One Piece: All Rocks Pirates, ranked weakest to strongest

The Rocks Pirates, a legendary band that dominated the seas about four decades before the current One Piece narration, are considered the mightiest pirate crew in history, surpassing even the Roger Pirates. This group was led by Rocks D. Xebec, a powerful, audacious man aware of Imu’s existence and determined to overthrow the enigmatic ruler to become “the king of the world” in their stead.

With the island of Hachinosu as his base, Xebec recruited several formidable individuals, each with a fearsome reputation.

Among Xebec’s comrades were Edward Newgate “Whitebeard,” Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin “Big Mom,” three pirates who would later become Emperors, as well as “Golden Lion” Shiki, who would become one of Roger’s fiercest rivals and clash with Garp and Sengoku. Other notable members include Wang Zhi, Kyo “Silver Axe”, and Captain John, among others.

However, the Rocks Pirates met their downfall during a tremendous battle on God Valley, where they were defeated by a temporary alliance between the Roger Pirates and Monkey D. Garp’s Marines. Following this fateful incident, the surviving crewmembers went their separate ways, while the World Government erased all traces of Xebec’s life from history, concealing his deeds from the public.

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from the One Piece manga up to chapter 1158.

Every member of the Rocks Pirates in One Piece, ranked from least to most powerful

15) Don Marlon

Don Marlon in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

A mafia boss from the West Blue, Don Marlon established himself as a dangerous outlaw before transitioning to a life of piracy. He typically wielded a large rifle, using it to terrorize and overwhelm his enemies.

Marlon’s membership in the all-powerful Rocks Pirates alone suggests his considerable might. He joined the crew before the attack on Hachinosu, perhaps recruited during a Davy Back Fight, meaning he partook in the successful venture.

14) Ganzui

Ganzui in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Ganzui was a smuggler who joined the Rocks Pirates, likely recruited by Rocks D. Xebec following a Davy Back Fight. He possessed a large, muscular frame with a broad build, massive hands, and huge forearms, likely suggesting uncommon physical strength. His body was almost entirely clad in bulky armor.

At some point, Ganzui perished, and his corpse was retrieved by Gecko Moria, who used his Devil Fruit ability to reanimate it into a zombie for his army of undead. It remains unclear whether Ganzui died during the God Valley Incident or at another time.

13) Streusen

Streusen in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Before co-founding the Big Mom Pirates alongside Charlotte Linlin, Streusen accompanied her during her tenure in the Rocks Pirates. At the time, he already had the powers of the Cook-Cook Fruit, which allowed him to convert any object into edible food to sustain himself and others. This bizarre ability could be used to neutralize weapons by turning them into food and even accomplish impressive feats such as instantly converting an entire castle into edible material.

As an elderly man, Streusen remained proficient in wielding a sword in combination with his Devil Fruit powers to great effect. Capone Bege, one of the Eleven Supernovas of the Worst Generation, appeared wary of Streusen when the latter was a frail old man. This suggests that, during his younger days as a member of the Rocks Pirates, Streusen was a capable fighter.

12) Gill Bastar

Gill Bastar in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Eiichiro Oda recently revealed that Gill Bastar from One Piece is the same character as Gill Bastar from Wanted!, a one-shot manga that Oda created several years before crafting his iconic One Piece story. In Wanted!, Gill was a cunning and skilled gunslinger known for shooting his enemies with quickness and deadly accuracy.

Gill had a high bounty on his head for taking many lives with his lethal revolver pistol. Eventually, he became a member of Rocks D. Xebec's infamous crew. At some point, whether during the God Valley Incident or later, Gill died, and his corpse ended up reanimated as one of the zombies in Gecko Moria’s army.

11) Buckingham Stussy

Stussy in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Buckingham Stussy was among the first to join Rocks D. Xebec alongside Edward Newgate “Whitebeard” and Shiki "Golden Lion." A couple of years after the God Valley Incident, Stussy served as the template for the illegal research team MADS to create their first successful human clone, also named Stussy. This clone later became an elite CP0 agent, while secretly working as a spy for Dr Vegapunk.

The cloned Stussy became a masterful user of Rokushiki, complementing this martial arts style with the usage of tricky Seastone items to counter Devil Fruit users. She wielded a Devil Fruit herself, the Bat-Bat Fruit, which allowed her to sprout bat-like wings and instantly put enemies to sleep by biting them.

During her time in the Rocks Pirates, Stussy reportedly formed a relationship with Whitebeard. Now an elderly woman, she self-proclaims to be the mother of Whitebeard’s son, Edward Weevil.

10) Barbel

Barbel in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Barbel is an enormous Fish-Man who joined the Rocks Pirates around the time of their conquest of Hachinosu and was present at the God Valley Incident. As a Fish-Man, Barbel was an exceptional swimmer and had ten times the physical strength of an average human. Furthermore, his combat prowess would increase when fighting underwater or near a water source.

Barbel’s exact skills with Fish-Man Karate remain undisclosed. However, his membership in the most powerful pirate crew in history suggests he was a formidable practitioner of this martial art, which allows Fish-Men to manipulate any surrounding water to perform a variety of techniques.

