How 10 Strongest One Piece Pirate Crews Grew to Power, Ranked

In the world of One Piece, history stands as a testament to some of the strongest pirate crews that ever sailed the seas. From the King of the Pirates to the world’s strongest man – every crew had a story to tell and prove why they were feared and respected at the same time among both the World Government and other pirate crews.

With that being said, a crew is only as strong as its members and accomplishments. Without further ado, here are the stories of how the strongest One Piece pirate crews gained their reputation, ranked by the overall power and authority held by them.

TITLE	One Piece
CREATOR	Eiichiro Oda
RELEASE DATE	October 20, 1999
IMDb RATINGS (As of June 16, 2026)	9/10
WHERE TO WATCH	Crunchyroll, Netflix

10 The Kuja Pirates – Boa Hancock

The Kuja Pirates have always been monstrously powerful, even decades before the era of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger – an all-women crew composed of tremendously powerful Haki users. Growing up on Amazon Lily, an island of warrior women, the Kuja trained exclusively in Haki from birth, making even their arrows Haki-infused.

Currently led by Boa Hancock, a former Warlord of the Sea and one of the most beautiful and dangerous women alive, wielding the Mero Mero no Mi Devil Fruit, their isolation from the world preserved their culture and military strength. They developed power entirely on their own terms. Ranked 9th because their geographic isolation limits their fleet size and global influence despite their elite individual power.

9 The Cross Guild – Buggy the Clown

One of the biggest and funniest running gags in the One Piece series, the Cross Guild formed after Buggy owed Crocodile money and helped finance their operation – an organisation that puts bounties on Marines. They have since become a real threat with massive reach and influence, especially after Buggy was named a Yonko, for absolutely no reason for him to become one.

While Buggy poses as the face, the real strength comes from Sir Crocodile and Dracule Mihawk, two of the most powerful commanders. The brilliance of Cross Guild’s rise is entirely structural – combining Buggy’s infamy and charisma with two former Warlords of fearsome capability. Ranked 8th because they’re newly formed with immense ceiling, but still an unproven and loosely held organisation.

8 The Giant Warrior Pirates – Dorry and Brogy

Giants are generally viewed as the strongest race on the planet, and the Giant Warrior Pirates include some of the strongest members of that race – making them an incredibly strong crew on that basis alone. Dorry and Brogy – with new bounties of 1.8 billion berries each – are the current captains of the crew, taking over from Jarul and Jorul.

When their entire fleet arrived in the Egghead arc, they easily swept through a Buster Call led by 30,000 Marine soldiers – and also held their own against a member of the Gorosei. We had to rank them at 8 because their power is immense, but the crew operates with limited numbers compared to true Emperor-tier fleets.

7 The Big Mom Pirates – Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom)

Boarded on one of the biggest pirate ships in One Piece, the Big Mom Pirates don’t rely on a single ship; they have an entire fleet. The Big Mom Pirates were once a Yonko crew when Charlotte Linlin was in charge, and despite the fall of their Emperor, they still possess tremendous force with powerful Commanders such as Katakuri, Smoothie, and Cracker.

Big Mom spent decades building a family-based empire on Whole Cake Island – her 85 children, each trained into powerful subordinates, creating one of the most extensive bloodline armies in pirate history. Furthermore, Soul Pocus, homies, and political marriages were all tools that expanded her dominance. Ranked 7 because losing Big Mom has weakened their top-end dramatically, despite their massive numbers.

6 The Beast Pirates – Kaido

Founded and led by Kaido, the Beast Pirates occupied Wano Country as their domain – settling on the floating island of Onigashima as their main fortress. Through a partnership with Doflamingo, they received artificial Devil Fruits, allowing the crew to have hundreds of Zoan wielders among its ranks – Kaido deliberately engineered an army of Devil Fruit users – something unprecedented in scale.

With All-Stars King, Queen, and Jack each being monstrous in power, and a battalion of Ancient Zoan users as Headliners, the Beasts Pirates were built as a war machine. The only reason Kaido’s pirate crew is ranked 6th is that they were dominant at their peak but were dismantled entirely during the Wano Arc.

