I was the one who mentioned getting stuck in lifts. Not actually a great case study because most modern lifts are designed to prevent self-rescue and are hard to escape from whatever you have. I think a pry-bar is probably most useful there, the bigger the better.

However, in an urban environment it's good to have screwdrivers, wire cutters, diamond files etc. Everything near where I live is man made, usually from metal or glass. For me living off the land doesn't mean setting traps for rabbits, it means raiding neighbour's houses for tinned food. I want a tin opener.

Part of my feeling is that I just don't see much need for a big knife in the city. If you need to build a shelter or cut down trees or split wood, fine, but in the city there are any number of buildings to shelter in. I do use a blade daily, but it's the tiny one on a Leatherman P4, and it mostly cuts plastic, string, opens packages etc. I use scissors about as often.

Pliers I think are fairly general purpose. I mostly use them as tongs to hold things I don't want to touch with my hands. This can include wasps, plants with thorns and camping stoves that are hot, so I see it as an outdoors tool. Sometimes they can be used like tweezers. In an urban environment they are good for holding metal, and for twisting and breaking it.

Everything's a compromise. For me a multitool has more value for weight.