Special Weapon (Classic era)

A Game manual, Mega Man II. 1991.Game manual, Mega Man 5. 1992. is a recurring type of weapon in the Classic era. They are unique attacks that are obtained by defeating bosses, usually Robot Masters. Upon switching to a Special Weapon, the character changes to a new color scheme and gains a Weapon Energy meter. Special Weapons consume Weapon Energy when used, but offer new advantages over default weapons, such as dealing increased damage to specific bosses or weakening their abilities.
's Mega Buster is equipped with a Weapon Change SystemGame manual, Mega Man Powered Up. 2006. that allows him to incorporate the data of the Robot Masters he defeats to use Special Weapons. Proto Man, Bass, and Duo are also shown using Special Weapons, indicating they possess similar systems.
==In the Games==
===Mega Man===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Hyper Bomb 	 	 	Bomb Man	Guts Man
Thunder Beam 	 	 	Elec Man	Ice Man
Super Arm 	 	 	Guts Man	Cut Man
Ice Slasher 	 	 	Ice Man 	Fire Man
Rolling Cutter	 	 	Cut Man 	Elec Man
Fire Storm 	 	 	Fire Man	Bomb Man
Special Weapons are introduced in the first Mega Man. Each was listed on the Sub Screen by the first initial of the Robot Master from whom it was obtained. They didn't receive pictorial icons until the Rockman Complete Works re-release.
===Mega Man 2===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Atomic Fire 	 	 	Heat Man 	Wood Man
Air Shooter 	 	 	Air Man 	Crash Man
Leaf Shield 	 	 	Wood Man 	Air Man
Bubble Lead 	 	 	Bubble Man	Heat Man
Quick Boomerang	 	 	Quick Man 	Metal Man
Time Stopper 	 	 	Flash Man 	Quick Man
Metal Blade 	 	 	Metal Man 	Bubble Man
Crash Bomber 	 	 	Crash Man 	Flash Man
In Mega Man 2, Special Weapons function identically, though this game features eight instead of six. It again used an initial for each Sub Weapon on the Sub Screen. Icons for these weapons were first provided in Rockman Complete Works.
===Mega Man 3===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Needle Cannon 	 	 	Needle Man	Snake Man
Magnet Missile	 	 	Magnet Man	Hard Man
Gemini Laser 	 	 	Gemini Man	Needle Man
Hard Knuckle 	 	 	Hard Man 	Top Man
Top Spin 	 	 	Top Man 	Shadow Man
Search Snake 	 	 	Snake Man 	Gemini Man
Spark Shock 	 	 	Spark Man 	Magnet Man
Shadow Blade 	 	 	Shadow Man	Spark Man
In Mega Man 3, Special Weapons function identically. Their Sub Screen initials were the first two letters of the Robot Master's name. Icons for these weapons were provided in Rockman Complete Works.
===Mega Man 4===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Flash Stopper 	 	 	Bright Man 	Pharaoh Man
Rain Flush 	 	 	Toad Man 	Bright Man
Drill Bomb 	 	 	Drill Man 	Toad Man
Pharaoh Shot 	 	 	Pharaoh Man	Ring Man
Ring Boomerang	 	 	Ring Man 	Dust Man
Dust Crusher 	 	 	Dust Man 	Skull Man
Dive Missile 	 	 	Dive Man 	Drill Man
Skull Barrier 	 	 	Skull Man 	Dive Man
In Mega Man 4, Special Weapons function identically. This was the first game to include icons for each Special Weapon on the Sub Screen.
===Mega Man 5===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Water Wave 	 	 	Wave Man 	Star Man
Gyro Attack 	 	 	Gyro Man 	Crystal Man
Crystal Eye 	 	 	Crystal Man	Napalm Man
Napalm Bomb 	 	 	Napalm Man 	Stone Man
Power Stone 	 	 	Stone Man 	Charge Man
Gravity Hold	 	 	Gravity Man	Gyro Man
Charge Kick 	 	 	Charge Man 	Wave Man
Star Crash 	 	 	Star Man 	Gravity Man
In Mega Man 5, Special Weapons function identically.
