Counter

Counter (カウンター) is a gameplay feature from the Mega Man Battle Network and Mega Man Star Force series introduced in Mega Man Battle Network 3. A counter is achieved when the player manages to counterattack with a Battle Chip or Battle Card within a small time-frame when an enemy or boss is about to attack. Countering grants bonuses to the player.

There are two requirements in using a Battle Chip or Battle Card that can counter:

1. The attack must not stop time in the battle when used. As a result, most Mega Class and Giga Class chips and cards cannot counter.

2. Battle Chips/Cards that deal no damage to the enemies cannot counter. Examples include Recovery, Barrier and Whistle chips and cards.

Countering isn't easy. However, there are certain attacks that the player can use to facilitate it, like rapid-fire attacks that hit multiple times, examples being Vulcan, Gatling Gun, and Mad Vulcan.

Countering can also help to pull up a low Virus Busting rank while battling enemies and bosses.

Mega Man Battle Network series
In Mega Man Battle Network 3, Counter can only be performed when done with an attack strong enough to defeat the enemy, with a sound confirming if it was successful. Besides Battle Chips, the Mega Buster can also be used on counters. When MegaMan.EXE finishes enemies by countering, Bug Frags are obtained in the end of the battle.

From Mega Man Battle Network 4 onward, the Mega Buster can no longer be used to counter, but it can be activated any number of times during battles. Performing a counter will display the message "Counter Hit!", temporarily paralyze the countered enemy, and cause the player's character to enter Full Synchro. While on Full Synchro, the enemy will flash to indicate when a counter can be successful and the next Battle Chip used will cause twice the damage. Bug Frags aren't obtained with counters.

Mega Man Star Force series
Counter can be done any number of times during battles by hitting an enemy with a Battle Card when it is about to attack. Successfully countering will reward the player with a Bonus Card (ボーナスカード), an extra Battle Card randomly selected within their currently equipped Folder, allowing to perform extra attacks in the same turn.

While transformed, Mega Man will receive Bonus Cards from immensely powerful special moves after executing a counter hit. They are the Star Force Big Bang, Link Force Big Bang, and Noise Force Big Bang, and they are in their respective elements that the player possess. These powerful Bonus Cards don't grant additional Bonus Cards when they cause a counter hit.

Battle Chips
Counter is a Battle Chip family from Mega Man Battle Network 4 and Rockman.EXE 4.5 Real Operation that makes it easier to cause a counter hit.