The determination of power levels in the Dragon Ball Super world is an ongoing challenge. Based on official statements, and the narrative intent of writers Toyotarou and Akira Toriyama, the article below organizes the characters’ development and the current, finely tuned power scale.
I. The Start of Classic Evolution: DB and the Saiyan Saga
- The Dawn of Dragon Ball (Technique and Early Failures): Goku perfected his abilities through the training of Master Roshi (Turtle Hermit). Although he demonstrated his potential early, he was defeated by Master Roshi himself in the World Tournament, and later lost to Tenshinhan in a subsequent tournament.
- Sealing the Evil: Following this, he achieved his first major victory over King Piccolo. Later, he fought an incredibly close battle against the adult Piccolo Jr. (the later Piccolo) in the Tournament final, signifying the potential of Earth’s fighters.
- Saiyan Saga (DBZ Start): The arrival of Raditz brought the first major combined fight, in which Goku and Piccolo teamed up to defeat the threat (with Goku’s death). Goku subsequently went to King Kai, where he learned the Kaio-ken technique (and the Genki Dama), which he first used in the battle against Vegeta.
II. The DBZ Power Peaks: Frieza, Cell, and the Buu Saga
- Frieza Saga and the First SSJ: The struggle against Frieza was an era of continuous power-ups. Vegeta powered up through Zenkai Boosts. Piccolo fused with the warrior Nail. Frieza himself transformed multiple times. He achieved this incredible strength by barely training throughout his life, immediately showcasing his terrifying raw potential, which rose above a million units (Third Form/initial Final Form). Finally, Goku achieved the legendary SSJ1 (Super Saiyan 1) transformation against Frieza.
- Androids and Cell: Upon returning to Earth, Piccolo fused with Kami. Vegeta already acknowledged at this point that Piccolo had reached the “super Saiyan” level. Following this, he fought an even, exhausting battle against the formidable Android C-17. Ultimately, Gohan with the SSJ2 (Super Saiyan 2) level overcame the resurrected, Zenkai-boosted Super Perfect Cell.
- Buu Saga: Both Goku and Gotenks achieved the SSJ3 level. Gohan, in his Ultimate (Mystic) form, temporarily surpassed everyone. Finally, Goku defeated Kid Buu with the Genki Dama.
III. The Path of God Ki: SSB, Zamasu, and the God Ki Foundations
The introduction of Beerus and Whis brought the era of Godly power (God Ki), followed by the most modern Saiyan transformations:
- Birth of SSB: Goku and Vegeta trained together with Whis on Beerus’s planet, mastering the SSJ God and the more stable SSJ Blue (SSB) forms. Golden Frieza also achieved a form equivalent to the SSB level, but only achieved the full stabilization and explosive performance of the Golden form during the Tournament of Power (ToP).
- Zamasu Saga and the Creator’s Power: Before this, the fight against Goku Black and Zamasu in that timeline highlighted the power of divine fusion and immortality. After the immortal, fused Zamasu posed a threat to the entire universe, Zeno, the Omni-King, ultimately annihilated the entire Universe and its associated timeline, signifying the absolute peak power.
IV. The Age of Rivalry: ToP, Broly, and Black Frieza
- ToP Developments: Goku achieved the Ultra Instinct (UI) level against Jiren. The manga officially confirmed that Jiren was stronger than his own Universe’s God of Destruction, Belmod, before the fight.
- Broly and Fusion Success: The uncontrolled power represented by Full Power Broly proved unbeatable even for two SSB fighters. Goku believes that Broly’s power might even exceed Beerus’s—though this cannot be considered an official, definitive comparison. Ultimately, Gogeta Blue defeated him.
- Granolah and Gas – The Limits of Wish Power: The power of Granolah and Gas was temporarily boosted by wish power to become the “strongest in the Universe,” briefly surpassing Goku’s Ultra Instinct and Vegeta’s Ultra Ego forms. Since this was not natural development, this level later faded.
- Black Frieza’s Debut: Black Frieza appeared at the end of the exhausting fight against Gas. Frieza achieved this previously unknown form by training for ten years in another dimension. With this enormous level up, he easily defeated both the exhausted MUI Goku and UE Vegeta, clearly indicating that he reached a new, dominant level.
- Note on Beerus: It is important to emphasize that until the manga or anime directly shows Beerus’s full power in a fight, the God of Destruction remains the highest confirmed Angel-subordinate power ceiling, regardless of statements from Frieza, Gohan, or Broly.
V. The Super Hero Saga Twist: The Reinforced Elite
Super Hero brought the return of non-Saiyan fighters and the fine-tuning of the power dynamics at the top.
Orange Piccolo and Beast Gohan: The Top Contenders
- The Gammas: Gamma 1 and Gamma 2’s power was designed to be at the Blue Goku and Vegeta level. Promotional materials indicate they are the strongest androids ever created (excluding Cell Max).
- Cell Max’s Potential: Cell Max, the Red Ribbon Army weapon, only appeared in an incomplete state. Akira Toriyama’s official statement: “If Cell Max had been completed as planned, he would have become a superhuman whom even Broly could not defeat.”
