The fighting game genre is one that can be very difficult to get right, especially as they're being developed for one of the most niche audiences in video games. However, it's generally accepted that Dragon Ball FighterZ definitely hits all the right notes.
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The game offers up a challenge for fighting game newbies, while also proving interesting to those who know the genre like the back of their hand. Who should you main, though? Well, here's an introduction to the best characters in the game.
Updated July 4, 2021 by Tom Bowen: Despite now being more than three and a half years old, Dragon Ball FighterZ remains incredibly popular with fighting game fans. It certainly helps that the game has received regular updates since the time of its release, with 19 new DLC fighters having been added at the time of writing. Though a fourth FighterZ pass is yet to be officially announced, Bandai Namco has made it clear that the company still has plans for the game moving forward. Whether this comes in the form of more new characters or additional online tournaments, it seems safe to assume that Dragon Ball FighterZ won't be going away anytime soon. If you've yet to dip your toes into the water or have been taking a break and are now thinking about returning, these fighters — if used correctly — will help you to dominate the game in its current state.
Goku (GT)
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| Race: | Saiyan |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | May 19, 2019 (FighterZ Pass 2) |
| Super Attacks: | Super Kamehameha, Dragon Fist Explosion & Super Ultra Spirit Bomb |
Though he may not have the same high power levels as some of his later iterations, Goku (GT) has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. For one thing, his small stature can make him incredibly annoying to fight against; fitting, perhaps, given his Dragon Ball GT origins.
As well as strong defenses, the pint-sized prodigy also has some incredibly useful attacks in his arsenal. His Dragon Flurry Fist attack can dish out some decent damage without using up too much Ki while his Supers, particularly the Super Ultra Spirit Bomb, can shred an opponent's health bar as if it were tissue paper.
Bardock
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| Race: | Saiyan |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | March 28, 2018 (FighterZ Pass 1) |
| Super Attacks: | Riot Javelin, Saiyan Spirit & Revenge Assault |
Goku's father was added into the game at the same time as Brolly, but despite the latter being the main headliner, he was largely overshadowed due to Bardock's excellent move set. His combos are swift and relentless, allowing him to gain the upper hand in an instant if the other player lets their guard down for even a second.
His revenge assault allows him to transform into a Super Saiyan, something we never got to see in the anime, and although there are more powerful Supers in the game, its huge AoE makes it one of the very best. Saiyan Spirit also chains well into Riot Javelin, allowing an impressive amount of damage for only two Ki bars.
Vegito (SSGSS)
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| Race: | Saiyan |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | May 31, 2018 (FighterZ Pass 1) |
| Super Attacks: | Omega Finishing Blow, Spirit Excalibur & Final Kamehameha |
Given that Vegito is the result of two of the series' strongest fighters fusing together, his insane power levels shouldn't come as too much of a shock. That he controls so fluidly, however, is definitely a welcome surprise and one which makes Vegito a solid pick for offensive players.
Chaining combos together with Vegito is as enjoyable as it is simple and his excellent reach and solid counters make him incredibly difficult to effectively defend against. He also chips in with some useful assists, which can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing.
Gohan (Teen)
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| Race: | Saiyan / Human |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Motionless Kamehameha, Father-Son Kamehameha & Father-Son Kamehameha (Full Power) |
Teen Gohan's move set is perhaps a little lacking when compared to his adult form, but what he lacks in variety, he more than makes up for with speed and power. His Supers are some of the very best in the game and he's able to build up Ki a lot faster than most of the other fighters on offer.
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Those who use a lot of short-ranged attacks likely won't have much luck with Teen Gohan, with players instead needing to play to his strength in order to get the best out of him. Those who do so will be incredibly difficult to beat, however, making him a solid pick for those looking for a good character to main.
Gogeta (SSGSS)
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| Race: | Saiyan |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | September 26, 2019 (FighterZ Pass 2) |
| Super Attacks: | God Punisher, Stardust Breaker, Stardust Fall, Big Bang Kamehameha, Meteor Explosion & Ultimate Kamehameha |
Both versions of Gogeta have their strengths and weaknesses, but his Super Saiyan Blue form just has the edge thanks to his ridiculous number of Supers. None of them are particularly overpowered or anything like that, but the variety means that he usually has an answer to just about any situation.
Versatility isn't all that Gogeta has going for him though, with the fused fighter also possessing a healthy mix of speed and power. He can take quite a bit of getting used to as a result of his varied move-set, but, once mastered, he's one of the very best fighters in Dragon Ball FighterZ.
Goku (SSJ)
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| Race: | Saiyan |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Super Kamehameha, Warp Kamehameha & Meteor Smash |
A lot of people will argue that Super Saiyan Blue Goku is the better character (and we would tend to agree), but we think that players who are coming to the game fresh should spend some time with this Goku first. Before you get a solid handle on the combos and mechanics, he's far easier to get to grips with.
For example, this is one of the few characters who can double up two super moves into a single combo, thanks to his Instant Transmission Kamehameha. As such, it's a great idea to start here, before advancing to SSB Goku when you feel ready.