===Mega Man 6===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Yamato Spear 	 	 	Yamato Man 	Knight Man
Wind Storm 	 	 	Wind Man 	Flame Man
Blizzard Attack	 	 	Blizzard Man	Plant Man
Flame Blast 	 	 	Flame Man 	Blizzard Man
Plant Barrier 	 	 	Plant Man 	Tomahawk Man
Knight Crusher 	 	 	Knight Man 	Centaur Man
Silver Tomahawk	 	 	Tomahawk Man	Yamato Man
Centaur Flash 	 	 	Centaur Man 	Wind Man
In Mega Man 6, Special Weapons function identically.
===Mega Man 7===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Freeze Cracker	 	 	Freeze Man 	Slash Man
Thunder Bolt 	 	 	Thunder Man	Junk Man
Junk Shield 	 	 	Junk Man 	Freeze Man
Danger Wrap 	 	 	Burst Man 	Cloud Man
Slash Claw 	 	 	Slash Man 	Spring Man
Noise Crush 	 	 	Shade Man 	Turbo Man
Scorch Wheel 	 	 	Turbo Man 	Burst Man
Wild Coil 	 	 	Spring Man 	Shade Man
In Mega Man 7, Special Weapons function identically.
===Mega Man 8===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Flash Bomb 	 	 	Grenade Man	Frost Man
Thunder Claw 	 	 	Clown Man 	Grenade Man
Ice Wave 	 	 	Frost Man 	Tengu Man
Tornado Hold 	 	 	Tengu Man 	Clown Man
Water Balloon	 	 	Aqua Man 	Sword Man
Flame Sword 	 	 	Sword Man 	Search Man
Homing Sniper	 	 	Search Man 	Astro Man
Astro Crush 	 	 	Astro Man 	Aqua Man
In Mega Man 8, Special Weapons function identically.
===Mega Man 9===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Magma Bazooka 	 	 	Magma Man 	Hornet Man
Hornet Chaser 	 	 	Hornet Man 	Splash Woman
Black Hole Bomb	 	 	Galaxy Man 	Jewel Man
Tornado Blow 	 	 	Tornado Man 	Magma Man
Jewel Satellite	 	 	Jewel Man 	Plug Man
Laser Trident 	 	 	Splash Woman	Concrete Man
Plug Ball 	 	 	Plug Man 	Tornado Man
Concrete Shot 	 	 	Concrete Man	Galaxy Man
In Mega Man 9, Special Weapons function identically. This was the first mainline game where Proto Man can use Special Weapons.
===Mega Man 10===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Triple Blade 	 	 	Blade Man 	Strike Man
Water Shield 	 	 	Pump Man 	Solar Man
Commando Bomb 	 	 	Commando Man	Blade Man
Chill Spike 	 	 	Chill Man 	Nitro Man
Thunder Wool 	 	 	Sheep Man 	Pump Man
Rebound Striker	 	 	Strike Man 	Sheep Man
Wheel Cutter 	 	 	Nitro Man 	Commando Man
Solar Blaze 	 	 	Solar Man 	Chill Man
In Mega Man 10, Special Weapons function identically. This was the first mainline game where Bass used Special Weapons.
===Mega Man 11===
Name 	Icon	Design	Boss 	Strong Against
Block Dropper 	 	 	Block Man 	Acid Man
Acid Barrier 	 	 	Acid Man 	Impact Man
Chain Blast 	 	 	Blast Man 	Block Man
Scramble Thunder	 	 	Fuse Man 	Tundra Man
Bounce Ball 	 	 	Bounce Man	Fuse Man
Blazing Torch 	 	 	Torch Man 	Blast Man
Pile Driver 	 	 	Impact Man	Bounce Man
Tundra Storm 	 	 	Tundra Man	Torch Man
In Mega Man 11, Special Weapons function identically. In addition to merely changing the color of Mega Man, they also add aspects from the respective Robot Master to his design as headgear and arm-gear. These Special Weapons can be enhanced using the Power Gear for more powerful attacks, similar to Charge Shots from the X era.