9) Gloriosa

Gloriosa in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Gloriosa, the former captain of the Kuja Pirates and Empress of Amazon Lily three generations before Boa Hancock, was once a member of the Rocks Pirates. She joined Xebec’s crew a few years before the God Valley Incident.

Even now, as an elderly woman, Gloriosa displays surprising agility, suggesting that in her prime days she could move with even greater finesse. Also, as a former Amazon Lily Empress, she was likely proficient in at least the basic forms of Haki, given that even average Kuja warriors can use Armament and Observation Haki to a certain extent.

8) Captain John

Captain John in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Captain John was never depicted in combat, but the two swords he carried, coupled with his alleged high standing within the Rocks Pirates, imply that he was a powerful individual. He joined Xebec’s band before the conquest of Hachinosu. After the Rocks Pirates disbanded following Xebec’s demise in God Valley, John formed his own crew and gained a significant reputation.

However, John’s subordinates eventually mutinied, killing him to seize the immense treasure he had reportedly amassed. His corpse was later found by Gecko Moria, who used his Devil Fruit powers to reanimate it as a zombie for his army.

7) Wang Zhi

Wang Zhi in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Wang Zhi, also known as Ochoku, was a prominent member of the Rocks Pirates. After Rocks D. Xebec’s death during the God Valley Incident, he became the new ruler of Hachinosu. While Wang Zhi’s exact abilities and combat skills remain unknown, the fact that he could claim and hold Hachinosu until Marshall D. Teach “Blackbeard” overpowered him speaks to his considerable might.

In fact, Blackbeard allegedly required some assistance from the talented Marine officer Koby to defeat Wang Zhi in a world-famous event that became known as the Rocky Port Incident.

6) Kyo “Silver Axe”

Kyo in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Silver Axe, whose true name was Kyo, was a violent Yakuza hitman who joined Xebec’s crew sometime after their conquest of Hachinosu. During his days as a Yakuza, Kyo competed with Shiki, a rivalry that seemingly continued in the Rocks Pirates. Granted, Shiki had a superior portrayal, considering his status as a man capable of standing up to the likes of Sengoku and Gol D. Roger.

Kyo’s inferiority to Shiki is also reflected in their epithets, designating them as “silver” and “gold,” respectively, a subtle hint at how they compare to each other. This disparity was further implied when Kyo, unlike Whitebeard and a young Kaido, was injured by a bomb Shiki dropped on them. Nevertheless, Kyo remained a formidable figure, with his intimidating presence and muscular physique.

The fact that he carried a massive axe suggests that Kyo was a fearsome weapon user who earned his epithet by slaughtering foes on the battlefield. Interestingly, the story implied that Kyo survived the God Valley Incident, yet his current status remains unknown.

5) Kaido

Kaido in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Kaido, the man who would later become the captain of the Beasts Pirates and rise as one of the Four Emperors, hailed as the World’s Strongest Creature, was once a member of the Rocks Pirates. During his time in Xebec’s crew, Kaido had not yet acquired his signature Fish-Fish Fruit Model: Azure Dragon, which he only gained during the final moments of the God Valley Incident. Most likely, he also still had to hone his Haki mastery.

So, the incarnation of Kaido in his Rocks Pirates days wasn’t as powerful as he became in later years, much less at the height of his strength as during his showdown with Monkey D. Luffy in the Wano Arc’s climax. It’s unclear to what extent Kaido had developed his exceptional physical prowess and ability to use the advanced forms of all three types of Haki during his youth as Xebec’s subordinate.

That said, even the young Kaido was already insanely strong. Unlike “Silver Axe,” who was injured by Shiki’s bomb, Kaido endured it unscathed, just like Whitebeard, which showcases his might. A further testament to this, Kaido’s addition to the Rocks Pirates was depicted as a shocking boost to the crew’s overall power.

4) Charlotte Linlin “Big Mom”

Big Mom in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Before forming her own crew, the Big Mom Pirates, and becoming one of the Four Emperors and the ruler of Totto Land, Charlotte Linlin “Big Mom” was a member of the Rocks Pirates. At that time, she probably wasn’t at her peak, but she was likely close to it. Assuming she had less mastery of Haki and Devil Fruit, her endurance and stamina were potentially superior to those she displayed in her recent appearances on Whole Cake Island and Wano.

Considering that a 68-year-old Big Mom was able to endure all of Trafalgar Law and Eustass Kid’s best attacks in succession, only losing the battle due to the two Supernovas’ numerical advantage, which allowed them to eventually push her into the void, this astonishing toughness highlights how formidable she must have been when she was nearly 40 years younger.

After all, even before being famous as “Big Mom,” Charlotte Linlin was regarded as a freak of nature for her extraordinarily durable body and immense, unnatural physical strength, traits she was born with. The Soul-Soul Fruit’s unique powers, allowing her to manipulate souls and create creatures called Homies, rendered her even more dangerous.

Considering them in their respective primes, Kaido evidently surpasses Big Mom, but at the time of their shared tenure in the Rocks Pirates, she was probably stronger than him. She treated him like a younger brother and saved his life by giving him the Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit that was pivotal for his survival in God Valley.

