The Straw Hat Pirates wouldn't be as colorful a crew if it was comprised of nothing but Luffys. It's a force whose power is built on the differences and wide experience between its motley crew. These differences have helped make the Straw Hats one of the most balanced and unique seafarers out there and have guaranteed that their foes are never quite prepared for their crazy antics.
Leading the charge of every fight will, of course, be the captain and vice-captain, Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro. The two have been together the longest in the series yet have each developed their own set of skills. While it's always hard to compare the two, this list will be looking at a few key things that Luffy can do that Zoro can't (and vice versa).
10 Luffy Can Do: Stretch
One of the more obvious differences between the two is the fact that Zoro is terrible at doing a Stretch Armstrong impression. Luffy on the other hand practically makes Stretch Armstrong look like a brick.
With the powers of the Gum-Gum Fruit, Luffy has become a rubber man that can stretch and bounce with the best of them. Zoro can probably do some decent stretches, but he'd probably break something if he were to try and do a Gum-Gum Pistol.
9 Zoro Can Do: Sword Fight
While Zoro doesn't have a Devil Fruit on his side, he more than makes up for the power with his masterclass sword fighting skills. The Pirate Hunter is not only one of the best swordsman in all of One Piece but is by far one of the most hyped ones in all of anime. His sword fights are an epic clash of metal, and his slashing scenes always get a strong reaction no matter how ridiculous or large his targets are.
When Luffy got a hold of a sword on Wano, however, he just used it to punch things. If anything, the sword itself was inconsequential to his actual fighting. He just held a sword and punched people.
8 Luffy Can Do: Eat A Lot
Perhaps by extension of his Devil Fruit power or maybe his survivalist upbringing at a young age, Monkey D. Luffy is one of the heaviest eaters in all of Shonen anime. The boy can really put away the meat chunks, as his Devil Fruit merely allows his stomach to fit much more food.
Without it, he'd just continue to try and shove food in. Zoro can have a decent appetite when he wants to, but he knows better than to challenge Luffy to an eating contest.
7 Zoro Can Do: Drink A Lot
While Zoro can't eat food like a high end garbage disposal, he more than makes up for it by being able to drink enough alcohol to fuel a NASCAR tournament. A lot of anime like to include heavy drinkers for comedic moments, but they never quite go all out like Zoro has. Zoro is often portrayed either drinking several different mugs of beer or chugging a giant canister of sake.
This guy knows how to party and isn't afraid to show it. Luffy however has a hard time getting past a couple of drinks and would be better off just sticking to juice and cola.
6 Luffy Can Do: Light His Arm On Fire
In one of the least explained moments in One Piece, Luffy's epic fight with Hody Jones introduced a new power: Red Hawk. With a special combination of Gear Second and Armament Haki, Luffy is able to ignite his attacks with enough heat to burn under water.
Many have speculated that this is because of the speed of his punch. Others say that Haki has some unexplained traits. In either case, Luffy busted out a new attack that Zoro definitely can't do.
5 Zoro Can Do: Grow New Limbs
With that being said, it isn't as if Zoro doesn't have a few confusing and logic breaking moves of his own. Continuing the trend of powers that are never explained in One Piece, Zoro is able to grow new limbs, heads, and even swords. During his battle with Kaku on Enies Lobby, an enraged Zoro began to grow new appendages to add even more sword power to his final attack.
This would be shown once again when the Straw Hats were each using their best moves against the Pacifista on Sabaody Archipelago. While it may look like Luffy has multiple arms and legs during his gatling attacks, he definitely hasn't grown new limbs during a fight.
4 Luffy Can Do: Get Along With Sanji
This is one leg that Luffy will always have over Zoro, and it's Sanji's leg. The series' best running gag so far is that Zoro and Sanji just don't get along with one another. For some reason, the two are always at each other's throats and constantly throwing swords and kicks at one another.
Luffy, however, gets along quite fine with the cook. Maybe it's because of their deep bond at the Baratie and Whole Cake Island. Maybe it's because Sanji makes a lot of food for him. In either case, Sanji has a much more agreeable relationship with his beloved captain than the stupid moss head.
3 Zoro Can Do: Swim
The above was a bit of a low blow against Zoro. Of course he can't get along with Sanji, he's a stupid cook. However, in retaliation, this list will mention a major point that Zoro tirelessly reminds Luffy of every now and then. He can swim.
While it may seem like a do-nothing statement for most people, Zoro often has to use this special skill to save his captain, when Luffy forgets that he himself is not able to swim. As long as Luffy has his Devil Fruit, he'll never be able to beat Zoro in the swim meet of life.
2 Luffy Can Do: Fly
While Luffy may not be buoyant as his first mate, he is able to outclass his green-haired friend in the air. During the Dressrosa Arc, it was a major plot point that Zoro was not able to fly. Without a proper method to quickly and closely get to Pica, Zoro had to ask the burly Orlumbus to literally throw him across the air.
Luffy however wouldn't have such an issue. With the power of Gear Fourth, Luffy is able to generate enough power in his legs to unlock the rokushiki skill, moonwalk, and fly through the air.
1 Zoro Can Do: Feel Pain
At the end of Thriller Bark, Zoro courageously and worryingly reminded the fans of one of the long-forgotten advantages of being a rubberman. Because of his Gum-Gum Fruit, Luffy is not able to feel pain, at least, through conventional means. When Bartholomew Kuma had the Straw Hats cornered, Zoro begged for amnesty for his crew in exchange for his own life.
Wanting to give the humbled Pirate Hunter a chance, Kuma accepted and put Zoro through one of the harshest trials of his life. In exchange for his crew's life, Zoro had to take on all of Luffy's accumulative stress from all of his fighting on Thriller Bark, this being far from what a normal person can take. While Luffy was simply exhausted at the end of Thriller Bark, Zoro was left bloodied and near unable to move when Kuma gave him Luffy's pain. The things this man does for love.