@Juvar:
Sorry I'm doing this from my phone so I can't make it look as pretty 
I didn't think of the partial G2, my bad - you're right, it wouldn't be far fetched to say that a partial G2 is relatively weaker than a full one… I'll go with that for now, I guess.
But I never said he needed G2 to reach Zoro's level, more like, him in G2 exceeds Zoro by quite a significant amount. That's only my take on this though. I'd say they are roughly on the same level in base state, with Zoro possibly a bit stronger, not fighting ability-wise, just raw physical strength - and Luffy's G2 gives him the advantage.
We have, however, seen Luffy use it a lot, and Zoro obviously hasn't got an ability like that - just like no one else does. Regarding that fact it's actually pretty fair to say that Luffy needs G2 to exceed their level of strength and speed, meaning that in base state, they are superior to him - even Zoro, just slightly, maybe, even Sanji.
Edit: I guess Luffy needs the boost exactly for this - he may be roughly at the same level as people around them, but to be stronger than them, the Gear second boost is necessary. He is not stronger than them in his base state, take Lucci for example - after the Ts he might be stronger, but the boost is still necessary. He is the main protagonist, and this is his way of overpowering opponents.
Ugh, what a pain >_> Well, it looks good enough really.
That's what I'd like to think as well. Roughly. I'm just not sure since G2 hasn't been impressive lately as it used to be. I know it can maybe be chalked up to a Franky / Blueno / Sphinx deal where Oda grossly downplays Luffy's strength to us.
I just don't like that Luffy needs to speed up his limbs and whatnot when other people get by fine without it. I mean is Luffy really going to dance circles around say Akainu when he fights him, a guy who proved to have gigantic leg strength? I just have a hard time envisioning it even if it makes sense on paper. What makes even more sense to me is a lesser G2 boost, Luffy can be roughly equal with Akainu in physical strength in base and G2 just gives him an edge, quicker attacks, higher damage, not lets him smack him all over the place so quickly he can barely if ata ll react to the speed like he did Lucci.
@Ryuksgelus:
Using it on specific body parts would severely lesson the strain. As far as the story goes there are no negative effects.
He has only used G2 to attack with his arms and legs. Lets wait and see him use soru before we judge how big a boost G2 still gives him. No reason he can't use soru to out speed them in part 2 like in one.
Hardness has nothing to do with heat resistance. One breaks through the armor with force one allows more force to go through. How is softening the armor not helpful? Or are you suggesting DJ does no such thing? Then what is its point at all if the heat only does damage if he breaks through an enemies guard first?
Luffy slammed it into the ground. Its legs are in the air. Sanji's wouldn't have moved very much if Zoro wasn't there. There is no debate on this point. If you don't see the difference then you're blind. Are you only looking at the Pacifista's facial expressions?
He is fucking Jinbe!! He blocked it, cross armed no less, and it still bruised his arm. I've never seen you grasp at straws before. Vanderdecken's retard strength enhanced endurance letting him stay conscious after a jet slam supports your point more. Jinbe didn't react from being bathed in boiling water, having his arm engulfed in flames by Akainu, punching lava, or repeatedly beaten by a spiked mace and blocked a Moriah's blade with his palm. Jinbei would the disappointing one if a stamp caused him distress and he skidded on his feet backwards or something.
Scene proved exactly the opposite. It was still on its feet from Sanji's attack. Luffy rocketed it into the ground and caused it to explode. What do you think would have happened with no Haki? I'm betting Gear 2 would have still broke its face but it would have stayed on its feet just like Sanjis attack let him.
That's fine then, basically what I'm saying. Though I hope the exhaustive effects on him will be basically so small as to be negligent as well.
Perhaps (though a lot of people are now saying that Sanji can easily be faster than G2 Luffy in movement speed) but pre TS you had his attack speed being greatly superior as well. Hence the whole "Jet" thing, G2 is basically all about speed and that should count for movement and attack. Lucci could scarcely react in time to block or do anything but Tekkai up as quickly as he could and he was an opponent significantly superior to Luffy in base form. But now people react easily to G2. It just doesn't seem impressive anymore.
No, I'm sure it does, I just can't imagine it being as helpful as the great boosts of Haki and G2 respectively. Though there is something iffy with DJ in general. What do you think about the scene when he used it to redirect the Oars Bazooka? In that scenario weakening "armor" wouldn't help since all he did was redirect something already coming at him with great force, not to damage. It seems to me like there might be a sort of "explosive" effect to it that helps a bit with physical force but I'm not sure.
I am because that's what really matters. The actual damage done moreso than if it arbitrarily goes flying or not. Sanji could send a Pacifista flying with pre TS DJ, Drake send it crashing with a one handed axe blow, so obviously Sanji didn't fail to move his for a lack of physical force behind the blow. I just see that as totally arbitrary and what really matters is the damage done.
Yeah he is, and I hadn't imagined that the physical force of post TS G2 attacks would basically be shit to him. I didn't think he'd get mauled either just give more of a reaction. The bruises don't matter much to me since they're gone a page later, and Oda is very arbitrary with bruises in general, I remember Magellan having bruises on his face after fighting Luffy who never hit him in the face. This situation can help me elaborate on an earlier point though, namely G2's lessened boost. Let's say it's Sanji instead and he delivers a kick combo. By the preskip gap that would basically be less than a fly bite to him given how little G2 did, but I find that a bit hard to imagine.
But yeah I do also find Decken getting up so easily somewhat odd. As well as Decken dodging Luffy's first attack. I wonder if he's really as weak as some think though, I'm going to give that a bit more time for now.
I imagine the opposite tbh, it's slammed into the ground but isn't one-shotted. And again remaining on its feet means nothing to me because Sanji knocked a PX off its feet with pre TS DJ (and Drake did it with one hand). That tells me factors like not going flying are totally arbitrary. What matters is the damage done, Luffy didn't manage to do visibly more physical damage even though he used full on G2 + Haki.
