Here’s an overview of what's different from the original One Piece.

-Usopp is the Captain instead of Luffy, of course, and as such, the Strawhat Pirates are instead the Sun Mask Pirates, which then become The Sure Shot Pirates.

-Usopp used the Sogeking mask from the very beginning, wearing it whenever he needs to act brave, or in big fights. This has led to many of his first bounty posters having Sogeking as the leader.

-There are a lot of changes to the crew roster, and more members leave the crew at times than just Vivi. The new crewmates are:
*Tashigi, replacing Zoro as the Swordsman of the crew, and acting as Usopp's moral compass. She also has Haki, to make her the official Haki user of the group, as Luffy doesn't train his in this story. (He uses Rokushiki) Her dream is to partly become a great swordsman, as well as defeat Mihawk and take the black sword Kokutou Yoru from him as her own.
*Hatchan, who acts as the helmsman of the crew, as well as Sanji's assistant chef and Mohmoo’s caretaker. He also is the guy who saves anyone who goes overboard in the crew, especially Devil Fruit users. For most of the journey he tries exceptionally hard to get Nami to forgive him for his past actions with the Sunny Pirates, which she eventually does, being the first to beat up the Tenryūbito to save Hatchan. His dream is to fight and defeat and make a meal of the Sea King God, the mythical Sea King in the New World that dwarfs other Sea Kings.
*Mohmoo, Hatchan's pet, who acts as a guardian of the ship at sea, protecting it from Sea Kings. His dream is to become the strongest of the Sea Kings, challenging boats and monsters that come across the crew, and eventually even defeat Laboon.
*Kaya, as the caretaker of the ship, and apprentice doctor to Chopper. Her attacks, unlike Chopper, involve chemicals and potions, such as dry ice fog machines, or sodium bombs.
*and Bon Clay, who joins the crew when Nico Robin does, and leaves them during the events in Enies Lobby, where he uses his Clone Clone Fruit to trick the marines into thinking they've captured Usopp, allowing the crew to escape. Usopp does eventually make his way to Impel Down to free him.

>>76
-Ganzack has replaced Buggy as the main rival during the East Blue and the first half of the Grand Line, as Buggy stays as Luffy's rival, and is now a Yonkou in the New World.

-Usopp is still a sniper, but also steals parts or weapon of the enemies he defeats as he goes, such as Alvida's club, Ganzack's Armor, Krieg's Axeblade, Krieg's Battle Spear, and some of Arlong's Teeth set, which he uses like beartraps.

-Luffy, of course, joined the marines in this story, as well as his brother, (whose whereabouts are unknown, I.E. I haven’t figured that out yet.) becoming a captain at a young age, and defeating many pirates, including collecting the Bane Bane Fruit from Bellamy after arresting him, until he and his crew are severely trounced by Shanks five years ago. Before he leaves, he gives Luffy his hat, as well as the Gomu Gomu Fruit, and tells him, when he gets stronger, to join him as his true calling, as a pirate. When Luffy tells him he’d never become a pirate, Shanks merely smiles, and sails off.

This event leads Luffy to be court-martialed, as he failed to capture Shanks, but Garp bails him out, and when he hears he wishes to be stronger, gets him into CP9 as the youngest member, watched over by Kaku. He eventually is brought undercover to Water 7, working as a waiter in a tavern. A few months ago, he took a “unofficial” vacation, and made his way back to the East Blue, on a nostalgic trip, and convinces Usopp to follow his dreams, even if they are to be a pirate, after defeating Kuro with him. He then heads back to the Grand Line, where Usopp catches up with him fishing for Sea Kings after they leave Arabasta.

When they arrive at Water 7, Luffy introduces Usopp to Kaku and his fellow shipwrights, whom he gets to inspect the ship, as well as give them a major discount in its repair, on account of being friends with Luffy. Unfortunately, the ship’s keel is broken, and is beyond repair, and the best solution would be to get a new one and scrap the Going Merry. After beating up Franky to get their money back, Usopp is told of the bad news, and of course refuses to part with the ship, and after a heated argument with his crew, kicks everyone out of the Sun Mask Pirates, and demands that they get off “his” ship. He stays in his ship, sulking. That night, Luffy stops by to tell Usopp he’s sorry, but that he won’t see him again. He lets Usopp know that he thinks that he’s a good captain, but he just needs to learn to be braver. He leaves the Bane Bane Fruit by the Going Merry, saying that real power could possibly give him that boost. Usopp comes out after Luffy’s left, and almost throws the fruit into the ocean, but stops and pockets the fruit.

>>77
That night, CP9 (including Luffy) attacks Iceburg like in the original story, and make off with the Ancient Weapon plans and Nico Robin. The Former Sun Mask Pirates plan to go after her, and ask Usopp to help. HE won’t, but Sogeking will. The crew makes it to Impel Down, most of the fight going as the originals did, with a few changes for the rest of the crew, (Hatchan fights Blueno instead, Bon Clay fights Kumadori for a while, and Nero isn’t thrown overboard, and fights Kaya instead.) Eventually, Usopp catches Luffy and Spandam holding Robin prisoner. Luffy tells Spandam to go on ahead with Robin, and fights Sogeking instead. Sogeking takes a beating, but defeats Luffy with the Impact Dial, and runs battered and bruised after Robin. But before he gets far, Lucci cuts him off, and fights him also. Luffy wasn’t actually hurt much (letting Usopp win) and catches up with Usopp getting the crap beaten out of him.

