One Piece: 13 Strongest Characters Who Can Beat Luffy
From Pirate Kings to shadow rulers, these legends prove Luffy hasn’t reached the top just yet.
Monkey D. Luffy is currently one of the strongest pirates alive, having achieved the Yonko status after Wano and the awakening of hisDevil Fruit with Gear 5. He has become so strong that he is nearly unstoppable. Yet today, we cannot help but realize that there are a few legendary characters who are still stronger than him. We feel these are the One Piece characters that can beat Luffy in a fight.
Some of these characters are alive, others belong to the past, but they are all so powerful that they can take down Luffy if it ever came to a fight. Wondering who could stop the future Pirate King? Here is the list of the strongestOne Piececharacters who can defeat Luffy.
Table of Contents
13. Mihawk
Mihawk is the first One Piece character that can beat Luffy in his current form. Mihawk stands unrivaled as the world’s greatest swordsman. His calm demeanor conceals an unmatched mastery of Yoru, one of the Supreme Grade swords. Unlike most fighters at his level, Mihawk doesn’t rely on Devil Fruits.
His swordsmanship and mastery of Observation and Armament Haki alone make him one of the deadliest men alive. With the title of world’s greatest swordsman, no one is better with a sword than Mihawk.
You can adore Luffy’s imagination in Gear 5, but against Mihawk’s cold precision swordsmanship, he’d be utterly no match. Until Luffy works his way to utilize his stamina for Gear 5, defeating Mihawk is simply out of the question. Currently, Mihawk is at a level Luffy has yet to reach.
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12. Blackbeard
Blackbeard is the only character in One Piece to have two Devil Fruits at once. His darkness allows him to nullify any Devil Fruit ability, and his quake abilities, stolen from Whitebeard, can destroy entire islands.
You’ve witnessed how Luffy flourishes on his Devil Fruit’s creativity, but against Teach, all of that can be taken away in an instant. Mix in the destructive force of earthquakes, and Blackbeard is one of the worst possible match-ups for Luffy. Even Gear 5’s playful energy would be overwhelmed by Blackbeard’s destructive power.
11. Akainu (Sakazuki)
Akainu embodies ruthless power and the Marines’ absolute justice. With his Magma-Magma Fruit, he has one of the most destructive Logia abilities in the series, capable of melting everything in front of him. He has already scarred Whitebeard and killed Ace during the Marineford arc, proving his offensive power is among the strongest.
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For Luffy, the fight against Akainu is not something about brute force; it’s also a deeply personal battle. Even with Gear 5, though, Luffy isn’t ready to take on magma that can reduce everything it touches to ashes. Until he builds up stamina and durability, Akainu would mercilessly crush him.
10. The Gorosei
The Goroseiare far more than political figureheads; they are terrifying warriors. Saint Saturn has already revealed horrific Zoan abilities, and rumors suggest that others possess equally menacing abilities, including legendary swords. Their power is absolute, and their presence on Egghead demonstrates that they are direct threats.
Fighting them is fighting not one but five terrifying enemies with intelligence and strength beyond Luffy’s wildest imagination. You can’t realistically imagine Luffy taking down even one of the Gorosei until he figures out how to deal with their instant regeneration.
Shanks is a living legend, a Yonko whose mere presence halts wars. With unparalleled Haki and refined swordsmanship, he represents the legacy of Gol D. Roger and yet outclasses the majority of his peers. His fight against Eustass Kid demonstrated how easily he can crush billion-berry pirates in a single strike.
As much as Shanks inspired Luffy, admiration doesn’t equal strength. And if they were to meet in battle today, Luffy’s Gear 5 would not be enough. Shanks’s control over Haki places him ahead of the next generation, Luffy included.
8. Sengoku
Sengoku was a monster during his prime days. As the Fleet Admiral, he commanded the Marines during their most critical times, fighting Roger, Whitebeard, and Rocks. With his Mythical Zoan powers and unparalleled tactical brilliance, he could outmaneuver anyone.
Even in retirement, Sengoku commands respect, but if you picture him at his peak, there is no chance for Luffy. Gear 5 may be groundbreaking, but Sengoku, in his prime, battled gods of the sea and survived. Sengoku could beat Luffy in his current Gear 5 form.
