiroth defeated once and for all. At least, that's what it looks like on the surface: [[spoiler:the game forces Tifa to join you so that she can see that Cloud's memories of the Nibelheim incident are fragmented and made up, forcing her to spill the beans about what really happened]]. What makes this example particularly frustrating is that she gets shoehorned into the party ''right before a boss fight'', quickly turning her into TheLoad if you haven't been training her.
** When Shinra attempts to use the rocket in Rocket Town, Cid forces himself into your party so he can personally kick Shinra's ass.

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', during the last portion of Disc 1, you are forced to use the split-up teams of Squall, Irvine, and (later on) Rinoa as well as Quistis, Zell, and Selphie. On Disc 2, when visiting the now under siege Balamb, Squall ''must'' have Zell in the party.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' does this constantly until Disc 3. It also does the inverse, having characters just randomly walk away so that you can't add them to the party.
* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', while you can usually switch characters at any time, there are a few parts where you have to fight underwater - and that means only Tidus, Wakka and Rikku can be in your party for those parts, since they're the only ones who know how to fight in the water.
** You can recruit/remove Wakka from the Besaid Aurochs team, but never Tidus (you don't have to play him, but he takes up a slot).
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' is an absurd case. You can't switch party ''at all'' until you reach the Ark. Read: Chapter 11, around 18+ hour of gameplay. Even when the group's shown to be together, you can't just switch anybody out until then. The game plays this straight at the conclusion of Chapter 10, though, as you can have anyone in the party, as long as Lightning is the leader.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' has an unusual case of the trope at the end of the 2.5 storyline. [[spoiler: Midgardsormr, a legendary and ancient dragon whom you defeat at one point, not only takes away [[TheGift your special ability that the Mothercrystal blessed you with]], but uses some of that power to construct himself a temporary body and forces himself into your company as a minion/pet. Unlike other minions, Midgardsormr is NOT optional and he automatically gets added to your minion list whether you want him to or not. Said dragon will also pop up during certain cut scenes to give his quips on what the current situation is and you can't stop him from doing so. To drive the point home further, floating/flying minions will sometimes land on your head/shoulder and fly off if you move. Midgardsormr, if you have him out, will perch on your shoulder and will only get off when he feels like it as he sticks to you like glue. That dragon won't be leaving anytime soon. At the end of 3.0, Midgardsormr is impressed by your achievements without your gift and not only do you earn it back, the dragon gains an adult body and allows you to fly on his back as a flying mount while being forced into your mount collection. You don't have to use him as a mount and are free to use a different mount to fly with.]]
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyBraveExvius'' has 8 "storyline" characters you are guaranteed to obtain through the course of play: Rain, Lasswell, Fina, Lid, Nichol, Jake, Sakura, and [[spoiler:"Blue Mage" Fina]], and you even start with Rain & Lasswell being the only two characters you ''can'' use until you get more. There are ways to obtain other units (and they're permanently available to use unless you do something to get rid of them - sell, use as an "enhancement material"...), but it's largely random. Certain [side]quests will either require one of the "story" characters to even start it, or count their presence towards completion rewards; usually either abilities usable only by them, or equipment that, while useable by nearly any other unit, has extra buffs if attached to them. (Rarely it's just a random reward, but their presence is still made a 'requirement', usually due to the nature of the plot, such as the needed character learning something about a family member.)

* There are points during ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSky'' where Estelle is required to bring a specific party member with her. For example, Joshua is required for the original game's final dungeon, and in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsInTheSkySecondChapter SC]]'', [[spoiler:Joshua again]] is mandatory from the climax of Chapter 6 all the way to the end of the game.
* In both ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel I and II'', Emma is needed in the final dungeon of the first game, and the shrine trials in the second game. This is because she needs to explain to the party members about the things that are happening. Some party members in the second game are also required during certain sections of the game in the second act; Gaius during Nord, Elliot and Sara to rescue Fiona, Millium because she just wants to tag along, Alisa for Roer, Fie for the third exploration and the first shrine trial, Jusis and Sara for [[spoiler: arresting Duke Albarea]], Laura for the final three shrine trials, and Machias for rescuing his dad.

* The Required Party Members in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 1}}'' vary depending on which path you take. In the SEBEC Quest, your party will ultimately consist of the MC, Maki, Mark and Nanjo, with one slot left for you to choose, and in the Snow Queen Quest, your party consists of the MC, Yukino and Ayase, with two slots to choose.
* ''VideoGame/Persona3'':
** The Hierophant/Lovers full moon requires you to bring Yukari (because your party was fixed last time and did not include her) so you can fall into The Lovers's mind control. This is slightly more lenient in ''Portable'' for the heroine -- you'll need a full party, which ensures that you'll have to bring at least one of the guys.
** In "The Answer", [[spoiler:your party will consist solely of Aigis and Metis for the 2-on-2 party battles before the final door.]]
* ''VideoGame/Persona5'':
** Whenever you get a new party member, the game forces them into your party for the ensuing mini-boss battle.
** During the lead-up to Yusuke's awakening, you are forced to do a mini-boss fight with just Ryuji at your side. He and Ann are required for Yusuke's awakening fight.
* In ''VideoGame/PersonaQShadowOfTheLabyrinth'', certain sidequests require specific characters in your party.
* In ''VideoGame/PersonaQ2NewCinemaLabyrinth'', most of the "special showings" avert this, since while they give bonuses to the party members who participate, they aren't required. The exceptions are the quests in which you fight the BonusBoss of each labyrinth, since a specific character is required for each fight.
* Nei in ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarII'' insists on coming with Rolf everywhere he goes [[spoiler:until she's murdered by her "sister" Neifirst]].

