Roronoa Zoro is one of the greatest swordsmen in One Piece and among Luffy's closest friends. Determined never to back down from a fight, his life has been full of hardships, struggle, and perseverance. He is sometimes so cantankerous that he even picks fights with other Straw Hats.
Despite the darker facets of Zoro's life, there have similarly been many perks to make it well worthwhile. By identifying the greatest advantages of being him, it becomes clearer whether the path he has chosen is one that will provide satisfaction and fulfillment as the series reaches its final saga.
10 Zoro Has Inherited Oden's Swords
Before death, Kozuki Oden passed his legendary swords down to his descendants. Given that Momonosuke was not yet of age and his sister was not a combatant, Zoro was next in line to receive them.
Considering that these terrifyingly sharp blades were capable of cutting Kaido even without advanced armament haki, they were a massive advantage and some of the finest weapons in the series' universe. However, Zoro only received them in exchange for the sword he took from Ryuma at Thriller Bark. Nonetheless, he became more powerful for it.
9 Zoro Is Luffy's First Mate
Although Luffy treats the Straw Hats equally, it cannot be ignored that Zoro is his first mate. This has a number of connotations, both pleasant and dreadful. Not only does it entail that Luffy trusts Zoro more than anyone else, it is also an indication of his prodigious strength.
Should Luffy ever disappear for a prolonged period of time or is flagrantly killed, Zoro would likely be the one to inherit his mission in finding Roger's treasure. This would place him in an awkward position with Sanji.
8 Zoro Does Not Need Swords To Win Fights
At first, it may seem as if Zoro has more glaring flaws in his toolkit than other Straw Hats. His dependence on swords limits his versatility and indicates powerlessness in certain situations.
However, Zoro proved that he didn't need his weapons to be formidable against the Foxy pirates. By channeling the absurd power of "Zero Sword Style," he defeated them with devastating strokes of his hand. He would later employ this skill in Wano when going undercover and unable to access his weapons easily.
7 Zoro Can Use Conqueror's Haki
Zoro's access to Conqueror's haki is extremely rare. It distinguishes him as a man with great will and outstanding purpose. So far, he is the only member on the crew able to channel it aside from Luffy. Even more advantageously yet, Zoro can completely control his haki and those it targets.
This was profoundly useful when infiltrating Onigashima, as it allowed him to disable overly friendly Beast pirates without blowing his cover prematurely. It will also come in handy during future battles with the World Government, as the marines' forces almost always outnumber pirates significantly.
6 Zoro Has A High Bounty
As Luffy's right-hand man, it makes sense for Zoro to have one of the highest bounties of the crew. The last known price on his head was 320 million berries, likely having grown even larger by the end of Wano.
Part of Zoro's price is due to the actions he has taken against the World Government itself. In addition to attacking Morgan's forces, he assisted Luffy at Enies Lobby and helped enable escape from Kizaru after assaulting a Celestial Dragon. Zoro's high price is an indication of his lethality.
5 Zoro Is Constantly Allowed To Nap
Usually pushing his body beyond physical limits, Zoro naps whenever he can. Though seemingly an endearing character quirk, it can also get him in trouble. For example, there have been numerous instances where someone tries to attack him while he is fast asleep.
However, Zoro is almost always aware of his surroundings even while unconscious. This allows him to rest easily without worrying about being killed. His ability to remain well rested ensures that he will be combat ready whenever it is required of him by his captain or friends.
4 Zoro Has Powerful Allies In The Straw Hat Pirates
Arguably Zoro's greatest perk is being a member of the Straw Hat Pirates. Each crew mate is exceptionally skilled in their craft and handpicked for Luffy's inexhaustible journey to Laugh Tale.
Though Zoro may be the strongest crewmate aside from Luffy, he would not be able to survive without his comrades. For example, Nami constantly ensures he does not lose his sense of direction, and Franky's Thousand Sunny sees the heroes through their treacherous journey across the high seas.
3 Zoro Trained Directly Under Mihawk
After being whisked to his island by Kuma, Zoro realized that the only way to beat Mihawk is if he trained under him personally. Despite the man's incredible sense of pride, he begged for his assistance and even took a knee for him.
Amused and charmed by Zoro's perseverance, Mihawk instructed him to fight against a horde of personally trained baboons.
Despite initially being insulted, Zoro quickly learned that his primal sparring partners were a formidable match. By the time he reunited with his allies, Zoro was strong enough to carve through mountains and use Armament haki like an extension of his body.
2 Zoro Does Not Need A Devil Fruit To Be Powerful
Most of the series' strongest characters require devil fruits in order to be relevant. For example, almost every member of the four emperors had one in their possession (barring Shanks, so far as the audience knows).
However, despite being a yonko level threat, Zoro is one of the few characters to be powerful without one. Instead, he relies solely on his own strength and skill in order to win battles. In this regard, he fights more similarly to Gol D. Roger than Luffy does.
1 Zoro Is Romantically Successful
Despite not being his intention, Zoro is romantically successful. He accidentally seduced a confused Perona, who both enjoyed his company and could not stand his hard headedness. He similarly won Hiyori's affection, who came to see him as a stalwart and noble guardian.
Eventually, she trusted Zoro so much that she even bequeathed him with her father's sacred weapons. Zoro's romantic success infuriated Sanji both out of typical jealousy and for the fact that he does not personally like the swordsman. Regardless, Zoro has yet to commit to a single partner due to the nature of his adventures.