[Discussion] The Power Scaling of One Piece

[Vandenre1ch]

First of all, there is no such thing as admiral level, yonkou level, pirate king level etc..

In the world of One Piece, you are either a top tier or not and all top tiers are on par with each other. It took some thinking, but I've managed to break own the power scaling into a very simple format:

Black, Gray, Silver, Off White and White.
White- a "white" will struggle heavily against a silver and is no match for a "gray"(Zoro, Sanji, Vergo, Smoker)

Off White(high tier)- an "off white" can fight on par with a "silver" and has a good chance of winning but is absolutely no match for a top tier.(Luffy, Burgess, Jinbe, Law, Hancock)

Silver(between top and high tier but closer to high tier)-a "silver" has absolutely no chance of beating a top tier and escape is slim. They can hold their own for a short while but the difference in strength will soon become clear.(G4 Luffy, Doflamingo, Sabo)

Gray(between top and high tier but closer to top tier)-A "gray" can fight on par with top tier and has a good chance of escaping, but one hindrance or distraction is all it takes for a "gray" to lose the fight.(Marco, Jozu, Old Rayleigh)

Black(top tiers)- They are the strongest people in the world. Only a top tier can defeat a top tier.(Shanks, Akainu, Roger, WB, Fujitora, Kuzan, Kaidou etc.)
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Doflamingo is Silver

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He was hurt by an injured Law(Off White) and is currently struggling against another "Off White"

Know who else is Silver?

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And he couldn't scratch one hair on a top tier(black) even when he wasn't serious.

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Marco and Jozu are Gray. Their performance was quite impressive against top tiers Aokiji and Kizaru but not only could they not land hits unless it was a sneak attack, all it took was one distraction to take them out(I know Marco kept going but Kizaru said he was careless cause he forgot about Maroc's healing).

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Important Note: Silver and Gray are the longest and most unstable colors of power. Its pretty much the "expert class" of power. The best way I can describe it is "Its easy to learn but hard to master as the road to a master is very long and unpredictable."



A lot of people think the Marineford War is "showing the power of the yonkou" but that is incorrect. Its actually showcasing Luffy's weakness and uselessness in the world of the top tiers.

Only a top can defeat a top tier

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Luffy who was "white", confronted 3 "blacks" and could do absolutely nothing. Even Aokiji said "its too early for you to stand on this stage." As Oda said, the Marineford War was nothing more than a prelude.

WB was Luffy's "future representation." WB was the strongest man in the world and his purpose in the war was an indirect way of showing Luff(and the audience)....

"This is what it takes to be a top tier. This is what it takes to be the strongest...

...and this is what Luffy has to surpass."

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Even if you are the strongest, you are not invincible. Even WB and Gold D. Roger succumbed to illness and suffered many injuries in their lifetime. There is a very small gap between top tiers.

 

[Punk Hazard]

I'd place Luffy and Law within the same color tier, even with G4. Other than that, agreed.

 

[AllseeingSharingan]

Nice thread fully agree with every point. Because even doflamingo was shitting his pants when he even thought about Kaido. And he walked away from Akoji . Nice thread

 

[WoldOfFingo]

Luffy at Marineford was white? Same as current Smoker , Zoro and Sanji..
That would mean some 'whites' have absollutely no chance against other 'whites'

 

[Vandenre1ch]

Luffy at Marineford was white? Same as current Smoker , Zoro and Sanji..
That would mean some 'whites' have absollutely no chance against other 'whites'

P-TS Luffy still has a good chance against them. Luffy has always been on a higher color than them. They've all moved up by one color over the TS.

 

[WoldOfFingo]

P-TS Luffy still has a good chance against them. Luffy has always been on a higher color than them. They've all moved up by one color over the TS.

That's crazy man. P-TS Luffy is nowhere near them. He does not have a good chance against them.
Sanji and Zoro casually destroyed a pacifista with absolutely no effort, whereas P-TS it took the whole crew to destroy only one and they were exhausted afterwards
P-TS Luffy and current Smoker , Sanji etc is the same level difference as 'White' and 'Black'

 

[sagemode07]

I agree except I think Doflamingo > Jozu
Yes Jozu fought top tiers respectably and doffy walked away but that's because doffy wasn't obligated to fight said top tier (Aokiji)
Jozu was because he was fighting to get ace back.
I think doffy would be able to hold his own against a top tier (but eventually lose like you said)

 

[Punk Hazard]

I agree except I think Doflamingo > Jozu
Yes Jozu fought top tiers respectably and doffy walked away but that's because doffy wasn't obligated to fight said top tier (Aokiji)
Jozu was because he was fighting to get ace back.
I think doffy would be able to hold his own against a top tier (but eventually lose like you said)

It wasn't because he wasn't obligated too. Doflamingo walked away from Kuzan because he couldn't afford that distraction. Even if Doflamingo defeated Kuzan, he'd suffer heavy damage. He knew he had to take on the Strawhats and Law and handle what was going on in Dressrosa. Something he couldn't do if he got the ddamage he would have got from Kuzan. It's not just because Kuzan is stronger, but also because of priorities.

