To be a great warrior in the Dragon Ball universe requires a thirst for passion through combat, a drive to be the best, and a pouch of Senzu Beans handy. Whether they be human, Saiyan, Namekian, or even those carrying the titles of Gods, the power they wield is enough to cause total fragmentation to the unfortunate world that happens to be their arena. Characters like Goku, Vegeta and Piccolo have taken themselves beyond their limits time and time again to achieve their goals in life. Today, however, they will let their very much deserving supporting cast have a chance to shine in the limelight and it's about time we let the world know about them and how powerful they are.
Despite not being the main protagonists, characters like Krillin or Android 18 have shown their fighting spirit against some equally seemingly unsurmountable odds to that of Goku, again and again proving how unreliable and underestimating they are. Whether or not they have retired from fighting in the series at some point, these martial artists at one point or another pulled off a feat that can only be described as legendary in the eyes of fans. This list will cover 20 supporting characters from the Dragon Ball universe in regards to raw power. We will cover characters from Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball Super, as well as from other outings these characters have had in the greater Dragon Ball universe. However, characters such as Bulma or Chi-Chi won't be making this list, since their roles in the franchise are non-combative based.
20 MR. SATAN
Hercule's big talk, and let's be real here he is all bark, but he does have some skill with martial arts. After all, for the standard practitioner, not including warriors who use Ki Blasts, Hercule Satan earned his spot as the World's Greatest Martial Artist but, of course, there were times it was inferred that he cheated.
Such as his first victory in the world championship tournament, when his opponent had food poisoning, thus crippling his ability to fight at his top form. Suspicious, indeed. On the whole, what we get with Mr. Satan is a gifted combatant, coupled with extreme luck.
19 RADITZ
To be clear and frank, Raditz at this point looks like an ant compared to Frieza. And Frieza looks like an ant compared to the caliber of Lord Beerus, the Destroyer. But at the time, however, Raditz was the omen and wake-up call for what's to come.
In this case, the arrival of the Saiyans known as Vegeta and Nappa. Raditz was able to slap Krillin into Kame house as if he were a nuisance, he was able to contend with the likes of Goku and Piccolo at the same time, and took an incredible beating from the two of them and resulted in the demise of Goku. Although as the characters progressed, Raditz stayed the same in regards to skill and power.
18 GULDO
Lord Frieza's Elite Ginyu Force deserve spots on this list for each member, but Guldo has this one particular spot right here because of his unique abilities that outdo the Ginyu's Force's members themselves.
Such as his ability to freeze time as long as he holds his breath, and puts Burter to shame due to the fact that he can't compare to Goku's speed, especially since he DOES carry the title of "The Fastest Being in the Universe". Guldo also has an excellent Telekinetic prowess, putting this ability to great effect with Gohan and Krillin during their mission on Namek.
17 KAMI
Kami has been known to not have a combative role in the Dragon Ball universe. He is Earth's guardian, though, and has at one point entered the battle against Garlic Jr. AFTER he wished for immortality from the eternal Dragon. Kami was able to put the hammer down hard on Garlic Jr., despite being outmatched in the end.
However, Kami's power is of a different sort due to the fact that his training regimen pushes a person to superhuman levels of strength. Hence his training of Goku and the rest of the Z-Fighters. Also, Kami holds the title of God, so that's worth a lot.
16 NAPPA
Nappa, as Vegeta's servant and right-hand man, was extremely powerful at the point when he was still alive during the Saiyan story arc. He alone was the one who fought the Z-Fighters one-by-one until the time Goku arrived, thus allowing Vegeta to step in, and took on the world's military forces as well.
Also, the force of the battle that took place could be felt in other parts of the world, like when Lunch could feel the earthquakes as she was at the bar at the time. Nappa was able to withstand Chiaotzu's self-destruct, and even managed to end Piccolo. Nappa was the warm-up for Vegeta, basically.
15 MASTER ROSHI
Master Roshi, despite being the weirdo he is, was at one point or another one of the greatest martial artists in the world. He taught the Ox-King as well as old Grandpa Gohan, to Krillin and Goku themselves at a young age. He was able at one point in the original, Dragon Ball manga, to throw a powerful Kamehameha blast that put out an incredible fire in the Ox-King's home.
