When Dragon Ball Super was first announced back in 2015, fans were excited for new villains, new Super Saiyan transformations, and new techniques. Despite an initial rough start related to a lackluster regurgitation of the two movies Battle of Gods and Resurrection 'F', along with some major animation issues, Dragon Ball Super became a satisfying follow-up to Dragon Ball Z. With so many new characters being introduced, there were bound to be new techniques, but not all techniques in this franchise are created equal. Here are five of some of Dragon Ball Super's most useful (not necessarily strongest) techniques, along with five that didn't really benefit their users. This list covers the anime version of Dragon Ball Super's story, and no, Ultra Instinct or any other techniques utilized by Whis and his siblings will not appear anywhere on this list. That would just be too easy.
10 Useful: Energy Hand Blade
This technique made Goku Black and Zamasu a lethal duo. Their Energy Hand Blades provided them with the perfect defense against Future Trunks's sword while also extending their reach. Goku, Vegeta, and Trunks had to focus more on avoiding this technique rather than just blocking it like they would any normal punch. Zamasu and Goku Black also used this technique to deflect and guard against energy blasts as well, and Goku Black even took this technique a step further, upgrading his Energy Blade to his signature Sickle of Sorrow.
9 Useless: Invisibility
When this technique was used in Dragon Ball Super, the result was never too great. Nigrissi of Universe 3 attempted to camouflage himself in smoke before leaping out at Cabba. The Universe 6 Saiyan didn't even bat an eye as he sent Nigrissi off of the arena with a simple kick. Universe 4's Gamisalas was able to use this technique more effectively, almost pushing Android 18 off of the ring while concealing his presence so that the Universe 7 warriors would waste their energy attacking thin air. The major foil in this technique is that something as easy as dust gave away where Gamisalas was, effectively foiling his hit-and-hide strategy.
8 Useful: Time Skip
After perfecting his Time Skip ability, Hit was able to move forward in time by a fifth of a second, giving the illusion that he was teleporting around his opponent. Combined with his speed, he not only used this technique to catch opponents off guard with unpredictable attacks, but he was also able to incorporate the technique into his actual job, using it to bypass tight security perimeters in order to reach his assassination targets before they even knew he was after them. It's a technique that can be hard to counter if the opponent has no prior knowledge of it, but characters like Goku, Dyspo, and Jiren have shown that the technique often has a predictable rhythm, and learning this rhythm can allow one to simply aim their attack where Hit is most likely to appear next.
7 Useless: Damage Absorption
Bergamo, the oldest and strongest of Universe 9's Trio of Danger, possesses the unique ability to convert the damage dealt to him into power, growing in strength and size as a result. There are several flaws to this technique, the main one being the fact that the larger he grows, the slower he becomes. It's no surprise why he opted not to utilize this technique during the actual Tournament of Power, since a 30-foot tall wolf would've been an easy target for all of the other warriors. After two decades of Dragon Ball, Bergamo should know that nobody has ever won off of stolen energy. Just ask Android 19.
6 Useful: Energy of Destruction
Although it can only be generated by Gods of Destruction, anyone, with the right training, can incorporate Energy of Destruction into their arsenal. This specific kind of energy can be harnessed in two different ways, the most common being the instant-kill in which Gods utter, "Hakai", before disintegrating their target. Not only does this attack work on people, but it can also destroy nonliving things, like ghosts or cities. Energy of Destruction can also be manifested into a sphere, which obliterates whatever it touches. Frieza demonstrated how a mortal could potentially block and manipulate this energy, and despite being engulfed by Toppo's blast, he was still able to stand. After unlocking a new level of Super Saiyan Blue, Vegeta was also able to negate Toppo's Energy of Destruction, proving that this technique can be overpowered and is far from just an instant kill, despite its intimidating name and appearance.
5 Useless: Energy Threads
When the Pride Troopers arrived on the scene, fans were looking forward to seeing a truly formidable team of ten warriors. Instead, what they got was Jiren, Toppo, Dyspo, and seven other fodder characters that shared the same uniform as them. One of these fodder characters was K'nsi, who had the unique ability to generate Energy Threads that detonated when they were touched. This technique could only be useful for an event like the Tournament of Power, since competitors wouldn't be able to fly over the threads that he laid down around him. K'nsi also used this technique to pull Dyspo back into the ring after he fell out, but outside of a tournament setting, Dyspo would just be able to fly back up on his own? Hit was also able to swat some of these threads away, proving that they aren't particularly adhesive. To top it all off, the threads are also very conspicuous. The bright orange glow eliminates any chance of catching an opponent off guard.
4 Useful: Invisible Eye Blast
It wasn't until Jiren debuted his Invisible Eye Blast that fans realized just how practical incorporating attacks with one's eyes could be. With this technique, Jiren was able to knock opponents away without even moving an inch, allowing him to halt Hit's final attack even when he could barely move his body. He used the power of his eyes to hold back a Spirit Bomb as well. This technique, though it may look simple, allows its user to penetrate an opponent's defenses with undetectable attacks while also instilling in them a swelling sensation of hopelessness.
3 Useless: Sticky Webbing
After his teammate froze one of Vegeta's hands, Universe 9's Oregano decided that it would be a great idea to tie Vegeta's other hand in his Sticky Webbing. Unfortunately, all it took was for Vegeta to power up to Super Saiyan to break free from the web before he knocked Oregano out of the ring. Sure, this technique would be able to bind weaker opponents, but against most fighters, this simple web wouldn't be enough to hold anyone for more than a few seconds.
2 Useful: Barrier
This technique has stood the test of time throughout the series, proving its worth during the Tournament of Power time and time again. Android 17 used his barrier to stop an incoming attack from Universe 2's Kakunsa before trapping her to the outside of the barrier and flinging her away. It was durable enough to hold back energy blasts from Jiren and God of Destruction Toppo, buying 17 a few extra seconds in dire situations. His barrier even enabled him to travel directly through Aniraza's final attack. It can also be used to trap an opponent, even one as small as Universe 4's Damon. With such an adaptable technique, it's a safe bet to say that as far as useful techniques in Dragon Ball Super go, a sturdy barrier is hard to beat.
1 Useless: Illusion Technique
This technique was used by Shantza, Universe 4's cutest warrior. It ranks as the most useless Dragon Ball Super technique due to its huge flaw: the illusions created by this technique are not solid, and were only effective when an unseen enemy attacked in conjunction with the illusions to make them seem real. Shantza can only use this technique over a short range, and what's more, the Z-fighters were able to see through his technique without wasting time or energy. It's a shame that Shantza couldn't have been a bit more creative when using this technique. In the right hands, it could really cause some psychological damage. Disagree with anything on this list? What should we have included instead? Let us know in the comments.