7. Monkey D. Garp
Garp is the stuff of legend, even at his old age. One of the few One Piece characters who could beat Luffy. As the Hero of the Marines, he was once as powerful as Pirate King Roger and was feared by the greatest pirates alive. His Haki and raw physical strength have been an unstoppable force for years.
As much as you’d love to believe Luffy could beat him, the truth is that Garp’s experience and ability are on a different level. He even proved that with his fight on Hachinosu Island. If he went all out, even Luffy’s Gear 5 would be insufficient to beat his grandfather.
6. Monkey D. Dragon
Dragonis the most wanted man in the world as the commander of the Revolutionary Army against the World Government. His reputation alone is proof that he is one of the greatest in history, and the allies he leads are capable of taking on Admirals.
As Luffy’s father, a fight would be heartbreaking to watch. But Dragon’s power, knowledge, and possibly mysterious powers tip him ahead of his son for now. There is a reason the World Government has never been able to eliminate him, despite being a direct threat to them. Luffy still has a lot to learn before he can ever rival the man who shook the world. Luffy has a long way to go before he can beat Monkey D. Dragon.
5. Whitebeard
Whitebeard’s reputation speaks for itself. He was one of the few men to rival Roger and was feared as the “Strongest Man Alive.” His Quake powers could split the sea in half, and his Haki made him a force to be reckoned with.
Compared to that raw, destructive force, Luffy’s Gear 5 seems almost insignificant. Whitebeard in his prime would be too much for Luffy to deal with, and he wouldn’t even get a chance to land a good punch.
4. Gol D. Roger
Roger was Pirate King for a reason. He conquered the seas, mastered Haki, and battled Whitebeard on equal footing for days without the ability of Devil Fruits. His strength and charisma changed history itself.
You can admire Luffy’s ambition, but Roger surpassed him on every level. Until Luffy takes over the title of Pirate King, he will never be better than Roger’s legend. Gol D. Roger can beat Luffy in a heartbeat if he wanted, but Ds are known to be on the same side of the history.
3. Rocks D. Xebec
Rocks was the personification of chaos, the only man to have monsters the likes of Kaido, Big Mom, and Whitebeard serving him. He dreamed of dominating the world, and only a combined force of Roger and Garp kept him at bay.
If you’re comparing Luffy to Rocks at his peak, then the outcome is obvious: Gear 5 would not be enough, and Rocks would have beaten Luffy in a single fight. Rocks’ raw strength and the terror he spread across the seas ensure that he would crush Luffy in a one-on-one fight.
Imuis the shadow ruler of the world of One Piece, quietly reigning over the Empty Throne. With a mere command, they reduced the entire Lulusia kingdom to ashes, suggesting abilities beyond any weapon we’ve seen.
Against such overwhelming power, Luffy has no chance. Gear 5 is powerful, but Imu’s as-yet-unknown powers and absolute control of the world put them far, far beyond Luffy’s abilities at the moment. Imu is someone Luffy can never defeat.
1. Joy Boy
Joy Boy was the original warrior of liberation, a direct connection to Luffy’s own Devil Fruit awakening. His power was beyond anything seen, shaping history and carrying the hopes of whole civilizations. While Luffy is on the same path, he hasn’t yet overtaken Joy Boy.
You can consider Gear 5 to be the tip of the iceberg of what Joy Boy was really capable of. Until he has perfected that legacy entirely, Luffy is still beneath the ancient hero who was a personification of freedom itself.
It’s not that Luffy isn’t strong enough with Gear 5, but he hasn’t fully mastered it yet. What he currently lacks is battle IQ and stamina since Gear 5 is very exhausting for him. However, to surpass legends like Rocks and Roger, he may need an evolution beyond Gear 5. Even a Gear 6 Luffy won’t be able to defeat Joy Boy in his prime.
Umair Nakade
Umair has loved anime since it was still pretty niche, growing up watching classics like Pokémon, Dragon Ball, Zatch Bell, and Beyblade in the early 2010s. Death Note really got him hooked, and since then, he’s caught up with everything from the Big Three to the latest Shonen Jump hits, with Haikyuu!!! as his favorite. But he’s not just about anime, Umair’s a huge cinephile, especially superhero flicks from Marvel and DC, and never misses opening day at theaters. When he’s not watching or writing, you will find him playing Wuthering Waves, AAA titles, or listening to Harry Styles on repeat. At Techwiser, Umair is dedicated to covering anime and pop culture content.
