@Louis:
Actually I think a lot of people feel the way you two do. I am one of them, I just happen to be in two minds over the matter, one side of the says what you two are saying while the other says what I said before.
Yeah, I get what you're saying, also the other point, of course with no disadvantage being involved anymore, there is no reason he shouldn't use it, the problem for me is more that… Well, that he HAS to use it while others don't, you know? (Rhetorical question, I know you do )
@Coruscation:
Man, I thought was the only one who felt this way. I'm so tired of hearing "but it's just making use of his DF. The others make use of what they have". Luffy is the only one with physical power-ups, as you correctly point out in the whole freaking series (barring the NFP and somewhat Chopper).
Yeah, this exactly.
If it doesn't even grant him a significant advantage then what is the point!? How are we supposed to be impressed with it when it doesn't excel over what everyone else achieves simply through training like normal? If he has to pay the price of becoming physically weaker than everyone else to get to have a powerful physical boost it's meaningless to have said boost in the first place. Yet so many jump straight on that train thinking it's perfectly fine.
Luffy should always have a significant physical advantage over Sanji and Zoro with Gear Second. Otherwise there is no point to the technique.
Naked truth right there. Don't even have to add anything more.
But it feels like Oda is taking that away with the constant G2 spam, it being blocked or countered by people probably weaker than Zoro and Sanji, making it come off like they would be able to keep up perfectly fine with Luffy using it (and if they can do that then Luffy in base must be extremely poor to them). Of course Sanji has his DJ and Zoro extremely refined swordsmanship, so they don't strictly rely on physical ability as Luffy does. That is yet another reason they should be significantly below him in that regard but Oda probably realizes it is impractical and he can't have the M3 as close as he likes if he does that. So since G2 can't just go away, Luffy becomes physically weak.
I pray this is not the case and I'm going wrong somewhere, but I can't shake these thoughts reading the post timeskip chapters. The problem is Gear 2nd's huge boost. Anyone that can keep up with G2 means Luffy would be weak in comparison without it.
This exactly is the problem. And, let's use the Enies Lobby example - In Water 7, neither Luffy, Zoro or Sanji could touch any of the CP9. Then, in Enies Lobby, they all received a huge power up - and Luffy could keep up physically with Blueno, who was already damn strong, but he didn't excel. For that, he needed Gear 2, and with this clearly overpowered and outmatched Blueno. It showed a huge growth in power, but his base state at this point was about Blueno level, probably stronger than that, but not by much. Now, Zoro and Sanji both fought stronger CP9 agents, without physical power up, just new techniques, and managed to beat them. One could argue Diable Jambe falls somewhat in that category, but I'd disagree because first, it is just like a very strong kick technique, a new move, not an overall physical boost like Gear 2, and second, he managed to keep up with Jyabura before using it. Now, both Kaku and Jyabura were about 3 times as strong as Blueno, and I'm careful to avoid the stupid Douriki, but we were given those numbers, and more or less they have to be accurate. Of course, Luffy managed to beat Lucci, but again, obviously, with his Gears - from that, it seems that from here on out already, Luffy was physically weaker, in base state, than both Sanji and Zoro. Which is what I have a problem with. A huge problem. The Gears make him excel above their level by far, but I'm still not content with the premise that his base state has to be weaker. Ideally, he should be just above or around their level WITHOUT using the Gears. And with them, get a boost which makes him superior by far, noticeably. The problem with this is that Luffy would always need opponents at least twice as strong than Zoro and Sanji's - and this needs to be apparent…
If Z&S can keep up with G2 physically Luffy is weak compared to them, if they can't then that messes with the M3 dynamic Oda is trying to portray. Ideally for me Sanji can't really keep up with G2 (doesn't mean he gets owned in a few hits but that the level of speed and intensity is just too high) and Zoro only can with struggle due to excelling in CoO. But I don't get the feeling that will be the case.
Neither do I, which is sad. Well, enough ranting for now.