The multiverse of Dragon Ball is home to some of anime’s most powerful beings ever. Every few years, fans are treated to a new powerful opponent, transformation, or technique that elevates the power level of the franchise.
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Yet, even among the plethora of strong fighters Akira Toriyama’s work possesses, some stand at the top as the most powerful. Keep reading to find out who the 10 strongest characters in Dragon Ball are.
Beware of spoilers for Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball Super.
The Strongest Dragon Ball Characters Ranked
10. Piccolo
Hailing from the distant planet Namek, Piccolo is a proud warrior who has been a part of the franchise since the original Dragon Ball series. Despite never being the strongest Z warrior, this green alien has always been amongst the most skilled and powerful defenders of Earth.
After the events of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Piccolo awakened his dormant potential, transforming into the appropriately named Orange Piccolo. This form could stand the power of Gamma One and Two, who were created to destroy Goku and Vegeta. Still, Piccolo did not stand a chance against Cell Max,
9. Cell Max
Created by the misguided Dr. Hedo, Cell Max was supposed to be a warrior who would protect the Earth from alien invasions. Sadly, due to Magenta’s greed, the creature ended up becoming a rampaging monster that wanted to destroy everything. Not even the combined power of the Z warriors and Hedo’s other creations could defeat this powerful beast.
Not only was Cell Max a better version of the original Cell model, one of the toughest opponents in Z but it was also designed to surpass the power of Goku and Vegeta at full power. If not for Gohan’s last-minute transformation, Cell Max would have surely eradicated the Earth. Nonetheless, it was ultimately defeated by Gohan alone.
8. Vegeta
The Prince of all Saiyans is widely considered to be second only to Goku in terms of power among the Z warriors. Vegeta was born as a superior warrior whose power vastly surpassed that of common Saiyans. Throughout his time in the franchise, Vegeta has proven why he is the prince, being one of the few combatants to be trained by a God of Destruction due to his innate power.
His last transformation, the Ultra Ego, not only increases his power and gives him control over his destructive energy but also gives him the ability to become stronger the more damage he takes. Sadly, Vegeta does not become impervious to damage, so he can still be defeated by damaging him enough.
7. Son Goku
From the very beginning of the franchise, Goku has been there, training and becoming stronger. Goku’s main motivation in life is fighting strong opponents who can challenge him to go beyond his limits. He is one of the few mortals who can fight hand-to-hand with the Gods of Destruction and has even been trained by Angels.
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Goku’s desire to fight powerful enemies pushed him to unlock the power of the Angels, the Autonomous Ultra Instinct. Thanks to this technique, he can dodge attacks without thinking about it, allowing him to focus entirely on the fight. Woefully, even with this outstanding ability, Goku has been defeated several times, proving that he still has a long way ahead of him.
6. Frieza
There is one being in the galaxy whose name brings terror to those who hear it, Lord Frieza. Born with overwhelming power, this megalomaniac emperor conquered and eradicated almost every planet in Universe 7. Without having to train a single day of his life, Frieza was powerful enough to defeat each of the Z warriors without effort.
Following Goku’s advice to train led Frieza to discover new transformations, culminating in the terrifying Black Frieza. This form is beyond anything Goku and Vegeta had ever seen, giving the emperor the power to defeat Gas even after he wished to become the strongest warrior ever. Yet, there are still some beings whose powers seem to overshadow the emperor of the cosmos.
5. Son Gohan
Goku’s first child and, according to Toriyama himself, the being with the most potential in Universe 7. Gohan is a kind and calm young man who loves learning about new subjects. Nevertheless, when the world needs him, Gohan leaves the books behind and unleashes the might of a true warrior.
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Gohan is a natural-born fighter, able to control his Saiyan powers better thanks to his human half. His anger has often been used as a means to unlock more powerful transformations, like his latest Gohan Beast. This form was confirmed by Piccolo to be stronger than Goku or Vegeta, even in their most powerful states. But Gohan is still not strong enough to defeat the deities of the world of Dragon Ball.
4. Beerus
The enigmatic, gluttonous, and temperamental God of Destruction of Universe 7 may not look like a powerful warrior. Although, under that skinny appearance, Beerus is arguably the most powerful being in all the universes behind the ruling deities. A single touch of his finger is enough to destroy a planet, leaving behind no evidence of its existence.
Beerus can also access destruction energy, which he can channel into the powerful Hakai. This technique can erase a being from existence entirely, including their soul. We have still not seen Beerus fight at full power, so, likely, he is still several times stronger than we can imagine. Even so, the God of Destruction still answers to many beings above him.
3. Vados
Every God of Destruction is given a guiding Angel to keep them from destroying their entire universes. We know almost nothing about these intriguing creatures, but it is clear that they are way stronger than any of the Gods they oversee. One of the oldest, and most powerful, is Vados, the attendant Angel of Universe 6.
Vados is cheerful but composed, always doing her best to keep Champa in line. Most of her brothers and sisters seem to have a lot of respect for Vados, seeing as even Whis tries his best to keep things civil between them. In the future, Vados could grow to become just as powerful as the one who created her.
2. The Grand Priest
Father to all Angels, the personal attendant of the Omni-King, and the being who maintains order throughout the multiverse. The Grand Priest is a childish-looking deity who appears to have power over almost anything in the universe. Not only can he stop the attacks from the most powerful Gods of Destruction with a single finger, but he can also create matter out of nothing.
Every single angel has the utmost respect for their father, as they know how much more powerful than them he is. Even Beerus shakes in fear of angering this deity, one of only two beings that can prompt that reaction from the cat-like god. Above the Grand Priest is only one being, to whom he is completely loyal.
1. Zeno-sama
At first glance, Zeno-sama may appear as a sweet and curious child. Still, those who know the creature are aware of the overwhelming power he possesses. He is the only deity in the Dragon Ball universe who can create or destroy universes, as well as control time and space at will.
Zeno-sama can erase from existence anything that displeases him, from mortals to deities, to entire universes. No one stands a chance against this omnipotent being, and we still do not know the true extent of his abilities. Without a doubt, Zeno-sama is Dragon Ball’s most powerful character.