Trunks
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| Race: | Saiyan / Human |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Burning Attack & Heat Dome Attack |
This guy certainly isn't the strongest character in Dragon Ball FighterZ, but that doesn't stop him from being one of the best options for people looking to grab a great neutral for their party.
His normal combos do a lot of damage and have a lot of reach, which tends to be the advantage of waving a big sword around. The hitboxes on this guy's moves are big, too, so he's able to really pull out a lot of damage at short notice. He also has high mobility, allowing him to easily punish opponents' mistakes.
Beerus
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| Race: | Unknown |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Beerus Ball, Beerus Ball of Destruction & God of Destruction's Judgement |
We know that some people consider Beerus to be among the worst characters in the game, but that's just not fair. Not only does he have one of the best low-level super moves, but this guy can really put on the pressure by baiting people out of their comfort zone.
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As is often the case with underrated characters in fighters, people who know what they're doing with this God can truly punish an opponent who underestimates them. Assist-wise, though, he's not so hot.
Hit
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| Race: | Unknown |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Death Blow, Realized Power & I Keep Improving |
Hit's in the same boat as Beerus, really. Even though people who know how to use him are able to brutally take down their enemies, Hit takes a lot of flak from doubters in the community.
The key to this character is using his diagonal mix-up attacks properly. You'll succeed or fail as Hit depending on how well you utilize them. We'd like to think that fans will enjoy using this character despite his slandering online, but so many are unwilling to try out anybody outside of the usual high tiers (as is fighting game tradition).
Goku Black
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| Race: | Saiyan |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | God Slicer Dance, Holy Light Grenade & The Work of a God |
One of the greatest things about Goku Black is that he gives the player a full-screen command grab, one that can even lead into further combos if you so choose. However, he has a lot more going for him on top of that (including one of the largest hitboxes in the game), making him great for beginners as well.
It's widely accepted that Goku Black's Instant Transmission move is the best teleport in the game, really forcing the enemy to change their tactics on the fly (which is super difficult for many fighting game fans).
Kid Buu
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| Race: | Majin |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Human Extinction Attack, Pearl Flash & Planet Burst |
If we're being honest, it pains us to have to put this guy on the list, but his being super annoying doesn't change the fact that he's just plain great. Simple and effective, that's the name of Kid Buu's game.
His normal attacks have a huge range, while his super moves combo is better than most other characters and causes a huge amount of damage. In addition, he's a great assist to have around, meaning he's even very useful while waiting in the wings. In short, you'll definitely want to think about adding this guy to your party.
Android 16
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| Race: | Android |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Hell Flash, Hell Flash Maximum Output & Last Resort |
Granted, Android 16 probably won't be the first character to jump to mind on the subject of best Dragon Ball fighters, but he's another powerhouse you can never underestimate.
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He can cancel block strings into a punishing command grab and combo, as well as having some attacks with armor (very handy for interrupting opponents who commit too hard or for turning a bad situation around). Android 16 has all the tools to get the job done, so tread carefully while he's around.
Gohan (Adult)
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| Race: | Saiyan / Human |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Potential Unleashed & Bros. Kamehameha |
Well, yes. It's inevitable that you're going to have many, many matches against Adult Gohan. He's just one of those characters. What happens if you let him get to level seven of his Release Power? Well, you're now facing off against one of the strongest fighters in the game, that's what happens.
Adult Gohan has a fast fall, great normal attacks with massive reach, and an overhead cross-up in his Ultimate Back Attack. What we're saying is, you've already got a good character on your hands if you pick Adult Gohan, but once you start to build up his power, you've got one of the very best.
Cell
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| Race: | Bio-Android |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Energy Field & Solar Kamehameha |
All fighting game characters have strengths and weaknesses, of course. That's the goal, at least. There are powerful characters who are slow and lumbering, fast, agile ones who don't deal a lot of damage… you know how these things work. Regardless, many within the Dragon Ball FighterZ community consider Cell to be a real all-rounder among the better fighters in the game.
Just as in the anime, Cell is a very difficult enemy to come up against, with many of his attacks have a huge amount of reach. He's a very good character for the beginner player, but also has a lot of intricate combos that fighting game champions can really sink their teeth into.
Frieza
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| Race: | Frieza Race |
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| Gender: | Male |
| Date Added: | January 26, 2018 (Base Game) |
| Super Attacks: | Death Ball, Nova Strike, You Must Die By My Hand!, Golden Frieza & Sorbet's Ring Gun |
In a similar way to Cell, Frieza has a lot of great normal attacks that make for excellent combos. He's different in some key areas, though, lacking the grabbing shenanigans Cell can perform.
Instead, this character can throw some of the longest projectiles of anyone in the cast, meaning that players can really keep the enemy away if they know what they're doing. Zoning is always a problematic strategy for inexperienced players to deal with, so Frieza will cause some real problems for an opposing player who doesn't know how to overcome this.
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