Most of the world of One Piece is covered by water, and since Gol D. Roger’s announcement of the One Piece, there has been a sharp rise in pirates across the vast seas. To keep these outlaws in check, the World Government established the Warlord system, appointing seven pirates at a time to help maintain the balance of power.
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However, the Warlords were former notorious pirates, and it was their reputation that allowed the Government to exert control in exchange for granting them freedom. Over time, the system was disbanded due to how the Warlords abused their authority. While it was still in effect, there were a total of 11 Warlords, each with a unique presence, and here is how they are ranked based on various aspects.
11) Edward Weevil
Edward Weevil, the son of Buckingham Stussy, who claims that Whitebeard is Weevil’s father, was introduced after the timeskip as one of the new Warlords. His introduction made it clear that he is being controlled by his mother, who seeks revenge against the Whitebeard Pirates and aims to reclaim a treasure she believes rightfully belongs to her.
Although Weevil lacks intelligence, he more than makes up for it with his strength, having defeated multiple allies of Whitebeard on his own. That said, after the system was abolished, he was captured by Admiral Ryokugyu and has had no impact since. For this reason, as a Warlord, Weevil had the least influence and ranked at the bottom of the list.
10) Gecko Moria
The primary antagonist of the Straw Hats during the Thriller Bark arc, Gecko Moria, presented a unique take on the Warlord role. He was said to have been as strong as Kaido in his prime; however, the Moria featured in this arc was far weaker, though he had his own scientific development through the use of zombies.
He provided somewhat decent fights for the Straw Hats and is likely not stronger than Weevil, but it is his impact and potential that allow him to stand out slightly. With his possible connection to Wano and the fact that he remains loose on the seas, Moria could return with significant influence, as his shadow-controlling Devil Fruit still holds the potential to heavily impact the story.
9) Boa Hancock
Boa Hancock is the only woman ever to hold the position of a Warlord, and she does so with heavy lore behind her. A former slave of the Celestial Dragons and the current Empress of Amazon Lily, Hancock remains a significant threat thanks to her formidable Devil Fruit. With her devotion to Luffy and desire to marry him, fans have also come to ship her with the protagonist.
However, beyond this, she has had a limited impact on the broader narrative, which is unfortunate given how intriguing her character is. For now, her role largely revolves around charming other pirates and fawning over Luffy, but that could change. If her influence on the story expands, she could emerge as one of the higher-ranked Warlords of the seas.
8) Jinbei
Jinbe was introduced during the Impel Down arc, by which time the Knight of the Sea had already abandoned his role as one of the Warlords of the Sea. His narrative has always placed him firmly on the side of good, making it easy to imagine that he acted similarly during his time as a Warlord. In terms of strength, Jinbe is among the strongest characters, with his Fish-Man Karate placing him in a league of his own.
Currently serving as the helmsman of the Straw Hat Pirates, Jinbe still has significant roles to play in the story. However, as a Warlord, he never truly stood out, which is why he ranks in the lower tiers compared to others who had a greater impact in that position.
7) Crocodile
Crocodile was the first Warlord villain the Straw Hats faced, and he demonstrated just how powerful, impactful, and political a Warlord could be. He embodied everything fans imagined the role to represent, and his presence never disappointed. However, he was defeated by a pre-timeskip Luffy who had not even manifested Gear Second, largely due to water being his major weakness.
This defeat does not diminish Crocodile’s strength in any way, as his bounty of nearly two billion berries highlights that he operates in a league of his own. Now a key member of the newly formed Cross Guild, Crocodile is poised for a major return, and anticipation for it remains high.
6) Bartholomew Kuma
To the residents of the world of One Piece, Bartholomew Kuma was seen as the Warlord most loyal to the World Government. However, recent revelations paint a tragic foundation for his character, portraying him as not only the kindest Warlord but also one of the kindest characters in the series. Before becoming a weapon of the Government, Kuma was a former member of the Revolutionary Army, and his cooperation with the World Government stemmed from his desire to save Bonney.
Kuma’s impact as a Warlord is among the most significant, as his body was used as the template to create the Pacifista and several other weapons. For this reason, his influence as a Warlord is arguably greater than that of many others, though he still falls short compared to those who had an even larger impact.
5) Buggy
Buggy’s rise as a Warlord and later as one of the Emperors of the Sea highlights that achieving such status requires notoriety and political influence, both of which luck has continuously provided him. During his time as a Warlord, Buggy further expanded his Buggy Delivery service, which ultimately helped propel him to prominence as an Emperor.
While fans often view Buggy as a joke character and see his achievements as part of the series’ humor, his ascent among the most notorious pirates reflects a surprising realism that is easy to overlook. It remains exciting to see what One Piece has in store for him in its final stages.
4) Trafalgar D. Water Law
Trafalgar Law, a fan-favorite character in One Piece, was deeply shaped by the influence of another Warlord, Donquixote Doflamingo. Law’s rise as both a pirate and a Warlord was driven largely by his hatred for Doflamingo and his desire to bring down both him and Kaido, figures who had a profound impact on his childhood. Because of this, Law established himself as one of the most notorious and formidable pirates of his era.
During the final stages of the Wano arc, Law awakened his Devil Fruit, a development that played a crucial role in defeating Big Mom. Since then, he has continued roaming the seas and even survived Blackbeard’s ambush. This suggests that Law is far from finished as a character, and while his time as a Warlord was short-lived, his overall impact on the story is far from over.
3) Donquixote Doflamingo
Donquixote Doflamingo, the primary antagonist of the Dressrosa arc, served as the final Warlord villain the Straw Hats would face, and his actions were extraordinary. Doflamingo exerted an immense political influence on the world of One Piece, arguably greater than any other Warlord, and his manipulative personality only heightened his presence.
His Devil Fruit perfectly reflected his character, and he was among the first characters shown to have awakened his abilities. Doflamingo’s backstory further illustrated how he was shaped to walk his dark path, making his downfall inevitable. It was after his defeat that the decision was made to abolish the Warlord system, driven by the Government’s fear of how such power could be abused. Even now, his return seems possible, and fans are eager to see what role he may play in the future.
2) Blackbeard
Blackbeard, also known as Marshall D. Teach, is arguably the strongest character on this list, and placing someone like him in the role of a Warlord inevitably brought heavy political consequences. It was later revealed that Blackbeard accepted the position solely to gain access to Impel Down, freeing dangerous inmates in the process. His rise to Warlord status also led to Ace’s capture, which ultimately resulted in the deaths of both Ace and Whitebeard.
As a Warlord, Blackbeard arguably caused more damage to the World Government than any other individual in the role. His influence continues to grow, and Teach is destined to be one of the most impactful characters in the final saga of One Piece. Even so, the very first Warlord introduced still stands above him in the overall ranking of the Warlords.
1) Dracule Mihawk
Dracule Mihawk was the first Warlord introduced in One Piece, immediately establishing himself as a character on a completely different level. As the world’s greatest swordsman, Mihawk accepted the Warlord position solely to live a quiet life and seek worthy opponents, especially after Shanks lost his left arm.
Following the abolition of the Warlord system, Mihawk became a leading figure in the Cross Guild, and his presence alone has made the syndicate even deadlier than the Warlord system ever was. Mihawk still has a major role to play in the story, and it will be exciting to see what the future holds for him. His impact as a Warlord is undeniably unparalleled in One Piece, as his presence alone accounted for a significant portion of the system’s overall power and aura.
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