The Plug Ball (プラグボール Puragu Bōru) is Plug Man's special weapon from Mega Man 9. Mega Man shoots out spark balls that travel along the terrain to shock enemies, dealing two points of damage. Two Plug Balls cost one weapon energy unit, and thus it can be fired fifty-six times with a full energy gauge. If fired in mid-air, the sparks will fall directly down and will then travel along the terrain upon contact with it. Due to its low weapon energy cost, it can be a decent alternative to the Mega Buster as a primary weapon, though while it is useful for dealing with enemies that cling to walls, such as Sakrets, it is not very effective against aerial targets.
The Plug Ball is Tornado Man's weakness. His movements place him close enough to the walls and the ceiling, making him suseptible to being hit by them without having to aim. It also neutralizes any tornadoes it touches. It is also Wily Capsule's weakness (although due to their ground-hugging nature, Plug Balls would need to be deployed very close to the capsule to deal damage effectively).
Use in Combat
Plug Ball is a great strategic weapon, especially in enclosed rooms with many walls. Depending on the layout of the room, it may be a good idea to stand back and attack the enemy using a plug ball by making it travel around the room. This way you can take the enemy out without getting into their line of fire.
Damage data chart
Known damage values in units for Mega Man 9.
 Plug Ball
| |
| Boss | Damage |
| Concrete Man | 1 |
| Tornado Man | 3 |
| Splash Woman | 1 |
| Plug Man | 1 |
| Jewel Man | 1 |
| Hornet Man | 1 |
| Magma Man | 1 |
| Galaxy Man | 1 |
| Spike Pushers | -- |
| Mega Mech Shark
: 1st Phase |
2 |
| Mega Mech Shark
: 2nd Phase |
2 |
| Mega Mech Shark
: 3rd Phase |
2 |
| Twin Devil | 1 |
| Wily Machine No. 9: 1st Phase | -- |
| Wily Machine No. 9: 2nd Phase | 1 |
| Wily Capsule | 3 |
| Fake Man | 1 |
- For "Spike Pushers" and Wily Machine No. 9's first phase, both bosses do not have data for them because they must be damaged with their own weapon or obstacle -- the Plug Ball cannot inflict damage to them directly.
Bosses weak against Plug Ball
Development
Concept art reveals that Plug Ball was once called Plasma Ball when Plug Man was known as Plasma Man. [1]
Gallery
| Electric Special Weapons and Techniques | |
|---|---|
| Special Weapons | |
| Mega Man series | Thunder Beam (1) • Spark Shock (3) • Thunder Bolt (7) • Thunder Claw (8) • Plug Ball (9) • Thunder Wool (10) • Scramble Thunder (11) • Electric Shock (V) • Lightning Bolt (M&B) • Force Field (DOS) • Bit Cannon (3DOS) |
| Mega Man X series | Electric Spark (X) • Triad Thunder (X3) • Lightning Web (X4) • Tri-Thunder (X5) • Volt Tornado (X7) • Thunder Dancer (X8, X's) • Plasma Gun (X8, Axl's) • Tri-Thunder (Xtreme 2) |
| Zero's Techniques and EX Skills | |
| Techniques | Raijingeki (X4) • E-Blade (X5) • Raijinshou (X7) • Raikousen/Raijinken (X8) • Lightning (Xtreme 2) • Tri-Thunder (Xtreme 2) |
| EX Skills | Spark Shot (Z2) • Sengatotsu (Z2) • Saber Smash (Z3) • V-Shot (Z3) • Shield Sweep (Z3) • Thunder Stab (Z4) • Tractor Shot (Z4) |