Usopp Tactics

Usopp, being a member of the Straw Hat Pirates, has had to face an opponent or two. However, unlike the rest of the crew who either specialize in super human feats of strength or what ever, Usopp doesn't exactly have the physique to match their inhuman strengths. He thus instead uses a number of weapons and gadgets in order to keep up with them. These weapons, along with his sniper skills, give him a completely unique fighting style of his own. A fighting style which even amazes his fellow crewmembers. This page lists and details each and every weapon in Usopp's arsenal. It also provides and details the attacks that come along with them.

Lies
Usopp's first and foremost weapons are his lies. Derived from his constant lying about pirates invading everyday in his hometown as well from telling tall tales to his then bedridden friend, Kaya, Usopp has developed a knack for telling tall stories. These lies are sometimes so ridiculously unbelievable that its sometimes an amazing feat that anyone falls them. What's more amazing is that some of these lies have come somewhat true. For example, one lie he told about fighting a giant mole has somewhat come true when he and Chopper fought against Miss Merry Christmas and Mr.4. The female half of the Baroque Works team happened to have the ability to turn into a mole. Regardless of their absurdity, Usopp's lies have occasionally come in handy from time to time. They are apparently just as effective as any other weapon in his arsenal.

The following listed here are lie based techniques that appear more like attacks but in reality are not.


 * Usopp Wagomu (ウソップ輪ゴム (わゴム), Usopp Rubber Band): Using his thumb and a rubber band set up like a slingshot, Usopp pretends that he is going to fire one of his regular attacks using the rubber band as ammo. This technique, most effective when Usopp's makeshift slingshot is directly in front of an opponent's face, is in actually to make his opponent flinch. During the brief moment the opponent closes their eyes, Usopp can do number of things.  He can either attack the opponent or run away and hide. The latter seems to be more favored due to Usopp's nature. In certain occasions, Usopp has been known to actually shoot the rubber band at his opponent sometimes. In the 4kids adaptation it is called the Rubber Band of Doom.


 * Usopp Spell (ウソップスペル): In order to distract an opponent or otherwise, Usopp describes, out loud, some wince-inducing situations like "Razorblades between your teeth!" to unnerve anyone in earshot. The only drawback to this lie is that comrades as well will also be unnerved.


 * Drive Shoot: Used in the Dream Soccer King featurette of the anime adaptation, Usopp basically gives a fancy name to an otherwise completely normal shoot at the goal. The extreme sounding name of the shoot being shouted mislead the goalie, Koby, from catching the soccer ball properly.

Slingshot
The slingshot is Usopp's signature weapon. Despite it being considered a child's toy, the slingshot in Usopp's hands can be just be deadly as Zoro's swords. As a matter of fact, it's the deceptive nature of the slingshot that often gives Usopp an advantage over opponents who don't think otherwise of him. In other words, the slingshot is the perfect weapon for a liar such a Usopp. Combined together with Usopp's sniper skills, it is a handy weapon.

Since he was young, Usopp has developed a number of techniques involving his slingshot, mostly by firing different kinds of ammo. Not everyone of them is dangerous, but the majority of them are useful some way or another. The majority of the ammo he shoots are named Boshi(Star). Sometimes, he adds the word Hissatsu(必殺, Sure-Kill) as he shouts the ammo's name and fires it to apparently make the attack sound more dangerous. As Sogeking, Usopp's slingshot attacks are in english in order to disguise them.

The ammo and techniques Usopp can use with his slingshot are as follows.


 * Namari Boshi (鉛星 (なまりぼし), Lead Star): Usopp fires a small lead ball bearing or pachinko ball from his slingshot. This was first seen being used as a named attack against the Black Cat Pirates as they were climbing up the slope to his village. As Sogeking, this attack is called Metallic Star (メタリックスター). In the 4kids dub, this is simply called Lead Star.


