Ash has the personality, charisma, and skill to gather large groups of individuals together under his influence. Not only is he excellent in combat and an incredible marksman, but he is also highly intelligent, with an IQ of 200. His intelligence lends itself well to solving the mystery of 'Banana Fish' and he has also been stated to be quite well-read, knowing his way around the newspaper's daily columns and political novels- unusual for someone who did not finish middle school.