3) Shiki “Golden Lion”

Shiki in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

One of the first people to join Rocks D. Xebec, the former Yakuza mobster Shiki came across as the third strongest member of the Rocks Pirates behind Xebec himself and Whitebeard. Shiki’s frequent portrayal alongside Whitebeard suggests they were Xebec’s number three and number two, respectively.

Over time, Kaido may have surpassed Shiki, but during their time in Xebec’s crew, the “Golden Lion” was probably stronger than him. Shiki’s combat skills were fearsome, combining his formidable dual-wielding swordsmanship with the powers of the Float-Float Fruit. This astounding Devil Fruit granted Shiki the ability to fly and allowed him to telekinetically manipulate and levitate any non-living matter he touched.

Unsurprisingly, after the God Valley Incident, Shiki went on to become one of the world’s most notorious figures, clashing with other legendary individuals on equal terms. He was one of Gol D. Roger’s fiercest rivals as well as the personal archenemy of Sengoku, a man who served as Admiral and even Fleet Admiral.

Shiki’s rivalry with Sengoku probably reflected a parity in strength, as the “Golden Lion” was only defeated when Sengoku teamed up with Monkey D. Garp to confront him. While the battle ended with his evident defeat, Shiki was able to put up a good fight despite the two-on-one odds against the two Marine legends, a feat that cements his top-tier status in One Piece.

Shiki’s legend grew further as he was the first person to escape from Impel Down. Given Shiki’s impressive portrayal and outstanding skillset, his rivalry with Kyo “Silver Axe” likely stemmed not from matched fighting prowess but from their shared history as rival Yakuza mobsters. In any case, the “gold” in Shiki’s epithet versus Kyo’s “silver” subtly suggests Shiki’s dominance.

2) Edward Newgate “Whitebeard”

Whitebeard in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

With his compassionate nature, Edward Newgate “Whitebeard” was probably at odds with the ruthless behavior of the Rocks Pirates, a conflict that shaped his later focus on prioritizing family and loyalty in his pirate career. That said, Whitebeard’s power was undeniable, even in his youth. His immense physical strength, potent Haki, and devastating Devil Fruit ability made him second only to Rocks D. Xebec in the crew’s strength hierarchy.

The Tremor-Tremor Fruit alone granted Whitebeard incredible destructive potential, capable of unleashing shattering vibrations, earthquakes, and tsunamis. While his Haki proficiency may not have been as good as in his prime, it’s reasonable to assume he could already use the advanced versions of all three Haki types.

It’s no surprise that Whitebeard was capable of matching Gol D. Roger, the future Pirate King. In the years that followed, he rose to become one of the Four Emperors, and his reputation for strength was such that he was regarded as the World’s Strongest Man and the closest person to finding the One Piece. During the Great Age of Pirates, everyone respected him as the mightiest pirate alive.

Even when weakened by old age and sickness, Whitebeard could endure several life-threatening attacks from the Navy Admirals and wield his Tremor-Tremor Fruit with enough power to nearly destroy Marineford. With this in mind, at the peak of his youth and health, his might was almost unparalleled, especially as he could combine Advanced Conqueror’s Haki with his world-shattering Devil Fruit ability, unleashing brute force that very few could survive.

1) Rocks D. Xebec

Xebec in the One Piece manga (Image via Shueisha)

Rocks D. Xebec, a bold, ambitious, and charismatic figure, sought to overthrow the World Government and rule the globe in their place. One of the very few to uncover Imu’s existence, Xebec was so powerful that he could single-handedly storm the Levely and penetrate Mary Geoise, even reaching the Pangaea Castle’s Room of Flowers, an unparalleled feat that no other pirate has ever achieved, before or since.

During this assault, he fought and defeated a Marine Admiral, inflicting him injuries so severe that the Admiral later succumbed. Even though the identity and abilities of that Admiral remain unknown, Admirals are held as the Navy’s strongest fighters. Thus, to kill one with relative ease, without sustaining any serious injury in the process, is another incredible feat that very few One Piece characters could replicate.

After defeating the Admiral, Xebec still had enough strength to face King Harald, the formidable sovereign of Elbaph and heir to the bloodline of the Ancient Giants. In their evenly matched duel, not only did Xebec hold his own against Harald’s immense physical might, but their clash unleashed Conqueror’s Haki so intense that it knocked out everyone within a five-kilometer radius.

Xebec was renowned for infusing his Conqueror’s Haki into his sword to dramatically increase the power of his attacks. His sword techniques were famous for obliterating anything in their path, generating shockwaves, and crushing targets through brute force, akin to a giant hammer or a cannon blast. He could even destroy one of Enies Lobby’s massive Gates of Justice.

Xebec was the leader of the mightiest pirate crew in history, with Whitebeard, Shiki, Big Mom, Kaido, and other world-famous individuals as his subordinates, which speaks volumes of his strength. His downfall came when Gol D. Roger and Monkey D. Garp unexpectedly teamed up to fight him in God Valley. No greater testament to Xebec’s unfathomable power exists than the fact that it took the combined effort of these two absolute legends to finally bring him down.