16 Most Powerful Z-Fighters in Dragon Ball, Ranked From Weakest to Strongest

Since the end of Dragon Ball Z, the Z-Fighters have become much more powerful and their group has grown. In Dragon Ball Super, they’re stronger than ever, with the five strongest members now able to transform into incredibly powerful forms, making them essentially godlike. Most of the Earthlings are still capable fighters, though some are stronger than others.

The next story arc in Toyotarou’s Dragon Ball Super manga will feature the Black Frieza Saga, and the Z-Fighters will need to reach new levels of strength to have any hope of winning. While Goku and Vegeta have powerful forms like Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego, Black Frieza easily defeated them at the end of the last arc. To face this ultimate threat, the Z-Fighters must work together, combining the power of their strongest warriors in what is likely to be the final battle of Dragon Ball Super.

16. Yajirobe is the Weakest Z-Fighter

Yajirobe has the potential to be an incredibly powerful Z-Fighter, but he doesn’t bother to train. When we first meet him during the fight with the Demon King Piccolo, Goku is amazed by his strength, saying he’s never encountered anyone so powerful. This is a big deal because Goku had just lost to Tien in the World Martial Arts Tournament, meaning Yajirobe was actually stronger than Tien at that time.

Yajirobe easily defeated Cymbal and became the third person to reach the top of Korin Tower, following Master Roshi and Goku. He’s best known for cutting off Vegeta’s tail when Vegeta transformed into a Great Ape – a crucial moment in the series. However, Yajirobe quickly became very lazy and stopped training after the battle with the Saiyans, making him the weakest of all the Z-Fighters.

15. Chiaotzu is Too Weak to Contribute Anymore

Without Yajirobe’s lack of training, Chiaotzu would be considered the weakest fighter among the Z-Fighters in Dragon Ball. He debuted with Tien and never actually wins a fight throughout the original Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z series. Instead, his primary purpose is to sacrifice himself during the battles against Demon King Piccolo and the Saiyans, which drives Tien’s growth as a character.

Chiaotzu’s psychic powers aren’t very effective, and he’s quite weak. Because of this, Tien Shinhan doesn’t include him in major battles like those against the Androids, Cell, Frieza’s forces in Resurrection ‘F’, or the Tournament of Power. In Dragon Ball Super, Chiaotzu mostly assists by holding off enemies until Goku and Vegeta arrive to take over.

14. Yamcha is So Weak Now, Goku Didn’t Even Consider Him For the Tournament of Power

It’s easy to forget, but Yamcha used to be considered one of the most powerful fighters in Dragon Ball. He was Goku’s initial rival and even won their first on-screen fight. However, his fighting career is mostly defined by defeats. Yamcha consistently loses in the first round of the World Martial Arts Tournament and eventually stops fighting after a near-fatal encounter with Dr. Gero during the Cell Saga.

Watching Dragon Ball Super, it was pretty clear Goku didn’t even consider Yamcha when he was picking a team for Universe 7 – he’d literally rather resurrect Frieza than count on a longtime friend. And it’s not like Yamcha has gotten weak; he’s still one of the most powerful humans on Earth and takes pride in that, especially during the Moro Saga. It’s just that the power levels in Dragon Ball have gotten so ridiculously high that he can’t compete anymore.

13. Master Roshi Has Been Secretly Training to Keep Up With His Students

Although Master Roshi is far behind his students once Dragon Ball Z begins, Resurrection ‘F’ shows he’s been training in secret to improve. While he’s only a little stronger than a typical Frieza soldier, that’s still better than Yamcha! Goku even asks Roshi to join the Tournament of Power.

In the Dragon Ball Super manga, Master Roshi surprisingly earns the respect of Jiren by briefly accessing a form similar to Ultra Instinct. While he isn’t incredibly strong, Roshi’s extensive martial arts training makes him a formidable opponent when necessary.

12. Tien Has Fallen on Hard Times in Dragon Ball Super

Tien Shinhan used to be powerful enough to beat Goku in the World Martial Arts Tournament, but he’s no longer one of the strongest fighters. He trains hard, but can’t match the power of Goku or Krillin, who he used to compete with. In Dragon Ball Z, Tien mostly appears briefly to use his Tri-Beam attack, helping to buy time during the battles against Cell and Majin Buu.

