History Main / StatSticks

* In ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'', this term refers to all weapons equipped by spellcasters and healers. In previous expansions, it also referred to any melee weapon equipped by a hunter or any ranged weapon equipped by a melee class until the ''Mists of Pandaria'' expansion removed the ranged weapon slot and turned guns, bows, and crossbows into two handed weapons, turned wands into main hand weapons, and removed throwing weapons from the game (warriors and rogues now have an infinite supply of basic throwing knives in their pockets for pulling instead).

Can overlap with InformedEquipment, when you can't even see the items you've equipped. Compare NotTheIntendedUse, if the game's creators didn't expect the items to be used in this way. Contrast OrnamentalWeapon, when your weapon truly has no use outside of looking pretty. When some of the weapons typically hit by this trope ''are'' used in combat, it's BoomStick.

* ''VideoGame/LordOfTheRingsOnline'' has several classes that can use a bow. However, unless you're a Hunter, the bow's damage is irrelevant 99.9% of the time, as it will only be used for the passive bonuses and the occasional pull. So, Guardians, Champions and Beornings will be looking at bows *only* for the passive stat bonuses. Ironically enough, Hunters will almost never be looking at using these same bows from levels 45 and up, as they will be using their Legendary Bows instead.
* The Wakfu MMORPG treats basically all weapons like this. Players' main form of offense are their character spells, which generally do more damage per AP cost than any weapon of the same level. Even considering elemental resistances and weaknesses, you're probably better off spending a turn using spells to set up for future turns or to buff your allies for their turns. Weapons give some useful stat bonuses, such as elemental damage bonuses, extra Control, extra range, and extra AP at higher levels, but those bonuses are largely the only reason players even bother. Choosing between crafting "Close Combat," "Area of Effect," and "Ranged" weapons mostly depends on which type usually gives you the stats you want rather than how the weapons themselves are used.

* ''VideoGame/MarioKart Wii'', a racing game, has the lightning cloud. Normally, its only use as a weapon is to pass it on to someone else so that they get zapped with it... but your speed increases slightly while you hold it, and your speed when off-road isn't reduced, meaning the best strategy is to ''not'' use it as a weapon for as long as possible and then pass it off at the last second.

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', the Faire skills buff Strength by 5 whenever they equip the weapon type of that Faire. However, it will increase magic instead if they are wielding a magic weapon. Since every weapon type, save Bows, has at least one staff-wielding class (Trickster with Swordfaire, Falcon Knight with Lancefaire, War Monk/Cleric with Axefaire, and Sage and Valkyrie with Tomefaire) that can equip their respective magic weapon and staves aren't "equipped", they can improve their healing capability and extend their staff range from holding unto the magic weapons. This is no longer possible in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', which only increases the damage output of the type and staff range is fixed and cannot be extended by magic.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'': Is it more effective for [[WhiteMagicianGirl Rosa]] and [[LadyOfBlackMagic Rydia]] to equip bows and whips respectively so they can cause decent physical damage between spells? Or is it better for them to use staves and rods to improve their magic? Especially prominent in the DS remake where it is an entirely valid strategy to have Rosa constantly Pray when she is not casting, giving both her and Rydia an unlimited amount of MP.

* ''{{VideoGame/Earthbound}}'' for the most part averts this since characters are not seen using their weapons during battle, and for detail, the "attack" command depends on the type of weapon equipped (Bash for melee weapons, shoot for ranged weapons). Equip a baseball bat and Bash someone? Equip a gun and shoot someone? Makes perfect sense. Then this trope applies once you get Poo's only equippable weapon in the game: the Sword Of Kings. Equip it, and... it will still say Bash, making it seem as if he doesn't even use the sword.

* In ''VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening'', the Faire skills buff Strength by 5 whenever they equip the weapon type of that Faire. However, it will increase magic instead if they are wielding a magic weapon. Since every weapon type, save Bowfaire, has at least one staff-wielding class (Trickster with Swordfaire, Falcon Knight with Lancefaire, War Monk/Cleric with Axefaire, and Sage and Valkyrie with Tomefaire) and staves aren't "equipped", they can improve their healing capability and extend their staff range from holding unto the magic weapon. This is no longer possible in ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'', which only increases the damage output of the type and not buff the stat itself.

* ''Hero of Aethric'': The Crystalis is a SwordOfPlotAdvancement, which is stated by an NPC to be very powerful, but in fact both its physical and magical stats are very lacklustre. However, it comes with immunity to all stat reductions. As a result, its typical usage is to equip it before a dungeon, then cast StatusBuff spells like Golem's Fortitude and Mimic's Mischief, which greatly boost some of your stats while lowering others (with the Crystalis blocking the reduction). You can then leave the dungeon, swap to a more effective weapon, and come back in with the buffs still active and no penalties. Chances are that you'll never actually swing the Crystalis sword.

Can overlap with InformedEquipment, when you can't even see the items you've equipped. Contrast OrnamentalWeapon, when your weapon truly has no use outside of looking pretty. When some of the weapons typically hit by this trope ''are'' used in combat, it's BoomStick.

* Also done in ''VideoGame/DiabloIII''. As seen in the page's image, most of the [[BareFistedMonk Monk's]] weapons are cosmetic, leaving swords, maces, axes, etc. around his waist while still allowing them to provide the stat bonuses, including actual weapon damage.[[note]]Roughly half of the attacks have animations that utilize the weapon, the others do so only if they are fist weapons.[[/note]] As the Wizard and the Witch Doctor classes are primarily reliant on spellcasting and have no incentive to use their weapons in melee, only the Barbarian and Demon Hunter actually are seen using the weapons that they have equipped. The Crusader, introduced in the ''Reaper of Souls'' expansion, is also surprisingly reluctant to swing his weapon around for an armored knight; while a melee build is possible, most of his attacks are based on casting holy magic from a distance.