History Main / SignatureDevice

* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}: Almost every shinobi wears a headband with a metal plate, engraved with the symbol of the village they represent. These can be taken away when someone dishonors their place as a ninja, and not wearing one is seen as disrespectful.

* ''Manga/FullMetalAlchemist'': State alchemists have standard-issue pocket watches, which are often used to identify them as such.

* The Guns from ''Manga/TegamiBachiLetterBee'' that the Letter Bees all use.

* Batman has a wide variety of these in ''Franchise/{{Batman}}''. The most famous is easily the Batarang, which despite the "-rang" part of the name are more like bat-shaped shuriken. He also [[TropeCodifier made the]] UtilityBelt [[TropeCodifier a commonplace concept]].

* Digivices for the Digidestined from ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}''

* TransformationTrinket belts for Franchise/{{Kamen Rider}}s.

** The sonic screwdriver is always used by any iteration of The Doctor
** The TARDIS is for the Time Lords.

* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'': The Assassins will almost always be seen wielding their Hidden Blades, a weapon used since the very inception of the Order.

%% * Keyblades in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''.

%% * Player Pins for Players in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''

A Signature Device is a tool, [[SignatureWeapon weapon]], or object that all members of a certain group (usually {{Differently Powered Individual}}s) possess and marks them all as similar in some way.

** Pokéballs, which are used to catch the titular pokemon and the Pokédex, which is a digital pokemon encyclopedia for the Pokemon trainers, or at the very least skilled and/or important ones. Receiving one at the beginning of the game indicates you're now a trainer.

A Signature Device is a tool, weapon, or object that all members of a certain group (usually {{Differently Powered Individual}}s) possess and marks them all as similar in some way.

* ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'': Each dragonrider is gifted a specialized sword colored to match their dragons, nad [[MarkOfTheSupernatural scar where they touched their dragon]].

** Pokéballs, which are used to catch the titular pokemon and the Pokédex, which is a digital pokemon encyclopedia for the Pokemon trainers, or at the very least skilled and/or important ones. Receiving on at the beginning of the game indicates you're now a trainer.

[[caption-width-right:350:What would a [[TheBeastmaster Pokémon trainer]] be without their trusty Pokeballs?]]

* ''Manga/FullMetalAlchemist'': State alchemists have standard-issue pocket watches, which is often used to identify them as such.

** Pokédexes also signify trainers. It's not clear exactly what the criteria is for receiving one in the games, other than knowing a Pokémon Professor, but every protagonist of the mainline games has had one, making them a signature devices of Pokémon Player Characters at the very least.

** Pokéballs, which are used to catch the titular pokemon and the Pokédex, which is a digital pokemon encyclopedia for the Pokemon trainers. Receiving on at the beginning of the game indicates you're now a trainer.

%% * [[StunGuns Teslas]] and [[CommLinks Farnsworths]] for ''Series/Warehouse13'' agents.

* In ''Anime/EdenOfTheEast'', each of the Selecao is given a distinctive cellphone which connects them to the concierge service to execute their commands and serve as a credit card. They are each numbered from 1-12.

A tool, weapon, or object that all members of a certain group (usually {{Differently Powered Individual}}s) possess. Often a TransformationTrinket. This item will mark them all as part of the same group, or similar in some way. They might also be CounterpartArtifacts of some kind.

Most stock costumes includes some, which are themselves generally examples of TruthInTelevision. Particularly:

* Cellphones, [=PDAs=] or Bluetooth headsets for businessmen

%% * Air blades (roller blades?) in ''Manga/AirGear''.

%% * The Beyblades from ''Franchise/{{Beyblade}}''
%% * The eponymous Franchise/{{Gundam}}s

* The Zanpakouto in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' are unique blades weapons that all shinigami, Arrancar, and Visoreds use.
* The transformation wands from ''Franchise/SailorMoon'', which are used to activate a Sailor Guardian's TransformationSequence.
%% * The Vongola (Mare/Acrobaleno Pacifiers) Rings from ''Manga/Reborn2004''.
%% * Air blades (roller blades?) in ''Manga/AirGear''.
* The Diaries (of all sorts from phones to coloring books) in ''Manga/FutureDiary'', are used by the 12 Diary holders to compete in a battle royale competition for who becomes the next god. Each Diary tells the future in a unique way based on their owner's personality.
%% * Knightmare Frames from ''Anime/CodeGeass''.
%% * Tennis rackets in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis''