- Orange Piccolo: Orange Piccolo was able to incapacitate the Blue-level Gamma 2 with a single punch during the fight. Akira Toriyama, the creator of the series, confirmed: “Piccolo’s fighting strength is on par with Goku and his peers,” meaning he represents a rival level against the Ultra forms. Crucially, Shenron’s intervention provided Piccolo with a permanent potential unlock, making the Orange Piccolo form a stable, natural evolutionary leap for the Namekian species, rather than a time-limited transformation. In Dragon Ball Super Manga Chapter 103, after Goku and Vegeta returned to Earth, Goku immediately wanted to fight Orange Piccolo’s new power. However, they first had to go pick up Pan from school/kindergarten.
- Beast Gohan: Gohan’s new form was the one that finished the fight. Toriyama confirmed Gohan’s potential: “Gohan is actually stronger than everyone else.”
- Execution Clarification:
- In the movie, Beast Gohan defeats Cell Max with a single attack; a charged Special Beam Cannon (Makankosappo) ends the fight. Gohan’s thoughts following the battle clearly suggested his power surpassed that of Goku and Vegeta. In the DBS Manga (Chapter 100), Gohan muses: “Heck, I wonder if even dad and Vegeta could’ve taken down that monstrous version of Cell…” Conversely, in many Movie Dubs, this line is delivered as a more definitive statement, such as: “There’s no way even my father or Vegeta could have handled this monster,” clearly reflecting his absolute confidence in the Beast form’s power. (Important note: The evaluation of Gohan and Piccolo is based on the most recent known power level shown by Goku and Vegeta during the Moro Saga—meaning the level of MUI Goku and the highly refined Blue Vegeta.)
⚡️ Divine Ki vs. Divine-Level Mortal Power
- Goku and Vegeta’s forms are built on Divine Ki (God Ki) (SSB, UI, UE). In contrast, the power of Beast Gohan, Orange Piccolo (and Jiren) is mortal Ki, which they have raised to the performance level of God Ki fighters due to their species’ potential or training. This scaling is based purely on the magnitude of raw power, not the type of energy.
- The Balanced Elite: According to Toyotarou, the power dynamic among the elite fighters became “more balanced” after the Super Hero events. Beast Gohan, MUI Goku, UE Vegeta, Orange Piccolo, and Full Power Broly belong to one group, but the precise relative strength ranking is not numerically specified.
VI. Official Source Confirmation
| Statement / Fact | Original Source (Publication) | Date |
| Gohan is “stronger than everyone else” and Piccolo is “on par with Goku and his peers” | Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Official Movie Pamphlet (Akira Toriyama’s Comment) | June/July 2022 |
| Cell Max “could not have been defeated by Broly”. | Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Official Movie Pamphlet (Akira Toriyama’s Comment) | June/July 2022 |
| Jiren is stronger than Belmod The statement confirming this occurs in Chapter 30 of the manga. | Dragon Ball Super Manga (Tournament of Power Saga) | 2017 |
| The “Rival Elite Group of Five” (Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Broly) | Toyotarou Interview (Maria Makino), Volume 24 Release (Dragon Ball Official Site) | April 4, 2025 |
| Black Frieza’s Power (Part of the absolute peak) | Dragon Ball Super Manga (Chapter 87) and Toyotarou Interview (Volume 24 Release) | August 2022/ April 4, 2025 |
VII. The Current Hierarchy
| Rank | Character and Form | Estimated Placement and Description |
| Zeno Tier 👑 | Zeno (The Omni-King) | ABSOLUTE PEAK. |
| Angel Tier ✨ | Daishinkan (Grand Priest), Whis and the Angels / Zeno’s Attendants | A level above the Gods of Destruction. The power of Zeno’s Attendants is unknown, but is presumed to fall into a similar tier as the Angels, though they themselves are not Angels. |
| GoD Tier ⚡️ | Beerus and the Gods of Destruction | The Gods of Destruction. Jiren is stronger than his own GoD in the manga, but this doesn’t mean he surpasses every Hakaishin. |
| TIER I (Absolute Peak) | Black Frieza | The currently most dominant individual fighter. Stands above the MUI/UE forms. |
| TIER I (Fusion Peak) | Gogeta/Vegito (Blue/MUI-UE Base) | Due to the exponential power of fusion, likely at or above Black Frieza’s level. Power is time-limited, and requires the base fighters to reach the GoD-level performance. |
| TIER II (Rival Elite) | Beast Gohan / MUI Goku / UE Vegeta / Orange Piccolo / Full Power Broly | IN ONE LEAGUE. The officially confirmed highest individual fighting class. Toyotarou’s statements suggest they are close (rivals), but the precise ranking is unknown. |
| TIER III (Powerhouses) | Jiren / SS Kefla | Mortal powerhouses that consistently approach/exceed the performance of the Gods of Destruction. Jiren stably exceeds his own GoD, the strongest ToP fighter. Kefla reached this level with extremely powerful but unstable fusion energy. Below the modern elite. |
| TIER IV (Stable God Ki) | SSBE Vegeta / SSBKK Goku / Golden Frieza / Hakaishin Toppo / Hit | The peak of the more stable God Ki forms. |
| TIER V (Blue Threshold) | SSG Goku / Ultimate Gohan / Gammas (1 and 2) / Ultimate Piccolo / Android C-17 / Berserk Trunks (SSJ Rage) | VERY CLOSE BATTLE. They are close to the SSB level. Trunks reached this level temporarily. |
| TIER VI (Elite of Old Powers) | SSJ3 Goku / Kid Buu (Also Daima SSJ4 Goku and SSJ3 Vegeta*) | Significant power, but light years away from the God Tier. |
| TIER VII (Z-Fighters) | Android C-18, Tenshinhan, Krillin, Master Roshi, Goten (Base) / Trunks (Base), Yamcha, Pan, Chiaotzu | The elite of Earth’s fighters and the young Saiyans. (Important: C-18’s power has remained unchanged since the Buu Saga, while C-17 has trained significantly). Pan possesses outstanding Saiyan potential. |
* Note:
SSJ4 Goku and SSJ3 Vegeta appear in the 'Dragon Ball Daima' title, and although their power has not been compared to the Super series, they are ideal for the 'Elite of Old Powers' category, as representatives of the old peak forms. This level is ranked below the God level of the Super series.