 * Kayaku Boshi (火薬星 (かやくぼし), Gunpowder Star): Usopp fires a highly explosive pellet filled with gunpowder. This was first seen being used to defeat Jango. According to Mr. 5, the gunpowder Usopp uses for this doesn't taste very good. As Sogeking, this is called Sogeking Gunpowder Star (そげキーング火薬星(ガンパウダースター)). In the 4kids dub, this is called Exploding Star. This attack apparently has some different variations depending on the situation Usopp is in. The difference between these versions is not exactly clear except in name alone.
 * Hissatsu Sanren Kayaku Boshi (必殺三連火薬星, Sure-Kill Triple Gunpowder Star) / (Triple Exploding Stars): A bigger and more powerful version of Usopp's Hissatsu Kayaku Boshi
 * Usopp Kayaku Boshi Boshi (ウソップ火薬星星 Usopp Gunpowder Star Star): Exactly the same as Kayaku Boshi.
 * Usopp Rolling Kayaku Boshi (ウソップロリング火薬星): Usopp rolls while firing off Hissatsu Kayaku Boshis.
 * Sogeking Smoke Star (そげキーング煙星(スモークスター)): Kemuri Boshi with a different name.


 * Tamago Boshi (卵星 (たまごぼし)) / (Egg Star): Usopp launches a rotten egg at the target's face to blind/distract them.
 * Hissatsu Tamago Boshi (必殺卵星 (ひっさつたまごぼし), Sure-Kill Egg Star)


 * Kemuri Boshi (煙星 (けむりぼし)) / (Smoke Star): Usopp fires a smoke bomb to confuse his enemies.
 * Shinsen Tamago Boshi (新鮮卵星 (しんせんたまごぼし)) / (Fresh Egg Star): Same thing as Tamago Boshi only with a fresh egg instead of a rotten one.


 * Kaen Boshi (火炎星 (かえんぼし), Flame Star) / (Hot Salsa Star): Usopp fires a pellet containing flammable substances, he sometimes throws bottles with flammable substances in them at the opponent just prior to this attack to increase the damage.
 * Hissatsu Kaen Boshi (必殺火炎星 (ひっさつかえんぼし), Sure-Kill Flame Star): A stronger version of Kaen Boshi.


 * Ketchup Boshi (ケチャップ星) / (Ketchup Star): A defensive move where Usopp splatters himself with small ketchup bomb so that it looks like he's covered in blood. This deceives the opponent into thinking he's injured or dead and causes them to drop their guard. Usopp can then that advantage of their lowered guard to run away or launch a sneak attack.
 * Hissatsu Ketchup Boshi (必殺ケチャップ星 (ひっさつケチャップぼし), Sure-Kill Ketchup Star)


 * Tokusei Tabasco Boshi (特製タバスコ星 (とくせいタバスコぼし), Deluxe Tabasco Star) / (Hot Sauce Star): Usopp fires a pellet containing Tabasco sauce either at the target's eyes or mouth.
 * Hissatsu Tabasco Boshi (必殺タバスコ星 (ひっさつタバスコぼし), Sure-Kill Tabasco Star) 


 * Akahebi Boshi (赤蛇星, Red Snake Star): Usopp fires a signal flare that creates a red smoke pillar to alert his friends to his location.


 * Hissatsu Shuriken Ryuu Seigun (必殺手裏剣流星群, Sure-Kill Shuriken Meteoric Swarm) / (Shuriken Shooting Stars): First used during his fight with Luffy, Usopp fires a chain of several attached Shuriken which, when fired, separate into a large spread of shuriken to cover a wider radius.


 * Hissatsu Sakuretsu Saboten Boshi (必殺炸裂サボテン星, Sure-Kill Exploding Cactus Star) / (Blasting Cactus Star): Usopp fires a pellet that explodes on impact and showers the victim with quills.

