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▲{{trope workshop}}
There's almost no such thing as a person having an occupation - be they mundane, fantastic, heroic, or villainous - without some form of recognizable implement that's important and often necessary for them to serve their role, and as such these items tend to be handy in readily identifying them. The '''Signature Device''' is a tool, weapon, or object that all members of a certain group (usually [[Differently-Powered Individual|Differently Powered Individuals]]) possess. Sometimes it's a [[Transformation Trinket]]; sometimes it's an iconic tool of their profession.
Naturally, groups using these as means of identification tend to consider it a vendetta-worthy offense for an outsider to be seen with one, even if it was not pried out of cold dead fingers of a legitimate owner.▼
▲Naturally,
Not to be confused with [[wikipedia:Autopen|the Autopen]].▼
[[Iconic Item]] is a personal counterpart. Also compare with [[National Weapon]].
▲Not to be confused with [[wikipedia:Autopen|the Autopen]], [[I Thought It Meant|a device for signatures.]]
[[Sub-Trope]]s include:
* [[Requisite Royal Regalia]]
* [[Color-Coded Patrician]]
* [[Commissar Cap]]
{{examples}}
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* The Vongola (Mare/Acrobaleno Pacifiers) Rings from ''[[Katekyo Hitman Reborn]]''.
* The Guns from ''[[Letter Bee]]'' that the Letter Bees all use.
* Pokeballs and the Pokedex from ''[[Pokémon (anime)|Pokémon]]''
* Tennis rackets in ''[[Prince of Tennis]]''
* The transformation wands from ''[[Sailor Moon]]''.
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* Anything starting with the word "bat" in ''[[Batman]]''.
* Legion flight rings from ''[[The Legion of Super Heroes]]''
* [[Spider-Man]]'s web-shooters.
== [[Film]] ==
* ''[[Star Wars]]'': Lightsabers, for Jedi; Sith Lords use them too, usually with red blades.
* By later ''[[James Bond]]'' films, the Walther PPK becomes one for Bond even in universe, as noted by ''[[GoldenEye (film)|
{{quote|Walther PPK, 7.65 millimetre. Only three men I know use such a gun... and I believe I've killed two of them.}}
* The Neuralyzer, for the eponymous Men in Black from the [[Men in Black (film)|''MIB'' films]].
== [[Literature]] ==
* ''[[The Three Musketeers]]'' all use rapiers. Not muskets, ironically. And in most adaptations, [[Nice Hat]]s with plumes.
* In the ''[[Dresden Files]]'', 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 [[Magic Feather|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 needed because magic interferes with electronics, including heaters.
* In the ''[[Sword of Truth]]'' books 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.
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* Morphers for the titular [[Power Rangers]]
* The Swords that the ''[[Shadow Chasers]]'' use.
* The sonic screwdriver and TARDIS of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' and the Time Lords
* The transporter has appeared in every incarnation of ''[[Star Trek]]''.
* "Garage Door Openers" for all [[Stargate]] team members.
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== [[Tabletop Games]] ==
* ''[[Dungeons and Dragons]]'' settings often use such trinkets - some magical, some not.
** Holy symbols. They almost never are ''exclusive'' for clergy - sometimes lay
** Drow nobles get House Insignia - an amulet with their heraldic device and some magical powers, mostly of utility sort. Typically they double as magical "keys" for most security magic on their estate(s), obedience enchantments on mounts, and so on - and are booby-trapped, so that an outsider who took one from the rightful owner's body faces a nasty curse rather than freebies.
** ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' has enchanted pins used by [[Hero Secret Service|Harpers]]. Cormyr has common enchanted items for army (Purple Dragon's ring, Commander's ring) and War Wizards (War Wizard's cloak) that double as a "badge" of office and "pass card", in that they are compatible keys to certain generic wards (such as barracks and armories) enforcing different levels of security clearance. Witches of Rashemen have their enchanted masks - though there's a wide variety of those, they have a common recognizable look.
** ''Al-Qadim'' got amulets of sorcerous societies. Again, those are both used as identification marks and have magic keyed on them, starting from the spell broadcasting a message (used mostly as a request for help) to all bearers of the amulet in range.
* ''[[Deathwatch (game)|Deathwatch]]'' has items specific for a Chapter of Space Marines, including "Chapter Trappings" — mostly heraldry, mementos or miscellaneous gear granting minor bonuses (e.g. Raven Guard may carry Helmet Picter to review footage after the mission and possibly grant all participants extra XP), though also including ceremonial-yet-functional weapons, like Ceremonial Sword of the Dark Angels or Sacris Claymore of the Storm Wardens.
== [[Toys]] ==
* Masks in ''[[Bionicle]]''.
* Zoids in...you guessed it!...''[[Zoids]]''
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* Player Pins for Players in ''[[The World Ends With You]].''
* In ''[[Castlevania]]'', the Belmonts almost always have the same set of secondary weapons: throwing knives, throwing axes, cross, holy water, and stopwatch.
* The Pokéballs in
* Digivices in
== [[Western Animation]] ==
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** Guns and badges for police officers
** Cellphones, PDAs or Bluetooth headsets for businessmen
* The beak-like leather masks (filled with "protective" aromatic/medicinal herbs) worn by medieval doctors during periods of plague.
* The "square and compass" symbol of [[w:Freemasonry|the Freemasons]] is made up of two signature tools of stonemasons.
* Daishō, matched pair of long and short blades (mostly katana plus wakizashi, but any sword plus tantō fits too) were signature weapons of the samurai. After "sword hunt" and for more than two centuries this was legally formalized and enforceable as both privilege and duty.
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[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Signature Tropes]]
[[Category:Pages needing more categories]]
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