Special

Specials (基礎芸術, Kiso geijutsu (Basic Arts) are a basic mechanic in all fighting games, including SonicFan The Ultimate Battle.

Summary
Special Attacks are an integral mechanic in 2D fighting games that was made popular by the early entries of the Street Fighter series. They are attacks unique to each character that often deal more damage than Basic Attacks, Command Normals and Throws, but not as much damage as Supers and Ultimates. In most fighting games, Specials are activated with a series of three or more joystick inputs followed by a button press.

Type of Special moves
Special moves allow characters to perform all sorts of attacks; some are mundane, while others are neigh superhuman in nature. These moves can, for the most part, be divided into several different categories:

Melee
Melee attacks are only reserved for a character's physical close-range attack. Some of them have them involving dashing forward or using it as an anti-air tool. Moves like SonicFan's Energy Punch have melee attack properties.

Projectile
The most famous type of special move, the projectile and its importance is arguably the key difference between 2D and 3D fighters. Projectiles are used to either deal damage directly or force the player to move into a disadvantageous position. Some of them have beam properties or close-range properties. Moves like Blazer's Fireball have projectile properties.

Command Grab
A Command Grab, like a normal grab, is completely unblockable. Command Grabs can therefore be used to punish opponents that repeatedly block attacks. Moves like SilverFan's Telekinesis have grab properties.

Power-Up
Some characters can activate a power-up with a special move that upgrades their stats or add more moves to their moveset, similar to a ZX-Trigger. Moves like Ethara's Eternal Rage have power-up properties.

Counterattack
These moves are not designed to deal direct damage, but instead interact with the opponent's attack. Moves like Cufnaanta's Counter Kick have counterattack properties.

Evasion
All specials with evasion properties cost 20 or more points of the Block Gauge. As the name indicates, they are designed with avoiding damage in mind by escaping from enemy combos or skills by moving user out of the way, knocking opponent back, staggering them or attacking them, or any combination of these, utilizing invincibility frames to keep the user safe. Moves like Tikal Crimson's Such futility! have evasion properties.

Movement
Some special moves have the power to move the user forwards or backwards and then follow-up with another attack. Moves like Crystalmind's Outside of Crystalmind's "World" and Taking a step back have movement properties.

Absorption
Some absorption specials involve the user stealing the opponent's HP and converting it into theirs or create a force field that absorbs projectiles, healing them in the process. Moves like Androte's Absorption Barrier have absorption properties.

Reflector
Reflectors usually create a force field that reflects projectiles, upping their speed and power and redirecting it back to the opponent who fired it. Moves like Robotari's Reflect Shield have reflector properties.

Shield
Similar to reflectors, but they don't reflect and instead, they destroy projectiles. Moves like Speedo's Infinite Hands have shield properties.

Time Manipulation
These moves are only unique to people that have time manipulating properties. Most of them have a time limit of how much they would utilize their time powers. Moves like Time Terror's Time Stop have time manipulation properties.

Variations
Specials 1, 2, 5 and 6 have 4 variations that have different properties depending on which button you press.

(L) Light Variation (基本バージョン, Kihon bājon (Basic Version) - Reserved for the character's basic attack press.

(M) Medium Variation (角度付きバージョン, Kakudo-tsuki bājon (Angled Version) - Reserved for the character's attack (if it's a projectile) that goes upwards and in the air, downwards.

(H) Heavy Variation (充電可能なバージョン, Jūden kanōna bājon (Chargable Version) - Reserved for the character's attack that can be charged.

(L+M+H) EX Variation (強力なバージョン, Kyōryokuna bājon (Powerful Version) - Reserved for the character's more powerful version of the light attack. Costs 1 level of the Spirit Gauge.

Motion Inputs
Directional inputs, as the name implies, consists of the 8 directions on the D-pad, Joystick, or Numpad (in ultimate battle it uses the WASD keys). Some people prefer to use numpad notation for directional inputs, with each direction corresponding the each of the number keys on the keyboard's numpad as follows on the picture.

List of Special Move Inputs
🡻🡾🢂 L/M/H (236A/B/C)

🡻🡿🢀 L/M/H (214A/B/C)

🡻🡾🢂 P (236D)

🡻🡿🢀 P (214D)

🢂🡾🡻 L/M/H (632A/B/C)

🢀🡿🡻 L/M/H (412A/B/C)

🢂🡾🡻 P (632D)

🢀🡿🡻 P (412D)

🡻🡻 P (22D)

Trivia

 * Special moves were meant to be inputted with a single press of a button.
 * Oddly enough that there is no 🡻🡻 L/M/H (22A/B/C) attack. If that was included, that'll make every character have 10 special moves in total.