[Character]Blackbeard

[arisart]

I think it is likely that BB had some kind of power before the Yami Yami no mi.
I just can't think that he could wound Shanks (a Haki user) without some power.
Maybe he hid his Zoan DF and surprised Red Hair when they fought.
The fight between BB and Shanks had to be before Ace set out to become a pirate and before Shanks had lost his arm. (So when Shanks was on par with Mihawk)

Not necessarily, if you mean that Shanks was on par with Mihawk while already having the title of greatest swordsman. WB and Roger pirates had clashed a couple of times before so they could have fought in one of those fights where Shanks is still an apprentice. Somehow, I couldn't find any pictures of Shanks face after the Roger pirates were disbanded and Roger was executed. If anyone has, please tell me. His face was covered by his hat on Roger's execution and only on his back when he invited Yasopp to join him. Oda probably made it so to confuse readers on the exact time Shanks and BB fought. Only thing we know is that it was after the battle of ed war (Shiki vs Roger and about 2 years before Roger became PK) where shanks is still scar free and before he helped Luffy and lose his arm as he already had the scar. That's between Shanks apprenticeship and maybe his prime.