VIII. Mortal Power Potential and Future Speculations (CONSOLIDATED)
Uub, the Fusion, and Namekian Evolution
- Uub and the Hidden Divine Energy: A canon fact from the Moro Saga is that Uub, as the reincarnation of Evil Buu, carries the pure, divine Ki of the Grand Supreme Kai. This hidden energy makes Uub a potential God Ki fighter. Upon reaching his full potential, he could realistically land in TIER IV–III, and potentially challenge the modern elite in the long term.
- Piccolo and the Path of the Dragons: Since Orange Piccolo’s power was created with the help of Shenron (the Earth Dragon), fans speculate that Piccolo may eventually tread the path of the Creator Dragon (Zalama’s Power), becoming an absolute divine Namekian.
- Fusion Level Up: The biggest speculation is the return of Gogeta, where the combination of Goku’s MUI and Vegeta’s UE forms would create a warrior who would surpass Black Frieza’s current power.
The Mysterious Power Ceilings: Broly and Black Frieza
- Broly, the God of Destruction: Based on Goku’s statement that Broly “might even be stronger than Beerus-sama,” speculation suggests Broly may eventually be able to fully control his uncontrolled power, which may stem from the Great Ape (Oozaru) concept, thereby reaching or even surpassing the God of Destruction (GoD) level.
- Black Frieza’s Stability and Limit: Although Black Frieza made a huge jump, the question remains whether the Black Form also has drawbacks (e.g., energy loss, time limit) as the Golden form initially did. The real speculation is whether Frieza has reached Beerus’s level, and if so, what his next step is—the Angels or Zeno?
Gohan, Vegeta, and Goku’s Continuous Evolution
- Gohan’s Legacy: The Beast form is likely just the beginning. Gohan could theoretically further increase this monstrous potential, reaching a level that rivals the sheer destructive power of an ancient beast.
- Continuous Evolution: Goku and Vegeta never stop evolving; the next major opponent will likely force both of them to reach a new Ultra form or a new divine transformation.
Technology and the Potential Level Up of Earth Fighters
- Android C-17 and the Exploitation of Infinite Energy: Although Android C-17 is at TIER V, his huge advantage is his infinite energy level, which was key in the Tournament of Power. Speculation suggests that the androids (especially Android C-17) could unlock a “final protocol” or a hidden program built into Dr. Gero’s system through training or a technological breakthrough. This unlock would break the artificial ceiling of their performance, resulting in a technical transformation or “Full Power Android” form. This would elevate Android C-17’s Infinite Energy to the Stable God Ki level (TIER IV).
- The Forgotten Potential of Earth Fighters: Fans continue to hope for the return of classic fighters like Tenshinhan and Yamcha. Although they currently belong to the lagging Z-Fighters group, both train persistently and focus on perfecting their unique Ki techniques. Therefore, it is expected that the series will provide them with a Power-up (e.g., a new technique or unique racial ability), in the event of a new threat, allowing them to approach the level of modern battles.
Specific Context of the Future
- ❗️ Concrete Context of the Future: The 40th-anniversary Dragon Ball Genkida Matsuri event, which will take place on January 25, 2026, and a recent statement from Akio Iyoku (Head of the Dragon Ballroom), saying “Even more Dragon Ball projects are being prepared in the background, which we cannot talk about yet, but exciting times are ahead of us,” confirms that the speculations discussed above (new anime, movie, manga continuation) are highly likely to become reality in the near future, which could fundamentally change the current power dynamics.
IX. Final Thoughts
Dragon Ball power scaling is inherently a source of endless debate, and it is inevitable that every fan ranks their favorites differently. This final overview is based on available canon sources, official statements, and the logical assumptions of the community.
X. Author’s Note and Acknowledgement
In compiling this article and analyzing the power levels, the artificial intelligence models of Google Gemini and ChatGPT assisted, carefully considering the observations and necessary data from the Dragon Ball Super storyline and official interviews (Akira Toriyama, Toyotarou).
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