'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Dragon Ball has shown off plenty of strong forms, ranging from the Ultra Instinct to the Super Namekian. These forms tend to be power boosters and general lifesavers throughout Dragon Ball's overall franchise and narrative.
Naturally, some are the strongest, and those not so much. The problem originates from Dragon Ball's overall narrative as some that seem like major power boosters tend to be pushed to the side in favor of the Saiyans and half-Saiyans. Regardless, the forms help their users go toe-to-toe against Saiyans and main villains alike with their own unique power sets and abilities.
Note: This will contain Dragon Ball spoilers from Z to Super. The article is also just the author's opinion and is in no way exhaustive. There are doubtless plenty stronger and will continue to be as Dragon Ball increases in length and popularity.
Dragon Ball's 10 strongest forms, ranked from strongest to least
1) Ultra Instinct
This is possibly the strongest form in Dragon Ball lead character Goku's arsenal. As he's only been able to tap into it for a few moments at a time, it speaks to Goku's level of skill and strength that he's made those moments count. Whether it's knocking Jiren around or fusing it with Vegeta's Spirit Fission to attain a Zen-like form to defeat Moro, Goku appears to be getting a handle on this by the day.
Ultra Instinct is also an angel-level technique that Angels have active at all times, making most if not all mortal blows useless against them. Higher than the gods of destruction, Ultra Instinct makes users ultra-fast and frighteningly calm. It focuses on the lack of thought when moving and can very much knock people flat if they aren't careful around it.
2) Ultra Ego
This God of Destruction level form is Vegeta's ultimate form and rivals Goku in terms of sheer power in the Dragon Ball Super manga. Ultra Ego allows users to derive strength from pure combat and can utilize Hakai to an extraordinary degree. Though Vegeta's first Hakai only destroyed smaller rocks, later on, against Granolah, he could manifest enough Hakai to destroy a planet.
Damage is absorbed and added to the users' energy. The more users give in to the battle, the harder they hit and the more they fight. The only real drawback is the lust for battle, and the sheer ego boost makes users act rashly and horrifically violent. With that description, it's no wonder Vegeta took to it so well.
3) Super Saiyan God (and variant)
This form is an upgraded Super Saiyan state, able to tango with even the Gods of Destruction, plus Kale and Broly's Legendary Super Saiyan state. Considered a legend in its own right, the Super Saiyan God was even stated to have the power to bring Gods to their knees. While not exactly at that level of power yet, seeing as it burns out rather quickly, the universe was shaken when Beerus and Goku locked horns.
Super Saiyan God gives a godly aura and can see and possess god techniques to paralyze foes and absorb and nullify attacks. It prioritizes predictions and techniques over sheer raw power. The upgraded variant, Super Saiyan Blue, is better suited for fighting and has been Goku's main go-to form ever since he achieved it in Dragon Ball Super.
4) Ultimate Gohan
This may be a hot take, but yes, Ultimate Gohan is a powerful form for Gohan. He is officially using his SS2 powers in a regular state without the burden it places on his body. Subsequently, thanks to Piccolo's regular training, Gohan surpassed SS2 and 3 and kept up with Super Saiyan Blue. The narrative pushes Gohan aside. Notwithstanding, he is still pretty strong, even if he doesn't get to show off as often.
The form effectively eclipsed Majin Buu until he absorbed Gotenks and went SS3. Later on in Super, Goku had to achieve Kaio-Ken combined with Super Saiyan Blue to match his son, who was overpowering him even in Super Saiyan Blue. In the manga, this meant being able to ring Kefla out with his powers, whereas in the anime, it meant being able to hit Beerus (the only one aside from Vegeta before Super Saiyan God Goku).
5) Frieza's forms (Golden included)
Not to be outdone by Saiyans or Super Saiyans and the like, the universal tyrant Frieza from Dragon Ball Z has more than a few forms up his sleeve. His regular first form possessed enough power to destroy Planet Vegeta, his second to knock all the Z fighters around, his third to nearly kill Piccolo, and his final form was able to overwhelm and kill Vegeta. Even as Frieza boosted his final form, he was able to keep up with SS1 Goku.