Tien is more powerful than characters like Yamcha and Roshi, but his performance in Dragon Ball Super has been disappointing. He was quickly eliminated from the Tournament of Power, and he even struggled more against Moro’s forces than Yamcha did. Despite being strong, the series doesn’t seem to acknowledge or utilize his power effectively anymore.

11. Krillin is the Strongest Human in Dragon Ball

Krillin is currently the most powerful human among Goku’s allies, the Z-Fighters, though Uub is expected to surpass him later on in Dragon Ball Super. He and Goku began training together as kids and have been best friends ever since. Even without the powerful Saiyan blood or the ability to transform like Goku, Krillin has consistently proven his worth. While he doesn’t last long in the Tournament of Power, he remains a vital friend and supporter of Goku.

Even though he was significantly weaker than most opponents in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Krillin managed to injure Cell Max with a perfectly timed kick – which is amazing for a human! Krillin will likely never be the strongest fighter, but he’s a skilled and determined martial artist who always gives his all and is a reliable teammate for the Z-Fighters when they need help.

10. Goten Has Potential, But Doesn’t Have the Discipline to Get Stronger

Goten showed incredible promise when he appeared in the Majin Buu Saga of Dragon Ball Z. He became the youngest Super Saiyan ever, and even without any training, he was already around as powerful as Gohan. However, despite his natural strength, Goten isn’t very interested in fighting or improving his skills. He’d rather have fun pretending to be a hero and going on dates than work hard to become stronger.

Goten is best known for being one half of the fusion that creates Trunks, but even as Gotenks, he and Trunks have trouble combining in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. While Goten is strong enough to join the Saiyan battle royale in Dragon Ball Super chapter 103, most agree he wouldn’t last long in the fight.

9. Trunks Has Always Been Slightly Stronger Than Goten

Trunks is slightly stronger than Goten because he’s a year older, but their power levels are very close. This allows them to fuse into Gotenks, as long as they perform the fusion dance correctly. Currently, the author, Toyotarou, seems to be focusing more on developing Trunks’ character than Goten’s.

The Dragon Ball Super manga gives Trunks a prominent role in the Super Hero Saga, and he’s even the central character in the original High School Saga. While he, Goten, and the two Gammas help fight Cell Max, Trunks isn’t strong enough to significantly impact the battle. In fact, he and Goten were considered more of a hindrance than a help – no one wanted them along for fights against Frieza’s forces, in the Tournament of Power, or against Moro’s army, and even Yamcha got an invitation!

8. Android 18 is the Only Female Z-Fighter

Android 18 is incredibly powerful and one of the strongest fighters on the Z-Team. Even without powering up, she proved her worth in the Tournament of Power and was a key asset in the battle against Moro. Her limitless energy allows her to push herself further than most other Z-Fighters, letting her fight tirelessly.

I’ve always noticed that Android 18 is just a little less powerful than her twin, 17, but she never seems to let it bother her. She actually has a really amazing track record of wins among all the Z-Fighters! I remember being surprised when she even beat Goten and Trunks at the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai. And for a long time, especially in Dragon Ball Super, she was the only female fighter on the team until Pan was old enough to join.

7. Android 17 Won the Tournament of Power For The Z-Fighters

Android 17 quickly became a key player on the Z-Fighter team after joining them, demonstrating his strength in both the Tournament of Power and the fight against Moro. Like his twin sister, Android 18, he has limitless energy. However, 17 was designed with a more powerful core, making him harder for Dr. Gero to control and establishing him as one of the strongest Androids – second only to Android 16 and Cell.

Through years of training and protecting his island – battling poachers and keeping his creations in check – Android 17 dramatically increased his power. He went from being around as strong as Piccolo after fusing with Kami to reaching a level comparable to a god. While he couldn’t defeat someone like Jiren, 17 proved incredibly strong, lasting until the very end of the Tournament of Power and performing better against Moro’s forces than many of the other Z-Fighters.

2026-02-13 21:36