Summary
- Quirks like Telescopic, Air Walk, and Zoom may seem useless for offense but are creatively used for defense or support in battles.
- Not all Quirks are meant for direct harm – Barrier, Search, and High Spec are prime examples of Quirks used for defense or intelligence gathering.
- Characters like Tatami, Tatami, Uwabami, Tengai, Mei, Ragdoll, and Nezu show how even seemingly useless Quirks can be valuable in various scenarios.
Most Quirks in My Hero Academia will be at least somewhat suitable to use in battle, allowing heroes and villains to dish out plenty of damage thanks to their own unique ability. On the odd occasion that a person is born with a Quirk which is incapable of dealing any direct harm, it can make it difficult for them to find their place in society, especially one where fights are constantly breaking out due to the sheer number of villains who are always roaming the streets.
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However, a common theme that runs throughout My Hero Academia is that any Quirk, no matter how useless it may initially seem, can always become a reliable tool through a little hard work and practice. In that same vein, there have been several characters who have made their Quirks work, despite the abilities being unable to deal any direct physical or mental harm to an opponent, with these being the most notable examples seen in the series.
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Telescopic
A Useless Quirk For Offense, But A Real Life-Saver When It Comes To Defense
- First Appearance: Episode 54
In the blink of an eye, Tatami is able to retract each of her limbs into her body, kind of like a turtle, in order to avoid a deadly attack, but while this makes her extremely durable, Telescopic can’t be used to injure the opponent in any way. Because of this, it’s been difficult for Tatami to find a suitable role for herself as a hero, considering how inherently selfish her Quirk is.
With that being said, she is still able to distract villains long enough until a pack of Pro-Heroes swoop in to save the day, or she can use it to move through small spaces as part of a stealthy infiltration mission. Telescopic is a fun and creative Quirk which Tatami has learned to make good use of in her fights, even if it’s not going to be blowing any villains away any time soon.
6
Air Walk
Being Able To Reach High Vantage Points Makes A Marksman’s Job A Whole Lot Easier
- First Appearance: Episode 49
It’s not known who possessed Air Walk before All For One ended up getting his hands on it, but one thing that is clear is that long-ranged fighters are the ones who will be able to get the most out of it. As the name implies, Air Walk allows a hero or villain to outmaneuver their opponent by creating air platforms that can be used to reach a high vantage point, as was shown with Lady Nagant.
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Air Walk on its own isn’t capable of dealing any physical damage, but it was the perfect compliment to Nagant’s Rifle Quirk, allowing her to reach a sightline where she can get a good look at her opponent before pulling the trigger. All For One would also use this Quirk to give himself the high ground any time he encountered a highly dangerous Pro-Hero who could deal significant damage to him while on the ground.
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Serpentress
Being Able To Identify Civilians In Danger Allows Heroes To Get Stuck Into The Action As Quickly As Possible
- First Appearance: Episode 27
By using the three creepy-looking snakes sprouting out from her head, Uwabami is able to detect villains in hiding or civilians in peril from a great distance away, making her one of the go-to Pro Heroes for evacuation or espionage missions. Though she doesn’t show up in the story anywhere near as much as many of her fellow Pro-Heroes, she still played her part in seeking out innocent civilians who were tapped under rubble and debris during the final war.
Those three colorful snakes may look scary on the surface, but from what’s been shown in the series, they won’t bite. Instead, they are just there to use their acute senses to help Uwabami and the other heroes out when they don’t have any time to waste while out on a mission.
4
Barrier
One Of The Best Defensive Quirks In The Series Which Excels At Holding Back Lethal Attacks
- First Appearance: Episode 72
It may not be all that flashy, but it’s hard to argue that Barrier isn’t still an incredibly powerful Quirk, though not in terms of its offensive power. Barrier is capable of withstanding an absurd amount of incoming damage, which allowed its user, Tengai, to keep him and the rest of Overhaul’s goons safe when Fat Gum and the other heroes showed up.
As a Quirk entirely based around providing defense, Barrier cannot be used in any way to harm an opponent. Most villains wouldn’t be thrilled being gifted with an ability that can’t tear down a building or slice a hero in two, but Tengai was happy using it to protect Overhaul and his makeshift family.
3
Zoom
While Zoom Is Useful For A Mechanic Like Mei, It Wouldn’t Be All That Powerful Out On The Battlefield
- First Appearance: Episode 53
Considering Mei spends pretty much all her time in the Development Studio creating fresh suits and fixing up new weapons, having a Quirk which essentially turns her eyes into telescopes, allowing her to zoom in on anything she wants to focus on, is a huge help for the weird and quirky mechanic.
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She can also use Zoom to pick out potential investors and supporters of her work from a crowd of thousands, making Mei the perfect person to possess this Quirk, considering the myriad of ways she can utilize its ability. A front-line fighter may struggle to use Zoom to full effectiveness, but it suits Mai like a glove, complimenting her keen and curious personality.
2
Search
An Invaluable Tool For All For One Which Isn’t Inherently A Harmful Ability
- First Appearance: Episode 41
Search is a Quirk introduced fairly early on in the series during the Forest Training Camp arc, but it wouldn’t take long before it changed hands after being stolen by All For One. The original user was Ragdoll, who explains that the Quirk grants the ability to scan a person, store them in a mental database, and then seek them out, no matter where they may be hiding.
All For One would make sure to get his hands on this Quirk as quickly as possible, considering he knew it would give him an instant advantage over any troublesome heroes who tried to stand in the way of him becoming the Demon Lord. Though the Quirk isn’t inherently harmful, it can be a real game-changer for villains who will be able to counter anyone their enemies just by glancing at them.
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High Spec
Nezu Uses His Enhanced IQ To Guide And Support The Other Pro-Heroes
- First Appearance: Episode 4
There are many Quirks out there that allow a person to take on the form of an animal, but it’s extremely rare to see it the other way around. Nezu is a mouse who, thanks to his High-Spec Quirk, possesses an IQ even higher than that of even humans, making it easy to understand why he earned the top-spot at U-A.
Clearly, Nezu isn’t someone who likes getting his hands dirty, but when it comes to setting out a strategy and plan of action, there’s not many who do it better. While he often uses his Quirk to maintain the U.A defense system or to organize a plan of attack against a group of villains, he will also deploy High Spec to deduce what the best course of action is when the school’s reputation takes a hit, allowing him to protect the students with his words of confidence and reassurance.
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