In the vast array of antagonists in One Piece, few can match the sheer malevolence of Rob Lucci. This bloodthirsty killer aligned himself with the World Government to gain the sinister legality of taking lives. Empowered by a Zoan Devil Fruit, Lucci seamlessly transitions into a fearsome human-leopard hybrid, bolstering his formidable Rokushiki techniques.
Lucci's prowess earned him accolades from notable figures like Bartholomew Kuma and Borsalino "Kizaru." Once, he engaged Luffy in a battle that stretched the rubbery hero to his limits and even beyond, until he finally emerged victorious. Post time skip, Lucci honed an impressive Armament Haki and elevated his Devil Fruit to Awakening.
Elevating his status to that of an elite masked operative within CP0, the World Government's enigmatic covert agency, Lucci took part in the Egghead Incident. In this narrative arc, he loomed as the paramount threat to the Straw Hat Pirates, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the mighty Kizaru. Naturally, within the One Piece universe, there are characters Lucci could decisively conquer, as well as those who would inevitably outmatch him.
Caution: This content includes significant spoilers from the One Piece manga, extending up to chapter 1091.
Five fights that Rob Lucci can win as of One Piece chapter 1091
5) Lucci vs Nekomamushi
Neck and neck with Inuarashi, his near-equivalent in every aspect, Nekomamushi claims the mantle of the Minks tribe's mightiest member. Possessing rapidity, agility, and formidable physical strength, Nekomamushi can ratchet up his powers by unleashing the awe-inspiring Sulong transformation.
In their base forms, Neko and Inu took on Jack, the fourth most potent figure in the Beasts Pirates, with parity. But when they tapped into their Sulong state, Inuarashi triumphed over Jack in a one-on-one duel, while Nekomamushi decimated Perospero, another Commander-level combatant.
Neko's physical prowess is undeniably robust, accompanied by adeptness in Armament Haki. However, these aspects still fall short when juxtaposed with Lucci's superior attributes. Lucci's résumé boasts more remarkable feats, making him swifter, sturdier, more lethal, and endowed with superior Haki mastery, thereby securing his upper hand.
Verdict: Lucci wins with low difficulty.
4) Lucci vs Queen
Standing as the third mightiest force within the Beasts Pirates, Queen possesses remarkable endurance and physical might, attributes bestowed by his Ancient Zoan Brachiosaurus form. By infusing his body with advanced weaponry like laser beams and extendable limbs, he's fashioned himself into a formidable arsenal.
Augmenting his repertoire further, he integrated diverse talents from the Vinsmoke siblings. While it's true that Queen initially dominated the clash against Sanji, the tides turned dramatically as Sanji harnessed his family's genetic enhancements, subjecting Queen to a brutal defeat.
In his confrontations, Queen's clumsy nature becomes glaringly apparent as he inadvertently lands blows on himself and loses his focus. This inherent awkwardness renders him ill-prepared to engage a lethal adversary like Lucci. Lucci's agility will enable him to evade Queen's onslaughts and counter with a potent mixture of Awakening and Armament Haki-fueled Rokushiki techniques, ultimately sealing Queen's fate.
Verdict: Lucci wins with low to medium difficulty.
3) Lucci vs Donquixote Doflamingo
Existing as one of the Seven Warlords, commanding the Donquixote Pirates, and reigning over Dressrosa, the once exalted Celestial Dragon, Doflamingo, held paramount sway as a commanding figure in the treacherous New World seas. Yet, following his defeat at Luffy's hands, his titles were stripped away, and he found himself incarcerated within Impel Down's confines.
Doflamingo's might is undeniable, marred only by his excessive self-assuredness. His mastery of the String-String Fruit grants him the ability to traverse the skies and launch attacks across various distances. With this power, he savagely triumphed over the likes of Sanji and Smoker, overwhelmed the esteemed Trafalgar Law, and coerced Luffy into unleashing his formidable Gear 4.
Alas, Doflamingo's prowess would waver against the current prowess of Lucci. Despite Doflamingo's aptitude as a consummate Devil Fruit wielder, coupled with his agility and resilience, Lucci's immense speed and unparalleled physical strength tip the scales decisively. Encompassing the fusion of Geppo and Soru into the Kamisori technique, Lucci's velocity would soar to such heights that he'd effortlessly outpace Doflamingo even amidst the aerial domain.
