One Piece: 4 characters who could overwhelm Luffy (and 4 that don’t come close)

loves (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha/Viz Media/One Piece)
loves (Image via Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha/Viz Media/One Piece)

Luffy has grown so much in the One Piece series.

Whether it's the creative use of his Devil Fruit, or his ability to absorb punishment, Luffy always pulls through in a fight. He's only gotten stronger with a few power-ups in Wano Country. Not too many characters would stand a chance against him. Of course, there are a few that do, and with great ease.

Of course, there are heavy manga spoilers in this article. Keep that in mind before proceeding any further.

Note: This article solely reflects the writer's personal views.


One Piece characters that can overpower Luffy right now

1) Kaido

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Luffy has only recently defeated Kaido in One Piece Chapter 1050. He only did so by unlocking the full potential of his Devil Fruit Awakening. Gear Fifth allows him to fight however he wants. The Straw Hat is only limited by imagination.

With that said, Kaido still gave him trouble towards the end. The world's strongest creature also went through a gauntlet of powerful fighters without taking a break all while holding a floating island. Last but not least, Luffy has already gone down multiple times in the Onigashima Raid.

One Piece makes it clear that Kaido never loses in a singles competition. Luffy would have a really difficult time fighting him at 100% health, with no distractions whatsoever. The same applies to the rest of the Emperors. Remember, Gear Fifth is very taxing on his stamina.


2) Big Mom

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Big Mom has very similar physical stats to Kaido. Right away, Luffy will be running into a dense thick wall.

The female Emperor is fully prepared to deal with Gear Fifth simply because her own Devil Fruit relies on creativity. The Soru Soru no Mi gives her the ability to manipulate souls in various ways. She can power herself up, heal from damaging attacks and even cause natural catastrophes.

Luffy will also be fighting multiple Special Homies at the same time. Big Mom could use the numbers game against him.


3) Shanks

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Shanks might just have the most powerful Haki in the One Piece story. All of his fellow Emperors have strong Devil Fruits, while he seemingly doesn't. This means that Shanks must specialize in Haki.

Luffy would likely get caught off guard by Shanks and his advanced techniques. It's very likely he can do what the Straw Hat does, but with more years of experience behind it.

Shanks has a lot of hype going into him. One Piece fans can only hope that he exceeds their high expectations.


4) Blackbeard

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Blackbeard and Luffy are destined rivals in search of the One Piece. The former represents darkness, while the latter represents light. Both fighters also counter each other in very unique ways.

Luffy can turn his surroundings into rubber with his Devil Fruit Awakening, so Blackbeard can't rely on his Gura Gura no Mi earthquakes. However, what he can do is cancel Luffy's abilities with the Yami Yami no Mi. Blackbeard is a powerful villain who breaks the scale for the One Piece series.

This might end up being Luffy's most difficult singles fight. Blackbeard can still use earthquakes while the Straw Hat is vulnerable. Luffy might not even be able use Gear Fifth in the critical moments of this battle.


One Piece characters that would get overpowered by Luffy today

1) Donquixote Doflamingo

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When Luffy fought Doflamingo back in Dressrosa, he had yet to acquire the following techniques:

  • Seeing glimpses of the future (learned it from Katakuri in Whole Cake Island)
  • The ability to attack without making contact (learned it from Hyogoro in Wano Country)
  • Causing internal destruction (same as the above)
  • Devil Fruit Awakening (used it against Kaido in the Onigashima Raid)

Doflamingo had no answer for Gear Fourth, beyond waiting for its time limit to run out. However, Luffy doesn't even need that form to deal with Doflamingo. The main protagonist of the One Piece series is far more versatile now.

For example, Luffy can simply use Gomu Gomu no Jet Gattling while coating his punches with Haoshoku Haki. Doflamingo would be taking severe damage from those powerful blows.


2) Charlotte Cracker

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Back on Whole Cake Island, Luffy could barely get past Cracker's Biscuit Soldiers. They have really high defenses by One Piece standards. In fact, the entire battle took half a day to complete.

However, with his recent training in Wano Country, Luffy doesn't have to worry about the Biscuit Soldiers anymore. Hyogoro taught him the advanced techniques of Busoshoku Haki. Luffy can now hit objects from a distance. He can also hit them and cause internal destruction.

Cracker no longer has defensive measures to protect himself from Luffy. The Straw Hat would have a much easier time finishing him off.


3) Rob Lucci

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There was a time when Rob Lucci pushed Luffy near the brink of death. Back in Enies Lobby, the CP9 agent overpowered the Straw Hat with Rokushiki, a special type of martial arts technique.

Luffy had to resort to using his second and third Gears, which are major body transformations. Since then, he has learned how to use Gear Fourth and Fifth. The former would overwhelm Lucci, while the latter would be overkill.

More importantly, Luffy can also use his previous Gears more effectively. Ever since the One Piece timeskip, he hasn't broken any bones or burst any blood vessels using these powerful moves.


4) Crocodile

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Crocodile is not a weakling, even during the later stages of the One Piece series. The crime boss has fully mastered his Devil Fruit powers, so he can whip up sandstorms wherever he likes. Some fans even believe he awakened his powers already, given his level of expertise.

With that said, Luffy is never going to lose to Crocodile ever again. He beat him back in Alabasta without using Haki. Luffy has now mastered all three different classes, all while learning advanced techniques.

Crocodile has been outclassed by this point in the story. Unless he uses some Ancient Weapon against Luffy, he's going down to Gear Fourth.

Disclaimer: All external media in this article are the property of their respective owners, and Sportskeeda claims no ownership of the same.

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Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh
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