Highlights
- Rudeus, the protagonist of Mushoku Tensei, is one of the strongest characters due to his immense Laplace factor and creative use of mana.
- However, he has weaknesses such as the inability to use Battle Aura, a sound-based magic attack called Howling Magic, and emotional baggage that affects his decision-making.
- Rudeus is also weak in close-quarters combat despite his training, as his Demon Eye can be negated by skilled warriors and he cannot progress past intermediate level in swordsmanship.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation features a vast, fantastical world with several races and monsters. To survive in a world like this takes exemplary strength and courage, and as a result, there are a host of powerful characters in Mushoku Tensei, with the titular protagonist, Rudeus Greyrat, leading the way.
His immense Laplace factor means that he possesses more mana than every other person in the series, and his creativity and analytical mind let him apply it in several ways. Despite being one of the strongest characters in the series, Rudeus has some weaknesses that may or may not be exploited in battle, and here are some of them.
4 Inability To Use Battle Aura
Battle Aura, just like spell casting, is another application of mana, but they differ because it is used to greatly increase physical strength and defense. It involves coating part of or the whole body in mana and forming a layer of dense energy around them, and it comes with a great increase in physical strength and defense. Fans of One Piece who understand the concept of the Color of Armament Haki will have no problem envisioning what this ability is.
It comes naturally with general improvement and training in a warrior, as it does not have a specific training routine. Rudeus’ voiceless incantation deals with understanding the functions behind how a spell works, and since he does not understand how Battle Aura works, he is unable to use it, just like Healing magic. However, he later picks up Saint Dragon Battle Aura, which is a fighting style that combines magic and a martial arts style called Wushu, so fans need not be confused about which is which.
3 Howling Magic
Rudeus is a great mage with a Demon Eye that allows him to see into the future, vast mana reserves, voiceless incantation to create spells others can only dream of, but he can surprisingly be bested by Howling Magic. Howling Magic is a sound-based magic attack that can only be used by members of the Doldia Race, which they do by infusing magic into their voices as they howl.
Sometimes called Voice Magic, the first person to use this attack on Rudeus is Gyes Dedoldia during one of their first encounters, where Gyes used it to stun and paralyze him. His Demon Eye is practically useless against this attack because one cannot see sound waves, and with Rudeus’ reliance on his Eye in battle, it is safe to say this is going to be one of his major weaknesses going forward.
2 Emotional Attachments
Rudeus has some sort of emotional baggage at every point in the story that influences his overall personality, demeanor, and decision-making. From the start of the series, he would get traumatic flashbacks of his previous life when he was asked to leave the house before Roxy slowly opened him up to the world. It is clear that despite all the growth and progress he has made, he still has mental scars from being in those situations.
Eris leaving him suddenly compounded things severely, plunging him into a state of depression, where he closed the doors of his heart to prevent the prospects of any new friendships or relationships. He also developed erectile dysfunction as a result of not being able to fully trust any woman, before meeting a familiar face. It is very obvious that Rudeus’ state of mind has a very huge effect on his performance and, as such can be said to be one of his very few weaknesses.
1 Close Quarters Combat
Rudeus was born with a physique and gifts all fit for a mage, and despite all the training he got from his father, Paul, Ghislaine, and Ruijerd Superdia, he is still considerably weak in close-range combat. He can think on his feet and provide incredibly quick magical solutions in battle, but when it comes to swordplay, he can be quite easily outclassed by any warrior worth their salt. His Demon Eye that predicts the future acts as a double-edged sword in these situations, as great warriors like Ruijerd Superdia and Orsted can completely negate it by making split-second decisions and changing their move set entirely, thereby confusing the eye, and by extension, Rudeus.
Although he is Intermediate level in the Sword God style, thanks to Ghislaine, it is practically of no use in the real world due to the level of opponents Rudeus constantly faces. He also cannot progress past that level due to his inability to use Battle Aura, which is a main staple in advanced swordsmanship, as it contributes greatly towards offense and defense. Rudeus has gone a long way from his usual weak-bodied self, developing his strength and fitness for two years. Still, he is not physically imposing compared to other characters in the series and has to stick to long-range and intellectual battles to have a chance at winning.