Usopp's upgrade

[Gekido]

I was thinking about Usopp's development and I feel somehow uneasy about his progress and growth. I really liked his development after Skypia. He was gradually improving and making use oh his dials, but still using old tactics and cheap tricks (like Perona battle). I am curios if the new Kabuto still uses dials as the old version did. It wozld be sad, if he completely stops using old stuff. His skill has always been a combination of sniping and gimmicks, which he still has, but these popgreens seem to be rather randomizec and overpowered.. I mean an Impact-Dog-Flower?! wtf..
I just feel sad, if he stops using his old dials and only keeps on using seeds, which seem to be able to do anything.. boats, paddles, trampolines, impacts, underground bamboo stabbing attacks.. Where is the so beloved pound hammer and the real sniping? All he is "shooting" right now is seeds that do all the work by itself, the real deal skill is missing..

my 2 cents

[WakaDArc]

I'd give it still an arc or two to see what Ussop has to offer.

[city_lights31]

When did he make paddles? Usopp was always going to get manlier, it's his natural character progression. "Brave warrior of the sea" and all that. I will admit that I miss Usopp's rubber band of doom.

[Cymelion]

I was thinking about Usopp's development and I feel somehow uneasy about his progress and growth. I really liked his development after Skypia. He was gradually improving and making use oh his dials, but still using old tactics and cheap tricks (like Perona battle). I am curios if the new Kabuto still uses dials as the old version did. It wozld be sad, if he completely stops using old stuff. His skill has always been a combination of sniping and gimmicks, which he still has, but these popgreens seem to be rather randomizec and overpowered.. I mean an Impact-Dog-Flower?! wtf..
I just feel sad, if he stops using his old dials and only keeps on using seeds, which seem to be able to do anything.. boats, paddles, trampolines, impacts, underground bamboo stabbing attacks.. Where is the so beloved pound hammer and the real sniping? All he is "shooting" right now is seeds that do all the work by itself, the real deal skill is missing..

my 2 cents

....

So you liked watching him improving - but now he has improved you don't like him?
And then you go on to say you liked him when he was using gimmicks like the Dials and improvised weapons - only to bag on pop greens which do the same thing as the Dials and Improvised weapons.

Let me clear something up for you.
The whole Strawhats are going into a section of the ocean where Captain Kidd - someone who had a pre TS bounty higher then Luffy has had his arm ripped off and brand new scars. Usopp as a coward running away and trying to snipe with little ballbarings and rubber bands would be toast in the new battles.

Usopp spent 2 years growing and adapting he is going to leave behind a lot on ineffectual tactics and improve on the new ones.
The seeds may seem hax - but seriously how do we know comparred to whats to come. The one thing I like about the pop-greens is they are immune to Mantra/CoO
Sure you know where he is going to shoot but you have NO CLUE what he fired since that is not what CoO is meant to do.
I could go into further but the truth is yes Usopp could be the new Deus Ex Machina for the crew - but then again I have a feeling they SH's will all be their own DEM just like they have been for most of their voyage.

[Densuke]

....

So you liked watching him improving - but now he has improved you don't like him?
And then you go on to say you liked him when he was using gimmicks like the Dials and improvised weapons - only to bag on pop greens which do the same thing as the Dials and Improvised weapons.

Let me clear something up for you.
The whole Strawhats are going into a section of the ocean where Captain Kidd - someone who had a pre TS bounty higher then Luffy has had his arm ripped off and brand new scars. Usopp as a coward running away and trying to snipe with little ballbarings and rubber bands would be toast in the new battles.

Usopp spent 2 years growing and adapting he is going to leave behind a lot on ineffectual tactics and improve on the new ones.
The seeds may seem hax - but seriously how do we know comparred to whats to come. The one thing I like about the pop-greens is they are immune to Mantra/CoO
Sure you know where he is going to shoot but you have NO CLUE what he fired since that is not what CoO is meant to do.
I could go into further but the truth is yes Usopp could be the new Deus Ex Machina for the crew - but then again I have a feeling they SH's will all be their own DEM just like they have been for most of their voyage.

I very much like your post/opinion. especially the part about immune to CoO.

[KaizokuJinbei]

When did he make paddles? Usopp was always going to get manlier, it's his natural character progression. "Brave warrior of the sea" and all that. I will admit that I miss Usopp's rubber band of doom.

Hey he may have it still or he may have a giant rubber band that would actually hurt and that is the new rubber band of doom. lol

[Katzztar]

When did he make paddles?

The paddles are the leaves of the uchiwa grass he grew in ch 659 along with the banana boat.

Usopp was always going to get manlier, it's his natural character progression. "Brave warrior of the sea" and all that. I will admit that I miss Usopp's rubber band of doom.

Agreed. I knew that Usopp would be growing up some (they all still have the jokes) since the timeskip began. Oda gave us a clue when he had Usopp claim that he wanted to become stronger to help Luffy become the Pirate King by becoming a real King of Snipers.
I believe Oda has more in store for Usopp's abilities, but had not had achance so show it. While its been a year for us since the reunion, its been a few days for the Strawhats and that is not enough time to learn full capablities of Usopp.

[Cymelion]

I very much like your post/opinion. especially the part about immune to CoO.

Actually strictly speaking thats still speculation - but I feel it's pretty solid speculation.

[Jabra]

The pop greens are absolutely amazing and fit him perfectly, but it doesn't make sense for him to ignore the various dials he has in store.
An impact-dial armor would be awesome to grant him more defense, for example.

But who knows, maybe he will use them again when the time is right.

[Cymelion]

The pop greens are absolutely amazing and fit him perfectly, but it doesn't make sense for him to ignore the various dials he has in store.
An impact-dial armor would be awesome to grant him more defense, for example.

