History Main / SwissArmyHero

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* Aaron Stack aka Machine Man of the Franchise/MarvelUniverse is full of useful devices.
* ComicBook/IronMan dips into this on occasion with his multitude of armor suits.
* The Jaime Reyes incarnation of ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'' has PoweredArmor that comes with an array of weapons and tools. The New 52 also grants Jaime two new modes; one for increased speed, another for increased strength and durability.
* ''ComicBook/DialHForHero'': The [[TransformationTrinket H-Dial]] allows whoever wields it to become any kind of superhero for an hour. It should be noted this series was created decades before the below-mentioned ''Ben 10''.

** ''4'' and ''5'' have Double Soul, a combination of this trope and PowerCopying, as they are obtained through defeating one of [=MegaMan=]'s allies in battle. [=MegaMan=]'s charge shot is changed and he gains certain other attributes, usually an elemental affinity. It is toggled in-battle instead of on the overworld by discarding a chip corresponding to that soul (i.e., a Wood chip in ''Team Colonel'' gives you Tomahawk Soul), but they each have at least one con (Knight Soul's charge shot is only melee range, Magnet Soul is weak to Wood attacks, etc.) and last for 3 turns, which can be increased using Navi Customizer programs. ''5'' also has Chaos Unison, activated by discarding a Dark Chip, where it's the same form with a different color scheme and your charge shot turns into the Dark Chip you discarded, without the bugs or HP penalty you'd get using it by itself. If you fire at the wrong time, however, you'll turn back to normal and an invincible [=MegaMan=] DS will attack you for [[ThirteenIsUnlucky 13]] seconds, and the time it takes the shot to fully charge increases with each success. It also only lasts for 1 turn, period.

* ''Anime/ZoidsNewCentury'' features the main character's Giant Robot Liger getting three different sets of armor named [[GratuitousGerman Jäger, Schneider, and Panzer]], which greatly enhanced speed, maneuverability, and firepower, respectively.

* ''VideoGame/ShadowHearts'', sort of - Yuri can turn into different demons but there are other party members as well.

* The ''Series/KaizokuSentaiGokaiger'' have access to the powers of ''all 34 previous Franchise/SuperSentai teams'', for a total of nearly 200 powersets (though each individual Gokaiger usually only uses the member of each past team that matches up with their own color, while the SixthRanger uses only the 15 other Sixth Rangers).

This is a ShapeShifting Trope describing a main character that can shape-shift into multiple forms with each form being able to do something specific. For example; a water-based one to swim fast, an earth-based one for [[TheBigGuy strength]], an air-based one to fly, etc. In some series these would be different characters, forming a group, but in this one it's all the same guy.

* The ''Franchise/KamenRider'' franchise has many examples where the hero can utilize different weapons, forms, and/or fighting styles. ''Series/KamenRiderV3'' started the idea for the franchise with Riderman's cassette arms, but ''Series/KamenRiderKuuga'' really got it going. Common structures are for the hero to have 3-4 forms specialized in different fighting styles (''Kuuga'', ''Agito'', ''Den-O'', ''Kiva'', ''Wizard'', ''Gaim'') that might then be further enhanced with different equipment (''Fourze'', ''Drive''), 10-15 forms based on pre-existing characters like other Riders (''Decade'', ''Zi-O'') or mythological heroes (''Ghost''), or the ability to swap out the attributes of different body parts (''Double'', ''OOO'', ''Build''), plus one or two {{Super Mode}}s that may be compatible with any of the previous. The part-swapping type can grow to particularly absurd form counts if each possible combination is treated as its own form, but these usually have a smaller set of prearranged combinations that fulfill the role of traditional forms.

** ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder: Conner [=McKnight=] is the only Ranger in this season with two power-ups in addition to the one shared by the rest of the team. Fans have jokingly referred to him as an "upgrade addict" because of this.

* The ''Franchise/UltraSeries'' has done this starting with ''Series/UltramanTiga'' and only gotten more insane with each successive form-changer.

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* The second incarnation of the quest, ''Roleplay/{{Communication}}'', features a strange example where not [[TheHero Homura]] herself has this, but her GuardianEntity, has four [[spoiler: later five]] different modes at her disposal, as signaled by her [[CoolHat witch hat]]:

Has nothing to do with badass soldiers [[YodelLand from the Alps]] (though [[IThoughtItMeant it's a reasonable mistake to make]]).

Has nothing to do with badass soldiers from the Alps (though it's a reasonable mistake to make).

** Ever since ''Series/EngineSentaiGoOnger'', most Super Sentai TransformationTrinkets come with [[{{Toyetic}} toy gimmicks]] (''Series/TokumeiSentaiGobusters'' being a notable exception), which can often invoke form changes outside of just the [[MidSeasonUpgrade mid-season upgrades]] and other similar power-ups. Although sometimes they just summon weapons or mecha or activate abilities. While [[Series/NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger Go-Onger isn't the first time there was a collectable toy gimmick]], it ''is'' the first time one has been used in such a way, though Super Sentai didn't actually start filling this trope with it until Gokaiger.

* In the {{retool}}ed second season of the ''WesternAnimation/IronMan'' cartoon, Iron Man upgraded his armor so that it could shift into a different design for every situation (subterranean armor, underwater armor, stealth armor, "samurai" armor, etc.). Note that while the concept of such armors is nothing new as the comics did the same, this is a blatant case of how MerchandiseDriven this trope can be, as each form had its own toy.

