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Devil Fruits are among One Piece's most distinguished features. Their owners are called "Ability Users" for the permanent superhuman powers they gain after consuming those items.
However, to get to the top of the One Piece world, they are not strictly necessary. The legendary Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, didn't need a Devil Fruit to be strong as the factor that allowed him to conquer the Grand Line was his Haki.
The idea that a superior Haki equates to a stronger character can't be true for every single comparison, but, for the most part, it is. The most resolute individuals have a greater drive, which results in a more powerful Haki, enabling them to overwhelm others.
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Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to Chapter 1079 and reflects the writer's personal views.
From Vista to Gol D. Roger, the most powerful non-Devil Fruit users in One Piece, ranked weakest to strongest
15) Vista
Vista's swordsmanship and Haki proficiency allowed him to shine as one of the most renowned members of the Whitebeard Pirates, who, prior to their disbandment, was a mighty crew.
During the battle in Marineford, Vista showcased qualities comparable to those of Jozu and Portgas D. Ace, two Devil Fruit users. Vista was able to briefly hold his own against Dracule Mihawk, although the latter wasn't fully serious.
14) Jinbe
A former member of the Seven Warlords, Jinbe is the greatest master of Fishmen Karate, a martial art that allows the user to manipulate any surrounding water source. He possesses notable durability and physical strength.
Jinbe recently joined the Straw Hat Pirates, immediately getting emphasized as one of the top fighters in the group. He is usually considered to be the fourth strongest member of the crew, even though it is frequently debated if Sanji surpasses him or not.
13) Killer
Killer is Eustass Kid's right-hand man. During his imprisonment in Wano, Killer was forced to eat a SMILE Devil Fruit, but he never gained any ability from the item, thus, he can't be considered a Devil Fruit user.
Like Zoro, despite not being the captain of a crew, Killer became a Worst Generation member. He was emphasized among the five strongest Supernovas who challenged the Emperors.
After partaking in the battle against Kaido and Big Mom, Killer brutally beat Basil Hawkins. Excelling in speed and agility, Killer uses two scythe-like blades, the Punishers, to perform lethal attacks which can even damage the insides.
12) Sanji Vinsmoke
Sanji aims to find All Blue, a legendary place where all the seas join in a single one. He joined the Straw Hat Pirates and has always been portrayed as the third strongest member of the bunch, only below Luffy and Zoro.
In combat, Sanji only uses his legs. Unlocking the Ifrit Jambe and a tough exoskeleton, Sanji improved the power of his kicks and the hardness of his body. This allowed him to defeat Queen, the third strongest warrior in the Beasts Pirates.
11) Lucky Roux
Lucky Roux is the third strongest member of the Red Hair Pirates, only below the likes of Shanks and Benn Beckman. He is the cook of the crew. In combat, Roux employs a flintlock pistol, as well as his powerful legs and round body.
The Red Hair Pirates are well known for being a balanced crew whose members didn't rely on Devil Fruit abilities, but on their mastery of Haki. As one of the mightiest members of such a bunch, Roux is likely a proficient Haki user.
10) Chinjao (prime)
The former leader of the mighty Happo Navy, Chinjao lost most of his power after aging, but in his prime days, he was a prominent pirate. He was an absolute master of Hasshoken, a martial art that allows the user to produce shockwaves.
Focusing his strength and Armament Haki on his drill-shaped head, Chinjao was able to perform headbutts that packed enough power to split the Ice Continent in half.
9) Roronoa Zoro
Zoro is the second strongest member of the Straw Hat Pirates and the right-hand man of the captain, Monkey D. Luffy. A master swordsman, Zoro aims to become the World's Strongest, surpassing even Dracule Mihawk.
Impressively enough, despite not having eaten a Devil Fruit, Zoro is one of the mightiest among the Eleven Supernovas of the Worst Generation. To enhance his swordsmanship, Zoro relies on his outstanding Haki and physical prowess.
A master of Armament Haki, Zoro can also use the all-powerful Advanced Conqueror's Haki, further upgrading his lethality. He could injure Kaido, leaving him with a scar. He then beat King, Kaido's strongest subordinate and a survivor of the Lunarian race.
8) Benn Beckman
Benn Beckman is the person Shanks can rely on the most, as his strongest and most loyal man. Benn's fighting capabilities have indeed been directly likened to those of Shanks, which is immense hype for the former.
Benn is a brother-in-arm to "Red Hair" Shanks, like Zoro to Luffy and Rayleigh to Roger. What makes Benn especially threatening is his fearsome Haki, which was stated to be comparable, if not superior, to that of Marine Admirals.
Benn can shoot Haki-enhanced bullets with devastating attacking power. Even Admiral Kizaru, despite his Logia powers, felt threatened. At one point in the series, Benn inflicted a crushing defeat on Eustass Kid, leaving him mutilated off his left arm.
7) Oden Kozuki
Despite not eating a Devil Fruit, Oden was so strong that even individuals of the caliber of Roger, Whitebeard, and Kaido held him in high esteem. Wielding his two swords, Enma and Ame no Habakiri, Oden unleashed a fearful Haki.
