Instead, more time was spent on stealing than actually fighting monsters.

In Thief II: The Metal Age there was less focus on combat. However, there were weapons available that allowed direct confrontation, like the Sword and Warhammer. In Thief: The Dark Project and Thief Gold the emphasis was on stealth and much of the gameplay involved using shadows to avoid enemies, and to kill (assuming the player is on a lower difficulty) and subdue using stealthy or silent weapons, like the Blackjack, Broadhead Arrow, and Gas Arrow. Killed enemies or allies cannot be robbed of their reusable weapons, but spare melee weapons can usually be found as junk items, such as a Hammerite hammer or a Mechanist mace. They cannot be dropped or lost, so the player never has to (re)purchase them within the game. They can be used repeatedly, without any loss in power or effect. The entire set can be recollected later in both levels (see image on right).

These weapons are always available to the player, except in Pavelock Prison ( TDS) and in Escape! ( T1/ TG). Reusable weapons are rarely ever acquired within gameplay, with each Thief game typically featuring a fixed set. They cannot be dropped or lost, though every usage decreases the amount of the respective weapon, in Garrett's inventory, by one. These weapons are available to the player based on the amount in Garrett's inventory. Examples include Explosive Charges and Oil Flasks. More valuable expendable weapons are usually locked behind doors or inside chests, and requires Garrett's Lock Picking ability to access them. Examples include Broadhead Arrows or Water Arrows. They can often be found in the open, though disguised within the level environment.

The primary method of acquiring expendable weapons or ammunition is purchasing them from Shops, for gold Garrett collects by selling stolen Loot on the Black Market. Garrett's Weapons, as confiscated by the City Watch, Pavelock Prison, in TDS Expendable Weapons

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