History Main / NerfArm

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' loves this trope. Almost all classes can replace their default melee weapon with a ham, a pan, a road sign, or a skull, and still do the same amount of damage. Individual classes also have the following:
** The Scout has a [[ShamuFu fish]], and a candy cane that are as effective as an aluminium baseball bat.

Note that there can be some TruthInTelevision at work; A spud gun may not be a mortar, but it sure isn't Nerf, either. Simply being non-lethal is no indication of safety.

So as I play, UNLIMITED NERF WORKS."''

** The Scout has a [[ShamuFu fish]], a candy cane, and a roll of wrapping paper that are as effective as an aluminium baseball bat.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'':

** Subverted with ''VideoGame/{{Fallout Tactics|BrotherhoodOfSteel}}''. One of the weapons you can find? A water pistol. And then you start finding jars of acid in your travels through the Wasteland.

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* In ''Website/{{Neopets}}'', even before PowerCreep started to take effect over the years, the Sword of Domar always served as one from the beginning. It doesn't ''look'' silly; it's a greatsword made of lead, which, granted, isn't a good weapon material (even bronze would slice through it in RealLife), but it still seems like it should have SOME use. And yet, a pet can literally do more damage by equipping nothing and just punching their opponent. In fact, the sword is so weak that an unarmed pet will NoSell it being [[BareHandedBladeBlock used against them]]. Particularly noticeable as some of the rarer and more powerful weapons include vegetables and rubber duckies.

* ''Website/SCPFoundation'''s [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-076-2 Mobile Task Force Omega 7 Incident Log]] mentions that SCP-076-2, being TheJuggernaut that he is, once broke a man's jaw with a Nerf sword when he got [[BloodKnight bored without a fight]].

** The firework rockets sold by the Party Girl are a primarily visual effect furniture that happen to deal 150 damage to whatever they hit. With proper planning and timing, it is possible to use them to kill the FinalBoss EldritchAbomination in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlxntLDJl3U 3.5 seconds]].

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins''':

* In ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', you can find certain goofy weapons for your characters, such as a parasol for Aeris, a mop for Cid, a boxing glove for Barret, etc. They're the most powerful weapons you'll find for a while, but the catch is that they have no slots for Materia. If you use them regularly, you'll be gimping your magic in the long run. These weapons are very useful to have when Yuffie steals all your materia.

* ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'': In the sequel's Island King, the sword with [[InfinityPlusOneSword the absolute highest attack stat]] (but lacking the combo speed of the Chronicle 2), is a really sharp, ridiculous-looking Tiki mask with a pinwheel attached.

** "The Solemn Vow" is a marble bust that Medic hits people with.

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'':
** The Scout has a [[ShamuFu fish]] that's as effective as an aluminium baseball bat.
** The Scout seems to get a lot of these melee weapon options. A candy cane? A tube of wrapping paper? A severed arm? All are viable weapons (to an extent). The devs seem to treat the melee weapon slot as the go-to for bizarre/unexpectedly lethal options, since things such as winter mittens, mail boxes, and icicles have also made appearances as reasonably dangerous implements.

See also ImprobableWeaponUser, StatisticallySpeaking, CherryTapping, ThisBananaIsArmed. Closely related to--but not to be confused with--{{Nerf}}. Can overlap with LethalJokeCharacter. A Subtrope is WoodenKatanasAreEvenBetter. Contrast AsLethalAsItNeedsToBe and SetSwordsToStun. Compare TheManMakesTheWeapon, where someone is skilled enough to use ordinary items to great effect.

** A samurai's wife would also be taught to wield a tessen--in case she couldn't take her trusty BladeOnAStick, that is.

* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles1'', defeating the BonusBoss of [[SidequestSidestory a long sidequest arc]] rewards you with two weapons for Riki. One of them looks like an oversized half-eaten fish, and it just so happens to be one of Riki's best weapons. This in contrast with the other weapon: A JokeItem with an impressive damage range of 1-1.

* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'' has you begin the game with a stick as your weapon. Along your journey, you can find and use weapons such as a toy knife, a glove, ballet shoes, a notebook, and a frying pan. The first real weapon you find is a gun... that has no ammo left, so you hit enemies with it like a blunt weapon.

** Don't underestimate the power of wood. There is a reason why the Australian Aborigines make weapons from it. Oh sure, you might laugh at [[BoomerangComeback those small wooden ones that come back after you throw it but otherwise wouldn't do much more than stun a rabbit]] -- but then there are the other kind that don't come back. On account of being stuck in someone's ribcage.

* The ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'' series. [[BatterUp Baseball bats]] have always been a staple of TheHero, and TheChick usually fights with [[FryingPanOfDoom frying pans]]. What's more, everybody can equip slingshots and yoyos, and the characters with lethal weapons (Lloyd and Jeff's guns, Teddy's blades) start the game with nerf versions (airsoft guns and a butter knife, respectively). This carried over into the heroes' appearances in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros.'' series, with their forward smash attack being a bat or stick, and the Home Run Bat being one of the slowest but most powerful pickup weapons.

* ''Franchise/TouhouProject'': While it's not something in the player's hands, in the Extra Stage Boss of ''Great Fairy Wars'', Marisa does this, with spell cards such as Love Sign "Master Spark-like Flashlight" and "Blazing Star-like Tag", joke versions of Master Spark and Blazing Star, where, instead of powering them using her Mini-Hakkero, she powers these attacks using a flashlight.

** The Scout has a fish that's as effective as an aluminum baseball bat.

* Fallout's predecessor, ''VideoGame/Wasteland'', also features a Red Ryder BB gun, though it's only available by hacking the game or using strange exploits. It uses 7.62mm ammo, but hits harder than a rocket launcher.