Here is a list of 17 Super Saiyan Levels in order in the Dragon Ball series. I am going to rank their order from weakest to strongest in terms of power. After you read this list, you will gain a much better understanding of the levels of Super Saiyan, and you will become proficient in the Super Saiyan forms.
I have grown up while seeing Goku himself growing up. And in that time period, I remember when he achieved Super Saiyan for the first time. It was an iconic moment indeed. And as the series progressed I saw Goku and other characters unlocking different levels to the Super Saiyan concept which left me awed.
17 Super Saiyan Levels In Order From Weakest To Strongest
The entire Dragon Ball series is based on the concept of Super Saiyans. It has been made even more interesting for the fans by the introduction of various Super Saiyan levels. Throughout the series, we have seen nearly 17 levels of Super Saiyans which can be a bit tough to keep a note of.
So, today I will be going through all of these Super Saiyan forms and rank accordingly. Manga readers who are totally oblivious to the anime may be surprised at the fact that there are 17 levels of Super Saiyan available. This is because, in the manga, all the forms were not shown.
Many new forms were introduced in movies and one-off episodes which don’t belong in the main storyline. Regardless, it is certain that they looked super cool and it will not be justified if I leave them out of this list. So, without further delay let us jump straight to the rankings.
17/17. Pseudo Super Saiyan
As I mentioned previously, some of the Super Saiyan levels are exclusive to anime and this is one such example. This transformation of Super Saiyan was introduced in the movie Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug. Interestingly, this was originally tipped to be the main Super Saiyan form but got changed after it was released in the manga.
The change in appearance in this form is very subtle. The iris and pupils will disappear with the usual bulk up in body mass. His hair will straighten with a slightly yellowish hair color which will prove that it is not the complete form. It can’t be triggered by the user’s will and will automatically activate when the person is nearing defeat.
This was used by Goku to defeat Lord Slug when he suddenly gained a massive boost in power levels after activating this form. This form clearly set the base for the main Saiyan form and the other ones that followed in the series.
16/17. Super Saiyan
This is the OG Super Saiyan form that got the fans buzzing and excited. It is a latent power that exists in almost all Saiyans provided that they have an appropriate amount of S-Cells in their body. The key to unlocking the Super Saiyan form is the rage that slowly builds up within the body.
It serves as a reaction or response in times of dire need. For example, we saw Goku achieving the form for the first time when he lost to Frieza. Naturally, he wasn’t going to let Frieza destroy everything and this desire triggered this transformation for the very first time. The changes in physical appearance are not that much other than this guy’s long hair straightening part.
But the main change in a character who has unlocked Super Saiyan is in his power output and it is ridiculously high compared to the initial base power. Nearly all major Saiyan characters have unlocked the Super Saiyan level, ranging from the hot anime bad boy Vegeta to Gohan. But the main difficulty lies in the later stages that I will discuss next.
15/17. Super Saiyan Second Grade
As the name suggests, this is the second stage of Super Saiyan where a character takes the Super Saiyan stage a notch higher. In an anime that is mostly about power scaling, this was not a surprise to see. The interesting fact about this stage is that it can’t be achieved from the normal state. It can only be gained via the Super Saiyan stage. The change in appearance is also very little and it is quite possible that you will miss it. Firstly, the hair becomes more condensed with an obvious increase in body mass.
In terms of power, it increases the strength and speed of the user simultaneously making him able to land powerful shots at a very high speed. Vegeta and the powerful purple hair Trunks were the ones who mastered this stage first in order to take on the cell. Vegeta called it Super Vegeta for obvious reasons.
The transformation worked because clearly Vegeta was dominating in his fight against Cell and it had to resort to trickery in order to come up victorious. Since it’s the second stage of Super Saiyan, the power consumption is also significantly higher. It takes a massive toll on the user’s body unless he has trained properly to withstand it.
14/17. Super Saiyan Third Grade
After the second grade, we arrive at the third level of Super Saiyan. It is important to remember that second grade and third grade can’t be exactly classified as different transformations. They are simply an improved version of the original Super Saiyan form with high power output. The user forces himself to generate more power that sees him achieve the Super Saiyan Third Grade form.
Some fans may also know Super Saiyan Third Grade as Ultra Super Saiyan. The main difference in this stage from the second one is that there is a massive change in appearance. The body mass increases considerably with higher blood flow making the skin appear redder. The hair also grows a lot in a spike while spreading in different directions. An aura surrounding the user also becomes prominent.
This stage basically removes any limitation on the body and increases the overall power by 1.2. Saiyans who achieve this stage can make complete use of their abilities. It was first achieved by Future Trunks who was storing it as a trump card. He used it against Perfect Cell and it goes without saying that he put up a tough fight against him.