Verdict: Lucci wins with mid to high difficulty.
2) Lucci vs Sanji
Sanji secures his position as the third strongest member among the Straw Hat crew, an esteemed rank nestled beneath only Luffy and Zoro. Over time, his physical evolution ushered in a unique exoskeleton, elevating his endurance, while mastery of the intensified Ifrit Jambe granted him a formidable enhancement of his Diable Jambe kicks. It's this arsenal that propelled him to victory over Queen "The Plague."
Harnessing the might of the Ifrit Jambe and surging at maximum velocity, Sanji could potentially find himself on equal footing with Lucci. However, Sanji's exertions in wielding these abilities come at the cost of rapid fatigue, whereas Lucci's Hybrid and Awakened Zoan forms impose no temporal constraints.
Sanji's displays with Haki remain modest compared to Lucci's formidable mastery. Lucci's strength was epitomized by his head-to-head clash against Luffy's potent Color of Armament and his dismantling of Sentomaru's impregnable Haki defense – a shield comparable to Sanji's exoskeleton. Notably, Lucci's Rokuogan technique allows him to inflict internal injuries on Sanji.
If Queen managed to apprehend and restrain Sanji, Lucci, infinitely swifter, could effortlessly ensnare him with his tail and subsequently unleash Rokuogan, surmounting Sanji's exoskeletal defense. While Sanji steered clear of targeting Stussy, implying recognition of his incapability, Lucci's caliber looms much larger, as evidenced by his standing as a CP0 agent.
Verdict: Lucci wins with high difficulty.
1) Lucci vs Charlotte Katakuri
The paramount figure among Charlotte Linlin's subordinates, Katakuri, harmonizes his finely honed Observation Haki—allowing him to glimpse into the imminent future—with the versatile capabilities of the Mochi-Mochi Fruit. This potent combo was even elevated to the echelons of Awakening.
With this fusion, Katakuri adeptly forecasts his opponents' actions, deftly evading their strikes and expertly timing his riposte. A proficient Armament Haki practitioner as well, Katakuri posed a formidable challenge for Luffy in their past clash. Their duel culminated in a simultaneous knockout, with Katakuri enjoying a dominant early phase.
Though his Future Sight offers premonition, Katakuri must still physically evade the impending assaults. Unlike his Zoan Awakening, which showcases no temporal restrictions, Lucci can relentlessly exert pressure. Katakuri's precious Observation Haki could wane if overused.
Having demonstrated resilience against formidable strikes from Gear 5 Luffy, Lucci boasts the fortitude to withstand Katakuri's assaults, ultimately outlasting the Sweet Commander. Exploiting his velocity, Lucci would surge beyond Katakuri's Future Sight, thereby unveiling a lethal blend of Rokushiki prowess and Haki mastery to orchestrate Katakuri's downfall.
Verdict: Lucci wins with extreme difficulty.
Five fights that would see Lucci defeated as of One Piece chapter 1091
5) Lucci vs Yamato
During the Onigashima Raid, Yamato displayed mighty power, as she was temporarily able to hold her own against Kaido. Granted, the Emperor didn't go all-out against her, and she wasn't able to inflict any meaningful damage on him, but the feat remains absolutely outstanding.
Owing to the Mythical Zoan Fruit of the Okuchi no Makami, Yamato can amp her physical abilities as well as create and manipulate ice. Born with the very rare Color of Conqueror, Yamato is one of the very few people who can use the advanced version of this Haki.
Yamato's movements may be slower than Lucci's, but her combat speed is high enough to fend him off, as she was able to keep up with Kaido's fast Thunder Bagua moves. Her defense is very good, and, more importantly, she can use her Advanced Conqueror's Haki to overpower Lucci.
With both clashing against an Emperor-level individual who was partially holding back, Yamato was able to last against Kaido longer than Lucci could against Luffy, which emphasizes her superiority over the CP0 assassin.
Verdict: Yamato wins with high difficulty.
4) Lucci vs Silvers Rayleigh (old)
The former right-hand man of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, Silvers Rayleigh is a man very few One Piece characters can compete with. Regarded by Garp as a living legend of the same caliber as Whitebeard, Rayleigh is feared throughout the world as the "Dark King."
