System and Mechanics

Meter works in a very unique way in Melty Blood. Not only that, but it is also handled very differently depending on which moon phase is chosen.

## Meter Management

### How do I build meter?

* Connecting an attack(hit or block)
* Whiffing a projectile
* Blocking
* Shielding
* Getting hit
* Circuit Charge(Full Moon only)

So throws and whiffing attacks do not increase meter. (there are some exceptions to this rule however, such as Nero and Warachia airthrows)

### What's Heat?

Most attacks in Melty Blood deal both permanent damage and recoverable damage(represented by the red in the lifebar). Heat is a state in which a character gets to recover the red health in their lifebar. The 3 moons each have different ways of getting into Heat mode. Properties of Heat mode:

* Red life slowly recovers (instantly for Full)
* EX/supers can be performed at a reduced cost
* Gain access to a new EX called an Arc Drive(41236C)
* Meter slowly decreases to zero
* Game timer freezes (Does not apply to F-Moon)
* Increased damage and defence (C-Moon only)

### What's Heat Activation?

Assuming this is just "normal" heat activation, this is something that is reserved for Crescent Moon only. Anytime a Crescent moon character has at least 100 meter, is on the ground, and isn't in hitstun or blockstun, then a heat activation can be done by pressing 5E or 5A+B+C. The C moon character will then be put into Heat mode. Properties of the heat activation itself:

* Invincible startup
* Unblockable
* Wallslams opponent
* Has a fair bit of recovery
* Does a bit of damage, but never enough to KO opponent
* Can be shielded by opponent

### What's MAX mode?

One of the unique things about meter in Melty Blood is that you cannot build full meter and then sit on it, making your opponent play differently. For Crescent and Full Moon, once 300 meter is reached, you will get into MAX mode. During MAX mode, meter slowly decreases to zero, but your character gains many options:

* EX/supers can be performed at a reduced cost
* Gain access to a new EX called an Arc Drive(41236C)
* If your character gets put in blockstun or hitstun, a circuit spark can be performed by pressing 5E or 5A+B+C
* Can reach Blood Heat mode by pressing 5E or 5A+B+C on the ground if your character is not in blockstun or hitstun. The actual blood heat activation has the same properties as normal heat activation.
* Can do an Initiative Heat(Full Moon only)

### What's Blood Heat?

Blood Heat is only available to Crescent and Full Moon. It is very similar to normal Heat, but has some extra benefits:

* Gain access to a new EX called an Another Arc Drive(41236C). For many characters this is just an upgraded version of their normal Arc Drive.
* Gain access to a very powerful attack called a Last Arc.
* Improved damage and defense even compared to Heat (C-Moon only)

### What's Auto Heat?

Auto Heat is reserved for Half Moon only. Half Moon meter only goes up to 200, and once 200 meter is reached, your character goes into Auto Heat mode. During Auto Heat, meter slowly decreases to zero, and:

* Red life slowly recovers
* EX/supers can be performed at a reduced cost
* Gain access to a new EX called an Arc Drive(41236C)
* Will automatically Circuit Spark if hit

### What's Circuit Charge?

Full Moon only. Anytime a Full moon character is on the ground and isn't in hitstun or blockstun, a circuit charge can be performed by holding 5E or 5A+B+C. During this state, meter will rise at an accelerating rate. 5E or 5A+B+C can be released to leave the circuit charge state.

## Uses of Meter

### What's an EX move?

Also known as supers, EX moves are specials that are performed with the C button that have a big superflash before the move comes out. Most of them cost 100 meter, but there are some that cost 150.

### What's an Arc Drive?

It's a special EX move that can only be done in Heat or MAX mode.

### What's a Last Arc?

It's a very powerful move only available to Crescent and Full moon. Last Arcs are triggered by EX-Shielding (or Shield in Full Moon, but not by held shield) an attack during Blood Heat. Each Last Arc requires the character to be on the ground or in the air, depending on the character. Most Last Arcs do at least half a lifebar's worth of damage, some of them do scaled damage based on meter left.

### What's a Circuit Spark?

Circuit Sparks are a defensive option that can be compared to Guilty Gear bursts. They can be done both in the air and ground when your character is in hitstun or blockstun, and can only be performed in MAX mode for Crescent and Full moon, and in Heat Auto mode for Half moon. After they are performed, meter immediately goes to zero. Properties:

* No recovery (Half Moon ground spark only)
* Completely strike invincible throughout duration
* Unblockable
* Knocks down opponent

Ground sparks can be baited for C and F moon by either shielding them or jump canceling backwards into an airdash forwards for a jumpin punish (the window is quite tight though). Air sparks can be baited by purposely dropping a combo to create distance between you and the opponent's spark, where they cannot do anything till they hit the ground, or by airthrowing the opponent out of it. Note that H-Moon air spark is actually still strike invincibile while falling down but can be airthrown, meaning it is possible to still punish air spark if baited correctly.

### Is Halfmoon auto spark really automatic?

Not really. It's only automatic if the Half moon character gets hit during Auto Heat mode. If the Half moon character happens to reach 200 meter while getting comboed, then spark can be manually inputted like the other moons.

### What's an Initiative Heat?

It's the way that Full moon characters get into Heat mode. Initiative Heats are done by doing an attack or special in MAX mode, and then pressing 5E or 5A+B+C. This will completely cancel the recovery of the attack, instantly recover all red life, and put your character in Heat mode. So it's basically a Guilty Gear roman cancel that heals life. IHs can be done with hitting and blocked normals, and with hitting/blocked/whiffed specials.

### What's a Shield Bunker?

The "normal" Shield Bunker is available only to Crescent and Full moon. These are analogous to Alpha Counters and Guilty Gear's Dead Angle Attacks, but they can actually be done outside of blockstun. They cost 50 meter to use in blockstun, and are performed by inputting 214D.
The Shield Bunker has two phases: the first phase has your character go into a stance with a Shield frame, and the second phase has your character do the actual attack. If the opponent's attack connects with the first phase's Shield frame, then the second phase's attack will be inescapable for the opponent.
They do a bit of damage, but cannot actually KO the opponent. They also have some recovery, so they can be very unsafe on block/whiff. Due to changes in Current Code, C and F Moon can no longer ever score a counter hit on their bunkers. This means the attacks will never actually be a knockdown.

### How are Half Moon Shield Bunkers different?

They have the same 214D input, but cost 100 meter instead. The differences are:

* The shield bunker attack starts up faster
* Almost no recovery
* Deals zero damage
* Hard Knockdown

Keep in mind that if a Half moon character inputs 214D when they're not in blockstun, then they will do the normal shield bunker instead.

## Other

### What's a Shield Counter?

It's a move for Half and Full moon. F moon can perform it by inputting 236D after a successful Shield. On H moon it comes out automatically if a Shield is successful, or manually by inputting 236D when Shielding a projectile. Shield Counter has a fast invincible startup and can be done on ground and in air. It launches the opponent making follow up combos possible. Like Shield Bunker, they can be very unsafe on block/whiff.