Every Piccolo form in Dragon Ball, ranked by power

Piccolo has always been a particularly important Dragon Ball character, due to being the series'sole Namekian Z-Fighter. Piccolo represents a highly regimented training routine, an eclectic arsenal of attacks, and a compelling backstory that’s seen him go from Goku’s greatest rival into one of the Saiyans’s best friends.

Piccolo is typically one of Dragon Ball’s strongest characters even though he doesn’t have the luxury of a litany of progressively powerful Super Saiyan transformations. Piccolo has built his strength and skills in other ways, but there are still some unique forms that he’s turned to in battle that elevate his power to greater heights so that he can better dominate the competition.

Piccolo (Mini) Must Make Due With Less When He’s Stuck In The Demon Realm

Dragon Ball DAIMA, the franchise’s most recent entry, takes one of Dragon Ball GT’s more controversial gimmicks – Goku’s transformation into a child – and applies it to the entire cast. Piccolo, along with Goku and Vegeta, make their way through the mysterious Demon Realm with compromised bodies that aren’t just younger and smaller, but weaker than their base strength.

Granted, Piccolo’s Mini transformation happens post-Buu Saga, which means that he’s still rather powerful. This is still technically Piccolo’s weakest form and the most disadvantaged he’s been in a long time. Piccolo gradually learns how to make the most out of his smaller body while he helps collect the Demon Realm Dragon Balls. He’s still able to use his signature abilities, like the Special Beam Cannon, but it doesn’t amount to much.

It’s rather telling that Piccolo doesn’t defeat any major enemies in Dragon Ball DAIMA and is robbed of the same powerful showcase that Goku and Vegeta receive. Piccolo (Mini) really just feels like an afterthought, and it’s unfortunate that Neva doesn’t perform the same power boost ritual on him that he does to Goku.

Piccolo’s “Agile Style” Is His Battle Standard When He’s Ready To Get Serious

Piccolo is always looking for new ways to train and improve his skills, and he reaches a point in which even basic attire can become a strength-building exercise. Piccolo adopts the strategy of weighted clothing in the five years between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, which he first teases during the fight against Raditz. Piccolo’s decision to perpetually weigh himself down means that something as simple as removing his clothing can make him substantially stronger.

Even Piccolo’s turban is weighted. While this isn’t technically a transformation, it still leads to a power level increase and boosted speed and agility for the Namekian. Piccolo typically resorts to this tactic when his opponent is stronger than he anticipated, and he wants to turn things up a little. Curiously, this is properly named Piccolo’s Agile Style form in Dragon Ball Legends, where it’s regarded as a transformation.

Demonic Transformation Piccolo Unlocks The Namekian’s Raw Killer Instinct

Piccolo comes from an especially dark past, but he’s worked hard to shed this toxic baggage and become one of Earth’s greatest heroes. There are still a few instances where Dragon Ball tries to build suspense and get some extra mileage out of the prospect of Piccolo returning to his wicked roots.

The most significant of these takes place in Dragon Ball Z’s Garlic Jr. Saga after the dangerous Black Water Mist is released on the world. The Black Water Mist turns people into vicious, bloodthirsty members of Garlic Jr.’s Demon Clan. This forces Gohan and Krillin to fight against friends and family, including Piccolo.

Piccolo later reveals that Namekians are actually immune to the Black Water Mist and that he was faking this in order to help save Kami and Mr. Popo. Piccolo actually triggered a Demonic Transformation on his own, due to King Piccolo’s demonic past. Demonic Transformation Piccolo isn’t necessarily any stronger than normal. He’s just more ferocious and unrestrained. Piccolo experiences a similar form of corruption in Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest, when he’s brainwashed and mind controlled by Dr. Wheelo.

Piccolo’s Great Namekian & Super-Giant Form Turn Him Into A Monumental Menace

Piccolo highlights a wide range of abilities that are unique to his Namekian biology, such as regeneration and his malleable Demon Hand attack. His Great Namekian form is another intimidating tactic that allows him to increase his size to terrifying proportions. This makes its debut during Piccolo’s battle against Goku during the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, but it’s used quite sparingly in the series.

