One Piece: Burning Blood has quite the extensive roster, and that can make it difficult to figure out who to use. With over 30 pirates and marines to choose from, it isn’t so easy to discern who’s the best in the bunch. Also, when deciding who to unlock, it’s best to know who you should target first. They aren’t exactly cheap, so you’ll want to spend wisely in the beginning as you grind for enough money to purchase the rest.
With that being said, we’ve put together a list of the top 15 best characters in One Piece: Burning Blood. These are among the strongest, and most versatile of the playable characters in the game. They are capable of helping to boost their teammates, and even defeating entire enemy teams on their own.
So let’s get started.
Monkey D. Luffy
Monkey D. Luffy is one of the more balanced fighters, probably because he’s the star of the series. For those just getting into One Piece: Burning Blood, he’s one of the first characters you’re able to use, and you should definitely consider having him on your team. What Straw Hat lacks in ranged abilities, he more than makes up for in speed. Triggering his abilities puts Luffy in Second Gear, allowing him to quickly dash around the stages, and increasing the potency of his punches and kicks.
His Awakening places him in the brand new Fourth Gear. While basic movement in this form leaves a bit to be desired, his dashing and dodging abilities are still up to snuff, and his damage output is insane. Luffy can quickly and easily dispatch an opponent when in the right hands, and thanks to his Haki, Logia opponents aren’t even safe.
Marco
Marco is an odd fighter, which is something fans of the One Piece manga and anime would know. He uses a very rare Zoan type which grants him the power of a Phoenix. That means flight, healing, and Logia like abilities. While he can’t just stay up in the air forever in Burning Blood, he does have quite a bit of mobility, power, and range.
His movements are sometimes unpredictable, making him difficult to read and in turn, difficult to defend against. Mixing range with powerful rushes allows for versatility during a match. Or you can pair him up with slower fighters, and swap to him for a fresh change of action to keep your opponents on their toes.
Trafalgar D. Law
Room! Whenever you hear that, you know that Tra-guy is not in the mood for games. What makes him an interesting fighter in Burning Blood is his method of fighting. On one hand you have a powerful melee character. With his large sword, Law can hold his own in a one-on-one fight, dealing sizable damage, although he’s not as fast as other swordsmen. He’s still quick enough to get the job done, but his abilities are what give him an edge.
Thanks to the Op-Op Fruit, Law is able to control an area around him, giving him much more technical ability than other fighters. It’s easier for him to avoid weaknesses, prevent attacks, and stay alive. While he’s not the easiest to use in Burning Blood, there aren’t many One Piece characters better than him.
Crocodile
Crocodile may have been the first Warlord defeated by Luffy, but he is still a force to be reckoned with. He wields the Logia power of sand, allowing him to change the makeup of his body and even the area around him to trap enemies. Like other powerful Logia users in Burning Blood, Crocodile isn’t the fastest option you can choose. But he has a lot of ranged attacks designed to keep opponents off balance, and they cover a wide range, allowing him to control what paths his enemies can take.
Crocodile’s focus on power and area control make him a solid option for any team. When paired up with fast characters who can close gaps, he can infiltrate and defense and surround enemies with the crushing weight of his powers.
Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard)
Blackbeard is easily the most hated character in all of One Piece. When it comes to being bad, he is the lowest of the low, but something must be said about his ability in combat.
Blackbeard is large, and not incredibly fast, but he can pull in opponents to within range, balancing out his lack of mobility. When combined with the fact that he’s a Logia user, Blackbeard has a healthy handle on the flow of his fights. He’s particularly useful against other Logia users, able to weaken Devil Fruit Eaters and even cancel their abilities at times. His darkness consumes all it comes against, forcing opponents to strategize around him and control their distance.
Boa Hancock
Many other characters underestimate Boa Hancock as just another pretty face, but she’s actually one of the more powerful fighters in Burning Blood. She is the “Snake Princess” of Amazon Lily, an island inhabited by powerful woman warriors. Wielding powers similar to that of Medusa, she can break down the defense of any opponent, bending a fight to her will.
The Love-Love Fruit allows Boa to temporarily turn enemies into stone, so she can unleash her powerful physical attacks on their defenseless bodies. She has incredible melee range thanks to her long legs, and she’s very light on her feet, allowing for constant pressure on enemies.
Sabo
Sabo is Luffy’s brother who everyone thought died many years ago. After the events of Dressrosa, he becomes the new Fire Fist, after consuming the Flame-Flame Fruit that used to belong to Portgas D. Ace (Luffy’s other brother). Sabo is a much better option when it comes to flame wielding characters, though.
This is thanks to his speed, and more powerful melee attacks. Sabo was already a highly skilled fighter who used his pipe to bash foes. Adding flame to his repertoire just made him much more versatile and deadly. He provides solid balance to any team, and is fun to use as he explores his brand new abilities.
Nico Robin
Nico Robin is surprisingly one of the greatest characters in Burning Blood. This is not because she’s weak in the series. She’s shown just how deadly she can be when fighting, but the way she’s used in Burning Blood is both hilarious and frightening.
