Dragon Ball FighterZ has become a mainstay of the fighting game community ever since its release in 2018, thanks to its high-energy Marvel-based gameplay and iconic characters. The game has come a long way since then, especially in high-level play, where gamers have developed complex strategies and techniques to fully maximize the potential of their teams.
However, newer players might find themselves struggling to make sense of all the different things to learn in Dragon Ball FighterZ, and might want to focus on the basics first. One important decision they'll want to get out of the way first is which characters they'll want to use. There are a variety of unique characters with unique playstyles in Dragon Ball FighterZ, but some characters are better for those learning the ropes.
Updated August 15th, 2022 by Danny Guan: Dragon Ball FighterZ has changed a bit since this article's original release, and while the game is likely at the end of its lifespan, there are still many new players hoping to jump into the best Dragon Ball game of the last few years. While the game is quite beginner-friendly, it can also be very challenging for those who don't have much experience with fighting games. With Evo having just finished this weekend, it's possible that even more people will be looking to try out Dragon Ball FighterZ, so here are some more characters that would be good for beginners.
15 Cooler
Frieza's vicious older brother has never been a powerful character in Dragon Ball Fighterz, but he still has his share of strengths. Long-reaching normals and a versatile collection of special moves make Cooler a very good, straightforward all-rounder character.
While Cooler has a variety of tools, including an invincible reversal and multiple full-screen attacks, his most interesting move is his level 3 Atomic Supernova, which is a counter move on the ground. While more experienced players can play around this move, it's a good move to stop overeager novice players.
14 Broly (DBS)
While the Dragon Ball Super version of Broly is not as strong as his counterpart, he is still relatively easy to use. He has a similar moveset to the original Broly, including grabs and armored moves, but he does have some unique moves of his own.
Just like the original Broly, Super Broly also has a number of powerful projectile moves that allow him to control the screen adeptly. With a straightforward and offensive fighting style, Super Broly is a good pick for anyone looking for a good starter character.
13 Jiren
The champion of Universe 11 has had a fairly checkered past in Dragon Ball FighterZ. Initially an underwhelming character that ranked low on the tier list, Jiren eventually received enough buffs to the point where he is now one of the stronger members of the roster.
While Jiren has strong normals and projectiles, his main strength is in his various counters that punish players that are too eager on offense. Grand Charge allows Jiren to ignore projectiles and assists, and Jiren still has the ability to dish out large amounts of damage even without his counters.
12 Gogeta (SS4)
As one of the final DLC characters for Dragon Ball FighterZ, Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta quickly made an impression on players as one of the most powerful characters in the game. While he has a gimmick that allows him to easily generate Dragon Balls for wishes, SS4 Gogeta is also a solid character with versatile strengths.
SS4 Gogeta has many tools that no other character has, including an ability that powers up the damage of his supers and an extra airdash. While it may take a moment for newer players to get a handle on his moveset, they will quickly realize that he is one of the strongest characters in the game.
11 Android 21 (Lab Coat)
The human version of Android 21 is easily the most overpowered character the game has ever seen. With powerful normals and a versatile selection of special moves, Lab Coat 21 has frequently been discussed as a broken character that many have called to ban in tournaments.
Lab Coat 21's most terrifying ability is her Photon Pulse super. It is a command grab that has a unique effect: it reduces the character's damage by 21% for the rest of the battle. This is easily the one move that players have complained about the most. Though Lab Coat 21 has been adjusted since her release, she is still an incredibly powerful and easy to use character.
10 Tien
While Tien has never been top-tier, he is still a stable character that is easily able to deal lots of damage. For newer players who might have a hard time figuring out what to do with their meter, Tien allows them to dump their Ki into his trademark Tri-Beam and Neo Tri-Beam, maximizing the amount of damage he can do at once.
Tien can also use Volleyball Fist to guardpoint through his opponents' attacks, or Dodon Ray to discourage any aggressive approaches. Inattentive players may find themselves putting themselves in a corner if they forget about Tri-Beam's health penalty; however, Tien's straightforward game plan makes him one of the strongest human characters and an easy recommendation for beginners.