==Other Games==
===Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss
Mirror Buster	 	 	Enker
In Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, Mega Man obtains returning Special Weapons from previous games in the series. They use initials instead of icons, and because the original Game Boy uses monochrome graphics, Mega Man does not visually change when equipping a Special Weapon. He also gains a unique Special Weapon by defeating Enker, which later appeared with its own icon and color scheme in Mega Man 10.
===Mega Man II===
In Mega Man II, Mega Man reuses returning Special Weapons from previous Robot Masters. He also gains a Transport Item, Sakugarne, by defeating the new boss Quint. The only new Special Weapon he obtains is a missile from Wily Machine II, which he only uses in a cutscene to chase down Dr. Wily.
===Mega Man III===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss
Screw Crusher	 	 	Punk
In Mega Man III, Mega Man again obtains returning Special Weapons from previous games, along with a unique one obtained by defeating Punk, which later returned with a new color and icon in Mega Man 10.
===Mega Man IV===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss
Ballade Cracker	 	 	Ballade
In Mega Man IV, Mega Man again obtains returning Special Weapons from previous games, along with a unique one obtained by defeating Ballade, which later returned with a new color and icon in Mega Man 10.
===Mega Man V===
Name 	Boss 	Strong Against
Grab Buster 	Mercury	Pluto
Electric Shock	Jupiter	Saturn
Bubble Bomb 	Venus 	Jupiter
Black Hole 	Saturn 	Mercury
Photon Missile	Mars 	Venus
Break Dash 	Pluto 	Uranus
Salt Water 	Neptune	Mars
Deep Digger 	Uranus 	Terra
Spark Chaser 	Terra 	Neptune
In Mega Man V, Special Weapons function identically. This game also features a ninth Special Weapon that is obtained by defeating Terra.
===Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Pharaoh Wave 	 	 	Pharaoh Man	Gemini Man
Centaur Arrow	 	 	Centaur Man	Shadow Man
Like the previous entry, Mega Man: The Power Battle, in Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters there are many returning Special Weapons from previous games. However, two of the game's returning Robot Masters grant entirely new Special Weapons for this appearance only, likely for game balance reasons. This was also the first game to depict Duo using Special Weapons.
===Mega Man & Bass===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Ice Wall 	 	 	Cold Man 	Burner Man
Copy Vision 	 	 	Astro Man 	Dynamo Man
Spread Drill 	 	 	Ground Man	Tengu Man
Wave Burner 	 	 	Burner Man	Pirate Man
Remote Mine 	 	 	Pirate Man	Ground Man
Lightning Bolt	 	 	Dynamo Man	Cold Man
Tengu Blade 	 	 	Tengu Man 	Magic Man
Magic Card 	 	 	Magic Man 	Astro Man
In Mega Man & Bass, Special Weapons function identically. This was one of the first Mega Man games where characters besides Mega Man can use Special Weapons, as Bass is a playable character. Additionally, this game's two returning Robot Masters grant the player brand new Special Weapons, rather than the ones from Mega Man 8.
===Mega Man Powered Up===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Oil Slider	 	 	 	Elec Man
Time Slow 	 	 	Time Man	Guts Man
In Mega Man Powered Up, New Style has two new Robot Masters with two new Special Weapons. This also means that the weaknesses for every Robot Master is shuffled to accommodate them.
When playing as a Robot Master, they can only attack using their Special Weapon. It is often stronger than or different from the version used by Mega Man.