Further along the timeline, Roshi even helped fight the recently resurrected Frieza during the film Revival of F. Despite him running away at the end when Frieza showed up. Hmmm....
14 YAMCHA
Yes, it's true Yamcha passes away first against Nappa and Vegeta during the Saiyan Arc. That's why he's this low on the list, yet just above Master Roshi, because he's seen more action than the old man. He also lives to brag about it to the ladies he's initially too shy to approach.
He hasn't shown to slack in his training much, just on-and-off occasionally. Yamcha fought during the Cell Games as well, actually pitching in against the Cell Jr.'s. Prior to all this, though, was that he was mercilessly pierced by Dr. Gero and Android 19 through the chest, and didn't pass away immediately before devouring a Senzu bean.
13 KRILLIN
Krillin has been shown to be sub-par with the rest of the cast of Dragon Ball characters, or at least from the audience's interpretation. When it has, in fact, been inferred and outright stated that Krillin is the world's strongest human.
He has taken incredible amounts of punishment throughout his career as a fighter, even from his own wife at times, as a sign of whipping him into shape every now and then. Krillin actually managed to cut off Frieza's tail. On top of all this, Krillin shows up to every fight, despite knowing he's not the ace they have. Every fight.
12 TIEN
One of Tien's most shining moments was when he was actually able to, at the very most, put the hurt on Cell in his second form, or at the very least, stall for time so the wounded Android 16 and Android 18 could escape, so Cell wouldn't absorb 18 and enter his full form.
The Ki-Ko-Ho technique drained a vast amount of energy from Tien, thus sapping the life out of him, but was just enough to physically harm Cell, let alone leave polygon-shaped hole in the solid earth. Also, Tien fought against Frieza's return in Revival of F, as well as events prior in the Buu Saga.
11 ANDROID 17
Android 17 was augmented with cybernetics alongside his sister, known as Android 18, so he could fight on the levels with beings like Frieza or Goku. Dr. Gero feared his own creations to the point of using them as a last resort. Android 17 has fought Piccolo to a standstill before Cell's interruption.
He also defeated Trunks (albeit in an alternate timeline), along with the rest of the Z-Fighters and left the world in the wake of his and his sister's destruction. This alone proves the potential threat the character had if the main characters hadn't been given the heads up from Trunks. Never mind Cell's covert activities at that point.
10 ANDROID 18
Everyone loves Android 18. Krillin especially since she would later redeem herself and become his wife. In an alternate timeline however, she would lay waste and dealt out wanton destruction with her brother. Ultimately it took a self-improved Trunks to finally bring her down.
In the main timeline though, she hasn't slacked off in her skills. Or rather, it's better to say she doesn't let her husband slip off on his regimen. While she was outclassed by Cell in his first and second forms respectively, what we all remember from her is that she broke Vegeta's arm whilst he was in the Super Saiyan form.
9 CELL JR.
These disgusting, sickly sprouts from Cell's... cells have been on record to be exactly like the the original, and was stated by Perfect Cell himself that these tiny, little, blue-tinged Gremlin wannabe's each held all of his skills, techniques, abilities, physicality and so on.
Add to their impish, devilish and creepy demeanor, these little demon-spawns were more than enough of a threat to every Z-Fighter, and possibly other contestants thereafter, during the Cell Games. It took Gohan, in the newly revealed Super Saiyan 2 mode, to finally take out each and every one of these Ki Blast-toting, carpet-weasels from Hell.
8 ANDROID 16
Android 16 is massive, and this bulk truly shows, despite it being hard polymer alloy and not actual muscle. Despite this, Android 16 is a powerhouse, demonstrating his strength against Imperfect Cell, and managing to rip off his tail through sheer force.
Android 16 also can live through an injury that resulted in him missing a part of his head, and from then onward surviving Vegeta's Final Flash attack after being caught in the immediate proximity of the blast. Android 16 was modeled after Gero's son, so it makes sense that he would focus on his defensive and offensive capabilities. Not to mention the bomb placed in him that could potentially end Goku.
