Summary
While a powerful and explosive Quirk can be a big help in fending off a villain, it’s arguably just as important to have individuals who can also play a more defensive role to keep civilians protected and out of harm’s way. Over the course ofMy Hero Academia’s longrunning story, there have been countless creative and unique Quirks which have been shown off, and though the more offensive-based ones tend to be the most flashy and exciting, there are also plenty of handy defensive Quirks which have proved extremely useful in the heat of battle too.
Anyone who has read or watchedMy Hero Academiawill know very well just how absurdly powerful not only the villains but also the heroes can become if they possess the right Quirk. As a result, being able to tank their attacks head-on to buy time or to simply distract an enemy can be incredibly useful when executing a plan of attack. With that being said, these are among the very best Quirks in all ofMy Hero Academiawhen it comes to defense and durability.
9Cement
Cementoss Uses Giant Sturdy Pillars To Keep Him And His Friends Safe From Harm
Considering he is aPro-Heroin the main story, it makes sense that Cementoss would be proficient at using his Quirk ability, but the speed at which he can erect giant, durable walls and pillars is honestly quite staggering. In a matter of moments, Cementoss can manipulate existing cement to surround an area with a defensive cocoon, and though these walls aren’t indestructible, they can still withstand a ton of firepower and physical attacks before crumbling away.
Unfortunately, Cementoss is a hero who often gets sidelined for much of the story due to the focus being more on Pro-Heroes like Hawks and Endeavor, meaning he doesn’t get to show off his Quirk too often. Despite that, though, it’s still evident just how useful his unique ability is whenever the heroes are planning a way to keep civilians safe and protected from a villain’s attack.
8Fat Absorption
Fat Gum’s Body Can Absorb Attacks, And Even Entire Villains, Before Spitting Them Back Out
Whenever a villain tries to land a punch on the Pro-Hero known as Fat Gum, their attacks will instantly be absorbed by his own fat, which is made possible thanks to his Quirk. As shown during the Overhaul arc where Gum faces off against Rappa, he was more than capable of tanking numerous of Rappa’s attacks, all while managing to stay on his feet, that is, until the fat eventually wore off.
While his power to absorb attacks will eventually run out if a fight drags on for too long, Fat Gum is then able to deliver a single mighty punch in retaliation. In this sense, he’s essentially a hero who bides his time in a fight, forcing the enemy to throw everything they have at him before knocking them out when they least expect it.
7Steel
With How Many Elemental-Quirks Are Out There, Being Completely Immune To Their Effects Is A Big Deal
Because Quirks come in all kinds of forms, it means approaching a random villain in public can be pretty risky since there’s no telling what sorts of abilities they’ll have hidden up their sleeves. Elemental Quirks that can spit out fire, ice, or water, for example, can be especially harmful due to their AOE potential, but with Steel, Tetsutetsu can remain completely immune to their effects, for a little while, at least.
In fact, the young and spunky hero can still move when Steel is activated, bolstering his attacks and allowing him to jump into the fray without having to worry about taking damage or being cut down. As Tetsutetsu himself explains, Steel can’t be trained to become any more durable than it already is, and there are also some ways it can be negated, such as poisonous gas, but it’s still, nonetheless, an excellent defensive tool for the hero to have.
6Muscle Augmentation
Muscular Can Shield Himself With His Own Enhanced Body To Drastically Increase Durability
When Goto Imasuji activates his Quirk, he will begin to expand as his muscles grow and surround his entire body, making him essentially a walking, talking impenetrable fortress. Considering he’s amaniacal killerwho simply wants to cause as much suffering as possible, Muscular tends to use his Quirk to dish out damage, but it’s also clear that his ability excels at keeping its user protected from incoming harm, thanks to how durable it is.
When Midoriya tried to attack Muscular during the Forest Training Camp, he struggled to even make a scratch, forcing him to go all out and unleash 100% just to defeat him. Needless to say, there’s only ever one person in the world ofMy Hero Academiawho possesses One For All at any given time, so the majority of people would find it more or less impossible to crack through Muscular’s natural defenses.
