Dragon Ball God-Tier Protectors Guide (2026) PS5 Xbox

Dragon Ball has introduced some of the most formidable heroes in shonen history, and its long-running emphasis on martial arts and straight-up combat makes it easy to see why its lead fighters keep climbing to absurd heights. In the more than four decades since the franchise began in 1984, Goku and company have evolved from “strong characters” into protectors whose power is often framed on a multiversal scale. In this roundup, we’re looking at the most dangerous God-Level heroes across the entire Dragon Ball universe—what they are, what they’ve achieved, and why they stand out.

Release & platform note

The series is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

In Dragon Ball, God techniques are treated as the top tier of abilities across the multiverse. The users of these techniques aren’t just powerful—they’re portrayed as especially threatening and dangerous, even by the standards of universe-level battles.

7 Jiren’s strength was too much for the heroes to handle

Strongest form: Burning Ultimate Warrior

Jiren served as the main antagonist of the Tournament of Power arc, but the story frames him less like a typical villain and more like a guardian figure. He and his subordinates aren’t portrayed as fighting for personal gain; they’re focused on protecting the survival of their universe. That characterization—together with his role as the top protector of Universe 11—makes Jiren feel like someone who could return later as an ally rather than a permanent enemy.

Jiren’s power is described as legendary. When he awakened his Burning Ultimate Warrior state, he managed to hold his ground against Mastered Ultra Instinct Goku for a period of time. Even if he was still weaker overall, his exceptional Ki control let him keep going longer than Goku’s greatest form. There’s also a strong argument for his God-Level status because Jiren is stated to be stronger than Belmod.

6 Piccolo finally unlocked a state that matches the Saiyans

Strongest form: Orange Piccolo

For years, fans wanted Piccolo to take on a more central role in future story arcs, and that hope finally paid off in the Super Hero arc. That’s where Piccolo unlocked an ultimate condition that puts him on equal footing with the franchise’s main Saiyan powerhouses.

Orange Piccolo lands among the strongest heroes in the series, and his performance against Cell Max supports the idea. Both Toyotaro and Toriyama set expectations for the future of the franchise by establishing that the five main heroes are meant to sit at roughly the same overall strength level—while still positioning Orange Piccolo as one of the most powerful fighters in the multiverse.

5 Broly’s potential is the greatest of them all

Strongest form: Full Powered Super Saiyan

As a Saiyan prodigy of the highest order, Broly’s natural strength was on full display in his fight against Goku and Vegeta. He demonstrated staggering power by taking on two Super Saiyan Blue users at the same time, and the feat is even more impressive because it was his first real, proper battle.

Since then, Broly has joined Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and Piccolo as a God-Level hero operating at the front line of Universe 7. He’s presented as one of the most steadfast and dangerous protectors the universe has. To be clear, Broly is still learning to control his legendary power, so he’s not fully practiced with it yet—but when it comes to raw destructive potential, there’s no one who matches what he could become.

4 Granolah shifted from villain to hero when Gas showed up

Strongest form: 2 Red-Eyes Form

Early in the Granolah arc, the title character made a wish that dramatically reshaped the series’ power balance. By becoming the strongest mortal in Universe 7, Granolah reached levels of strength that felt unprecedented. This was made clear when he struck down Mastered Ultra Instinct Goku with a single hit, even though he was depowered due to the presence of his clone.

Later, during his clash with Ultra Ego Vegeta, Granolah matched the Saiyan prince on equal terms. His final move was strong enough that it would have taken both fighters out. Still, as the arc neared its end, Granolah realized that his real conflict wasn’t just with specific opponents—it was with the Heeters and Frieza. After that shift, he reoriented his actions and became an invaluable ally to Goku and Vegeta, as well as another God-Level hero.

Dragon Ball has featured numerous powerful antagonists, but only a small number can genuinely be categorized as God-Level threats.

3 Vegeta brings the most offensively powerful form of the set

Strongest form: Ultra Ego

Among the ultimate forms the heroes now have access to, Vegeta arguably takes the win for sheer cool-factor. With Ultra Ego, he demonstrated raw offensive capability that even surpasses Mastered Ultra Instinct Goku—despite the fact that he hadn’t used the form previously. His performance against Granolah is presented as the proof, showing that his offense scales faster and hits harder than what the heroes were expecting.

Ultra Ego has made Vegeta’s strength feel truly legendary because it lets him channel the Destroyer God’s Energy of Destruction while in this state. That connection allows him to use Hakai. Even so, Vegeta still hasn’t fully mastered the form, and it includes unresolved issues that need to be worked out before it becomes fully reliable. Still, even with those limitations, Vegeta remains a God-Level hero.

2 Gohan’s potential awakened an innate power that’s downright terrifying

Strongest form: Beast Gohan

From the start, Akira Toriyama made it clear that Gohan’s innate strength was extraordinary and that his potential gave him a path to surpass everyone else. The story first emphasized this with Gohan’s legendary Super Saiyan 2 transformation, and then it drove the point home even harder with the arrival of Beast Gohan.

Beast Gohan is triggered by an eruption of rage Gohan feels when he believes Piccolo has been killed. That emotional surge takes Gohan’s already unmatched Hybrid-Saiyan potential and elevates it beyond what the series previously showed. In this state, Gohan didn’t just defeat Cell Max effortlessly—he also matched Ultra Instinct Goku during a spar. The message is that the heroes moving forward are essentially on the same level, at least in terms of combat capability.

Dragon Ball Super 2 will be the final word on which Saiyan—Goku or Vegeta—is actually the most powerful.

1 Goku has mastered the legendary technique associated with the Angels

Strongest form: Mastered Ultra Instinct

Even though Goku already had access to Divine Ki since the beginning of Super, it wasn’t until he unlocked Ultra Instinct that he fully reached God-Level. Ultra Instinct is described as the ultimate Martial Arts technique in the multiverse, notoriously difficult even for the Destroyer Gods to control. Once Goku mastered it, his fighting style becomes effectively unmatched.

With the story direction continuing to emphasize that the five main heroes are comparable in overall power, it still makes sense that Goku could be slightly ahead. Part of that comes down to time and experience with his new ultimate form. Because he has mastered a technique even the Destroyers struggle to use, Goku is positioned as the strongest God-Level hero overall.

Dragon Ball can be streamed on Crunchyroll.