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' does this to some extent. It requires you to bring along a mon with certain special attacks if you want to get through certain dungeons. Particularly, you need Rock Climb to [[spoiler:face Red]] in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver HeartGold and SoulSilver]]''.
** Also sometimes a factor with event legendary Pokemon. You have to bring the three Legendary Golems, Regice, Regirock and Registeel, to Snowpoint Temple to wake up Regigigas in ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' and Platinum. (And unless you trade or use Pal Park to bring those mons over from ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', you need the special movie Regigigas to awaken the three golems in DPP, in order to wake up the other Regigigas.) Other examples include needing Celebi in your party to get Zorua and needing the three Legendary Beasts for Zoroark in ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite''. In ''[[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver HeartGold and SoulSilver]]'', bringing the Pikachu-colored (Shiny) Pichu to Ilex Forest shrine is necessary to get Spiky-Eared Pichu.
** Other times, the event mons are needed to trigger in-game events. Black and White have specific events for Keldeo, Meloetta and Genesect, and ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pokémon Yellow]]'' has a surfing game that needs the Surfing Pikachu to activate. The Gold and Silver remakes have the Arceus Event, requiring an Arceus as your lead Pokemon to activate it, and the Giovanni battle, which requires specifically a DS-generation event Celebi to activate it.
** A much more direct example is in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire]]'', where [[spoiler:you need to catch Rayquaza and have it in your party, since it can fly you into space and destroy the meteor in the Delta Episode. It's not at all burdensome, as Rayquaza comes into the final battle instantly a Mega and at a very high level.]]

* In ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts Covenant'' and ''From The New World'', you don't ''need'' Anastasia or Johnny in every battle... but if you don't, you can't get the enemy's photos (which are required for certain sidequests), because they're the ones with the cameras.
* Happens quite a bit in ''VideoGame/SonicChronicles'', whenever you must split into teams. Usually, some choices are already pre-selected for you, which can be a pain as it locks out certain combination attacks. One especially annoying example is Omega, who becomes [[PermanentlyMissableContent unobtainable]] if you don't find him in Eggman's City. Better hope you remembered to bring Shadow or Rouge along if you don't want him to try and ''murder Eggman''.

** The [[VideoGame/SuikodenI first game]] was probably the worst about this, to the point where half of your six-person party was predetermined for the last stretch of the plot, right up to the final boss. By contrast, ''VideoGame/SuikodenV'' included four 'extra' party slots (for a total of ten) where you could put non-combatants and spare members. So if somebody was forced into your party for plot reasons and you didn't care to use them/they were ''way'' too underleveled, you could just stick them in there and drag them along without worrying about dead weight.
* In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', Collette is required in all of the boss fights at the end of Sylvarant's temples, while Sheena is required for all summon seals. Also, in order to get the location information for monsters into your Monster Book, you need to use the Magic Lens with Raine, not any of the other characters. Raine is also required for the Windmaster boss fight, because she is participating in the ritual, and Lloyd is required for [[spoiler:the third battle with Yggdrasill, the [[DuelBoss third battle with Kratos]] and the battle with Origin]].
* This happens extremely often in ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia2'', forcing an entire party formation on you for every story chapter but the last one, and requiring one or two specific members for the character episodes. Naturally, they end up making you have to fight ThatOneBoss using a formation that doesn't have any of the party's primary healers...

[[folder:Turn Based Strategy]]

* ''VideoGame/DevilSurvivor'' occasionally has missions where you're required to dispatch a specific party member. For example, [[spoiler:talking Keisuke into rejoining the party without fighting him]] on day 5 leads to a fight with [[spoiler:Kaido and Midori]] where he is required, and [[spoiler:Atsuro]] is required for two of the game's final battles on day 7 ([[spoiler:his own]] and [[spoiler:Gin's]]).

* ''VideoGame/DawnOfWarII'': The first expansion, ''Chaos Rising'', plays with this trope. While [[CantDropTheHero the Force Commander is mandatory]], for certain missions, the game selects some squads to gain Corruption. The negative karma of their KarmaMeter, if forced to stay behind, makes those members effectively this if you don't want the corruption. The second expansion, ''Retribution'', does away with this.

* In ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', every character (except [[spoiler:Magus]]) is forced on you for a dungeon when he or she first joins. Frog and Ayla get ''two'' such dungeons and Robo is a mandatory party member when you're exploring the factory ruins. {{C|antDropTheHero}}rono is forced on you for most of the game, but eventually, he becomes optional.

* In ''VideoGame/OctopathTraveler'', you are required to bring along a specific party member when you are doing their story quest. In addition, many quests in the game require the specific abilities of a character. Luckily, half of the party shares a similar ability with the other half, giving you a choice of who you want to use for the quest. For instance, if you need to get an item off an NPC, you can either buy it with [[IntrepidMerchant Tessa]] or steal if off them with [[PhantomThief Therion]]. The sole exception is that, if you want access to the contents of locked treasure chests (none of which are mandatory), Therion is the only party member that can pick them open.