5Shock Absorption
The U.S.J Nomu Was Equipped With A Quirk That Even All Might Struggled To Overcome
WhenAll Mightis first introduced in the series, he is presented as a man of incredible strength who is more than capable of taking down any villains that try to stand in his way. This is why it was such a shock when a terrifying monster known as Nomu was able to withstand a barrage of All Might’s attacks and shrug them off like they were nothing, but it’s all because of its Shock Absorption Quirk.
While the Quirk doesn’t completely nullify the damage dealt by heavy blows, it will still severely limit their effectiveness, meaning all Nomu has to do is stand there and wait for the heroes to tire themselves out before Shigaraki and the others clean up what’s left. It’s a good thing All Might showed up when he did, as only his power was enough to finally break down Nomu’s durable wall of defense.
4Barrier
Even A Pro Hero Found It Near-Impossible To Get Past Tengai’s Barrier
Hekiji Tengai is one of Overhaul’s many goons who are ordered to fight off the heroes after they try and rescue Eri, and though he doesn’t possess any offensive powers, he makes up for this by having one of the best defensive Quirks in the entire series. Barrier, as the name implies, projects a large golden blockade, which Fat Gum describes as being as strong as a “steel wall” when he tries to break through it himself.
The best way to get around this is by inflicting damage on Tengai himself since this makes it harder for him to deploy more barriers if he’s in a severely wounded state. If Tengai were a hero, he would have been an invaluable ally on the front lines who would be ideal for keeping civilians protected from villainous attacks and crumbling buildings, so it’s a shame he swore his loyalty to Overhaul instead.
3Permeation
Becoming Completely Intangible Means Physical Attacks Will Have Absolutely No Effect
The Permeation Quirk, which allows the user to become completely intangible, may sound powerful, but as Mirio has shown, it’s an extremely difficult ability to master. When using his Quirk, absolutely everything will pass through Mirio’s body, including air, light, and even enemy attacks. Additionally, Mirio can also use his Quirk to fall through the floor to avoid an attack entirely if he’s quick enough. Still, because he can’t technically breathe in this mode, he can only use it for a few seconds.
While Permeation can, therefore, be utilized as a more defensive tool for Mirio, it can’t exactly be used this way to protect civilians, only himself. This is why Mirio has trained so hard to learn how it can be used offensively, so that he can protect himself and others at the same time.
2Impact Recoil
All For One Acquired A Quirk That Reflects An Opponent’s Attack Right Back At Them
When One For All first debuted in the series, he had already acquireda substantial batch of powerful Quirks, including the absurdly strong Impact Recoil. This Quirk allows a person to fire back a direct physical attack at their enemy, making it extremely deadly when someone charges in head-on without knowing what is about to come next.
This was something All Might came to learn first-hand when his arm suffered a full blast from Impact Recoil after the Pro-Hero tried to land a devastating attack. It’s not known who All For One stole this ability from, but one thing is for sure: when it comes to defensive powers, this is up there as one of the best, despite it not being used all that often throughout the story.
1Hardening
A Sturdy Quirk Ability Which Protects The User While Also Giving Them Offensive Potential
Like many members ofClass 1-A, it takes quite a while before Ejiro is able to really get the hang of his Quirk, Hardening, but it’s during the hunt for Overhaul that he earns the opportunity to show just how strong it really can be. Hardening makes it more or less impossible for Eijiro’s opponents to lay a scratch on him, whether it be through the use of physical attacks, Quirk abilities, or even bullets, which will bounce off like they’ve just hit a shield of armor.
While Eijiro can use this to defend himself, or others, from harm, he has also learned to use it as a weapon, too, since the spiky edges of his hardened body can deal some nasty damage when getting up close and personal with a villain. Knocking over Eijiro is no easy task when he’s in this form, which is ideal for someone who aspires to stand tall as an inspirational hero that those who are in peril can look up to.