13/17. Super Saiyan Full Power
This is the first Super Saiyan transformation in this list where we will be seeing two forms combined together. It is a combination of the Super Saiyan form and the Great Monkey Transformation that grants incredible power to the user. As we know, this transformation is a trademark of Broly who took things to a whole other level.
The increase in body mass and muscles also contributes to the user’s power increase. There are some similarities between this stage with that of Third Grade Super Saiyan including the rigid spiked green hair, temporary disappearance of Iris, and massive display of Rage.
The power scaling in this form is too much and as we saw, Broly used this form to outmatch Gogeta and push him into a corner. Another distinctive trait of this form is that in this case, the hair turns green instead of the usual golden color.
12/17. Super Saiyan 2
As the name clearly suggests, this is an improved version of the original Super Saiyan form that drastically increases all the stats of the user ranging from speed to power output. This is also why it can be called the Super Saiyan Fifth Grade since it surpasses all the other grades.
Super Saiyan 2 was first unlocked by the Saiyan prodigy Gohan. He came in clutch in his fight against Cell which also prompted the other users to do the same. The key to achieving this state is to undergo a drastic emotional change that unlocks this latent power sleeping inside Saiyans.
It is also necessary that a Saiyan transforms into the other stages first before getting to Super Saiyan 2. The most contrasting difference in appearance in this form is the increase in the aura surrounding the user. The golden hair also becomes a lot spikier compared to the rest.
11/17. Legendary Super Saiyan
Here we have another transformation of Broly when he unlocked this Legendary Super Saiyan transformation that caused quite an uproar among the fans at that time. Vegeta immediately said that it was probably the real power of the Saiyan since it complemented their love for destruction.
It is an even powered-up version of the Super Saiyan form that has been spoken of in legends. It makes the user go completely Berserk and he will destroy anything that comes in his path.
The body size increases considerably and the user of this form appears taller than before. Kale also unlocked this during the tournament and went on a rampage eliminating everyone in her sight. It is truly a powerful form which is why it is even referred to as the demon Saiyan form in Universe 6.
10/17. Super Saiyan 3
This form is an even better upgrade on Super Saiyan 2 and is the best use of a Saiyan’s true ability. The first character who unlocked this form was Goku through his rigorous training in the Other World. It was followed by Gotenks who used it later.
The might of this power is so strong that even the surrounding landscapes feel its wrath. As we saw in the DragonBall Series, Goku’s transformation into Super Saiyan 3 was followed by major tidal waves and hurricanes. The level of ki increases by a lot and the aura seems to glow even brighter.
ֿBut the starkest change in appearance is in the user’s hair. It grows longer, spikier, and more rigid. Such a form can only be used against a very powerful opponent and that is why Goku had to bring it out while fighting against Majin Buu.
9/17. Golden Great Ape
This is another Super Saiyan transformation that is more exclusive to the anime content. In the manga, we read about it for a short while when Vegeta was telling about the history of the Saiyans. Goku managed to transform into the Golden Great Ape in Dragon Ball GT.
The transformation logic is kind of simple and it requires the user to be in the Great Ape form. After that, the Saiyan needs to transform into a Super Saiyan which would result in the Golden Great Ape.
This is also the stuff of legends and we can see from the name, that its fur is golden in color, which is the trademark of a Super Saiyan. Its destructive abilities are outmatched and keep on growing as time passes. But since this form makes the user go Berserk, it is quite difficult to control.
8/17. Super Saiyan 4
Coming to yet another anime-exclusive transformation, this one was shown in Dragon Ball GT. As the name suggests, this is a branch of the OG Super Saiyan form and obviously a far stronger version of it. It has a slight similarity to the Golden Great Ape form since it is a combination of the Great Ape form and the Super Saiyan form.
However, in this case, the user regains consciousness and does not go berserk. That is the key to this Super Saiyan 4 transformation. It is definitely not an easy form to achieve but Goku could make it appear at his own will.
Since the user has consciousness this time, it not only gives the Saiyan great speed and strength but also gives him a clear mind to put his powers to good use. This way instead of going on a mindless rampage, Super Saiyan 4 makes good use of the abilities of Golden Great Ape. The body becomes covered with red fur and the face also gets a meaner look.
Moreover, Super Saiyan 4 also helped Goku to tackle Baby Vegeta more effectively since the earlier form was not proving to be of much use.
7/17. Super Saiyan Rage
Rage is after all the basic requirement of a Super Saiyan transformation. So, it comes as no surprise that an entire level is named after it. In accordance with the name, a Saiyan can attain this state when his rage crosses the required threshold.
