The topic of fighting has been key to the Dragon Ball franchise since day one. The fights between the Z-Fighters and the main villains have become more incredible with each passing arc. However, there have been many occasions where certain characters proved that brains can in fact overcome brawn.
Despite the main character being a bit of a dummy, this franchise doesn't fall short of intelligent characters. Ironically, Gohan is one of the smartest main characters despite his dad being such a dope. Some of the villains have been quite intellectually formidable as well, which makes them all the more dangerous.
10 Mr. Satan Has Maintained Global Fame Despite Never Fighting
While the Z-Fighters are the ones who truly save the day, Mr. Satan has the entire planet under the impression that he's been the one thwarting these intergalactic threats all along. Mr. Satan is certainly a showman more than a fighter. While he may have risen to success legitimately at one time in his life, he is well past his prime but knows how to work the crowd.
He's also cut deals with the Z-Fighters to save face in front of his adoring fans. He bribed Android 18 to let him win the World Martial Arts Tournament once. He also gives Goku the money he was gifted for saving the universe since Hercule knows who the real heroes were. He may seem goofy, but Mr. Satan is no fool.
9 Evil Containment Wave Is Proof That Technique Is More Important Than Raw Power
The Evil Containment Wave is a technique that has appeared since the beginning of the Dragon Ball franchise. This technique is typically used as a last resort when one knows their opponent is more powerful. Master Roshi has used it for years and Future Trunks even uses it against Zamasu, it would have worked too if he had tied the ribbon in time.
Roshi uses it during the Tournament of Power which prompted Frost to attempt it on Vegeta. While the Evil Containment Wave is typically an excellent technique to use against a more powerful foe, Vegeta's anger proved to be far superior. Though when executed properly, it can overcome almost any foe.
8 Raditz Tricked Piccolo Into Telling Him About The Dragon Balls
Piccolo is typically one of the more intelligent characters in the series, but early on he was intellectually bested by Goku's Saiyan brother, Raditz. Raditz managed to get crucial information out of Piccolo before finally perishing, including the existence of the Dragon Balls.
Raditz sent a transmission to his Saiyan brethren upon hearing about the Dragon Balls. These other two Saiyans, Vegeta, and Nappa, were far more powerful than Raditz. Piccolo inadvertently killed Goku during his fight with Raditz, so he assumed with Piccolo as its best fighter, the Earth stood no chance once his pals arrived.
7 Bulma's Big Beautiful Brain Allowed For Time Travel
While the time-traveling arcs ultimately ended with the more powerful fighters winning, the fights would have never been able to happen had Bulma not been able to invent the time machine. Because of this incredible invention, Trunks was able to go through time on multiple occasions to warn the main timeline's Z-Fighters of a coming threat.
While the threats are always a little different from the ones in Trunks' timeline, knowing they are coming is certainly helpful with respect to the preparation and knowing where they are. Without the time machine, Trunks and the rest of his world would have perished many years ago.
6 Cell Tricked Vegeta Into Letting Him Attain His Perfect Form
Vegeta had Cell dead to rights and was even taunting the villain as he begged the Saiyan Prince for mercy. However, Cell was able to think on his feet, and suggest that Vegeta let him attain his perfect form to give Vegeta a true fight. Being pure Saiyan, Vegeta couldn't help but take the monster up on his offer.
The other Z-Fighters couldn't believe it, and after Cell leveled up he was much stronger and proved to be a more powerful fighter than Vegeta could have imagined. Vegeta's arrogance may have led to Perfect Cell, but it was Cell's persuasion tactics that led to the Saiyan making one of the worst decisions he had ever made.
5 Mr. Satan Was Able To Overcome A Foe That Could Not Be Defeated In A Traditional Way
No matter how hard Goku and Vegeta fought Majin Buu, he proved to be an incredibly worthy adversary with Wolverine-like regeneration abilities. Knowing he was severely outclassed, Mr. Satan instead tried to appeal to the creature's good side by offering him food and stories. At one point Mr. Satan even explains to Majin Buu that destroying cities and turning people into chocolate is bad and makes people feel bad.
After hearing this, Majin Buu decided to stop doing those things, so long as Mr. Satan basically kept him happy. Earth's savior, Mr. Satan, was able to stop the threat of Majin Buu with friendship, food, and a conversation.
4 Goku Surprisingly Outwitted Botamo For A Ring Out In The Tournament Of Destroyers
After attempting to hit Botamo a few different ways, Goku wasn't getting anywhere. Vegeta clued Goku in on the fact that Botamo's body was absorbing the blows and that continuing to hit his rival was useless. Goku then attempted energy attacks to no avail.
However, despite being a bit on the slow side, Goku has a brilliant fighting mind. Remembering the ring-out rule, he simply lifts Botama, just out of reach of the big bouncing bear's arms, and walks him to the edge. Goku tosses him over, winning the match for Universe 7, and embarrassing Universe 6 in the process.
3 Goku Left Himself An Energy Boost In Case Hit Succeeded In Killing Him (Which He Did)
Despite Hit being a 1,000-year-old assassin that had the upper hand the last time they fought, Goku was determined to fight him again to see if he (or Hit) had gotten any better. Goku even put a hit out on himself just so that Hit would have a reason to come to his universe and fight him.
Hit ends up finishing the job and leaves just before Gohan and Piccolo arrive to view his handy work. As they stare at Goku's body in shock, they see something falling from the sky. They quickly get out of the way as a huge ball of energy lands on Goku, jump-starting his heart and reviving him; a brilliant maneuver by Goku.
2 Frieza Attained His Golden Form Through Meditation
The most recurring villain in the Dragon Ball franchise is the fan-favorite Frieza. He spends a great deal of his time in Hell before his leftover goons decide to resurrect him and piece his corpse back together. Once Frieza is back at full strength, he reveals that he had developed a new form by merely concentrating on it during his stay in Hell.
He spent months improving this form, but the fact that he simply created it out of sheer willpower is truly incredible. Lucky for Goku and Vegeta, the Golden Frieza form is quite the drain resulting in their eventual victory. They send Frieza right back to Hell, presumably where he continued to perfect his golden form before being recruited for the Tournament of Power.
1 Zamasu Wishing To Become Immortal & Cleverly Superceding The Gods of Destruction
Zamasu was one of the most intelligent villains in all of Dragon Ball. He collected the Super Dragon Balls twice resulting in one version of himself taking over Goku's body to grow exponentially stronger. The other time, he wished himself to be truly immortal. As a result, when he was finally vaporized and his physical form was destroyed, his essence hijacked the universe and Zeno erasing the timeline from existence was the only thing that was able to stop him.
He also kills every God of Destruction that could possibly stand in his way by killing the Supreme Kais instead. The Kais are significantly weaker than their destructive counterparts. Additionally, only a select few know that their life forces are tied together, meaning if a Kai or Destroyer dies then their universal counterpart dies with them.