5 The Whitebeard Pirates – Edward Newgate (Whitebeard)

The Whitebeard Pirates were one of the mightiest crews in the One Piece world. Edward Newgate – “The Strongest Man in the World” – commanded a fleet of 16 division commanders, each capable of fighting admiral-level threats. What made Whitebeard‘s crew unique was that it was built on family, not conquest.

While their power grew through genuine bonds and absolute devotion, the prime example was seen during the Marineford War – 16 commanders, an entire fleet, and Whitebeard himself nearly toppling the World Government alone to save Portgas D. Ace from his execution. Ranked 5th because their peak was nearly unmatched, but the death of Whitebeard left the crew fractured and leaderless.

4 The Red Hair Pirates – Red-Haired Shanks

Red-Haired Shanks built the Red Hair Pirates not through sheer numbers but through prestige and the sheer terror of his name – a name that carried the titles of a Yonko for two generations and one of the strongest Haki users in the entire series. Every known member carries extraordinary power, and Shanks himself is considered one of the most balanced and dangerous Yonko – a master of all three Haki types, including Conqueror’s Haki, powerful enough to affect Vice Admirals at Marineford without even trying.

Their strength grew through selective recruitment and aura – they don’t need thousands of soldiers because their top tier is so overwhelming that few dare challenge them. However, the only reason we ranked them 4th is that their exact crew depth remains mysterious, but their ceiling and influence are undeniably elite.

3 The Straw Hat Grand Fleet – Monkey D. Luffy

While Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Jinbei are the strongest, the rest of the Straw Hats are no slouches either, as they continuously defeat increasingly powerful opponents – but just among the Straw Hat Pirates, and we’re talking about post-Dressrosa Arc. After Dressrosa, seven powerful crews pledged loyalty to Luffy, forming a Grand Fleet of over 5,000 fighters across multiple ships.

The Straw Hats grew by earning loyalty – not demanding it. Every arc saw Luffy topple a major power, freeing people and gaining devoted allies. And their leading symbol, Monkey D. Luffy, awakened the Mythical Zoan Nika fruit, elevating him to a level beyond prediction. Their growth is ongoing, making them the most dynamic crew in the world. Simply put – ranked 3rd because they are still ascending and have the most powerful growth trajectory of any active crew.

2 The Roger Pirates – Pirate King Gol D. Roger

Gol D. Roger built his crew around a singular, impossible dream – reaching the end of the Grand Line – formed from his innate, childlike love for adventure and the desire to uncover the world’s greatest mysteries. They were the only pirate crew in history to cover the entire Grand Line and reach Laugh Tale.

Their crew included Silvers Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, Kozuki Oden, and others of legendary status – but the captain, Gol D. Roger, himself wielded Conqueror’s Haki at a godly level and fought Whitebeard to a draw repeatedly. The Roger Pirates grew not through territorial control but through sheer adventure, pushing beyond every limit the world imposed, rewriting history with every island they touched. We had to rank them 2nd because they achieved what no crew ever has – completing the Grand Line – but are now a disbanded and historical force.

1 The Rocks Pirates – Rocks D. Xebec

At their height, the Rocks Pirates, led by Rocks D. Xebec, were considered the most dangerous crew in One Piece history – their captain was the main rival to Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, himself. To further add to his reputation, it took a combined effort from Roger and Garp to put down Rocks D. Xebec at God Valley.

Rocks assembled the most terrifying collection of pirates ever gathered under one flag, driven by Xebec’s ambition to become King of the World. Many crew members went on to become future Emperors, including the likes of Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido. They were so powerful and terrifying that the World Government erased them from history entirely. Ranked 1st because a crew that spawned three future Emperors and required both Roger and Garp to defeat has never been – and may never be – surpassed.

RANKING	CREW	CAPTAIN
1	Rocks Pirates	Rocks D. Xebec
2	Roger Pirates	Gol D. Roger
3	Straw Hat Grand Fleet	Monkey D. Luffy
4	Red Hair Pirates	Red-Haired Shanks
5	Whitebeard Pirates	Edward Newgate
6	Beast Pirates	Kaido
7	Big Mom Pirates	Charlotte Linlin
8	Giant Warrior Pirates	Dorry and Brogy
9	Cross Guild	Buggy
10	Kuja Pirates	Boa Hancock

What are your thoughts after reading our ranked list of the growth of the strongest pirate crews in One Piece? We’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below.

The One Piece anime series is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.