Kabuto
Sometime before arriving in Enies Lobby, Usopp developed a new weapon. This weapon which he calls a giant pachinko shooter, is called the Kabuto. This green contraption that looks like a cross between a staff and a slingshot. It is apparently named after the beetle of the same name due its resemblance to the beetle's horn. Usopp revealed this weapon when he was asked by Luffy to burn down the World Government flag. This weapon is several times more powerful than Usopp's original slingshot as apparent from the techniques Usopp does with it. It is assumed that the weapon with its amazing powers, is Dial powered. However, Usopp has yet to divulged the true secret of it.

The following techniques are those he can do with the weapon. As can be seen, several of these techniques are actually upgraded versions of those he can do with his slingshot.


 * Hissatsu Fire Bird Star (必殺火の鳥星(ファイアーバードスター), Sure-Kill Fire Bird Star): Usopp fires what can be assumed to be a very strong Kaen Boshi in the shape of a massive phoenix, it also seems to summon a massive ring of fire once it makes contact. It is currently unknown on how the properties of this attack work but a common theory is that it is a dial-based enhancement. This was first shown when he burnt the World Government flag on top of the Tower of Justice.


 * Hissatsu Himawari Boshi (必殺向日葵星 (ひまわりぼし), Sure-Kill Sunflower Star): Five Hissatsu Kaen Boshi are shot at the same time in a pentagon pattern.


 * Hissatsu Chou Kemuri Boshi (必殺超煙星 (ちょうけむりぼし), Sure-Kill Super Smoke Star): Usopp shoots a pellet that spews smoke over a great distance, creating an enormous smokescreen.

Other Weapons
Aside from lies and slingshots, Usopp also uses a variety of other weapons such as hammers and dials. These weapons while not befitting a sniper, fit in with Usopp's style of fighting.

Hammers
While Usopp is not skillful with a hammer, he however can use it as a weapon to a certain degree. The following are techniques that are hammer related.


 * Usopp Hammer (ウソップハンマー): Usopp bashes his target on the head with a small, yet effective, hammer.


 * Usopp Pound (ウソップパウンド): Usopp uses his "5-Ton Hammer" (actually two frying pans, a metal sheet and a stick weighing 2 kg combined) to strike a target. Against Miss Merry Christmas, it looked like a game of Whack-A-Mole. Lassou unfortunately destroyed it and revealed the hammer's true colors.


 * Hissatsu Uso-Cho Hammer Suisei (必殺ウソッチョハンマー水星, Sure-Kill UsoCho Hammer Comet) A combo attack with Tony Tony Chopper, Chopper transforms into his Horn Point form and Usopp uses Choppers antlers and a large rubber band as a slingshot to fire the hammer Usopp uses for his Usopp Hammer attack at the opponent with tremendous force. In the 4kids adaption this technique is simply called Hammer Shooting Star.

Dials
During the crew's time in Skypiea, Usopp received a collection of Dials. He received these Dials by trading with novelties such as rubber bands, and other items the natives of Skypiea had never seen before. Since then, Usopp has made use of them in a variety of ways such as coming up with inventions that appear to involve Dials such as the Perfect Clima-Tact and the Kabuto. The following listed here are the known Dials which he has used in battle or otherwise.


 * Tone Dial (音貝 (トーンダイアル)): A sound-storing Dial that was used to play a joke on Zoro.


 * Breath Dial (風貝(ブレスダイアル)): A Dial that is normally used to store scents. This was first used by Usopp during the Donut Race portion of the Davy Back Fight. This however proved useless as the air that propelled them was at a pace slower than he and his team mates rowed. This was also used in the battle against Luffy and was used to store flammable gas. Before the battle began, Usopp hid the Dial somewhere on the battle field. When enough of the gas had sprayed onto the battle field, Usopp ignited it with a Hissatsu Kayaku Boshi causing his opponent to be swallowed up in a massive explosion.


 * Flash Dial (閃光貝(フラッシュダイアル)): A Dial that stores light. By pressing it, Usopp can release any light within as a sort of flash bomb.