In terms of appearance, it is a tad bit similar to the Super Saiyan 2 transformation with a golden and blue aura. Even in the story, Future Trunks attains this power when he gets too angry at Zamasu and Black Goku. It was the key for him to unlock Super Saiyan Rage and it allowed him to compete against them on equal ground.
6/17. Super Saiyan God
Finally, we arrive at one of the most popular versions of Super Saiyan – Super Saiyan God. It should already be clear from the name that this form grants the user godly powers and the aura surrounding his body also gives the feeling of a god.
The appearance in this form also varies for both Goku and Prince Vegeta with them having different colored hair in this form. Unlike the traditional golden color of Super Saiyan forms, in this case, red is the dominant color. Super Saiyan God also involves a calm and composed heart instead of the user going Berserk in some other forms.
Goku attained this with the help of five other Saiyans and took on Beerus for a fight. It goes without saying that the repercussions of their fists coming together sent waves throughout the universe.
5/17. Super Saiyan Blue
This is another combined Super Saiyan form that even surpasses Super Saiyan God. This is because it is a combination of Super Saiyan God and the original Super Saiyan form.
The name of this form attributes to the fact that the appearance, in this case, is quite similar to the first form but in this case, the color of the hair and eyes are cyan.
There isn’t much change in body mass which ultimately grants good mobility to the user. At one point in the story, this form was considered the ultimate one that surpassed everything else. Power, speed, strength, and every other attribute increase in this state which makes it so special.
Vegeta used Super Saiyan Blue in short bursts against Goku Black and Zamasu proved to be extremely effective against them.
4/17. Super Saiyan Rose
Just like Broly, Super Saiyan Rose is one of the trademark transformations of a Dragon Ball villain. It was first unlocked by Goku Black which further added to his enhanced power and strength making him a complete menace to deal with. It is pretty easy to guess that in this form, the color of the user’s hair turns pinkish and he also gets a reddish aura surrounding him on the outside.
The true nature of this form has the potential to compete with Super Saiyan Blue which makes it so terrifying. After undergoing this transformation, he easily outmatched Vegeta’s Super Saiyan Blue and even stabbed him with no difficulty.
This form grants the user enhanced control over his ki making it so easy for him to overpower every enemy. The interesting thing about this form is that it is unique to Black Goku only. This is because he was a God from the beginning so when he used the process that Goku and Vegeta used to turn Super Saiyan Blue, he turned into Super Saiyan Rose.
3/17. Super Saiyan White
Super Saiyan White takes things to the ultimate level by unlocking the true godly potential in Super Saiyan God form. It is the closest any Saiyan can reach a god-like level and is unparalleled in almost every state. As is the case with improved Super Saiyan forms, it retains the core appearance of the original Super Saiyan form and the user gets his hair turned into bright silver.
There is also the aura surrounding a Super Saiyan White form and in this case, it is white. It is undoubtedly one of the hardest stages to achieve since it can only be done by controlling one’s mind and emotions.
That is when they will elevate to the level of a god or angel. This form was also achieved by Goku Black and it certainly helped that he was a god himself, to begin with. The final stage in the line of Super Saiyan God is quite scary indeed.
2/17. Ultra Instinct
Ultra Instinct is a new form of transformation introduced in Dragon Ball Super. This power is not a trademark of the Saiyan race. Instead, it is a power wielded by the angels that hypothetically makes them invincible.
Goku wanted to learn this power after learning about it from Whis. Ultra Instinct is also starkly different from the Super Saiyan transformation since it does not involve any rage. In this case, the Saiyan has to calm his mind and heart and keep his emotions under control.
In this case, also, the appearance changes, and the hair color becomes silver like Super Saiyan White. It elevates the user to a whole other level where his body is not dependent on his consciousness. Goku used Ultra Instinct to fight against Jiren and the Pride Troopers. But it wasn’t enough and he had to resort to another form which is the next topic of our discussion.
1/17. Mastered Ultra Instinct
Mastered Ultra Instinct is the truest form of the Ultra Instinct state. This is the form in which angels like Whis always remain and Goku achieving it was a big deal indeed. Mastered Ultra Instinct is a sustained form where, unlike a Super Saiyan transformation, the user does not need to turn it on or off. In the case of Ultra Instinct, Goku was making this mistake and Whis explained everything to him.
The appearance is mostly similar to Ultra Instinct with minor changes here and there. The aura is also much more prominent with a sparkling appearance. At this point of the story, this is the most powerful transformation that surpasses everything else.
This is also the form that Goku used to defeat Jiren after he raised his power enormously. Mastered Ultra Instinct is a breath of fresh air considering the Super Saiyan stages were mostly involved with rage.