* Every incarnation of ''Anime/YuGiOh'' has a form of Duel Disks, a device worn on the arm that allows the wearer to play Duel Monsters with the full holograms-and-LP-counters trappings no matter where they are. The original introduced them in the Battle City arc, and they proved so convenient that they became ''de rigeur'' for later installments.
** ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'' has the Duel Runners, which are... well, the fandom meme is "CARD GAMES ON MOTORCYCLES!" for a reason. It's possible to detach the dueling part from a Duel Runner and use it as a Duel Disk by itself, but most of the dueling in the series is done in motion.
* Soul Gems in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' are {{Soul Jar}}s that the magical girls obtain after agreeing to the MagicalGirl contract Kyuubey offers. They have to maintain its purity lest it turns dark with corruption. [[spoiler:Unfortunately, corruption is ''inevitable'', and in fact the Soul Gem is ''designed'' to eventually go corrupt.]]
* In ''Manga/AttackOnTitan'', members of the Survey Corps have the 3D Maneuver Gear and the dual swords. The intro demonstrates the Gear in action just to drill this in. (3D Maneuver Gear allows the user to get airborne at a moment's notice - useful given they fight giants that can only be killed by cutting out the back of their necks.)
%% * Devices in ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''. Except for Yuuno, who gave his to Nanoha at the beginning of the first season.

* Batman has a wide variety of these in ''Franchise/{{Batman}}''. The most famous is easily the Batarang, which despite the "-rang" part of the name are more like bat-shaped shuriken. He also [[TropeCodifier made the]] UtilityBelt [[TropeCodifier a commonplace concept]].

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Lightsabers indicate that a weilder is a Jedi or force-sensitive, and red ones specifically indicate a Sith.

%% * The silver, anti-magic sword and unstainable grey cloak of the Wardens is this.

* In ''Literature/ThePowderMageTrilogy'', Privileged, the setting's most prominent type of magic users, wear special gloves without which they cannot cast their spells.

%% * Morphers for the titular ''Franchise/PowerRangers''.
%% * The Swords that the Series/ShadowChasers use.

%% * "Garage Door Openers" for all Franchise/{{Stargate|Verse}} team members.
%% * TransformationTrinket belts for Franchise/{{Kamen Rider}}s.

%% * Keyblades in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''.

* The Belmonts from ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' almost always have the same set of secondary weapons: throwing knives, throwing axes, cross, holy water, and stopwatch. Even moreso, all Belmonts wield the whip Vampire Killer. Allies will wield all sorts of weapons though.
%% * Pickaxes and crafting tables in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', given what the game is all about: mining and [[ItemCrafting crafting]].

%% * The Assault Weapon Systems in ''WesternAnimation/{{Centurions}}''.
%% * Masks in ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}''.

* The spell books from ''Manga/ZatchBell'' are used by Mamono owners to command their mons in battle.

%% * [[Anime/YuGiOh Duel Disks]] [[Anime/YuGiOhGX in all]] [[Anime/YuGiOh5Ds their shapes]] [[Anime/YuGiOhZeXal and forms]].
* Soul Gems in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' are {{Soul Jar}}s that the magical girls obtain after agreeing to the MagicalGirl contract Kyuubey offers. They have to maintain its purity lest it turns dark with corruption.
%% * The 3D Maneuver Gear and dual swords from ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''

%% [[folder:Comic Books]]
%% * Green Lantern Rings for the Comicbook/{{Green Lantern}}s and the [[TheChosenMany other corps]]
%% * Anything starting with the word "bat" in ''Franchise/{{Batman}}''.

%% [[/folder]]

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': Pokéballs, which are used to catch the titular pokemon and the Pokédex, which is a digital pokemon encyclopedia for the Pokemon trainers. Receiving on at the beginning of the game indicates you're now a trainer.

* The transformation wands from ''Franchise/SailorMoon'', which use to activate a Sailor Guardian's TransformationSequence.

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}: Pokéballs, which are used to catch the titular pokemon and the Pokédex, which is a digital pokemon encyclopedia for the Pokemon trainers. Receiving on at the beginning of the game indicates you're now a trainer.