Oden became an influential pirate. He sailed with the Whitebeard Pirates as well as the Roger Pirates. Twenty years ago, Oden fought on equal grounds against Kaido, the Yonko known as the "World's Strongest Creature."
Attempting to protect the Wano Country, Oden assaulted Kaido, severely injuring him. Unfortunately, Oden ended up losing due to unfair interference in the battle. Still, his showcase of strength impressed Kaido, who even praised him after years.
6) Silvers Rayleigh (prime)
As the former right-hand man of Gol D. Roger, Silvers Rayleigh is one of the strongest pirates of all time. A testament to his frightening capabilities, people hailed him as the "Dark King".
A lightning-quick swordsman, Rayleigh possesses immense Haki mastery. One Piece author Eiichiro Oda directly compared the power of his Color of Conqueror to that of Shanks.
Even as a retired old man, Rayleigh remained strong enough to intimidate Marshall D. Teach, a Yonko, and successfully fend off Kizaru, a Marine Admiral. It was implied that, in his prime, he would surpass them.
5) Shanks
Shanks is one of the Four Emperors, making him one of the mightiest pirates. Every single appearance of "Red Hair" leaves fans hyped due to his charisma and mysterious aura. Shanks is so strong that he can annihilate Eustass Kid, defeating him with a single strike.
Regarding the Haki mastery and swordsmanship, as well as overall fighting prowess, only a few individuals can compare with Shanks. His capabilities are similar to those of Dracule Mihawk.
Shanks possesses such mighty Color of Conqueror's that he can use it to overwhelm other powerful fighters such as Marine Admiral Ryogyoku. He can even prevent them from using their Color of Observation.
4) Dracule Mihawk
Dracule Mihawk is an individual as strong, if not stronger, than even "Red Hair" Shanks. Mihawk is, indeed, the current World's Strongest Swordsman. He and Shanks have fiercely clashed in the past, giving rise to legendary battles.
However, since Shanks lost an arm, Mihawk has lost interest in fighting him. After leaving the Seven Warlords, he co-founded Cross Guild with Sir Crocodile. Due to Mihawk's immense battle power, the organization gained the reputation of a Yonko crew.
Fans are yet to witness what Mihawk can really do. Considering that he forged his Yoru into a Black Blade, the strongest sword, and taught Zoro, helping him improve notably, Mihawk is certainly an outstanding Haki master.
3) Ryuma Shimotsuki
Ryuma was an unparalleled samurai who lived in Wano hundreds of years ago. Using his Armament Haki, he managed to turn his sword Shusui into a Black Blade, a feat that only Dracule Mihawk was ever able to accomplish.
Impressively enough, Ryuma single-handedly protected Wano from pirates and World Nobles, gaining immense fame. People compared him to Joy Boy and praised him as "King," the strongest warrior in the world.
Ryuma is implied to easily overshadow even swordsmen of Oden's caliber. Despite the latter's impressive strength, people still hailed Ryuma as "Wano's Greatest Hero".
2) Monkey D. Garp (prime)
In his prime, Garp was an exceedingly powerful individual who could go head-to-head with Gol D. Roger. He even managed to corner Roger. Their battles were tremendous, with both almost killing each other several times.
However, during the God Valley incident, Roger and Garp teamed up to defeat a common enemy, Rocks D. Xebec, whom the entire World Government feared. This battle earned Garp an everlasting reputation as the "Marine Hero".
Garp was known as "The Fist" for the power of his punches. Combining his Armament Haki and physical strength, Garp needed a single punch to beat Chinjao, a pirate who had enough power to split a continent with a headbutt.
1) Gol D. Roger
To this day, Roger's achievements are unparalleled in the series. Together with his crew, he reached Laugh Tale and found the One Piece treasure, earning himself the title of King of Pirates.
Roger didn't eat a Devil Fruit, but possessed an unbelievably powerful Haki, which allowed him to fend off his rivals and conquer the Grand Line. He remained undefeated until his death, only surrendering to a fatal illness.
Coating his sword Ace with Color of Armament and Color of Conqueror's, Roger was able to emit massive streams of black and red lightning, splitting the sky and pushing back the surroundings during a clash with Edward Newgate.
Final thoughts
Devil Fruits are grouped into three main categories, Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia, each one granting different kinds of superhuman abilities. However, many characters have achieved notable strength even without relying on Devil Fruit powers.
Most of these characters possess a particularly powerful Haki. Fighters who can use all three forms of Haki (Observation, Armament, and Conqueror) are especially dangerous.
While Color of Observation and Color of Armament can be developed through training, Color of Conqueror's is a natural-born ability, which power can't be learned. It only grows stronger as the user becomes stronger overall.
Even among those born with Conqueror's Haki, only a few of the strongest can evolve this power to its superior stage, achieving a whole new level of strength. Kaido's words implied that an individual with enough willpower and Haki can potentially overcome any hurdle and win the fight.
Like most Devil Fruit abilities, the varied types of Haki can be combined with martial arts, swordsmanship styles or other techniques. Haki seems to be portrayed as the strongest power in the series and the deciding factor of most battles, surpassing even Devil Fruits.
