Abilities

The Uchiha were infamous for their especially strong and natural aptitude for anything combat-related, along with their highly powerful chakra and their proficiency in fire jutsu, having created several and using them more skillfully than any other. Their signature jutsu was the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique. Clan members were not recognized as adults by the rest of the clan until they could successfully use this.

The Uchiha clan were most feared for their powerful Sharingan, a kekkei genkai which gives them the ability to see the "colors" of chakra, allowing them to analyze and copy their opponent's skills, along with a number of other abilities. Only a select few members of the Uchiha clan manifested the Sharingan. Due to their natural affinity for battle, many ninjas considered it more tactically favorable to flee rather than face an Uchiha shinobi in one-on-one combat.

Madara discovered that, by the death of one's closest friend, the Sharingan could be taken to its next level: the Mangekyo Sharingan. It gave the user great power, but slowly deteriorated their eyesight. Only by taking the eyes of a sibling could one's vision be restored. Itachi indicated that the intricacies of the Mangekyo Sharingan were only discovered after years of trial and error, indicating that many Uchiha throughout history had made the attempt to gain the Mangekyo Sharingan.