12 Class 1B Quirks You Must Know

Class 1-B at U.A. High School features a diverse array of Quirks that often rival or exceed the technical complexity of Class 1-A. These abilities range from versatile material transformations like Softening and Steel to reality-altering powers like Comic and Copy, emphasizing tactical synergy and specialized utility in professional hero work.

For years, the students of Class 1-B were overshadowed by the high-profile incidents involving Class 1-A. However, as we evaluate the landscape of heroics in 2026, the technical sophistication of Class 1-B’s Quirks remains a primary study for quirk researchers and tacticians. Unlike the raw power often associated with the protagonists, Class 1-B represents a "toolbox" approach to heroics—specialized, highly efficient, and devastatingly effective when used in tandem.

To understand the full potential of U.A.’s curriculum, one must look beyond the explosions and ice walls of the frontrunners. Here are the 12 Class 1-B Quirks you must know, analyzed for their mechanics, limitations, and strategic value.

1. Copy (Neito Monoma)

Neito Monoma’s Quirk, Copy, is arguably the most versatile and intellectually demanding ability in the entire school. By making physical contact with a target, Monoma can utilize their Quirk as if it were his own.

In the current 2026 understanding of Quirk evolution, Monoma’s mastery over his "slots" is a feat of mental fortitude. He can hold multiple Quirks simultaneously, though he can only activate one at a time. The duration of the copy has historically been limited—initially five minutes, later extending to ten minutes after intense training.

The primary drawback is the "Blank Quirk" phenomenon. Monoma cannot effectively use "stockpile" Quirks, such as One For All or Fatgum’s Fat Adsorption, because he only copies the mechanism, not the accumulated energy or mass required to power it. This makes his Quirk a masterclass in preparation; he must know his teammates' and enemies' abilities intimately to select the right tool for the moment.

2. Big Fist (Itsuka Kendo)

As the class representative, Itsuka Kendo wields Big Fist, a transformation Quirk that allows her to enlarge her hands to massive proportions. While seemingly simple, the physics of this Quirk provide significant tactical advantages.

When Kendo enlarges her hands, her striking power and gripping strength increase exponentially. She can act as a literal shield for her teammates or a crushing force against villains. The Quirk’s efficacy lies in its simplicity and Kendo’s martial arts prowess. In 2026, she is often cited as a prime example of how "basic" Quirks can be elevated through strategic application, such as fanning away poisonous gases or capturing multiple small-sized opponents simultaneously.

3. Softening (Juzo Honenuki)

Juzo Honenuki entered U.A. through recommendations, and his Quirk, Softening, explains why. He can soften anything he touches—be it concrete, steel, or the ground—turning it into a semi-liquid state similar to quicksand. Touching the material again re-hardens it.

This Quirk is a nightmare for mobility-focused heroes and villains. Honenuki can sink opponents into the floor and then trap them by solidifying the ground. Furthermore, it serves as a high-speed traversal tool; he can "swim" through softened earth faster than most can run. Its only major weakness is that it does not work on organic matter (living beings), preventing him from softening a person directly.

4. Mushroom (Kinoko Komori)

Kinoko Komori’s Quirk, Mushroom, is one of the most deceptively dangerous abilities in the Class 1-B roster. She can sprout various species of fungi from any surface, including her own body and the bodies of her opponents, provided the environment is sufficiently humid.

The tactical danger of this Quirk is its area-of-effect (AoE) potential. Komori can fill an entire city block with spores in minutes. More critically, she can cause mushrooms to grow inside a target’s throat or lungs, potentially causing respiratory failure. While she avoids lethal applications in hero training, the sheer psychological and physical suppression this Quirk offers is unparalleled in crowd control.

5. Comic (Manga Fukidashi)

Comic is a Quirk that bridges the gap between reality and medium. Manga Fukidashi can manifest giant, physical onomatopoeia (sound effect words) in the air. These words carry the properties of the sound they represent.

For example, manifest the word "BOOM" and it creates an explosion; "SHIVER" creates a localized drop in temperature or a physical vibration. The physical mass of these letters can also be used as shields or platforms. The primary limitation is the strain on Fukidashi’s throat; excessive use leads to severe soreness, similar to how a person might lose their voice after shouting. In the 2026 hero landscape, this Quirk is studied for its "conceptual" nature, pushing the boundaries of what biological Quirks can achieve.

6. Lizard Tail Splitter (Setsuna Tokage)

Another recommendation student, Setsuna Tokage, possesses Lizard Tail Splitter. She can divide her body into up to 50 independent pieces, each capable of flight and autonomous movement.

This Quirk is the ultimate tool for surveillance and multi-directional combat. Tokage can send small parts of herself to scout various locations while keeping her core safe. If a piece is destroyed, she can regenerate it, though this consumes significant metabolic energy. Her weakness lies in her "core"; while she can split, her consciousness must manage all pieces, and a sufficiently fast opponent can target her main body if she overextends her divisions.

7. Vines (Ibara Shiozaki)

Ibara Shiozaki’s Quirk replaces her hair with long, thorny Vines. These vines are highly extensible, allowing her to grapple, shield, and ensnare from a distance.

Shiozaki’s vines are surprisingly durable and can even burrow underground to launch surprise attacks. She can detach them at will, and they grow back rapidly, provided she has access to sunlight and water. As a "Mutant" type Quirk, it provides constant utility. Her combat style is primarily defensive and "capture-focused," aligning with her pacifistic personality. However, her vines are susceptible to being burnt or cut by high-powered elemental Quirks.

8. Steel (Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu)

Often compared to Class 1-A’s Eijiro Kirishima, Tetsutetsu’s Steel Quirk allows him to turn his entire body into metal. This grants him immense durability and increased physical striking power.