But who knows, maybe he will use them again when the time is right.

Correct me if I am wrong though - Impact Dial's need to store a powerful blow which is then consumed on release.
Plus the feedback also harms the user slightly - I'm guessing Usopp is probably strong enough now to take that feedback but still he would need to either be saving the power or use it at the right moments.
Also I am actually thinking Oda probably intended to use the Dials more for Usopp but then changed his mind keeping Usopp a ranged fighter as opposed to close combat offered by the Dials.

Pop Greens are good for versitility but as for actually hitting targets with finess that still needs to be shown and I have a feeling when he does it will blow us away and a lot of complaints listed here will be for naught - remember he is the ship sniper for a reason.

[Jabra]

Correct me if I am wrong though - Impact Dial's need to store a powerful blow which is then consumed on release.
Plus the feedback also harms the user slightly - I'm guessing Usopp is probably strong enough now to take that feedback but still he would need to either be saving the power or use it at the right moments.
Also I am actually thinking Oda probably intended to use the Dials more for Usopp but then changed his mind keeping Usopp a ranged fighter as opposed to close combat offered by the Dials.

That is the point, why not craft an armor covered with impact dials? The shells would absorb any attack, making him basically immune to punches. A reversed use, basically.

It wouldn't make him a melee fighter, but cover his weakness.

[tatermoog]

There's been an argument that Usopp's Pop Greens actually mirror the effects of previous dials. Impact Wolf, for example, clearly references Impact Dials (and may actually incorporate them): http://www.mangahere.com/manga/one_piece/v59/c646/8.html

but overall, I'm in agreement. Usopp's development has seemed like the least organic progression of the character's previous development of the SHs, though I suppose one could argue for Brook (who had little development prior to the timeskip in the first place).

[RomanceDawn]

Pop Greens are no more hax than dials. This shell can store flames and release them, this shell can absorb vicious blows and return them, this shell can cut like an axe, I mean it is literally no different at all aside from presentation. Usopp's new weapons compliment him very well because they are new ammunition, and considering where he was, this was a very natural progression.

If Usopp appeared more like Yasopp, seeing him go from guns with bullets to sling shots with strange new ammo, that would be really unnatural growth. But since the beginning the slingshot has proven to be extremely flexible in it's output. If Usopp can shoot rotten eggs, hot peppers, a bubble gum like substance, throwing stars, roach balls, and slippery goo why in the world would he not take advantage of pop greens? Seriously!

As I said in the chapter thread, we were waiting more than a full year for Franky to use strong right and weapons left, he just constantly did new things until recently. I don't see why when the time is appropriate he wouldn't use some type of Fire Bird Star or what ever the heck he shot at Shiki in Strong World.

[MasterKingJC]

Wait. Doesn't Usopp's Black Kabuto have a dial inside the pouch just like the original Kabuto?

[Cymelion]

Wait. Doesn't Usopp's Black Kabuto have a dial inside the pouch just like the original Kabuto?

It's likely - but not confirmed I don't think.

[Kylor]

I will admit that before the timeskip, I looked forward to seeing Usopp take on ridiculously powerful opponents by using clever tricks and gadgets and stuff. The whole powerup business felt childish and stupid from the beginning, and it's most pronounced with Usopp. Probably why I'll admit I'm losing interest in One Piece lately... it's all flash and sparkle nowadays.

[LightningAce]

....

So you liked watching him improving - but now he has improved you don't like him?
And then you go on to say you liked him when he was using gimmicks like the Dials and improvised weapons - only to bag on pop greens which do the same thing as the Dials and Improvised weapons.

Let me clear something up for you.
The whole Strawhats are going into a section of the ocean where Captain Kidd - someone who had a pre TS bounty higher then Luffy has had his arm ripped off and brand new scars. Usopp as a coward running away and trying to snipe with little ballbarings and rubber bands would be toast in the new battles.

Usopp spent 2 years growing and adapting he is going to leave behind a lot on ineffectual tactics and improve on the new ones.
The seeds may seem hax - but seriously how do we know comparred to whats to come. The one thing I like about the pop-greens is they are immune to Mantra/CoO
Sure you know where he is going to shoot but you have NO CLUE what he fired since that is not what CoO is meant to do.
I could go into further but the truth is yes Usopp could be the new Deus Ex Machina for the crew - but then again I have a feeling they SH's will all be their own DEM just like they have been for most of their voyage.

Kidd has not had his arm ripped off. I dunno how you got that from the new image. He has that hand thingy he makes using his DF power, which we've seen him use many times.

Also, i don't see the big deal about pop greens. The SH's have been in 1 long non stop adventure since they reunited. Its just their chance to show off new stuff, which is what Ussop is doing...it doens't mean he's abandoned the old stuff.

[Cymelion]

Kidd has not had his arm ripped off. I dunno how you got that from the new image. He has that hand thingy he makes using his DF power, which we've seen him use many times.

(OT) We'll have to see - but from the scan image I'm seeing him as losing an arm and replacing it with his power. Happy to argue in the picture scan thread.

Also, i don't see the big deal about pop greens. The SH's have been in 1 long non stop adventure since they reunited. Its just their chance to show off new stuff, which is what Ussop is doing...it doens't mean he's abandoned the old stuff.

Yeppers - Usopp is still Usopp just grown and experienced.
The type where instead of just winning battles and ending up covered in bandages all the time - he'll be able to actually fight - and I was kinda sick of the whole bandaged look by the end of Alabasta.

[Kishido]

Isn't this a topic for the SHs theories thread?

[KaizokuJinbei]

I believe the dials were severely underused there was so much he could have done with them. For example his fake 5 ton hammer that he makes with two pans he could use an impact dial on it and could've actually made it effective.

Realistically the only real battle he used them in was when he fought Luffy