==Spin-Off Games==
===Mega Man (DOS)===
Name 	Boss 	Strong Against
Sonic Wave 	Sonic Man	Volt Man
Force Field 	Volt Man 	Dyna Man
Nuclear Detonator	Dyna Man 	Sonic Man
In , Special Weapons function identically to the main series. They use the initials system, and Mega Man does not change color when using them.
===Mega Man 3 (DOS)===
Name 	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Bit Cannon 	 	Bit Man 	Blade Man
Blade Launcher 	 	 	Oil Man
Oil Stream 	 	 	Shark Man
Shark Boomerang	 	Shark Man	Wave Man
Water Shooter 	 	 	Torch Man
Torch Arm 	 	 	Bit Man
In , Special Weapons function identically to the main series. They use the initials system, and although the Weapon Get screen shows Mega Man in a new color for each one, this is not reflected in his in-game sprite.
===Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes===
Name 	Color	Boss
Magnetic Shockwave	 	Onslaught
In Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes, Mega Man copies a Special Weapon as a gag in his ending cinematic after defeating the final boss of Arcade Mode, Onslaught. However, in the PlayStation version of the game it is actually unlocked as a secret Hyper Combo afterwards. To use it, the player must hold Select while selecting Mega Man before a match.
===Rockman & Forte: Challengers from the Future===
Name 	User 	Boss
Rock'n Vulcan 	Mega Man	Dangan Man
Forte Vulcan 	Bass 	Dangan Man
Flame Shower 	Mega Man	Konro Man
Flame Mixer 	Bass 	Konro Man
Barrier Wind 	Mega Man	Aircon Man
Forte Cyclone 	Bass 	Aircon Man
Doppel Crash 	Mega Man	Komuso Man
Doppler Attack	Bass 	Komuso Man
Time Switch 	Mega Man	Clock Men
Time Bomb 	Bass 	Clock Men
In Rockman & Forte: Challengers from the Future, Mega Man and Bass each receive slightly different versions of the Special Weapons from the Dimensions. There is no weakness system in this game, as all Special Weapons deal increased damage to bosses equally. Compass Man is the only one of the Dimensions not to yield a Special Weapon. The game uses the initials system and is in black and white, meaning no color schemes are visible.
===Street Fighter X Mega Man===
Name 	Icon	Color	Boss 	Strong Against
Tropical Hazard	 	 	Blanka 	Rose
Lightning Kick 	 	 	Chun-Li 	C. Viper
Optic Laser 	 	 	C. Viper	Dhalsim
Yoga Inferno 	 	 	Dhalsim 	Blanka
Mine Sweeper 	 	 	Rolento 	Urien
Soul Satellite 	 	 	Rose 	Rolento
Hadoken 	 	 	Ryu 	Chun-Li
Aegis Reflector	 	 	Urien 	Ryu
In Street Fighter X Mega Man, Special Weapons are obtained by defeating the World Warriors.
==Other Media==
===Mega Man (Archie Comics)===
Name 	Boss
Tail Wind 	Tails Man
Piko Hammer 	Rose Woman
Sharp Knuckle 	Knuckles Man
Chaos Cannon 	Shadow Man
Black Wave 	Rouge Woman
Psycho Burst 	Silver Man
Fire Tornado 	Blaze Woman
Rapid Stinger 	Charmy Man
Chroma Camo 	Espio Man
Acoustic Blaster	Vector Man
In the Archie Mega Man comic, specifically during the "Worlds Collide" arc, Mega Man obtains new Special Weapons by defeating the Roboticized Masters, who were created from Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends.
===Pachislot Rockman Ability===
Name 	Boss
Reverse Blade 	Reverse Man
Bell Spark 	Choice Man
Lever Impact 	Lever Man
Coin Bomb 	Coin Woman
Replay Shield 	Replay Man
Chance Big Buster	Chance Man
In Pachislot Rockman Ability, Special Weapons can be obtained to influence the game for higher winnings.
==References==
Category:Classic era items