Fish-Man Karate Overview
Fish-Man Karate is an A-tier fighting style with water-based AoE and crowd control. It is unique among fighting styles for its long-range water attacks and the ability to fight effectively both on land and in water. While it lacks the burst damage of Dragon Claw or the combo potential of Electro, Fish-Man Karate excels at controlling the battlefield with water waves, knockbacks, and area denial. It is the natural pairing for the Fishborne race and any water-adjacent Devil Fruit.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Role | Water-based AoE and crowd control |
| V1 Skills | 3 |
| V2 Skills | 4 |
V1 Skills
Skill 1: Water Bullet
- Damage: 1,600
- Cooldown: 8 seconds
- Range: 15 meters (projectile)
- Startup: 6 frames
- Description: Fire a compressed water bullet at high speed. Water Bullet is your primary ranged poke and one of the few fighting style skills that works effectively at long range. The projectile travels quickly and has a slight knockback on hit, pushing the target back 2 meters. This creates spacing that favors your mid-range playstyle.
Skill 2: Shark Fist
- Damage: 2,400
- Cooldown: 11 seconds
- Range: 8 meters (melee)
- Startup: 7 frames
- Description: Punch forward with a shark-shaped water construct. Shark Fist is your primary damage tool - the water shark deals heavy single-target damage and has a slight vacuum effect that pulls enemies 1 meter toward you on hit. This pull effect is unique among fighting style skills and sets up your combo chains.
Skill 3: Ocean Wave
- Damage: 1,200 (wave) + 600 (knockback impact)
- Cooldown: 13 seconds
- Range: 12-meter cone
- Startup: 8 frames
- Description: Sweep your arm and send a wave of water forward in a wide cone. Ocean Wave damages and knocks back all enemies in its path. The knockback distance is significant (5-8 meters), making this your primary crowd control and spacing tool. In PvE, Ocean Wave clears groups of NPCs. In PvP, it creates distance between you and melee opponents.
V2 Skills
Fish-Man Karate V2 upgrades all V1 skills and adds a fourth skill. The V2 quest requires: 120,000 Beli, defeat 80 NPCs with Fish-Man Karate, and defeat the Fish-Man Karate Master in the underwater dojo.
Skill 1: Water Bullet V2 (Enhanced)
- Damage: 2,000 (up from 1,600)
- Cooldown: 7 seconds (reduced from 8)
- Added Effect: The water bullet now splashes on impact, dealing 400 additional damage to enemies within 3 meters of the target
Skill 2: Shark Fist V2 (Enhanced)
- Damage: 3,000 (up from 2,400)
- Cooldown: 10 seconds (reduced from 11)
- Added Effect: The vacuum pull increases to 3 meters and applies a 20% slow for 2 seconds
Skill 3: Ocean Wave V2 (Enhanced)
- Damage: 1,600 + 800 (up from 1,200 + 600)
- Cooldown: 11 seconds (reduced from 13)
- Added Effect: The wave now leaves a water trail on the ground that slows enemies by 30% for 3 seconds
Skill 4: Sea King's Wrath (New)
- Damage: 3,200
- Cooldown: 16 seconds
- Range: 10 meters (directed AoE)
- Startup: 9 frames
- Description: Summon a massive water construct in the shape of a Sea King that charges forward, devastating everything in its path. Sea King's Wrath is your ultimate attack - it covers a large area, deals heavy damage, and has a persistent water zone along its path that slows enemies. This skill turns the tide of team fights and clears entire NPC camps in one cast.
Frame Data Notes
| Move | Startup | Active | Recovery | On Hit | On Block |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water Bullet | 6f | 3f (projectile) | 8f | +3 | -2 |
| Shark Fist | 7f | 5f | 11f | +5 | -3 |
| Ocean Wave | 8f | 6f | 10f | +4 | -1 |
| Sea King's Wrath (V2) | 9f | 8f | 14f | +6 | -4 |
Key takeaways:
- Water Bullet is your safest ranged option with only -2 on block
- Shark Fist's vacuum pull makes it your best combo linker despite the -3 on block
- Ocean Wave is nearly safe on block (-1), making it your pressure tool
- Sea King's Wrath is a commitment (-4 on block) - only use it in confirmed combos or as a hard read
Combo Routes
V1 Spacing Combo
- Water Bullet (ranged poke + knockback) > dash forward during knockback > Shark Fist (pull them back in) > M1 x3 > Ocean Wave (push them away to reset)
- Expected damage: ~5,500 - 7,000
V1 Close Range Combo
- Shark Fist (pull + damage) > M1 x3 > Ocean Wave (knockback + damage) > Water Bullet (catch them mid-air during knockback)
- Expected damage: ~6,000 - 7,500
V2 Full Combo
- Water Bullet V2 (poke + splash) > dash forward > Shark Fist V2 (pull + slow) > M1 x3 > Ocean Wave V2 (knockback + water trail slow) > Sea King's Wrath (massive burst through the slowed target)
- Expected damage: ~10,000 - 13,000
V2 Water Zone Combo
- Ocean Wave V2 (create water trail zone) > Water Bullet V2 (poke them while they are slowed) > Shark Fist V2 (pull them through the water trail) > M1 x4 > Sea King's Wrath (finisher)
- Expected damage: ~9,000 - 12,000
PvE Farming Rotation
- Ocean Wave (cone clears group) > Shark Fist (remaining enemies) > Water Bullet (stragglers)
- With V2: Ocean Wave V2 + Sea King's Wrath clears everything in one rotation
Water Combat Bonus
Fish-Man Karate deals +30% damage when the user is standing in water. This bonus applies to:
- Natural water (oceans, lakes, rivers)
- Water zones created by Ice fruit
- Water trails created by Ocean Wave V2
If you are fighting near water, position yourself in it for the damage boost. Combined with the Fishborne race's swim speed, you become extremely dangerous in aquatic environments.
When to Use V1 vs V2
Use V1 When:
- You are still leveling
- You prefer the 3-skill simplicity
- You do not have access to the underwater dojo for the V2 quest
Use V2 When:
- Sea King's Wrath provides the burst damage that V1 lacks
- The slow effects on V2 skills enable much better combo chaining
- Water Bullet V2's splash damage is essential for group fights
- Always, once unlocked - V2 is a significant upgrade, especially the 4th skill
Matchup Notes
Strong Against
- Melee-only fighters (Ocean Wave keeps them at bay)
- Ground-based opponents (water zones slow them)
- Groups of enemies (excellent AoE)
- Opponents near water (+30% damage bonus)
Weak Against
- Flying opponents (Dragon, Skyborne) can avoid ground-level water attacks
- Fast opponents (Leopard, Beastborne) can dash through your projectiles
- Burst-heavy builds (Dragon Claw) can close distance and out-damage you before you establish spacing
Best Pairings
- Fruit: Ice or Fishborne - Ice creates water zones that boost Fish-Man Karate damage; water-based fruits synergize with the aquatic theme
- Weapon: Fishman Trident - the only weapon designed for water combat, with bonus damage in water
- Race: Fishborne - swim speed + water combat bonuses + Fish-Man Karate = the ultimate aquatic build. On land, this build is A-tier. In water, it approaches S-tier.