Mega Buster (MegaMan.EXE)

Throughout the MegaMan Battle Network series MegaMan.EXE's Mega Buster goes through many upgrades and modifications.

Common elements
The Mega Buster can be leveled up in three different categories:
 * Attack -- Increases the potential damage the MB can deal. Formula: [Level] x [1]
 * Rapid -- Increases the MB's rate of fire, especially at longer distances. Does not affect charge time. Formula: At a very long distance, one extra shot per second.  So [Level] = Shots per second.
 * Charge -- Decreases the amount of time needed to charge the Mega Buster. Does not affect the damage done in question however. There are large differences in charging from game to game as well.

At the beginning of each game the Mega Buster begins with these statistics:


 * Attack: []
 * Rapid: []
 * Charge: []

The maximum stats:


 * Attack: [][][][][]([][][][][])*
 * Rapid: [][][][][]
 * Charge: [][][][][]


 * Attack doubles with the addition of a Guts/Hub Style in BN2 and 3, at the cost of minimalized rapid.

MMBN1

 * Charging can only be performed when MegaMan levels to two in that stat.
 * There are two types of charge shots: A quick "green" charge and a powerful "magenta" charge.  A green charge will typically hit for about 7x the normal shot. 2 attack would equal about 14. A magenta charge will typically hit for about 14x the normal shot.  2 attack would equal about 28.
 * Of all the games, MMBN1 has arguably the "fastest" MegaBuster.

MMBN2-3

 * The green charge is removed and replaced by the magenta shot, which always hits for 10x the normal shot.
 * "Normal" rate of fire is slightly lower than MMBN1's. More on that later

Styles

 * Style changes allow for various elemental charge shots.
 * Heat: A 3-square flamethrower akin to FlameMan.EXE's. Medium length Charge, longer than normal buster
 * Aqua: A bubble shot akin to the Bubbler chips, hitting the square behind. Fastest Charge.
 * Elec: A paralyzing "zap" similar to the Zapring chips. Medium length charge. Weakest attack, but offers a paralyzing effect.
 * Wood: A windy dust devil sent 2 squares in front of the player. Hits 8 times. In BN3, with the addition of Sand panels, the buster will deal twice as much damage to enemies on Sand panels. Medium charge.
 * Guts style: Attack stat is doubled for a maximum of 10 but the Rapid stat is forcibly set to 1. In MMBN3's Guts style, when the player taps B rapidly, the Guts Buster turns into a machine gun and fires off about 8 rounds.  In theory the Rapid stat is increased to 8-9 for the duration of those 2 seconds. Example of a "maxed out" Guts buster.

Attack: [][][][][][][][][][] Rapid: [] Charge: [][][][][]


 * MMBN3 Blue's Shadow style: The Mega Buster creates a cloak of invisibility for its charge shot, firing off no projectiles. The effect lasts a few seconds.
 * MMBN3 White's Ground style: The Megabuster has a panel cracking effect, determined by the style's element. Heat styles will crack 3 panels, Aqua will Crack 2, while Elec and Wood break 1.
 * MMBN3's Bug style: Mega Buster effects range from straight 5 stats to straight 1 stats. This is random.

Network Transmission
Upgrading is similar to BN1 and 2, using Power Ups. At least 1 Charge is required to use charge shots, while Max charge will allow for quick charging to level 3 shots. Shots are similar to the ones used by Megaman X.

MMBN4 and beyond

 * The Mega Buster's rapid fire is seriously nerfed.
 * Styles like Guts are no longer present.

Souls and Crosses
Soul Unisons grant new appearances and charge shots for the Mega Buster. In BN4, Attack and Charge Customizer programs have no effect on Unison charge shots, being pre-set. Instead Unisons typically provide solid stats for the buster. In Bn5 and 6, Souls and Crosses are modified by the Customizer programs, and therefor do more damage. Buster limits can be broken in 5 and 6 thanks to the Busterup chip.

MMBN4 Elemental souls like ThunderMan.EXE have charge attacks identical to the old style changes.

MMBN6 Crosses last for the entire battle.

A few other examples are listed here.