In the Megaman X universe there are 3 primary types of weapons… Buster, Saber and Physical (often called Knuckle types). Each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Every weapon imaginable will ultimately fall into one of these categories. Any weapon that:
Buster weapons have a much longer range than either saber or knuckle types. But conversely an average shot is much weaker then saber or knuckle strike. Though the extra range often proves to be a significant benefit, allowing multiple hits before the opponent can close the gap.
Some buster type weapons also can be charged up to allow for stronger and larger shots than ordinarily possible. Though charging up a shot takes additional time, it can be well worth it. Different armor upgrades can affect the user's charge shot capabilities.
Buster Weapon modules from mavericks vary in appearance/power but they are generally limited in energy unlike the Saber or Knuckle types which may not have limits.
Sabers have the strongest attack (by combining user's strength with the cutting power of the saber). But in order to use this strength, the saber wielder must be fairly close to the target. (Much closer than a buster, but still generally a bit further away than a knuckle user.)
Swinging a saber is slower than firing a buster or using a knuckle weapon because the whole swing has to be completed and the user has to reposition for the next one.
Knuckle weapons have the fastest attack speed but the shortest range, so users must be even closer than saber users to the target to launch their attacks.
A common misunderstanding of the Knuckle class of weapons is that the user's hands and feet automatically class as Knuckle types, but this is not true. True knuckle weapons are an attachment that fits onto the armor (hands and feet usually) to provide specialized resistance to prevent self-injury when striking with full force (either in the form of coils to reduce impact pressure or extra armor to handle the impacts). Plus a weapon module capable of emitting/using the maverick weapons.
| Weapon comparisons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power | Speed | Range | Limited Maverick Weapon Ammo? | |
| Buster | Low | medium | high | Yes |
| Saber | High | low | medium | Some |
| Knuckle | medium | high | low | Some |
Note that this table is on average. That means certain models of Busters may have more power than Knuckle based weapons. And certain knuckle weapons may have less speed than saber weapons.