Most of the attacks used in Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z are derived from Ki, an energy source coursing through all living things. However, one of the Z-Warriors possesses an attack that draws on another, far more fatal power -- in the process creating a strong blast that's dangerous to the user and their target alike.What is Tien's Tri-Beam -- and how does keep doing more damage to him than his enemies?

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Also known as the Kikōhō, the Tri-Beam became one of the definitive moves utilized by Tien across the Dragon Ball franchise. Taught to him by Master Shen (who in turn learned it from his and Roshi's own master, Mutaito), the Tri-Beam is performed by creating a small triangle with your hands. Channeling the inherent ki of the user along with the life energy of the user, the move creates a massive yellow blast that can take down opponents or bring down entire swaths of rock with a single shot.

It's a surprisingly powerful technique, capable of fighting enemies of a far greater power level than Tien. Using the Tri-Beam (and its perfected form, the Neo Tri-Beam), Tien was able to hold back Semi-Perfect Cell using the attack repeatedly during his attempt to capture and absorb Android 18. Although the blasts weren't strong enough to seriously injure Cell, they did hold him back at a point when Semi-Perfect Cell far exceeded the power of a regular Super Saiyan. He would later deploy it against Super Buu to protect Dende and Hercule. He would utilize these attacks throughout his battles in Dragon Ball Super.

However, there's a major drawback to the technique that keeps it from being a perfect attack. Instead of just drawing on Ki like most attacks, the Tri-Beam also draws life energy from the user. This might explain the enhanced power of the attack, being fueled by two energy sources from within the user. In doing so, though, it can seriously drain the life force of the user. Master Roshi says that doing this will shorten the natural life span of the user every time they use this technique. Using too much energy for one attack can actually kill the user if they're not careful.

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Anime DBZ Tien Final Energy Attack

Before the events of Dragon Ball, the other students of Mutatio were all killed using the technique in a bid to bring down King Piccolo. This is also the fate that befell Tien the first time he died. During the Saiyan Sage in Dragon Ball Z, Tien was one of the defenders of the Earth who were found wanting while fighting Nappa and Vegeta. After losing his best friend Chaoitzu to a failed suicide attack against Nappa, a hopeless and desperate Tien used his one remaining arm to perform the Spirit Tri-Beam, which consumed all his remaining life energy. Although the attack does faze Nappa and reduce much of his armor to cinders, it's not enough to kill him -- with Tien dying shortly thereafter.

While the Tri-Beam is in theory a devastating move in the right hands, it's also been shown to be very fatal to use. It also isn't perfect, as while it may be powerful, it's not enough of a one-hit-kill to actually stop any of the major threats Tien uses it against. It's really only a good way to stall for more powerful heroes and to give the underpowered Tien a chance at staying alive -- so long as he can keep from using too much of the energy with these attacks killing himself in the process.

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