The nuance of Steel lies in its dependence on Tetsutetsu’s diet. His hardness and the duration he can maintain the form are directly linked to his iron intake. Unlike "Hardening," which can crack under pressure, "Steel" provides resistance to heat and cold, allowing Tetsutetsu to withstand elemental attacks that might fatigue other durability-based heroes. His fight against Todoroki in the Joint Training Arc remains a benchmark in 2026 for demonstrating the thermal resistance of his metallic form.

9. Black (Shihai Kuroiro)

Shihai Kuroiro’s Quirk, Black, allows him to merge into and move through anything that is black in color. This includes shadows, black-painted objects, and even the "Dark Shadow" Quirk of Fumikage Tokoyami.

Kuroiro is a specialist in stealth and ambush. Once inside a black object, he can move it or "possess" it to a limited degree. His Quirk is exceptionally powerful in urban environments or at night. However, he is almost entirely countered by high-intensity light sources, which eliminate shadows and "eject" him from his medium. His synergy with Vantablack coatings has been a topic of interest in tactical gear developments.

10. Horn Cannon (Pony Tsunotori)

Pony Tsunotori can launch her horns as projectiles and control them remotely using her Quirk, Horn Cannon. She can manifest up to four horns at a time.

These horns are incredibly sharp and fast. Tsunotori uses them not just for offense, but for mobility; she can stand on her horns and "fly" by directing them through the air. This dual-use capability makes her a difficult target to pin down. The limitation is the regeneration rate of the horns; if she loses her current set, it takes a moment to regrow new ones, leaving her vulnerable.

11. Poltergeist (Reiko Yanagi)

Reiko Yanagi’s Poltergeist Quirk allows her to telekinetically manipulate nearby objects. The primary constraint is weight; she can only control objects roughly equivalent to the weight of an average human.

While she cannot lift buildings, her precision is unmatched. She can manipulate dozens of small objects simultaneously, creating a "hailstorm" of projectiles or using tools with surgical accuracy from a distance. In 2026, Yanagi’s style is often categorized as "Area Denial," as she can turn any debris-filled environment into a lethal zone for an intruder.

12. Solid Air (Kosei Tsuburaba)

Kosei Tsuburaba can solidify the air he breathes out, creating invisible platforms and barriers. This Quirk, Solid Air, is a fundamental support ability.

The strength of the "air blocks" depends on Tsuburaba’s lung capacity. He can create stairs in mid-air for his teammates or trap enemies in invisible boxes. While these barriers can be broken by raw physical force, they are excellent for momentary protection or battlefield redirection. Tsuburaba’s development has focused on increasing the scale and quantity of the air he can solidify, moving from simple small squares to large-scale containment domes.

Quirk Comparison and Tactical Classification

To better understand how these students fit into a hero team, the following table breaks down their Quirk types and primary combat roles based on the 2026 Hero Registry standards.

Tactical Differences: Class 1-A vs. Class 1-B

In 2026, the debate between the effectiveness of Class 1-A and Class 1-B continues among Pro-Hero agencies. While Class 1-A is known for "Quirk Singularity" levels of power—such as Bakugo’s explosions or Todoroki’s dual elements—Class 1-B represents the Technical Tier.

• Synergy over Soloing: Most 1-B quirks are designed to augment others. For example, Kuroiro’s Black works best when Yanagi’s Poltergeist creates moving shadows via debris.
• Environmental Manipulation: A significant portion of 1-B (Honenuki, Fukidashi, Komori, Tsuburaba) focuses on changing the battlefield itself rather than just hitting the opponent.
• Utility Specialization: Characters like Tokage and Shiozaki provide high-level utility that allows for complex rescue and scouting missions that raw power cannot solve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Monoma's Quirk considered dangerous?

Monoma is dangerous because he removes the predictability of a fight. In a world where heroes and villains rely on a single, known Quirk, Monoma can introduce any ability he has touched within the last ten minutes. This forces opponents to fight against their own powers or unexpected combinations, creating a psychological disadvantage.

Can Kinoko Komori's Mushroom Quirk be lethal?

Yes, in theory. By growing mushrooms in the windpipe or lungs, she can cause suffocation. However, as a hero student, she utilizes non-lethal fungi that cause irritation or obstruction without permanent damage, often pairing them with "healing" mushrooms or simple incapacitants.

How does Tetsutetsu's Steel Quirk differ from Kirishima's Hardening?

Tetsutetsu’s Steel is a material transformation, meaning his skin becomes actual metal. This makes him resistant to different types of damage, like heat or extreme cold, which might cause Kirishima’s "Hardening" (which is more like rock/skin thickening) to crack or become brittle. However, Tetsutetsu’s durability is capped by his iron levels, whereas Kirishima’s is capped by his stamina.

Is Manga Fukidashi's Quirk limited to Japanese characters?

In the 2026 lore, it is understood that Manga’s Quirk manifests the language he is most proficient in or the "concept" of the sound. While he typically uses Japanese onomatopoeia, the physical effects (heat, impact, sound) are universal and not bound by the linguistic understanding of the target.

What is the biggest weakness of Class 1-B?

Historically, the biggest weakness of Class 1-B has been their tendency to over-rely on complex plans. Because their Quirks are so technical, if a high-power "powerhouse" like Midoriya or Bakugo breaks their formation with raw force, the 1-B students often struggle to adapt as quickly as the "battle-hardened" 1-A students.

Summary of Next Actions for Aspiring Tacticians

To master the knowledge of Class 1-B, you should focus on Quirk Combinations. Understanding how Softening can assist Horn Cannon (by trapping an enemy for a clear shot) or how Solid Air can provide the "black surface" for Black to hide in is the key to appreciating these characters. Study the Joint Training Arc footage to see these 12 Quirks in high-stakes action, as it remains the most comprehensive display of their growth and potential.