 

[Bogard]

More like this imo

White- Sanji, Smoker, Jinbe

Off White(high tier)- Law, Zoro, Vergo, Hancock

Silver(between top and high tier but closer to high tier)- Burgess, G4 Luffy, Doflamingo

Gray(between top and high tier but closer to top tier)- Sabo, Jozu, Old Rayleigh

Black(top tiers)- Marco, Shanks, Akainu, Fujitora, Kuzan, Kaidou etc

Legendary(World strongest)- Roger, WB

 

[giostep]

I agree with most of this, of course i think the power levels within the classes can be broken down more, such as dependance on DF ability, DF ability, haki ability, and such. But Good job with a basic skeleton and explanation. Never liked "Admiral and Yonkou" leveling systems considering that some pirates not in those tiers of LEADERSHIP are as strong if not stronger that some of the people in that role of LEADERSHIP.

 

[giostep]

More like this imo

White- Sanji, Smoker, Jinbe

Off White(high tier)- Law, Zoro, Vergo, Hancock

Silver(between top and high tier but closer to high tier)- Burgess, G4 Luffy, Doflamingo

Gray(between top and high tier but closer to top tier)- Sabo, Jozu, Old Rayleigh

Black(top tiers)- Marco, Shanks, Akainu, Fujitora, Kuzan, Kaidou etc

Legendary(World strongest)- Roger, WB

Whats the purpose of Legendary Tier? Shanks was portrayed to be of equal strength to WB, he also caused as much fear as WB, and was just as inspirational. I doubt WB or Roger would high diff any of the current yonkou, it would be a fight to near death (assuming a killing intent).

 

[Bogard]

Whats the purpose of Legendary Tier? Shanks was portrayed to be of equal strength to WB, he also caused as much fear as WB, and was just as inspirational. I doubt WB or Roger would high diff any of the current yonkou, it would be a fight to near death (assuming a killing intent).

I believe Prime WB could mid or high(at max) the strongest of the current generation(whoever it is) and Roger was at least as strong if not stronger, hence the gap

 

[OG sama]

I dont get how Jozu or Marco deserve to be in a whole new tier just because they managed to hold their own against Admirals who weren't even close to going all out.

Doflamingo should be at least capable of doing what they did.

 

[Uzumaki Macho]

I don't see why Jozu gets to be a tier above Doflamingo and Sabo.

 

[bajram]

Agreed on your power scaling and though its funny that there are still people who give Doflamingo the upper hand against Jozu based in one panel if anything doflamingo was underwhelming during DR and nothing indicates that he would put a fight against a top-tier or a black in this case based on the scaling of the OP.

 

[Bogard]

I don't see why Jozu gets to be a tier above Doflamingo and Sabo.

He didn't really put him a tier above. He is just closer to top tier than Doflamingo is. I think Sabo is closer to top tier than Doflamingo is too though

Agreed on your power scaling and though its funny that there are still people who give Doflamingo the upper hand against Jozu based in one panel if anything doflamingo was underwhelming during DR and nothing indicates that he would put a fight against a top-tier or a black in this case based on the scaling of the OP.

Doflamingo isn't stronger than Jozu, but there is still a slim chance that Doflamingo could be on par with him. He lost to G4 Luffy while being weakened, a power-up that was created to allow Luffy's progression in the top tier range

 

[Ridoku X]

Cool, I like the ranking system. What about Silvers vs Grays ? Do Sivlers stand a chance ? I believe they do, based on what we've seen.

 

[chopstickchakra]

Curious about your stance on Doffy in regards to his reaction to Fuji and Kuzan? Doffy walked away from Kuzan yet he said he'd have to take care of Fuji after Luffy. So he clearly didn't think as high of Fuji as Kuzan.

 

[Spha]

Agreed on your power scaling and though its funny that there are still people who give Doflamingo the upper hand against Jozu based in one panel if anything doflamingo was underwhelming during DR and nothing indicates that he would put a fight against a top-tier or a black in this case based on the scaling of the OP.

Doflamingo is stronger than Jozu, marineford proved it, and Doflamingo was in fact overwhelming in Dressrosa, he was able to survive attacks that even some Top tiers would not, 2 things that prove doffy is stronger than Jozu, 1. Jozu was unable to break free from his strings, 2. Doflamingo broke free from Aokiji Ice was the exact same ice broke Jozu hand, nd they received the attack the same way.

Seems like you understimate Doffy just becouse he lost to Luffy, if Luffy fights an Admiral to the death now as he see's that admiral as his target he will defeat him as well just becouse he the main Character of one piece. And Doffy can defeat some Top tiers as well, Doffy awakened his Conquerer Haki on an Early stage, and Top tiers see him as a big threat, the Fact that he left Marineford without a scretch tells u he can be ranked to top tiers, and it the first time Luffy defeat someone with so much help.

If he wasn't a top tier Luffy would have beaten him on his own, I believe Luffy can Defeat Jozu on his own, Jozu is not as strong as Doffy, his devil fruit is strong but his haki is nothing compared to Doffy.

 

[OG sama]

Agreed on your power scaling and though its funny that there are still people who give Doflamingo the upper hand against Jozu based in one panel if anything doflamingo was underwhelming during DR and nothing indicates that he would put a fight against a top-tier or a black in this case based on the scaling of the OP.

What has Jozu done to indicate he can beat Doflamingo? Getting in a sneak attack on an admiral is something even Doflamingo can do.

If anything Jozu is being overrated because of one damn attack that caused a distracted admiral to bleed, ignoring that he couldn't get out his ice while Doffy could. Not to mention DD tried to treat him like a big ass couch.

And underwhelming? The guys feats are still much better than Jozus and Sabos that's for sure, but people give them the benefit because of one clash with an admiral that didn't result in them being even remotely close to winning.