* ''Project VideoGame/AlteredBeast'' for the [=PS2=] gave Luke 9 different forms each with their own powers and abilities, these forms include a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolf]], Merman, {{Wendigo}}, Garuda, [[ALoadOfBull Minotaur]], [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]], [[spoiler:{{Bear|sAreBadNews}}]], [[spoiler: UWH, aka, Alien]] and a [[spoiler:Weretiger]]

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'': Some versions of Optimus Prime qualify due to him having a number of power-ups and combinations exclusive to himself. The Optimus Prime of the ''Anime/UnicronTrilogy'' could combine with his trailer, [[Anime/TransformersEnergon a quartet of drones]] and [[Anime/TransformersCybertron and at least two other Autobots]]. Optimus Primal in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' gained a Transmetal 2 body which granted him two new alt modes, one for flying and one for grounded travel, in addition to his beast mode.

** ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder: Conner McKnight is the only Ranger in this season with two power-ups in addition to the one shared by the rest of the team. Fans have jokingly referred to him as an "upgrade addict" because of this.

** ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaSteel'': ''[[Recap/PowerRangersNinjaSteelS02E10DimensionsInDanger Dimensions In Danger]]'' has Characters/TommyOliver wielding the Master Morpher which allows him to morph into all every Ranger form he has had in the series.

* ''VideoGame/{{Killer 7}}'' is made up of 7 assassins in one body.

* In the VideoGame/GundamVsSeries, [[HumongousMecha mobile suits]] which use {{Mecha Expansion Pack}}s in their original anime are usually turned into Swiss Army Heroes as a means of representing their unique abilities. The [[Anime/MobileSuitVictoryGundam Victory 2]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED Strike]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny Impulse]] and [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamAGE AGE-2]] Gundams can change freely, while the [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamAGE AGE-1]] can only change one way per spawn (it reverts to its base form when it respawns). The [[OriginalGeneration Extreme Gundam]] plays more traditionally, starting in a base form and tranforming into an upgraded form after filling a meter, but the each form is treated as a separate character and must be chosen before the match starts.

* Negi Springfield of ''Manga/MahouSenseiNegima'' can go between forms of his [[AsLongAsItSoundsForeign Magia Erebia Armationem]], his Agilitas Fulminis oriented more towards [[FragileSpeedster speed and mobility with less offense and defense]] while being more alike to his use of [[BlowYouAway wind]] and [[ShockAndAwe lightning]], the other - his Sim Fabricatus - with [[MightyGlacier greater strength and defense over a loss of speed]]. Of note is that [[Creator/KenAkamatsu The author]] likes to reference games and [=RPG=]s throughout the series (this being one of many), so this can be argued to count as a ShoutOut to the game form of this trope.

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* This trope is ''WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}}'''s entire gimmick. The titular hero wears the [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum Omnitrix]] capable of temporarily transforming him into a number of alien forms (ten at first, hence the name, but he gains more later on), each with it's own powers and weaknesses.

* IronMan dips into this on occasion with his multitude of armor suits.

* ''Project VideoGame/AlteredBeast'' for the [=PS2=] gave Luke 9 different forms each with their own powers and abilities, these forms include a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent Werewolf]], Merman, {{Wendigo}}, Garuda, {{Minotaur}}, [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragon]], [[spoiler:{{Bear|sAreBadNews}}]], [[spoiler: UWH, aka, Alien]] and a [[spoiler:Weretiger]]

* In the old Raven Software game ''Videogame/ShadowCaster'', the protagonist eventually acquires a plethora of different forms, each with their own set of abilities.

* Aaron Stack aka Comicbook/MachineMan is full of useful devices.

** Ever since ''EngineSentaiGoOnger'', most Super Sentai TransformationTrinkets come with [[{{Toyetic}} toy gimmicks]] (''TokumeiSentaiGobusters'' being a notable exception), which can often invoke form changes outside of just the [[MidSeasonUpgrade mid-season upgrades]] and other similar power-ups. Although sometimes they just summon weapons or mecha or activate abilities. While [[NinpuuSentaiHurricaneger Go-Onger isn't the first time there was a collectable toy gimmick]], it *is* the first time one has been used in such a way, though Super Sentai didn't actually start filling this trope with it until Gokaiger.

* ''Manga/FairyTail'': [[MagicKnight Erza Scarlet]] uses a type of magic called "Requip: The Knight" which allows her summon [[InstantArmor various armors and weapons]] that she stores in a [[{{Hammerspace}} pocket dimension]].

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** ''4'' and ''5'' have Double Soul, a combination of this trope and PowerCopying, as they are obtained through defeating one of [=MegaMan=]'s allies in battle. [=MegaMan=]'s charge shot is changed and he gains certain other attributes, usually an elemental affinity. It is toggled in-battle instead of on the overworld by discarding a chip corresponding to that soul (i.e., a Wood chip in ''Team Colonel'' gives you Tomahawk Soul), but they each have at least one con (Knight Soul's charge shot is only melee range, Magnet Soul is weak to Wood attacks, etc.) and last for 3 turns, which can be increased using Navi Customizer programs. ''5'' also has Chaos Unison, activated by discarding a Dark Chip, where it's the same form with a different color scheme and your charge shot turns into the Dark Chip you discarded, without the bugs or HP penalty you'd get using it by itself. If you fire at the wrong time, however, you'll turn back to normal and [=MegaMan=] DS will attack you for [[ThirteenIsUnlucky 13]] seconds, and he's invincible during that time, and the time it takes the shot to fully charge increases with each success. It also only lasts for 1 turn, period.