Superheroes with no special powers are no real superheroes is saying that Arrowverse completely disproves. Even though the most popular non-powered DC hero is Batman, who appeared only briefly in the Arrowverse, this fictional universe has a surprising number of superheroes who aren't super strong, can't run fast, fly, change their shape, and don't have a real "super" power.
Instead, these heroes have to use their intelligence, experience, and extensive training to be able to take down bad guys. Some of them are more relatable, some less, but all of them deserve recognition for being able to achieve so much even though they're one-hundred-percent human.
Ray Palmer
Ray Palmer started out as a Tony Stark like character - a rich businessman and a brilliant inventor. But once he joined the Legends of Tomorrow, he quickly let his inner geek out and also became the heart and soul of the team.
Ray was always there for his friends and team members when they needed him. And despite having no special powers, he took on enemies more than once - all thanks to the suit that he invented that allows him to change his size.
Mick Rory (And Leonard Snart)
This duo is the ultimate proof that one doesn't need special powers to be a hero - or a villain. All that they have is their intelligence (Leonard), muscles (Mick), and their special guns.
Snart preferred his ice gun, while Rory has the tendency to burn everything. Snart sacrificed his life for the team, but Rory stayed with them and besides his successful career as a novelist, he also bonds with his daughter and continues punching everyone who deserves it.
Malcolm Merlyn
The Arrowverse has had a larger number of characters who walked the line between being a hero and being a villain. But one of the most prominent ones is Malcolm Merlyn aka the Dark Archer.
He went from a guy trying to destroy the Glades to a guy hellbent on protecting his daughter - and he also saved her life in the end. Malcolm trained with the League of Assassins after the murder of his wife and he became a master at fighting - to such a degree that even Green Arrow had trouble to defeat him.
The Wellses
Are they the typical superheroes? No. Are they important members of the team Flash who help save the day regularly? Yes. No matter which version of Harrison Wells is prominent at which time, there's one thing they all have in common - they use their talents to fight villains.
And it doesn't matter if those talents are intelligence, kindness, or the ability to invent new things... Harrison Wells can do it all. Even though just one at a time.
Sara Lance
Sara Lance had a brief stint with special powers where she could see the future. But she eventually lost this power and is back to normal.
Sara's main power is the fact that she trained with the League of Assassins and is highly skilled at combat. She can easily bring down multiple enemies and barely breaks a sweat. Sara sometimes struggled with her violent tendencies, but overall, she's a good person and a leader of the Legends.
Cisco Ramon
Just like Sara, Cisco is another hero who used to have special powers - but doesn't anymore. Cisco gave them up, though, to have a chance at a normal life, or something similar to it.
Even though being Vibe helped the team more than once, his main asset is his intelligence. Cisco is a brilliant inventor, and when combined with Caitlin and her medical knowledge, the two friends form a duo that shouldn't be underestimated... powers, or no powers.
Thea Queen And Roy Harper
It may look like cheating putting two people into one category - but considering how close Thea and Roy are, it isn't such a stretch. After all, not only do they get together on Arrow, but their journeys are also similar. Both Thea and Roy started out as people who didn't behave like heroes.
Roy was stealing and Thea had a drug problem. But they trained hard and overcame their issues. And even though Thea later hung up the cape to focus on other aspects of her life, it doesn't change the fact that she and Roy are a force to be reckoned with.
Kate Kane
Drawing inspiration from her cousin Bruce Wayne's life, Kate Kane also underwent long and difficult training... only to put on a bat suit in the end and protect Gotham from harm.
It's true that her evil twin sister Alice kept Kate busy but Batwoman still managed to stop her fair share of bad guys, even if she also made a few missteps along the way. And despite having no powers, she was also one of the several Paragons who helped save the universe.
John Diggle
To be fair, Arrow has a lot of great heroes who have no special powers - such as Mister Terrific, Wild Dog, or the Black Canaries.
But John Diggle aka Spartan has been around since the beginning so he deserves a spot on this list. John started out as Oliver Queen's bodyguard (whom Oliver usually ditched) but they quickly became friends and co-fighters once John discovered the truth about Oliver. Their friendship hit a few bumps along the road but that never stopped John from protecting his city the best he could.
Oliver Queen
This list wouldn't be complete without the man who started it all. Shortly before he died, Oliver also gained special powers in order to be able to save the universe.
But for most of his career as a superhero, he did fine without them. Oliver underwent rigorous training and continued working on his skills as an archer and a fighter even after he had returned to Star City. He toyed with magic occasionally, but it was never his first choice and he preferred solving problems the good old fashioned way.