One Piece has one of the best power systems to exist within the world of anime. Yes, the world-building is phenomenal, but the series has a well-thought-out power system that doesn’t get enough credit.
Devil Fruits were interesting enough to begin with, but the introduction of Haki helped take the plot to the next level.
Haki has gained so much importance that one’s mere survival in the New World depends on whether or not one can use the mystical power.
What Are The Different Types Of Haki?
Haki is an ability that draws on one’s spiritual power. Only a select few can harness their dormant spiritual power and put it to use.
Haki can be categorized into three main types: Observational, Armament, and Conqueror’s Haki– with each having its subsequent subtypes or levels based on the user’s proficiency.
With so many characters running About using Haki, there are bound to be variations. And true enough, the appearance and other minor characteristics of each user’s Haki tend to vary.
Different levels of mastery exist within each type of Haki, giving us different subtypes which grant various powers as the user advances in skill.
With so much going on, it can be hard to keep track, so here is every type of Haki and its known subtypes explained:
1. Observational Haki/ Kenbunshoku Haki
Observational Haki grants the user a sixth sense that can gauge other people’s presence, strength, emotions, and even their intent. The technique, also known as Mantra in Skypiea, also grants highly proficient users precognitive abilities.
The technique requires constant concentration to maintain and can falter easily. While many can attain Observational Haki without any rigorous training, a rare few are naturally born with it or unconsciously awaken it during a pinch.
I. Base Level Observational Haki: Perception
- Presence
Observational Haki is most commonly used to sense the presence of others. When mastered, the user can sense others even if they aren’t in plain sight or are farther than the naked eye can see.
The technique also allows the user to sense a person’s aura, even if deliberately camouflaged as well as their identity depending on how skilled the user is.
When used this way, the user cannot see the target’s physical characteristics but sees a silhouette of them.
The limitations of this method, as seen in Skypiea, are that the user cannot sense the presence of a person if a large creature swallows them, nor can a user trapped in a large creature sense anything happening outside.
Notable Users: Enel, Usopp, Fujitora
- Strength
Along with a person’s presence, Observational Haki also allows the user to perceive the strength of those they sense and the strength of their Haki. This application can help one find powerful allies or avoid foes.
Notable Users: Blackbeard, Ulti
- Emotions
Observational Haki users can sense emotions such as fear, pain, hatred, resentment, suffering, or aggressiveness and even empathize with these emotions consciously or subconsciously.
This application is particularly useful to sense if one is being misled or betrayed but can be fooled by those with a firm grip on their emotions.
Notable Users: Koby, Fujitora, Sanji, Whitebeard, Otohime
- Intent
Yet another commonly used application of Observational Haki allows users to sense an opponent’s intentions to act in the immediate future and predict their movements based on intuition.
Predicting an opponent’s moves can be easier depending on how strong their intent is, but experienced Haki users can predict an opponent’s attacks regardless.
The only counter-measures to this type of Haki are actions performed indiscriminately or without conscious intent or those fast enough that the user can predict them but not react in time.
Notable Users: Enel, Luffy, Satori, Shura, Gedatsu, Ohm, Kuzan, Kizaru, Sakazuki
II. Advanced Observational Haki: Future Vision
The most advanced level of Observational Haki allows users to look into the immediate future via precise mental imagery of future events.
The ability cannot be developed through training but only by advancing one’s Haki in battle and requires intense focus.
The biggest drawback of the precognitive abilities of Observational Haki is that future foreseen can change easily. Visions are also limited to the user’s senses, i.e., their range of sight or hearing.
All Users: Katakuri, Luffy
2. Armament Haki/ Busoshoku Haki
As the name suggests, Armament Haki allows the user to create armor out of spiritual energy with the unique ability to deal damage to all Devil Fruit users– including Logia types.
Armament Haki, also known as Ryuo in Wano, can be used both defensively and offensively.
Users can choose to coat either one part of their body or their entire body with the armament, infuse weapons with it, release explosive bursts of it, or channel it through something they touch based on their skill level.
Armament Haki can sometimes be awakened in the heat of the moment but cannot be used for extended periods without proper training. The best way to develop one’s Armament Haki is through combat with stronger Haki users.
The limitations of Armament Haki are that the technique can be overcome even by opponents with weaker Armament Haki if they possess greater physical strength.
Armament Haki also gets depleted as the user’s spiritual life force, or stamina, runs out, which takes time to replenish.
I. Base Level Armament Haki: Invisible Armor and Hardening
The most basic application of Armament Haki involves coating one’s body with spiritual energy to create armor capable of increasing one’s self offensive power and withstanding multiple attacks.
The armor was primarily invisible prior to the time-skip, while following the time-skip, the coating is commonly black with some variations in appearance and tint among different users. Strong concentrations of Armament Haki can also form a flame-like pattern around the edges.