Piccolo’s Super-Giant Form goes one step further and gigantifies him to even grander proportions. Great Namekian and Super-Giant Form Piccolo are likely to terrify most targets. However, it’s important to understand that these forms don’t actually increase Piccolo’s strength, but merely his size. This, of course, means that Piccolo could just crush his opponent with his foot, but it also makes him a bigger target and substantially slower.

Piccolo actually returns to his normal size during his fight against Goku because these forms become too much of a liability for someone like Goku who is quick on his feet. It’s still an advantageous form if Piccolo is up against a giant threat, which is why it makes its return during Piccolo’s fight against Cell Max.

Super Namekian Piccolo Is The Result Of Fusions With Other Namekians

Super Namekian is a term that’s colloquially used for Namekians who have unlocked greater potential and surpassed their limits, even if it’s not a tangible transformation. This term is first used when Piccolo engages with Namekian fusion with Nail on Planet Namek. Piccolo absorbs Nail’s strength and is left feeling like a completely different person.

It’s with this newfound strength that he gains the confidence to bravely take on Frieza’s Second Form, although he’s quickly overwhelmed once Frieza transforms again. Piccolo repeats this process when he reunites with Kami so that he can better protect the Earth against the Androids and Cell.

This second Super Namekian spectacle leaves Piccolo with enough power to hold his own against Android 17. It’s also worth pointing out that Piccolo pushes Namekian fusion and the Super Namekian label to even greater heights in Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors’ “What If?...” mode. Here, Piccolo resurrects Demon King Piccolo and fuses with him. This gives him power that’s far beyond Majin Buu and slightly superior to Super Buu, albeit not enough to destroy him.

Majin Piccolo Represents A Dark Alternate Reality

Vegeta’s return to the dark side as Majin Vegeta is a cruel turning point for the character that ultimately triggers Buu’s awakening and some serious soul-searching within Vegeta. Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2 takes this idea and reapplies it to Piccolo in one of the game’s more memorable “What If…” scenarios.

Majin Piccolo makes just as much sense as Majin Vegeta and arguably hits even harder since it’s been so long since Piccolo was truly evil. Just like in Majin Vegeta’s case, Majin Piccolo receives a seismic strength upgrade courtesy of Babidi’s twisted manipulation sorcery. Supersonic Warriors 2 indicates that Majin Vegeta’s power is boosted enough that he’s actually stronger than Majin Buu and even superior to Super Saiyan 2 Goku.

Majin Vegeta absorbs Super Buu’s power but is still defeated and conveniently reverts back to normal. Majin Piccolo only exists in this non-canon video game storyline, but it would technically mark his strongest form in Dragon Ball Z. Piccolo is completely out of his league against any of Buu’s forms and has no hope of surpassing Super Saiyan 2 strength in the Buu Saga. Majin Piccolo makes this possible.

Piccolo’s Potential Unleashed & Orange Forms Elevate Him To Unprecedented Heights

Dragon Ball fans were extremely excited when Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero took a step back from the routine Goku and Vegeta showcase in favor of celebrating Gohan and Piccolo. Both of these unsung heroes receive flashy new transformations by the film’s end that put them on par with Dragon Ball’s strongest heroes.

Gohan and Piccolo find themselves struggling against Red Ribbon’s Gamma Androids and the even stronger Cell Max. Piccolo wishes for Shenron to unlock his potential, like what the Grand Elder Guru did for Gohan and Krillin on Namek, which results in his Potential Unleashed form. Piccolo (Potential Unleashed), also known as Piccolo (Power Awakening), becomes strong enough to defeat Gamma 2 and refocus his efforts on Cell Max. S

henron included something “a little extra’ when he granted Piccolo’s wish, which leads to his momentous Orange Piccolo transformation. This is Piccolo’s first true transformation in Dragon Ball and something that he’s able to trigger at will. Orange Piccolo becomes more muscular and demonic in nature, with an appropriate orange hue. Orange Piccolo has only faced Cell Max, but Toriyama indicated that this new form gives him power that rivals Goku and Vegeta. However, he’s still trailing behind Gohan Beast.