There is a common precedent in the Naruto universe that intelligence is a strong foil to power. This was how some of the series' weakest ninja were able to survive in spite of their lackluster jutsu, such as Shikamaru Nara.
Accordingly, there are dozens of examples where a character, both good and evil, won the day by using their wits instead of exclusively their weapons. Through identifying the best instances where this phenomenon was demonstrated, we can better comprehend how even an average shinobi would prosper if they have a good head on their shoulders.
10 Shino Defeated Zaku By Jamming His Tubes With Bugs
Zaku was a Sound ninja with the formidable ability to produce jets of pressure from his palms. This was on account of the tubes coursing throughout his arms, ones that helped to facilitate his chakra.
Realizing the genin's weakness and being intelligent enough to exploit it, Shino ordered his insects to crawl inside the villain's hands while he wasn't paying attention. By the time Zaku actually prepared to fight Aburame, he had no idea that he had already forfeited any hope of victory.
9 Minato Capitalized On The Weakness Of Obito's Kamui
When Minato fought Obito shortly after Naruto's birth, it seemed as if the villain was impossible to defeat. His Kamui allowed him to phase through attacks and define the terms of their engagement.
However, it was also true that Obito couldn't harm him so long as he was incorporeal. By bracing for a clash and positioning a kunai tag above him, the Fourth Hokage was able to teleport to it, avoiding his foe's hands as he connected a powerful rasengan with point-blank impact. This maneuver decisively won the battle.
8 Deidara Penetrated Gaara's Sand Shell With Microscopic Explosive Bugs
When Deidara fought Gaara, the Akatsuki member's odds seemed bleak. The Kazekage had already crushed one of his arms, and his sand proved too resilient for any of the villain's explosions.
In the midst of battle, a solution was found to the allegedly impervious barrier of sand. By weaving microscopic bugs through its grains, Deidara was able to detonate an explosion from within the confines of Gaara's own shield and capitalize on his low durability. The Jinchuriki was instantly knocked unconscious from the force of the impact and was promptly collected for transport.
7 Team 7 Worked Together Against Zabuza
Initially, Zabuza was too powerful even for Kakashi to overcome. He managed to lock him down in a water barrier, and the sensei would have been slain if not for his new students.
By hiding Sasuke within a shuriken and throwing him, he was able to get close enough to the Mist Demon to force him to block and protect himself. Doing so forced him to release Kakashi from his prison, who would in turn continue the battle on the team's behalf. After relying on his team once, the son of the White Fang would make sure he didn't need their assistance a second time.
6 Sasuke Projected Itachi To Ensure Danzo Was Vulnerable To Genjutsu
Sasuke had a plan to ensure Danzo's defeat, but he needed to probe whether or not the villain was vulnerable to genjutsu first. He tested him by projecting Itachi in the middle of the fight, and since Shimura was none the wiser, the Uchiha's suspicions were confirmed.
Later in the battle, he cast a second minor genjutsu to make Danzo believe that he had one sharingan to spare so that he had a final usage of the Izanagi. By the time the Foundation's leader learned otherwise, it was already too late for him.
5 Shikamaru Used Naruto's Hole To Paralyze Temari
Temari was already privy to Shikamaru's jutsu by the beginning of their battle, having witnessed it firsthand through his victory over Kin. She carefully avoided the jacket that he threw up in the air, staying out of the shadow it projected as she used her wind fan aggressively.
What the kunoichi didn't anticipate was that Nara directed the kunai with the intent of leading her near the hole Naruto made when he uppercut Neji in the previous round. After falling under his shadow possession, Temari was left at the Leaf ninja's mercy.
4 Zaku Softened The Impact Of Dosu's Fall So That He Could Defeat Rock Lee
During the battle between Rock Lee and Team Dosu, it seemed as if the taijutsu master's victory was imminent. Having caught him in the Hidden Lotus, Lee nearly cracked Dosu's skull open by driving him headfirst into the ground.
However, he was oblivious to the fact that Zaku's tubes could soften surfaces to make them as pliable as pillows. When the collision finally occurred, the gang's leader sustained minimal injuries and their taijutsu adversary was too exhausted to continue fighting.
3 Shikamaru Led Hidan Into An Explosive Trap
Obsessed with avenging his sensei and understanding how well Hidan synergized with Kakuzu, Nara led the cultist villain into the woods by capitalizing on his overconfidence. Under ordinary circumstances, the Akatsuki's brazenness was founded since he was a skilled taijutsu user.
What the villain didn't know was that Nara had already arranged a series of paper bombs and even an entire ditch that would be activated upon his arrival. This cost Hidan the fight, burying him underground and subjecting him to what might be an eternity of atrophy.
2 Orochimaru Only Beat Hiruzen Because He Came Prepared In Advance
In spite of Hiruzen's old age, Orochimaru knew that his odds against his former sensei were unfavorable. Regardless of how many forbidden jutsu the fallen Sannin mastered, the Third Hokage's encyclopedic familiarity with chakra and legendary power proved an insurmountable obstacle to defeating the Leaf.
However, the villain had the foresight to reanimate Hashirama and Tobirama in advance, two powerful ninja who would assist in his battle. Though he would successfully kill Hiruzen, he lost the ability to weave hand signs as a result of the Reaper Death Seal.
1 Naruto Used Sage Chakra In His Final Battle Against Sasuke
During the final battle between Sasuke and Naruto, the hero was at a clear disadvantage. Not only was he handicapped since he didn't want to take the life of his friend, but the villain had also already stolen the chakra of the other eight Tailed Beasts and subjected them to his will.
In order to compensate for this disparity, Naruto distracted him long enough for one of his shadow clones to infuse him with sage energy and significantly augment his strength. He employed a similar tactic during his battle against Pain with equal success.