Smartest Plays By Non-Straw Hat Characters

‘One Piece’ features countless clever strategies, not just from the Straw Hat crew. This collection highlights the most brilliant plans executed by characters on all sides—from ruthless leaders to skilled soldiers and spies. We’ll break down what each scheme was, how it succeeded, and why it had a major impact on the story, changing the course of events and shifting power dynamics throughout the Grand Line and New World. This is a no-nonsense look at the key moments shaped by strategic brilliance.

Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard) – Breaking Level 6 and crashing Marineford

Blackbeard exploited his position as a Warlord to get into Impel Down, where he orchestrated a mass escape of powerful criminals to build his crew. He intentionally arrived late to the battle at Marineford, allowing Whitebeard and the Marines to fight until they were weakened. Following Whitebeard’s defeat, he seized the Gura Gura no Mi Devil Fruit amidst the confusion. This dramatically increased his crew’s strength and quickly propelled him to prominence in the New World.

Trafalgar D. Water Law – Targeting SMILE to topple Kaido

Law teamed up with Luffy with a clever strategy: to disrupt Kaido’s supplies instead of directly attacking him. He tracked the supply route, starting from the research facility on Punk Hazard and leading to the SMILE production in Dressrosa, intending to shut it down at its origin. By capturing Caesar Clown, Law gained influence over Doflamingo and Kaido’s production of artificial Devil Fruits. This plan weakened Kaido’s forces significantly before the major battles in Wano Country.

Donquixote Doflamingo – Running Dressrosa and the underworld as “Joker”

As a film buff, I always found Doflamingo a fascinating villain. He didn’t just rule Dressrosa, he completely manipulated it, pulling strings from the shadows like a master puppeteer. He crafted a false reality, and had this terrifying ‘Birdcage’ ready to trap everyone if they stepped out of line. But his reach went way beyond that island – he was secretly ‘Joker,’ dealing weapons and those creepy SMILE fruits to the most powerful pirates around, even the Yonko! The really insidious part was how he used the Tontattas and those toy transformations to crush any opposition without a direct fight. It was a whole system designed to control conflicts everywhere, and it worked brilliantly until Luffy and the others finally exposed his game.

Rob Lucci – Years-long CP9 embed at Water 7

Lucci and the CP9 agents infiltrated Galley-La with two goals: find the blueprints for the ancient weapon Pluton and capture Nico Robin. They successfully gained the shipwrights’ trust, allowing them access to secure areas and important plans. When the time was right, they took Iceburg hostage and used their authority to move Robin towards Enies Lobby. Their elaborate disguise almost allowed the World Government to obtain a devastating ancient weapon.

Sir Crocodile – Orchestrating Alabasta’s civil war via Baroque Works

Crocodile pretended to be a hero while secretly working to overthrow the Alabasta kingdom. He created confusion by using a special powder to cause droughts, faking attacks, and secretly encouraging fighting between the army and rebel groups. This chaos allowed him to search for the hidden plans for an ancient weapon called Pluton, which were believed to be hidden beneath the palace. His plan was almost successful, but ultimately his true identity and scheme were revealed.

Caesar Clown – Weaponizing gas and industrial SAD

On Punk Hazard, Caesar used his Devil Fruit powers to create dangerous weapons like Smiley and poisonous clouds, effectively controlling the battlefield. He was the original developer of the technology later known as SMILE, and his work connected him to the most powerful pirates in the world. By manipulating the air, he could weaken and control his enemies, forcing them to fight on his terms. Eventually, his capture became a key piece in efforts to stop the production and use of SMILE.

Sakazuki (Akainu) – Turning Squard against Whitebeard

Akainu cleverly used Squard’s existing anger, tricking him with false information about Whitebeard betraying his allies. This manufactured betrayal hurt Whitebeard and caused disarray among his captains, creating weaknesses in their defenses and forcing Whitebeard to focus on regaining control. This tactic briefly changed the momentum of the battle at Marineford before Whitebeard managed to restore order.

Sengoku – Using Ace’s execution to shape the battlefield

Sengoku orchestrated a public execution to bait Whitebeard into a fight on Sengoku’s terms. He strategically placed powerful soldiers and defenses to guide the pirates into carefully planned battle zones. Broadcasting the fight worldwide not only increased the pressure on Whitebeard, but also presented the Marines as legitimate enforcers. This setup allowed the Marines to control the battle, even when unexpected things happened.

Shanks – Ending the Paramount War on his terms

Shanks showed up after the major fighting had stopped and suggested everyone call a truce, which they agreed to. He made sure Ace and Whitebeard were respectfully buried, avoiding any further conflict over their remains. The presence of his crew discouraged anyone from immediately seeking revenge or chasing after those who remained. His arrival effectively limited the total number of deaths and completely changed the balance of power in the aftermath.

Bartholomew Kuma – Scattering the Straw Hats to survival training

Kuma strategically transported each member of the Straw Hat crew to a place where they could become stronger, instead of letting the Marines capture them. He made it look like he was cooperating with the Marines while actually ensuring the crew’s development. Each location he sent them to offered specific training and access to potential teachers, effectively hiding a future threat to the World Government by making it seem like the Straw Hats had been defeated.

Nefertari Vivi – Infiltrating Baroque Works as Miss Wednesday

Vivi went undercover within Baroque Works to discover who was causing trouble in Alabasta. She found evidence linking acts of sabotage, the distribution of dangerous dancing powder, and rebel activity to Crocodile’s criminal organization. By carefully understanding the group’s secret structure and who each member was, she was able to help build a team that eventually took down the entire operation.