 * Impact Dial (衝撃(インパクト)): A Dial that absorbs any blows directed to it and can release them back at the attacker. This was first used by Usopp in the Donut Race portion of the Davy Back Fight. Usopp also uses this to absorb a powerful blow such as Luffy's Gomu Gomu no Bazooka and releases it back at the source by striking the opponent. The downside is that the recoil from the released energy is akin to original blow.

Other Equipment
Aside from weapons, Usopp possesses a variety of equipment which he uses to aid him. These range from caltrops to blackboards and many of which are Usopp's inventions. These equipment, while often comical, sometimes provide Usopp with an edge over his opponents, no matter how strong they are.

The following are a number of techniques that involve these equipment.


 * Makibishi Jigoku (マキビシ地獄 (じごく), Caltrop Hell): Usopp drops a trail of sharp caltrops on the ground to discourage large groups from following or as a trap. Usopp can also lend some of these to a friend so they can also attack with them as well. Unfortunately, if he or the one he lends them to doesn't watch carefully where they throw these caltrops, they can be hindered by the caltrops instead. Usopp was first seen using these against the Black Cat Pirates. In the 4kids dub, this is simply called Caltrops.


 * Usopp Noise (ウソップノイズ) / (Usopp Screech): Usopp plugs his ears, pulls out a small blackboard and rakes his nails across it to make is opponent flinch so he can escape or launch a surprise attack.


 * Usopp AAaaaAAAaaaAA! (ウソップアーアアー): Usopp dons a special belt that can fire a grappling hook for him to swing from tree to tree with. However, Usopp forgot to put in a way to detach the rope. The technique's name is basically Usopp trying to do a Tarzan yell. This was first seen when Usopp tried to retrieve back the Little Crow.


 * Usopp Hopping (ウソップホピング): Usopp uses special spring shoes to land safely after a jump from a high place.


 * Usopp Boomerang: In the the third One Piece movie, Chopper's Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals, Usopp was shown using a specialized boomerang. This boomerang can be folded into itself better transportation. Usopp described that once he's thrown this boomerang that "there's no turning back". However when Usopp attempted to attack Count Butler with it, the boomerang apparently didn't return after the count dodged it. Apparently, what Usopp meant by "there won't be turning back" didn't mean that the weapon was unbeatable or such. He meant that the boomerang wouldn't return back to it's owner like a regular boomerang. While it proved useless at first, Usopp later on was actually able to put it to good use. Pretending that the boomerang was a set of horns, Usopp was able divert the Horn Eaters into a dead end in which he trapped them with the aid of Nami's calculations.


 * Usopp Skyrider A portable parachute kept in his bag, intended to save him if he falls from any high places. however, it is about the size of a dinner plate, and doesn't slow his fall in the least, nearly killing him.


 * Gomu Gomu no Kaiten Ono (ゴムゴムの回転斧, Rubber Rubber Spinning Axe): Anime only. A combination of moves executed by Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp. Usopp uses a cannon of Going Merry in this combo. Luffy first executes Gomu Gomu no Fusen (ゴムゴムの風船) as well as twsiting his body, using the stored air to launch himself into the air. Then, Usopp abord the Going Merry fires a canonball at Sanji, while Luffy shoots both of his arms towards the target. Sanji at this point Armeé de L'air Power Shoots the canonball at Zoro who executes 108 Pound Cannon (百八煩悩鳳) to fire the canonball up into the air and toward Luffy. Luffy catches the ball with his feet, the inertia of the canonball spinning him vertically several times causing his legs to twist with each revolution. After all of the canonball's inertia is gone, Luffy drops it and proceeds to spin forward releasing the full force of the stored energy from the winding, his body falling towards the target during all this. As Luffy approaches the target he stretches his legs out, which, through the speed of his spinning, creates the image of a large rotary blade. This attack impacts with the target, cutting it in half. The force of this seems out of Luffy's control.