* Soul Gems in ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' are SoulJars that the magical girls obtain after agreeing to the MagicalGirl contract Kyuubey offers. They have to maintain its purity lest it turns dark with corruption.

* Controllers in ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' each have one.

* The Beyblades from ''Franchise/{{Beyblade}}''
* The eponymous Franchise/{{Gundam}}s

* The Vongola (Mare/Acrobaleno Pacifiers) Rings from ''Manga/Reborn2004''.
* Air blades (roller blades?) in ''Manga/AirGear''.

* Knightmare Frames from ''Anime/CodeGeass''.
* Tennis rackets in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis''
* Zoids in... you guessed it!... ''Franchise/{{Zoids}}''
* [[Anime/YuGiOh Duel Disks]] [[Anime/YuGiOhGX in all]] [[Anime/YuGiOh5Ds their shapes]] [[Anime/YuGiOhZeXal and forms]].

* The 3D Maneuver Gear and dual swords from ''Manga/AttackOnTitan''
* Devices in ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''. Except for Yuuno, who gave his to Nanoha at the beginning of the first season.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* Green Lantern Rings for the Comicbook/{{Green Lantern}}s and the [[TheChosenMany other corps]]
* Anything starting with the word "bat" in ''Franchise/{{Batman}}''.
* Legion flight rings from ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes''
[[/folder]]

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Lightsabers, for Jedi, and red ones specifically for Sith
* ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'': Proton Packs and ghost traps.

* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', the silver, anti-magic sword and unstainable grey cloak of the Wardens is this.
** Played with - focii help focus a wizard's magic in large part because they believe it will. However, there are also items imbued with power. Harry's are the staff and wand and duster (and gun).
** Wizards robes are both a symbol of office and because magic interferes with electronics, including heaters.
* In the Literature/SwordOfTruth it's the ... Sword of Truth. For the Seeker of Truth.
** At the palace of the prophets, the Rada'Han is this for wizards.
** Confessors' dresses.
** Higher-rank wizards wear simpler clothes.
** Defenders of the Lord Rahl wear special weapons with his crest.
** War Wizards' gear is this.
** The rings in the lips of the female slaves of the Imperial Order.
** Darken Rahl's curved knife.
** The Mord-Sith Agiel. [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience Various colors of leather outfits]], too.
* The Aes Sedai rings in ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' series.

* Morphers for the titular ''Franchise/PowerRangers''.
* The Swords that the Series/ShadowChasers use.
* From ''Series/DoctorWho'', the sonic screwdriver for The Doctor and the TARDIS for the Time Lords.
* The transporter has appeared in every incarnation of ''Franchise/StarTrek''. And almost everyone carries tricorders, communicators, and phasers.
* "Garage Door Openers" for all Franchise/{{Stargate|Verse}} team members.
* TransformationTrinket belts for Franchise/{{Kamen Rider}}s.
* [[StunGuns Teslas]] and [[CommLinks Farnsworths]] for ''Series/Warehouse13'' agents.

* Pokéballs, which are used to catch the titular pokemon and the Pokédex, which is a digital pokemon encyclopedia from ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''
* Keyblades in ''Franchise/KingdomHearts''.
* Player Pins for Players in ''VideoGame/TheWorldEndsWithYou''

* Pickaxes and crafting tables in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', given what the game is all about: mining and [[ItemCrafting crafting]].

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The Guardians and their keytools in ''WesternAnimation/ReBoot''.
* The communicators designed by Robin and Cyborg in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'', which actually serve as a plot point.
* The Assault Weapon Systems in ''WesternAnimation/{{Centurions}}''.
* Masks in ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}''.
[[/folder]]

A tool, weapon, or object that all members of a certain group (usually {{Differently Powered Individual}}s) possess. Often a TransformationTrinket. This item will mark them all as part of the same group, or similar in some way. It might also be a CounterpartArtifact of some kind.

A tool, weapon, or object that all members of a certain group (usually {{Differently Powered Individual}}s) possess. Often a TransformationTrinket. This item will mark them all as part of the same group, or similar in some way. It might also be a CouterpartArtifact of some kind.

A tool, weapon, or object that all members of a certain group (usually {{Differently Powered Individual}}s) possess. Often a TransformationTrinket.