Worth Your Berries: Pirate Warriors 4’s CP-0 DLC Deep Dive

Worth Your Berries: Pirate Warriors 4’s CP-0 DLC Deep Dive

Bandai Namco has hoisted Character Pass 3 aboard One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4, and as a Musou die-hard who’s been mashing Triangle since the Baratie arc, I’m both pumped and wary. We’re getting six new fighters, flashy costumes, and Shanks’ seismic “Divine Departure” ultimate—but will this staggered DLC drip rekindle your pirate fervor or leave you stranded in a content drought? Let’s weigh anchor and find out.

What’s in Character Pass 3?

Since Pirate Warriors 4 launched in 2020, Bandai Namco has kept the decks clear with steady DLC drops. Character Pass 3 rolls out in two waves:

• DLC #7 (Fall 2025): Rob Lucci CP-0, sporting government-agent gear and a high-octane glass-cannon playstyle.
• DLC #8 (Early 2026): Fan-voted Special Selection featuring Enel, King, and “Black Arm” Zephyr (Z).

Pre-orders have been live since August 2025. Alongside the six fighters, you also get:

• Exclusive costumes and revamped movesets tailored to each newcomer
• Shanks’ new Conqueror’s Haki ultimate, “Divine Departure”
• Cross-gen and cross-platform support: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam

Meet the New Arrivals

Character Pass 3 goes beyond palette swaps. Six fresh combatants mean half a dozen new playstyles. From Lucci’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it rushes to Zephyr’s Haki-powered hammerfists, these fighters promise to shake up your combos and tactics.

In-Depth: Rob Lucci CP-0

Rob Lucci has stalked the Straw Hats since Water 7, but his CP-0 incarnation ramps up the intensity. If you crave precision and speed, Lucci’s kit is your adrenaline shot:

• Blinding Rushes: Lightning-fast dashes let you carve through hordes before they even see you coming.
• Gadget Finishers: Charge cuffs for stun, toss explosive darts, then vanish in a stealth cloak that teleports you right behind foes.
• Timing-Based Combos: Parry windows and input-sensitive strikes reward split-second accuracy over button-mash style.

Frame data and exact multipliers remain under wraps, but early previews hint at a high-risk, high-reward framework that’ll separate veterans from novices.

Spotlight: Enel – The God of Lightning

Fans stormed the ballot box to summit Enel’s electrifying abilities onto the roster. When the Grand Line’s God of Lightning strikes, stages tremble:

• Chain Lightning: Bounces between clustered enemies, turning tight choke points into shocking displays.
• Lightning Spear: Hurls energy javelins that pin key targets from a distance, breaking guards and staggering heavy hitters.
• Thunder Cloud Travel: Glide over terrain on his Nimbus, granting aerial counters and surprise overhead smashes.

Visually, his electric arcs and crackling effects could be DLC’s most eye-watering set pieces—if Bandai Namco nails the particle fidelity.

Spotlight: King – The Lunarian Aerial Ace

King’s arrival means the skies just became prime real estate. A Lunarian by birth, this stone-winged warrior excels at air dominance:

• Rock-Hop Launchers: Send enemies skyward for endless juggles, combining rapid strikes with mid-air knockbacks.
• Flame-Trail Barrage: Leave scorched afterburn trails that punish careless pursuit, carving kill zones on every stage.
• Wing-Blade Spins: Don’t get too close—his rotating talons can cleave through shields and shieldsavers alike.

If you’ve ever wished for anti-camp mechanics in Musou, King’s aerial supremacy brings exactly that.

Spotlight: Zephyr (“Z”) – The Black-Arm Haki Veteran

“Black Arm” Zephyr brings old-school brawn fused with Haki finesse. Expect bone-shaking hits and stage-interactive mayhem:

• Haki-Infused Smash: Hammerfist ground pounds that shatter barricades and stagger bosses.
• Explosive Anchor Slam: Whip out a giant anchor drop that sends shockwaves across the battlefield.
• Cannon Barrage Support: Summon naval artillery to pepper clusters of foes—think crowd control with sea-leg swagger.