Finally, the Sogeking mask is cracked into pieces, the lower and right halves falling off. Usopp is pounded into the ground, believed dead. Slowly, though, Usopp gets up, and throws the remaining part of the mask aside, revealing that Sogeking is Usopp, and effectively ending the use of the Sogeking mask in the series. Luffy runs in to help, realizing Sogeking was his friend, and together, the two take him down. Luffy carries Usopp, now even more beaten, back to his crew, after they have rescued Robin and are about to leave. He gives Usopp his hat, telling him to give Shanks back his hat if they survive, and stays behind in the Buster Call. Spandam catches up, and eats the Bane Bane fruit to power himself up, but since he can't control the fruit, his body becomes like a slinky, and he is easily beaten by the Sun Mask Pirates, thrown off the boat into the ocean. Luffy survives though, and Garp informs him that because he failed twice, he has only one chance to possibly redeem himself: Capture all of the Sun Mask Pirates before they leave Water 7. Garp and Luffy arrive there, ready to capture the crew as they leave. However, before they attack, Luffy demands of his Grandfather that he jump over to their ship and capture them personally. Garp looks at Luffy knowingly, and lets him, saying that he expects Luffy to be back after he’s done taking a nap, or he’ll hit him again. Luffy jumps over to the ship, and upon arriving, drops to his knees, bawling his eyes out, and begs to be brought along, for Usopp to give him a second chance. Usopp then gives him the hat back, welcomes him back to the crew, and they escape. Garp seems unphased by this defection, saying that, “he’ll deal with it when he finds him again.” and goes back to sleep.

>>78
So feel free to contribute, if you want. None of it is set in stone yet, so it can be changed around some if need be.

I'd like to say that this is still possibly my favorite idea you've ever had, Spreeses.

Will actually contribute when I'm not in crunch time.

Oh Jesus, this thread is still here?

Well, whatever, let's see if now that the opening thread wave has died down someone will give a shit about it this time around.

To be honest, I forgot about the idea after the Whitebeard arc got so crazy.

>>76
This crew list is stupid.
Tashigi the pirate? wtf?

Anyway Marine Luffy is a much more interesting story than captain ussop.

>>5595
It isn't explained in this thread, but in this timeline, Tashigi and Smoker never met, and she was stuck doing secretary work at a small prison that Usopp and Coby get stuck in after escaping Alvida. If Mindwipe's here, he could explain that part better. He was the one who came up with the secretary idea and what convinces her to join Usopp.

This board is still too new for anything on it to die, methink.

Still lovin' this project, would love to see it come back. It didn't get enough love the first time.

If Luffy already learns super kungfu giving him the gomugomu fruit anyway seems kind of silly. If it's going to be an AU where things are so different maybe he should just stick with the non-fruit abilities.

>>5597
Still doesn't explain how Usopp is able to form a crew like Luffy did, and attract more impossible crewmates to boot.
He's just not main character/mighty pirate captain material.

I remember a thread discussing the idea of Luffy as a marine and it just seems so much more interesting and different a concept.

>>5599
Yeah, I tried for pushing that in the early stages of this. People here REALLY insisted he keep the Gomu Gomu Fruit.
>>5600
Usopp grows up REALLY fast in this AU. He has to to keep control of his crew. Granted, he's not perfect, and often doubts his own skills in the beginning. He does have help wrangling the crew together with Tashigi.

>>5601
But Usopp just doesn't have the personality to get people to follow him, even at his best he's too weak in every meaning of the word to be the main man and beat the kind of people they face.

I do agree its kinda stupid to give Luffy the GomuGomu fruit in this kind of AU story though.
Hell if I was writing it I might not even give him a strawhat.

>>5602

What Usopp lacks in balls he does make up for with natural charisma and cunning. You can see this with most secondary characters, finding him either obnoxious or easy to talk to. Half of the fun in imagining this sort of AU is knowing that, while he's certainly a loud and rambunctious captain off battle, unlike Luffy he avoids fights whenever possible. His crew's a more low profile kind of dangerous than Luffy's, so he'd likely be chased after equally dangerous, but more brainy foes than Luffy's dumb muscle bosses.

>>5609
He doesn't have the charisma to do what Luffy did, he's not a respectable leader.

Trying to base an entire story around him is likely why this failed last time.

>>5671
I'm sure at least one of this AU's antagonists is in full agreement with you. "See? That's why you'll never be a real leader, Usopp! A true pirate captain's in charge because he's got more charisma than anyone else on his ship! There's no way anyone could ever trust in someone as unimpressive as you!"

>>5692
What a smart chap.

Not to mention the point isn't only about having the most charisma ever seen in a man it's also about generally having the chops to be a leader and being someone others will want to follow, things which ussop doesn't possess.
He'd have to have an entire crew of Choppers for him to be able to convince anyone.

>>5693
I'd like to see an entire crew of Choppers.

>>5703

I don't think that'd be too hard. If he's got Tashigi and Hachi on his team. I mean, Tashigi totally fell for Zoro's really pathetic lies, and Hacchan's, well, Hacchan. All they need to do is wear antlers and you've got two Choppers right there.