Thanks to the Flower-Flower Fruit, Robin is able to spawn limbs from literally anywhere. This provides an insane amount of range, accuracy, and defense. Watching a hand suddenly pop out the ground to smack the life out of an unsuspecting opponent never gets old. It forces players to be extra aggressive and drop their guard in order to deal with her, giving Robin players many opportunities for victory.
See someone who refuses to come close or is relying on range to much? Nico Robin will definitely solve that problem for you.
Shanks
Shanks is the reason that Luffy is a pirate now. In fact, the Straw Hat that Luffy is recognized for was given to him by Red Hair Shanks. When looking at him, you may see nothing more than a one armed swordsman. But it turns out that he’s one of the four Pirate Emperors of the New World. That’s not a title you get without being insanely powerful.
Burning Blood puts on display just how powerful he may truly be (since the anime and manga have been pretty tight on showing off his abilities). With his one arm, he’s able to deliver crushing slashes and send waves of energy across the stage. It’s comical how much damage he’s able to dish out, considering he isn’t exactly really fast, nor is he a large person. In some ways he’s like Mihawk, embarrassing foes with his melee prowess. But Shanks has the added ability of his Haki’s effect to keep opponents off balance as he charges in.
Eneru
Eneru believes himself to be a god, and we honestly don’t blame him. He’s one of the most powerful characters in the series, and that carries into Burning Blood. Thanks to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Eneru has the Logia abilities of lightning. He can use powerful ranged attacks that cover a wide area, and even turn himself into walking electricity.
He’s fast, strong, can fight from long range or up close, and is cool to look at. His Ultimate is no joke either, making him a scary person to go up against.
Kizaru
Whether you know him as Borsalino or Kizaru, there’s no denying how powerful this man is. Thanks to the Glint-Glint Fruit, this character is living light. That means he can move at the speed of light, closing distances and keeping up pressure, and can channel light for laser-like attacks.
Mixing Logia users with speed and power is very dangerous. Yes, Kizaru lacks the range of effect that other Logia users have, but he more than makes up for that with mobility and accuracy. He’s a great anchor for a team when you want to experiment with different types. Mixing him with other technical fighters, or with those who have slow speed and large area influence, is a good idea.
Franky
Luffy’s shipwright isn’t some ordinary cyborg. Franky is one of the most powerful characters in Burning Blood, and he has a surprising range of attacks. Thanks to his long arms, he can deliver devastating physical combos without putting himself in harms way. He’s not incredibly fast, but he isn’t overly slow either allowing for some useful dodging.
Franky is one of the few characters who’s shield break works from a very long range. He can stun you while dealing massive damage from anywhere on a stage thanks to the power of cola. His ability to not lose any advantage no matter where his opponent stands his nearly unmatched, making him one of the best fighters in the game. The fact that he’s one of the first fighters you have is just an added bonus.
Oh, and did we mention he turns into a huge robot with enough firepower to take out several opponents? Yeah, this is one tough cookie.
Bartolomeo
Bartolomeo is one of the weirder characters in Burning Blood. Fans will remember him from the whole Dressrosa Arc, when he stalked the Straw Hats and became one of their most useful allies in that torn country. What makes him a standout in Burning Blood is his defense.
Bartolomeo ate the Barrier-Barrier Fruit, allowing him to summon shields to mitigate damage. This makes him a perfect addition to a team that’s going up against predominantly ranged characters. He isn’t a slouch up close either though. He can use his barriers offensively as well, pushing opponents back, and using crushing abilities that protect him from harm at the same time. This makes him one of the more unique fighters you can use, and a valuable member of any team.
Donquixote Doflamingo
Ah, Doffy. You’re a maniac, but you are one truly skilled fighter. Thanks to his String-String Fruit, Doflamingo is able to use quick, sudden movements in all directions, allowing for impressive mobility as he closes the distance. He does have use of ranged abilities to deal with peskier individuals, but it’s up close where Doflamingo proves to be the most dangerous.
He’s a large character, but is faster than any other fighter of his size, while still maintaining the power you’d expect. His Haki ensures that Logia fighters aren’t safe from his clutches. Using him, it’s easy to see how he became a king and why so many fear his wrath.
Aokiji
Aokiji, or Kuzan if you prefer, is one of the best characters in One Piece: Burning Blood, if not the best. This isn’t surprising in the slightest. After all, Aokiji is one of the most powerful characters you can use in just about any One Piece game. His wide area of influence helps to balance out is lack of speed, and his ability to slow opponents down is something that is very useful.
Aokiji’s hand-to-hand combos are short, but devastating, ending in an attack that launches his enemies across a stage. His special abilities are what make him a nightmare to go up against, though. He can freeze the area around him, launch icicles from far away, or even turn an opponent into a helpless block of ice. Skilled players can time his Logia activation to avoid all damage while dealing out a world of hurt, but chances are not many opponents will get to close in the first place. Once you hear him mutter the words “Ice Age” you know things are about to get difficult.