Basil Hawkins – Banking extra “lives” with straw dolls and probability

Hawkins used straw dolls connected to his own body and those of others as a unique defense, effectively absorbing otherwise fatal damage. He constantly assessed his chances in a fight and adapted his strategy if he started to lose. When dealing with hostages, he would manipulate the situation to shift danger away from himself, maintaining his leverage. This system allowed him to prolong battles and find opportunities to escape when loyalties changed.

X Drake – Double agent inside the Beast Pirates

Drake was a spy for the Marines (specifically, a secret Marine intelligence unit called SWORD) while pretending to be a member of the Beast Pirates. He secretly provided the Marines with information about the Pirates’ weapons, strength, and plans. When he risked being discovered, he switched sides during the battle at Onigashima and helped the alliance fighting against the Beast Pirates. His spying allowed for perfectly timed attacks.

Kurozumi Kanjuro – Long-term spy within the Kozuki retainers

For years, Kanjuro pretended to be an ally of the Nine Scabbards, but was secretly feeding information to Orochi. He deliberately ruined their plans by revealing details about meeting locations and timing. During the raid, he kidnapped Momonosuke, hoping to create chaos and divide their forces. His betrayal almost destroyed the rebellion, but they were able to adapt and continue fighting.

Kurozumi Orochi – Preemptive strikes and survivals via Yamata no Orochi

Before attacking Onigashima, Orochi had a secret network of spies who wrecked enemy ships and damaged harbors. He used his powerful Devil Fruit ability, which allowed him to survive being beheaded and seemingly killed, to his advantage. He also created a complex system of security and intentionally triggered false alarms, which slowed down any attempts at rebellion. These tactics bought him enough time to gain Kaido’s support.

Queen the Plague – Battlefield control with Ice Oni

Queen unleashed the Ice Oni virus to make close-range fighting dangerous for his enemies. The virus forced opponents to balance fighting with treating their infection, disrupting their attacks. He also controlled the flow of ammunition, putting pressure on both his allies and enemies to maintain order. This strategy bought him valuable time and forced opponents to divert medical supplies during combat.

Charlotte Perospero – Sea slug surveillance and candy engineering

Perospero used sea slugs to watch over the waters around Totto Land and stop unwanted ships. During battles, he built things from candy – like roadblocks, bridges, and even traps – to control the seas. This system allowed the Big Mom Pirates to react fast to anyone approaching. His candy creations often slowed down enemies and bought time for backup to arrive.

Vinsmoke Judge – Securing power through a political marriage

Judge orchestrated a marriage between someone from Germa 66 and the Charlotte family to expand Germa’s power and access to new technologies. This wedding was actually a cover for a secret agreement to share weapons and gain a strategic advantage in the New World. He timed the event with the movement of his clone army so he could quickly deploy them if necessary. If everything had gone as planned, Germa 66 would have become the dominant force, but a betrayal ruined those plans.

Charlotte Pudding – Memory edits to hide and reveal critical actions

Pudding has the power to manipulate memories using her Devil Fruit ability. At Whole Cake Island, she erased and changed what people remembered, covering up actions and altering accounts from those involved in the Vinsmoke family’s plans. She later restored or tweaked memories to help people escape or keep them safe. This control over what people perceived significantly influenced how conflicts unfolded.

Mr. 2 / Bon Clay (Bentham) – Opening the Gates of Justice at Impel Down

Bon Clay cleverly disguised himself as guards and used the prison’s communication system to unlock the Gates of Justice. He also worked with the prison’s internal systems to slow down anyone chasing Luffy, and skillfully manipulated lockdown procedures and guard movements during the chaos. This allowed Luffy to escape and reach Marineford.

Magellan – Retaking Impel Down with Venom Demon

Following the first security failure, Magellan quickly tried to regain control by releasing Venom Demon into the prison hallways. This widespread gas neutralized large groups of rioters without needing to target individuals. Those who remained were directed into narrow corridors where access to the antidote was limited. This strategy helped to stabilize the prison and prevent a complete escape.

Gecko Moria – Weaponizing stolen shadows and Oars

Moria collected hundreds of shadows to greatly strengthen his zombies and bring the massive Oars to life, effectively turning them into a powerful siege weapon. This allowed him to deploy a truly enormous fighter without putting himself in danger. By switching between shadows, he could take advantage of enemy weaknesses and wear them down. This strategy made Thriller Bark nearly impenetrable, functioning as a fortress with a devastating, mobile weapon.

Silvers Rayleigh – Neutralizing the auction crisis and enabling escape

During the chaotic auction at Sabaody, Rayleigh skillfully used Haki to remove a slave collar without causing harm. He then cleverly delayed the Admirals by reinforcing ships, allowing them to travel underwater and escape. By calming panicked allies and organizing their departure, he helped multiple pirate crews break through the Navy’s blockade of the archipelago, even as the shipyard was overwhelmed.

Benn Beckman – Deterring Admiral action at Marineford

Beckman strategically positioned himself and aimed at Kizaru, stopping the Admiral’s progress. This brief hold-up gave their allies valuable time to move around the bay. It also showed the Red-Hair Pirates were prepared to fight if challenged. The resulting pause ultimately helped solidify the terms of the ceasefire.

Spandam – Leveraging the Golden Den Den Mushi threat

During the attack on Enies Lobby, Spandam used his power to order a Buster Call as a way to control everyone involved. He used a special golden phone, the Golden Den Den Mushi, to rush the process of transferring Robin and make the situation more urgent. This threat forced both sides to change their plans and move forces around the island. Even though he didn’t use it perfectly, this power gave the World Government an advantage in the negotiations and overall strategy.

Tell us about your favorite brilliant move by a character who isn’t a Straw Hat, and let us know which moment you think was the biggest turning point in the story!

2025-11-12 00:49