Basic Trope: A weapon carried around in plain sight that never seems to get used.
- Straight: Pirate Barbara carries a pistol and a sword on her belt. In battle, however, she primarily uses her sword, rather than whipping out the gun and taking her enemies out from afar.
- Exaggerated: Mercenary Pike carries a massive trident strapped to his back — but in battle, the trident vanishes and he uses a different spear.
- Downplayed:
- Noblewoman Jane carries a rapier for ornamentation. However she is perfectly qualified to use it and any would-be mugger would have more then he bargained for.
- Barbara only uses her pistol when the situation calls for it, such as if her target's too far away for her sword.
- Justified:
- Barbara doesn't have a great deal of ammo for the gun, and mainly uses it for intimidation.
- The weapon isn't meant to be used in actual combat. Pike's trident is actually a key that was shaped for a famous artifact that happened to be a weapon. It's actually fragile, so Pike hides it when battle starts.
- The weapon was given as a symbol of rank. While it is perfectly useable, Barbara feels that she might tarnish the value of her captain's pistol if she actually fires it.
- It also might be an identifier of sorts, so that if it does get used too much, Barbara might no longer be able to prove it's her.
- The King's golden blade sword is only meant for the ceremonial function of knighting someone.
- Inverted: Shinobi Kodachi's weapon is a hidden blade which she uses so often it seems to defeat the whole point of it being concealed in the first place.
- Subverted: At first, it looks like Pike isn't going to use that trident. But then he whips it out and holds it to his foe.
- Double Subverted: ...and then he discards it.
- Parodied:
- Pike doesn't actually use his iconic trident because it's stuck in its holster; some time ago, he tried to force it out, and it broke. He can't get it fixed, so he wears it to scare off enemies and uses a different weapon when pushed.
- By the time the weapon is actually used, it's covered in dust and cobwebs.
- Zig Zagged: The weapon becomes too heavy to even wield, and thus becomes a fire mantle display piece.
- Averted: Everyone who carries a visible weapon uses that weapon.
- Enforced: Pike is a computer RPG character; the developers want to show him carrying his weapon all the time, but don't want to program models for all the different weapons he can equip when they're sheathed and on his back. Instead, they make the compromise of giving him an iconic weapon for his world map model, and show the weapon he's really equipped with in battle.
- Lampshaded: "Hey, Barbara, what's the point of having a gun if you don't use it?"
- Invoked: Pike is given a Trident as a weapon to use, but doesn't use it because he knows it's flimsy. Though, keeps it on his person to please the gift giver.
- Exploited: The hilt of Jane's sword is silver, covered in diamonds and sapphires so beautiful they could only have come from the faraway country of her betrothed. Its shining blade is covered in a beautifully etched pattern of hearts and flowers. Surely this delicate jewel of a noblewoman would never dream of sullying such a resplendent gift in combat. It's probably not even sharp.
- Defied: "Hey, Barbara, what's the point of having a gun if you don't..." <bang>
- Discussed: "Yeah, I don't use it because it's absolutely useless in a fight. I only carry it around with me as a reminder of the person I got it from."
- Conversed: "I guess the Second Amendment is mandatory here."
- Implied: "Why, Barbara! I've never known you to use a gun before...Wait, isn't that Smilin' Pete's gun? Oh, Barbara, I'm so sorry!"
- Deconstructed: The trident is purely ornamental and not strong enough to use in actual combat. Its prongs break with the first stab.
- Reconstructed: Pike fixes the trident by soldering and reinforcing it, thus making it stronger.
- Played For Laughs: Alexander, looking to hire adventurers, chooses Bruno because of the mighty axe he carries on his back. However, when they get into their first fight together, Alexander sees that Bruno doesn't use that — his weapon is a Frying Pan of Doom.
- Played For Drama: Barbara's pistol is a Tragic Keepsake from her swashbuckling lover, who was murdered by the corrupt Duke Darrows. Barbara keeps it with her at all times and plans to shoot the Duke with it someday.
Look, if you're not going to use that sword can I borrow it to get past that orc and back to the Ornamental Weapon page?
