My Hero Academia's combat system is defined mainly by Quirks, supernatural gifts that come in an astonishing variety. Many Quirks are too weak or simple for combat, but the strongest Quirks can lead to a successful career as a pro hero or villain, and these Quirks often reward creative thinking.
Some Quirks can only be used in one particular way, such as for creating a barrier or having strong punches, but other Quirks leave a lot of room for improvisation and creativity. A number of successful heroes and villains alike got the upper hand when they thought outside the box and innovated new uses for their own Quirks, or even the Quirks of others.
10 When Minoru Mineta Borrowed Hanta Sero's Tape To Hold His Breath
Once in a while, a student, hero, or villain will use not their own Quirk, but someone else's Quirk, to their advantage, and that's what happened when Minoru Mineta was cornered by the R-rated hero Midnight. Minoru couldn't defeat her in a straight fight, but he did have the option to rush past her.
Minoru couldn't afford to inhale the vapors from Midnight's Quirk, so he affixed Hanta Sero's tape over his mouth to make sure he didn't breathe it in. Then, he dashed to the exit, and he used his own Quirk to keep Midnight's whip stuck to the ground. It was his finest moment.
9 When Shoto & Inasa Combined Their Quirks Against Gang Orca
During the provisional hero license exam, Shoto and Inasa butted heads as unfriendly rivals, but when the pro hero Gang Orca arrived, there was no more time for petty rivalry. Neither student could defeat Gang Orca alone, so they finally cooperated and pooled their talents together.
Inasa conjured his trademark winds, and Shoto used his fire to heat up the air. The blistering-hot gales were harsh on Gang Orca, who is vulnerable to heat and dryness, and Gang Orca was on the verge of defeat. Everyone was impressed.
8 When Momo Created A Tracking Device
During the forest training arc, the League of Villains attacked. While Momo Yaoyorozu couldn't possibly defeat a Nomu on her own, she could do the next best thing: create a tracking device and use it to find out where the League's hideout was once the Nomu returned to that hideout.
Momo created the tracking device, then handed it to Yosetsu Awase of class 1-B, who used his own Quirk to fuse it to a retreating Nomu's skin. Later, Momo used a second device to figure out the Nomu's location, and through it, locate the League's hideout. Only Momo could pull that off.
7 When Overhaul Attached Shin & Rikiya To His Body
The villainous Overhaul has a Quirk of the same name, which allows him to reshape matter, both living and non-living, with a simple touch. It's a highly flexible and effective ability to have, and Overhaul has found all sorts of uses for it. He can easily heal himself, but that's not all.
Overhaul once fused the dead bodies of two minions onto his own body, granting him access to their Quirks, which is a truly resourceful way to use Overhaul. It was a miracle that Izuku ever defeated him.
6 When Ochaco & Tsuyu Created Their Combo Attack
Alone, neither Ochaco Uraraka nor Tsuyu Asui has much offensive power, but all that changes when the two girls pool their talents to create the "Meteor Fafrotskies" move. Ochaco and Tsuyu first did this during the forest training arc, and they kept using the move afterward, too.
Ochaco can make a large and heavy item weightless. Tsuyu then flings it high into the air with her long, strong tongue. Once everything is in position, Ochaco releases her Quirk, and the item slams back down with its full weight to crush the target. That's a great example of pro hero teamwork.
5 When Koji Koda Attacked Present Mic With Underground Bugs
The meek Koji Koda never stood out until he and Kyoka Jiro, AKA Earphone Jack, went up against their teacher Present Mic in a live-fire exercise. Koji was deathly afraid of insects and would flee from a single ant.
Kyoka gave Koji a short pep talk, and Koji found the courage to control thousands of insects at once and use them against Present Mic. Koji had the bugs emerge from underground to avoid Present Mic's sonic attacks, and the bugs terrified the pro hero, giving Koji and Kyoka a chance to exit the arena.
4 When Ochaco Created A Meteor Shower Against Bakugo
Ochaco Uraraka was the underdog when she fought Katsuki Bakugo during the U.A. sports festival, so she had to get creative. She kept attacking Bakugo while staying low to the ground, prompting Bakugo to aim low and hit the arena floor in an attempt to strike Ochaco.
This created a lot of debris, and Ochaco touched it all to create a mass of floating debris over the arena. Then, Ochaco released her Quirk, and the debris rained right down on Bakugo. This didn't win her the match, but it proved how resourceful and tricky Ochaco can be.
3 When All For One Forced The Activation Of Magne's Quirk
It's not just the heroes and students who can get creative with Quirks. Despite his overwhelming power, the villainous All For One is a tricky and insightful fighter, and he has seen Quirks in action for generations. He can quickly think up a creative and practical use for any Quirk or combination of Quirks.
During the Bakugo rescue arc, All For One wanted his fellow villains to retreat, so he used a Quirk to force the unconscious Magne to use her own Quirk and magnetize everyone. Himiko Toga, who was standing near Kurogiri's warp gate, attracted all the male villains to her at once, and they were all flung into the warp gate as intended.
2 When Hitoshi Shinso Imitated His Opponents' Voices
For a time, Hitoshi Shinso was unqualified for the hero department, but he found a way to prove his worth. He started using a voice modulator to mimic the voices of other people and trick his enemies into responding to what they think is an ally's speech.
Shinso put this ability to good use when fighting class 1-B, fooling Jurota Shishida and Ibara Shiozaki into responding to his disguised voice, allowing him to brainwash them. Everyone in both classes was deeply impressed by this innovative use of the Brainwashing Quirk.
1 When Momo Used Her Quirk To Launch A Counterattack Against Eraserhead
Momo Yaoyorozu was rattled when she easily lost to Fumikage Tokoyami, and she didn't feel confident when fighting Shota Aizawa/Eraserhead with Shoto Todoroki. Then Shoto gave Momo some encouraging words, and an inspired Momo devised the perfect plan that used both her and Shoto's Quirks.
Momo created several items, including a working catapult, a replica of Eraserhead's ribbon, and more. She flung the ribbon at Eraserhead, and once Shoto used his fire to heat up the metal inside, that ribbon captured Eraserhead, ending the battle. Momo would never doubt herself again after this.