History Main / UnskilledButStrong

[[caption-width:330:Are you really going to criticize his poor form?]]

** A borderline case, given that Gear 2nd is a special technique that Luffy developed through practice, rather than a power that was handed to him.

* The villains during the Saiyans and Namek arcs in ''DragonBall''. They were born with huge ammounts of ki, but have no way to control it, and can do little more than fly and shoot strong blasts from their hands ([[WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer Which works]]). Meanwhile, our heroes can do far more things with their ki, since they had formal training for it.

** As a powerful yet bratty Goddess, Glory probably qualifies, too.

Compare SkilledButNaive. Contrast WeakButSkilled.

** Her friend Hayate is this down to the core. Her magical power is by far the highest in the entire TSAB and her attacks are equal to ''nukes''. And yet she's helplessly unskilled and needs support to even aim her attacks properly. As she says ''herself'', this is why she would lose to almost everyone else in the main cast, despite being theoretically the strongest mage alive.

A character who is UnskilledButStrong lacks the refined technique of formal training, but compensates by either being [[TheGift very naturally talented]] or [[MightyGlacier having so much raw power]] they don't ''need'' skill.

** Her friend Hayate is this down to the core. Her magical power is by far the highest in the entire TSAB and her attacks are equal to ''nukes''. And yet she's helplessly unskilled and needs support to even aim her attacks properly. As she says ''herself'', this is why she would lose to almost everyone else in the main cast, despite being theoretically the strongest mage.

** Additionally, he has the same level of Haki that Hancock does, which is stronger than theirs but can't control it, and can't do anything more than render people without sufficient force of will unconscious.

* The ''Buffy'' villain "The Judge". A Nigh invulnerable demon who OneHitKills from range. So used to curb-stomping entire armies and never having to worry about dodging or actually fighting beyond "point and kill it", when Buffy uses a rocket launcher, he doesn't even know to dodge.

* Captain Hammer of ''DoctorHorrible'' seems to get everywhere on super strength and damage resistance (which is a lot in a world where the super villains we know of are 1:a MadScientist 2:a guy who can make things moist 3:[[spoiler:a horse]]) and the first time he gets hurt he runs away crying like a little girl and explicitly an anti-intellectual in the ExpandedUniverse.

* [[BloodKnight Kenpachi]] from ''{{Bleach}}'' is a borderline example. He lacks the ability to use [[SuperMode Bankai]] and sticks purely to hacking his enemies to little pieces with his sword. He does have some training in kendo, but he [[IAmNotLeftHanded refuses to use it]], as his [[RestrainingBolt battles would end too quickly]]. When he does use it [[spoiler: he can defeat an opponent who's been fighting him to a standstill for several episodes by [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome using both]] of his hands to hold his sword]].
** And even so, that's the only principle of Kendo that he remembers, one that Nnoitra points out is quite obvious.
** Kenpachi is actually even worse than that - he doesn't even know his Zanpakuto's name, never uses Kido, and acquired his leadership position by force rather than being chosen for it. I think he's a pretty good example.
** Don't forget Ichigo himself. Despite having one of the highest spiritual power levels in the series, he is often outclassed in skill by more experienced opponents, such as Ulqiourra and Gin.

* In the City vs Country {{Cricket}} matches of the olden days, the country teams (mainly farmers) had more power but less refined technique than their city opponents. The term ''agricultural shot'', meaning a full-blooded swing that will probably result in the batsman either hitting the ball out of the ground or getting out, is a relic of this.

* Due to unusual circumstances BeetTheVandelBuster can use five of the powerful magical weapons called Saiga, when most individuals can use only one. However, early parts of the series are spent with Beet learning how to fully utilize his five Saiga and Beet has zero ability in the more basic magical skills which are supposed to be the lead up to obtaining a Saiga in the first place.
* MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha has a lot of raw power, but her technique isn't quite up to the task at the very beginning. Later on though, she trains and refines her technique so immensely that it almost becomes an inversion. She learns ''fast'' and she does it ''good''.

* Takashi Kawamura from PrinceofTennis. He considers himself the burden of the Seigaku team, yet can fight GeniusBruiser Kabaji to a standstill.

* Most of the Gauls in ''{{Asterix}}'' have shades of this, but Obelix is the only ''true'' example. Due to being permanently [[SuperStrength superpowered]], he hasn't even had the benefit of unpowered combat training the others had. This is demonstrated abundantly in the (non-canon) comic ''The Twelve Tasks of Asterix'', where one of the trials pits him and Obelix against a German Judo-master. Obelix's attempts to smash through him with brute force are effortlessly redirected, and he quickly proves entirely unable to hurt the little man. Fortunately, Asterix is there to effectively ''talk'' the man into submission... or, rather, distract him with talk and an interest in the man's fighting style that gets the poor German to give Asterix instructions and allow himself to be used as a training dummy, realising he's helped Asterix subdue him only after having his arms and legs tied into knots.

* Galactus, at least in Top Trumps. Super high stats in everything but weapon Skill. He doesn't seem to have much technique other than draining the enenmy to death, but when you eat planets.....

* [[StarterVillain Victor Sells / The Shadowman]] from TheDresdenFiles is at least as strong a magical talent as the title character, particularly when powered up by the storms he draws on, but because he has little formal magical training he makes some sloppy errors that Harry is able to exploit.

* Season 1 and 2 of ''{{Heroes}}'' has Peter Petrelli and Hiro Nakamura.

* The Buffy villain "The Judge". A Nigh invulnerable demon who OneHitKills from range. So used to curb-stomping entire armies and never having to worry about dodging or actually fighting beyond "point and kill it", when Buffy uses a rocket launcher, he doesn't even know to dodge.

** This was also subverted in the ''Planet Hulk'' arc where Hulk is marooned on the harsh planet Sakaar and finds himself weaker then he'd normally be on Earth due to unexplained environmental differences. Press ganged into becoming a gladiator, Hulk is forced to develop sufficient skills to survive and claw his way to the top. As a result, by the time the arc ends Hulk has not only gained some combat skills but is even ''stronger'' and smarter then he was before. And also [[OhCrap really, ''really'' mad at the people who shot him into space in the first place.]] And then JephLoeb decided to turn him back into DumbMuscle [[WallBanger just because.]]

* Galactus, at least in Top Trumps. Super high stats in everything but weapon Skill. He doesn't seem to have much tecnique other than draining the enenmy to death, but when you eat planets.....
* Lampshaded in ''Ultimate Spider-Man'', when Peter complains that he's been just getting by on luck and his natural strength and speed, so Mary Jane suggests he take martial arts.

-->''This is the dreaded Damien? He moves like an amateur! Wait... that fire could easily win him most fights, he can regenerate, and he's supposed to have super strength... he's never ''needed'' skill before! His fighting style is totally dependent on his powers!''

* Takashi Kawamura from PrinceofTennis