Notable Users: Garp, Rayleigh, Luffy, Big Mom, Katakuri, Ace, Pica, Marco, Chinjao
II. Intermediate Level Armament Haki: Imbuement
Those who possess the necessary skill can also imbue anything they touch, particularly weapons with Armament Haki making them resistant to damage and increasing their offensive power.
The technique can even be applied to projectiles like bullets and arrows.
Objects hardened with Armament Haki are subject to the same benefits as anybody part hardened with Haki.
Notable Users: Zoro, Mihawk, Shanks, Katakuri
III. Advanced Armament Haki: Invisible Burst
Exceptionally skilled Armament Haki users can emit the power from a part of their body to release an invisible explosive burst of energy.
The burst can knock away anything in the user’s immediate vicinity without needing to make physical contact.
Notable Users: Sentomaru, Big Mom, Kaido Luffy, Rayleigh, Marigold, Kuzan, Sakazuki, Borsalino, Hyogoro, Kawamatsu
IV. Advanced Armament Haki: Internal Destruction
Armament Haki’s most advanced and destructive application involves emitting one’s Haki into an object to destroy it from the inside. The technique is activated through physical touch and wreaks fatal internal damage.
All Users: Rayleigh and Luffy.
3. Conqueror’s Haki/ Haoshoku Haki
Conqueror’s Haki is the rarest form of Haki of the three since only one in a million people are born with the ability, and it cannot be developed through training.
This type of Haki allows users to impose their will on others and can only be strengthened by strengthening their willpower.
Those who possess Conqueror’s Haki are said to have traits associated with kings like effective leadership and possibly the ability to attract followers.
Moreover, Conqueror’s Haki users have often held high-ranking positions of leadership, influence, and respect, earning them the epithet ‘Supreme Rulers.’ Moreover, every known user of Conqueror’s Haki so far has mastered all three types of Haki.
The effectiveness of the technique depends on the user’s will being stronger than their opponents’. While those with stronger wills can resist the effects, highly weak-willed opponents can lose consciousness almost instantly.
The select few who manage to resist it can often sense the technique being used but tend to become lightheaded and need to concentrate on maintaining consciousness.
I. Base Level Conqueror’s Haki: Intimidation and Incapacitation
Basic levels of Conqueror’s Haki can intimidate opponents, particularly animals, into submission or frighten them into fleeing.
As for humans, Conqueror’s Haki seems to more commonly incapacitate them by knocking them unconscious rather than forcing them into submission. Skilled users can knock out hordes of opponents instantly.
While inexperienced users tend to verbally incapacitate whoever around is weak-willed enough indiscriminately, experienced users need only glare and can limit the effect of their Haki, choosing who they wish to knock out or not even when surrounded by many people.
Notable Users: Shanks, Luffy, Doflamingo, Ace
II. Intermediate Level Conqueror’s Haki: Physical Destruction
With sufficient power, Conqueror’s Haki users can even damage physical objects in their surroundings.
When two Conqueror’s Haki users clash, it generates crackling lightning-like streams of dark energy and shockwaves that can blast away anything in the vicinity.
Notable Users: Roger, Whitebeard, Luffy, Shanks, Doflamingo, Chinjao, Kaido, Big Mom
III. Advanced Conqueror’s Haki: Infusion
Only a handful of proficient users exist who can infuse their body and weapons with Conqueror’s Haki, enhancing their physical attacks in a manner similar to Armament Haki.
Infusion is one of the strongest applications of Conqueror’s Haki– it provides a massive power boost and can deal damage without needing to make contact with the opponent.
All Users: Roger, Whitebeard, Luffy, Kaido, Big Mom, and Yamato.
Which Type Of Haki Is The Strongest?
Conqueror’s Haki is the strongest type of Haki. It can easily knock out masses of people without conscious effort, instantly getting rid of weaker foes.
Infusion, one of the strongest applications of Conqueror’s Haki, can cause tremendous damage without physical contact.
Conqueror’s Haki is incredibly rare and the most significant indicator of the welder’s superiority over the rest in the New World. In terms of physical strength and destruction, Armament Haki is a close second.
About One Piece
One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 22, 1997.
The man who had acquired everything in this world, the Pirate King, is Gol D. Roger. The final words he said at the execution tower were “My treasures? If you want it, I’ll let you have it. Look for it; I left all of it at that place.” These words sent many to the seas, chasing their dreams, headed toward the Grand Line, in search of One Piece. Thus began a new age!
Seeking to be the greatest pirate in the world, young Monkey D. Luffy also heads toward the Grand Line in search of One Piece. His diverse crew is joining him along the way, consisting of a swordsman, marksman, navigator, cook, doctor, archaeologist, and cyborg-shipwright, this will be one memorable adventure.
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