When Frieza attained his Golden form, he surpassed SS1-3 and went into it with Goku and Vegeta at SSB but then burned himself out too quickly and ended up dead. He had a fairer showing in Dragon Ball Super's Tournament of Power, where he was instrumental to Universe 7s victory.
Time will tell if Frieza's Golden form has an upgrade or two up its sleeves, though he was able to deflect Hakai and battle Jiren with it.
6) Super Saiyan (1-3, plus varients)
The Legendary Super Saiyan state has been shown off as a massive power boost ever since the Frieza Saga. This transformation turns Saiyan's hair gold, gives them a gold battle aura, and increases their strength, speed, and hitting power nearly 50 times over. It is triggered by hardships and strong emotions, as evidenced by Future Trunks, Goku, Vegeta, Broly, and Kale in Dragon Ball Z and Super.
The Super Saiyan form is practically a Dragon Ball staple at this point, being featured in posters, marketing, video games, and so much more. The power and speed advantage these forms give is only rivaled by the other forms below and above.
The only reason why the Super Saiyan state trumps Kid Buu and Perfect Cell is the level of power and sheer ferocity in the techniques brought to bear (Gohan's SS2 Father/Son Kamehameha killing Cell and Goku's SS3/2 Spirit Bomb and follow-up Kamehameha killing Kid Buu, respectively.)
7) Majin Buu forms
The horrifyingly unpredictable Majin Buu from Dragon Ball Z has several forms that trounce all the others below it.
From the fat, happy, chocolate-loving main form that turns people into chocolate and eats them but can otherwise be reasoned with to Super Buu that absorbed a bunch of people and was more than a match for Vegito, to the sadistic Kid Buu that was responsible for most of the Supreme Kais being killed, the entire Buu transformation line is utterly horrifying.
The worst of the worst is Kid Buu. While Super Buu at least had a personality and could be taunted or thrown off guard, thanks to his temper and ever-growing need for power, Kid Buu has nothing of the sort.
Kid Buu is utterly animalistic, not concerned with talking or communicating fully as much as beating things down and killing them savagely. Considering that the Human Extinction Attack came from Super Buu, Kid Buu was able to destroy Earth and revive himself from the destruction.
8) Cell's forms
Cell is an android modified by Dr. Gero to get stronger as he absorbs other androids in Dragon Ball Z. To explain all of his forms simply, Cell's imperfect form required plenty of energy to sustain himself, which he gained by absorbing cities full of people. When he was done, he took advantage of Piccolo and 17s exhausted states and absorbed 17.
While Cell's semi-perfect form could tank multiple Neo Tri Beams from Tien, he was still held back and narrowly killed by SS2 Vegeta until he took advantage of Vegeta's pride to become perfect in Dragon Ball Z's Android Saga. Perfect Cell could beat down Vegeta, outpace SS2 enhanced Trunks, and kill Android 16.
9) Super Namekian
The Super Namekian form of Piccolo may be slightly cheating, but it's considered Piccolo's strongest form and responsible for his survival against numerous foes post-Frieza saga. Despite this, Dragon Ball's narrative tends to favor either the main villain of the arc or, as noted above, Saiyans and half-Sayains.
Regardless, the Super Namekian form is a fusion of countless Namekian warriors that ultimately results in Piccolo moving faster and hitting harder with his attacks and gaining three times the knowledge and durability. He could hold his own against Android 17, actually gain an advantage on Cell Junior, and was strong enough to hold his own against Frost's final form.
If the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie gives Piccolo more, fans will certainly not complain since he's had a win and power boost coming for a long time.
10) Kaio-Ken
The Kaio-Ken technique is the first real "power boost" style technique seen in Dragon Ball that can multiply the users' ki for a heartbeat's worth of time. The users' aura becomes crimson, and the speed and power increase by a set amount (times five, 10, all the way up to times 20 in the anime but 100 in the Lord Slug movie).
This power-enhancing technique led Goku to early victories over Nappa, Vegeta, and even the Ginyu Force in Dragon Ball Z. The reason why it's so low is that it became obsolete in the wake of the Super Saiyan transformations. Though Goku can fuse Kaio-Ken with his Super Saiyan Blue, the Kaio Ken itself remains largely unused due to power drains and physically damaging drawbacks.