Even as a rusty and inactive old man, Rayleigh remained powerful enough to intimidate Blackbeard and successfully fend off Admiral Kizaru. This implies that in his prime days, he was stronger than them and most of the other top-tier fighters in the series.
A mighty swordsman and Haki master, Rayleigh is so strong that the potency of his Conqueror's Haki was directly compared to that of Shanks'. Even as an old man, Rayleigh is far above Lucci's pay grade, as the former can fight on par with Kizaru, a fighter comparable to Luffy, against whom Lucci lost.
Verdict: Rayleigh (old) wins with medium difficulty.
3) Lucci vs Monkey D. Garp (old)
Despite his strength surpassing even that of the Admirals, the "Marine Hero" decided to remain a Vice Admiral permanently, not wanting to work for the Celestial Dragon. In his prime days, Garp was strong enough to fight on par with Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.
Even many years past his prime, Garp was able to take on former Admiral Kuzan "Aokiji," backed by Shiryu and other major officers of the Blackbeard Pirates. Despite his old age, Garp beat Aokiji at speed and overpowered him. He was only forced to put his life on the line to save Koby and the other young Marine officers.
There's no way Lucci would be able to keep up with Garp's overwhelming physical capabilities. The old Marine's immensely destructive blows, coated in both Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki, would make the fight rather one-sided.
Verdict: Garp (old) wins with low difficulty.
2) Lucci vs Monkey D. Luffy
Following his triumph over Kaido, Luffy ascended to the ranks of the Four Emperors. Exhibiting exceptional combat prowess, Luffy is proficient in the advanced iterations of all three Haki categories and wields the Human-Human Fruit Model: Nika. This Devil Fruit bequeaths him a body endowed with rubbery characteristics.
Employing his transformative "Gears," Luffy amplifies his aptitudes to unprecedented heights. During the showdown with Kaido, Luffy unleashed an unprecedented Gear 5, endowing him with surreal abilities that empower him to battle in alignment with his creative whims, akin to the deity Sun God Nika.
In the aftermath of their Enies Lobby encounter, Luffy and Lucci engaged in a rematch within Egghead. Initially, they engaged in a fierce exchange, their clashes mirroring each other's strengths, with Lucci's physical might and Armament Haki perfectly mirroring the prowess of Gear 5 Luffy. However, Luffy's escalation of attack force promptly incapacitated Lucci.
Importantly, Luffy harnessed his most formidable form while deliberately forgoing the utilization of his Advanced Conqueror's Haki, alongside the tactics he employed against Kaido. It's worth highlighting that if he had harnessed these capabilities, his victory would have resonated with even greater clarity.
Verdict: Luffy wins with low difficulty.
1) Lucci vs Akainu
The owner of the lethal Mag-Mag Fruit, which allows him to burn everything in his path, Sakazuki "Akainu" easily beat and killed Portgas D. Ace. He also fatally wounded the all-powerful Whitebeard, who was hailed as the World's Strongest Man.
A testament to his physical might, Akainu was able to endure two punches from an enraged Whitebeard, including a blow strong enough to split Marineford in two as a side effect. Still, not even such ravaging attacks could stop Akainu, who recovered and went on a rampage.
He annihilated Jinbe and Ivankov and single-handedly fought the entire collective of Whitebeard's officers (minus Ace and Jozu, but including Marco and Vista, and adding former Warlord Crocodile).
After beating his former colleague Aokiji, Akainu became the Navy's Fleet Admiral. While a skilled fighter in his own right, Lucci wouldn't be able to inflict any damage on Akainu, who, in turn, would abruptly kill him with his Devil Fruit powers.
Verdict: Akainu wins with no difficulty.
Final thoughts
As a strict follower of "Dark Justice," despite having forged a temporary truce with the Straw Hat Pirates, in the most recent One Piece chapter, Lucci tried to accomplish his original mission of killing Vegapunk. Luckily, Roronoa Zoro stepped in, challenging the bloodthirsty assassin to a fight.
Thus, an amazing battle is about to start between Zoro, the second-in-command of the Straw Hat Pirates, and Lucci, the mightiest and most vicious CP0 agent. Based on the feats and abilities they have shown so far, Zoro should emerge victorious in all likelihood.
Still, Lucci, whose combat prowess definitely exceeds the standard of most Commander-level fighters, possibly reaching a level comparable to Marco, King, and Katakuri's, will try to save his life dearly.
