The 20 Strongest Dragon Ball Characters of All Time, Ranked

Power-scaling debates in Dragon Ball never end, but if we're going by *manga canon as of 2026* - including the Granolah Saga, the Black Frieza arc, and Toyotaro's recent confirmations - there's a defensible top 20 most fans can mostly agree on. Here it is, ranked. This list is mortal-and-immortal characters together. Gods like Zeno are excluded since they exist outside power-scaling logic. ## 1. Black Frieza Toyotaro changed the game when he confirmed Black Frieza one-shotted both Goku (MUI) and Vegeta (Ultra Ego) without effort. Until proven otherwise, he is the strongest non-divine entity in the series. The exact gap between Black Frieza and the Angels is unknown, but the gap between him and #2 on this list is enormous. ## 2. Beerus The strongest God of Destruction in Universe 7. Whis confirms Beerus has been holding back in nearly every appearance since the original *Battle of Gods*. With access to Hakai, he can erase opponents from existence - a power Goku and Vegeta have only flirted with. ## 3. Whis Beerus's attendant and trainer. Whis has stated he is stronger than Beerus but does not engage in combat. Power-wise, top of his class - but as an Angel, his existence is restricted. ## 4. Goku (Mastered Ultra Instinct) The current ceiling of mortal Goku. Defeated Jiren, held Black Frieza off long enough to retreat, and has trained extensively with Whis. Stamina remains the limiting factor. ## 5. Vegeta (Ultra Ego + Hakai) Vegeta's combination of Ultra Ego scaling and his developing Hakai makes him a uniquely dangerous fighter. Lacks the polish of Goku's Ultra Instinct but has the higher one-shot ceiling. ## 6. Granolah (Wished Form) The wish that gave Granolah his power had a cost: dramatically shortened lifespan and limited stamina. At full output, he was strong enough to push Goku and Vegeta - but he can't sustain that output for long. Top 10 by ceiling, lower by usability. ## 7. Gas (Heeter Family, Final Form) Gas's wish was for the title "strongest in the universe." In his final form, he briefly held that distinction before Goku unlocked True Ultra Instinct. Most fans rank him above Granolah at peak, but Gas can't sustain his form. ## 8. Jiren (Tournament of Power) The single strongest fighter in Universe 11. Jiren without Ultra Instinct could match Goku's Mastered UI in raw power. He has not appeared in the Granolah or Black Frieza arcs, leaving his current strength relative to the new tier ambiguous. ## 9. Gohan Beast After his fight with Cell Max, Gohan ranks higher than he ever has in canon. Still below Goku and Vegeta's god-tier forms, but well above any Saiyan hybrid had ever reached. Sustainability is unclear. ## 10. Goku Black / Zamasu (Fused) Merged Zamasu, while half-corrupted, was strong enough to threaten Future Trunks's timeline. Slightly below Beerus before mortality cracked his form. Excluded from current canon (timeline destroyed) but ranking based on peak. ## 11. Hit (Universe 6) Time-skip is one of the most broken abilities in the series. Hit was strong enough to push Goku in *Super* and continued growing through training in his home universe. Estimated near Goku Blue Kaio-ken peak. ## 12. Toppo (God of Destruction Mode) Toppo briefly accessed Hakai during the Tournament of Power. With proper training, he'd likely surpass Vegeta Blue. Still bound to the rules of his universe. ## 13. Frieza (Final Form, Trained) Pre-Black, Frieza has continued training between arcs. His standard final form is dramatically stronger than during the Resurrection F era. Below the god-tier list but a serious threat to anything below Hit. ## 14. Piccolo (Orange) Orange Piccolo from *Super Hero* gives Piccolo his strongest canonical form. Operates in the same approximate range as base-form Goku and Vegeta. Cannot keep up with their transformed states. ## 15. Cell Max Briefly the strongest mortal in *Super Hero*. Mostly a brute-force monster - Gohan Beast solo'd him at peak strength. ## 16. Goku (Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken x20) Goku's pre-Ultra Instinct ceiling. Still dangerous but obsolete compared to current god-tier forms. ## 17. Trunks (Super Saiyan Rage / Spirit Sword) The version of Trunks that briefly killed fused Zamasu. Single best moment in Trunks's character arc. Below current Goku/Vegeta but very capable. ## 18. Krillin (Peak) Yes, peak Krillin makes the list. He defeated Gohan in the Tournament of Power qualification round and continues to train. He's a mid-tier mortal at his current ceiling but well below the god-tier list. ## 19. Master Roshi (Awakened) Roshi's awakened form during the Tournament of Power put him roughly at Krillin's tier with better technique. He's age-limited, which caps his ceiling. ## 20. Buu (Mr. Buu Form) Reformed Buu's strength has been deliberately downplayed, but in canonical fights he remains stronger than most characters in Universe 7 outside the Saiyans. Lazy in combat but extremely durable. ## What This List Doesn't Include - **Daima characters** in their tiny form - separate ranking, weird power dynamics - **Movie-only characters** - Broly DBS, Janemba, etc. - **Game-only characters** - Xeno timeline, Heroes characters - **Gods proper** - Whis-tier and above ## How This List Will Change By the time *Beerus* anime hits in October, this list will likely shift. Black Frieza's role and any new threats will reshape the top 5. Vegeta and Goku's relative positions stay close. Granolah may or may not survive into the new arcs. But for May 2026, this is where the manga has put us.