With Z, every slam feels weighty. If staged hazards are your jam, his moveset doubles down on interactive stage destruction.

Shanks’ “Divine Departure” Explained

Pre-ordering nets you Shanks’ Conqueror’s Haki ultimate, “Divine Departure.” More than a spectacle, it adds a strategic edge:

• Panoramic Shockwave: Clears mobs in one screen-shaking flash—perfect for retreating or resetting the battlefield.
• Boss Flinch: Even the toughest captains can’t resist a stagger, opening precious windows for follow-ups.
• Thematic Flourish: A nod to Shanks’ pivotal manga panels, offering genuine fan service rather than tacked-on flair.

It won’t redefine Shanks mains’ core loop, but it’s the perfect exclamation point for his already versatile kit.

Price and Value Analysis

At standard Musou DLC rates—roughly two budget titles for all six characters—Character Pass 3 doesn’t break new ground on pricing. But the drip-feed schedule can sting:

• Cost per Fighter: Six fighters for the price of two budget games—fair, but front-loaded into two installments.
• Pre-Order Incentives: Instant access to Lucci CP-0 and “Divine Departure” appeals to completionists and meta-hunters.
• Wait-for-Sale Strategy: If you’re not chasing day-one ranks, bundle discounts or holiday sales will slice the price further.

In other words, if you want everything on launch day, berries burn fast. Casual collectors might save by biding their time.

Meta Impact & Community Response

Every new fighter tweaks Pirate Warriors 4’s meta. Community tests—especially on PC where modders dissect frame-by-frame—already hint at fresh strategies:

• Lucci CP-0: Gadget-to-gadget chain punishes missteps, rewarding matchup mastery over brute force.
• Enel: Zone-control lightning arcs force dynamic repositioning and break static mob patterns.
• King: Anti-air dominance keeps pressure high, turning ground campers into easy scrap.
• Zephyr: Haki bursts and stage hazards punish overreliance on shields, encouraging more fluid offense.

Fans on forums are buzzing about new combo circuits and tech tricks, from instant gadget cancels with Lucci to stagger-combo resets with Zephyr. Expect dozens of community-discovered tactics within weeks of each release.

Musou Lifespan Strategy

Character Pass 3 epitomizes the modern Musou playbook: staggered DLC, fan-driven polls, and constant cosmetic refreshes. This approach:

• Extends Longevity: Keeps Pirate Warriors 4 sailing strong nearly five years after launch.
• Boosts Engagement: Polls and community picks forge deeper player investment.
• Mitigates Risk: Short, incremental content releases guarantee steady revenue versus betting on a sequel’s hype.

If you want every one-piece addition and thrive on incremental updates, this is your treasure map. If new modes or arenas are your compass points, you may be staring at Pirate Warriors 5 on the horizon.

Should You Buy or Bail?

Buy Now If:

• You’re a Shanks main who craves “Divine Departure” on day one.
• You live for high-skill combos and precision plays—Lucci CP-0 is your new training dummy.
• You collect every character like a true One Piece archivist.

Hold Off If:

• You’re fatigued by trickle-feed DLC over six months.
• You’d prefer to snag a bundled discount rather than pay full price twice.
• You’re after new maps, modes, or mechanics, not just fresh faces and movesets.

Final Verdict

Character Pass 3 for ONE PIECE: Pirate Warriors 4 packs six new fighters—Rob Lucci CP-0, Enel, King, and Zephyr—plus Shanks’ “Divine Departure” ultimate. Die-hard Musou veterans and competitive meta-hunters will revel in the expanded combo trees and fan-driven roster picks. Casual pirates, however, may bristle at the six-month DLC drip and lack of new stages. If you’ve got the berries to spare and crave fresh chaos, set sail on this steady voyage. Otherwise, wait for a bundle drop or chart a course toward the next sequel.