7 KING VEGETA
Not to be confused with the planet or his son, King Vegeta was considered at the time to be the most skilled, high-classed, and powerful warrior in the Saiyan race. His son, also confusingly named Vegeta, inheriting his power level's potential. All the Saiyan's held absolute reverence for their leader, due to the sheer commanding presence of the power he wielded.
However, King Vegeta was forced to kneel and be humbled before the likes of Frieza and Lord Beerus. Also, despite his son achieving the legendary transformation of their race, he himself could not do so, thus him earning this spot on the list.
6 BARDOCK
Goku's father was technically the first Super Saiyan during that one segment where he was transported into the past via Frieza's attack. Bardock was the only Saiyan who managed to achieve this form in his era, in his initial time anyway and if we're not counting Broly at that point. A feat made all the more impressive when we consider the fact that Bardock was considered a low-class warrior on the planet Vegeta.
Bardock, after he was sent back in time, managed to spook Frieza's ancestor into warning his family of the legendary Super Saiyan that had the potential of destroying them, something that Frieza still fears to this day.
5 META COOLER
It's debatable whether or not Lord Frieza's brother, Cooler, is stronger than him or not, at least before his reconstruction through the Big Geti Star. Whilst Cooler himself was able to get a few critical hits on Goku during their skirmish on Earth, as soon as Goku went Super Saiyan, Cooler was ironically burnt to a crisp by the sun after being knocked back by Goku's energy-based attack.
After his reconstruction, however, Meta Cooler was augmented with additional features and advantages over those who wronged him. He could replicate himself over an army's worth of robots, get back up from devastating attacks by regeneration, and can backhand Vegeta and Goku in Super Saiyan forms like they were a nuisance. Dr. Gero would've been devastated.
4 ANDROID 13
Dr. Gero, as said many times in this article, truly is a genius. Eccentrics aside, he was able to construct beings that were capable of not only contending, but actually capable of defeating beings like Goku and Frieza respectively. Android 13, despite being cast aside until he ran out of options, was formidable, especially after his transformation.
He was able to break Vegeta's back, took out Future Trunks with a Ki Blast, and almost beat Goku to a bloody pulp wearing an orange Gi. Android 13 was only defeated by Goku absorbing his own Spirit Bomb energy. Had it not been for that attack, which is specifically tailored to end evil beings no less, Android 13 (and by extension Dr. Gero) would have won.
3 KING KAI
King Kai has trained Goku for years since his debut in the Saiyan Arc. Acting as another mentor for him after Master Roshi and Kami, he has since become a mainstay in the series. He taught Goku to use the KaioKen and Spirit Bomb techniques, which have become more than useful in his line of work.
King Kai also trained the Z-Fighters to handle the likes of the Ginyu Force, in the after life no less. King Kai's strength comes from the fact that his training regimen often or not puts someone past their limitations, by Kami's standards. Even though he stated his power level was at 3500, he is considered a God by many, just below that of Lord Beerus.
2 WHIS
Lord Beerus, by the time of his inception in Battle of Gods, was considered to be more powerful than Majin Buu himself, which he proved to be true later on. However, there is another being, not too far away, that's more powerful than him.
Whis, his companion and teacher is implied to be leagues ahead of Beerus, who can incapacitate Gohan and Buu like flies with a swatting hand. Later on in the series, Whis puts Goku and Vegeta through what appears to be the worst training exercises of their gritty lives, and act like it's a routine jog in the morning.
1 SHENLONG
Oddly enough, the character more in-tune with the title of the series doesn't get enough screen time as much as it boils down to the fighting part of the franchise. Regardless, everyone knows why Shenlong makes the top of the list. Due to the fact that after collecting the seven Dragon Balls, he will be summoned to grant the summoner one, specific wish.
Created by Kami himself, Shenlong has the ability to even resurrect the dead. Albeit only once per cadaver. The cosmic and physical complexities that make up the Dragon can lead many to believe that nothing would be able to challenge it, had it not be limited by the rules of the Dragon Balls.