9 Adult Gohan
The adult version of Gohan has a lot of complicated mechanics, such as the level up feature of his Potential Unleashed super. However, even if players ignore these more complex aspects, Adult Gohan is still a fairly viable character.
With large normals, an invincible reversal, and strong assists, Adult Gohan is a decent addition to any player's team. In addition, even if the player is not versed in the finer aspects of Potential Unleashed, they can still take advantage of the passive benefits that Gohan gains.
8 Kefla
The fusion of female Super Saiyans Caulifla and Kale is both powerful and simple to use. One of her biggest strengths is her long-ranged, multi-hitting, advancing normalsthat allow her to press into her opponent's space, allowing her to mount a terrifying offense.
Kefla's aggressive style allows new players to go on the offense without fear, while her fast ki blasts and Super Cannonball allow her to zone effectively. Kefla is able to play multiple roles well, which makes her a great character for beginners to experiment with.
7 Vegito (SSGSS)
While Vegito Blue may be somewhat more complex than other characters on this list, it's only because of the variety of tools that he has access to. His powerful assists and ability to deal loads of damage make him a strong character to have in any team, even if the player has yet to master his more complicated tech.
With a strong autocombo, long-ranged normals, and extremely damaging supers, Vegito Blue is an aggressive character that allows players to push their offense. However, he is a little slower than most characters, and his attacks can often leave him open. Thus, care must be taken to avoid being too reckless.
6 Vegeta (Super Saiyan)
As one of the most iconic characters in the series, Super Saiyan Vegeta has been a mainstay of the Dragon Ball FighterZ roster since the game's release. While his strength as an assist character has weakened over the years, he is still a good character for beginners to play.
SS Vegeta boasts a simple-to-grasp combo structure, powerful ki blast attacks, and an invincible reversal, making him a well-rounded character. While the range of his normals are a little short compared to other characters, he's still quite viable even in mid-level play.
5 Goku (Super Saiyan)
Just like Super Saiyan Vegeta, Super Saiyan Goku is an extremely straightforward and simple character to use. Since this is generally the most iconic version of Dragon Ball's main character, it's no surprise that he would be geared towards newcomers to the game who were fans of the show.
Just like SS Vegeta, SS Goku is a jack-of-all-trades; he has strong normals, a beam, and powerful supers. While he may not have any particular strengths, SS Goku will still make it very easy for new players to get used to the pace of Dragon Ball FighterZ.
4 Goku Black
Despite having a totally different moveset, Goku Black is pretty straightforward even when compared to his regular counterpart. He does have a few tricks that even beginners can take advantage of, such as Instant Transmission and Binding Black Kamehameha.
Still, his biggest features are his long-ranged normals, his powerful ki blast, and his simple combo structure. While Goku Black may not be the most interesting character, this Dragon Ball Super villain is a good choice for beginners who want to have a variety of options.
3 Broly (DBZ)
The original movie version of Broly is exceptionally powerful in Dragon Ball FighterZ, even in the hands of newer players. Beginners can take advantage of his armored moves to brush off attacks while simultaneously closing the distance between him and his opponent.
In addition to this, Broly also has high damage and long-ranged normals, a deadly combination that can allow even beginners to do well with him. Broly is one of the strongest characters in the game, but he's also one of the easiest to use.
2 Goku (UI)
Ultra Instinct made Goku one of the most powerful characters in the anime, and it's no different in Dragon Ball FighterZ. UI Goku has been nerfed a bit since his release, but he's still one of the strongest characters in the game.
His main attractions are his numerous counters and invincible moves, which allow him to bypass his opponent's offense. Add to this an impressive autocombo and ambiguous special attacks, and the result is a character even beginners can use powerfully.
1 Bardock
Bardock has been a constant presence in high-level teams, largely because he is so effective despite being so easy to use. His toolkit is extremely straightforward, meaning even new players can effectively utilize all of Bardock's moves with a little practice.
Bardock's autocombo is one of the best in the game, and Rebellion Spear allows him to beat reflect without much thought. Even though his toolkit is small, it is very powerful, and mastering it fast will allow new players to start winning matches fairly quickly.