Dragon Ball Sparking Zero best characters: Attackers, Ki-fighters and all-rounders

Dragon Ball Sparking Zero has the biggest roster of any game in the series. But which characters are the best? Here is our rundown of which fighters are best for close-range attacks, Ki-charged moves, and which characters are the best overall.

The beloved Budokai Tenkachi franchise returns, with Dragon Ball Sparking Zero being the first entry in 17 years. As expected, the game features a very fresh and updated roster of characters for you to unlock and boasts the most extensive lineup of any Dragon Ball game that has come before it.

With over 180 characters to choose from and unique moves and stats, certain characters stand out from the pack for various reasons. Of course, anime canon also comes into play here, with character stats in Sparking Zero largely mirroring their power levels seen through the show.

As such, here are the best characters to play, as in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero.

Best close range attackers 

Close-range combat is central to Sparking Zero, and it should be no surprise that some characters are much more effective in close-quarters combat than others. Here are the best close-range attack fighters in Sparking Zero.

• Goku (Super) Ultra Instinct
• Broly (Z)
• Kale Super Saiyan (Beserk)
• Broly (Super) Super Saiyan Full Power
• Great Apes

Goku (Super) Ultra Instinct

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Ultra Movement
• No Backing Down
• Ultra Kamehameha
• Ultra Barrage
• Supreme Kamehameha

As one of the most powerful beings in the franchise, Goku’s different transformations will always be featured on this list. While Goku’s Ultra Instinct form is well-rounded, his close-range attacks and combo capabilities make him a menacing force.

If you get a combo chain going, it’s essentially impossible to break out of, and by the end of it, you’ll have depleted most of your opponent’s health.

In addition, off all the Sparking Mode moves in the game, Ultra Kamehameha is one of the most deadly, and while it does miss from time to time, it’s worth it when it hits.

Broly (Z) 

Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Explosive Wave
• Kakarott!
• Eraser Cannon
• Gigantic Hammer
• Omega Blaster

Besides Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan, Broly is the most powerful Saiyan in the Dragon Ball franchise. Unlike Boly (Super), the original version of the character is much more well-rounded while still being one of the heaviest hitters in the game.

With an almost maxed-out attack stat accompanied by strong Ki abilities, Broly (Z) is one of the best characters to pick for a brawl, with each blow he lands dealing devastating damage.

Kale Super Saiyan (Beserk)

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Cry of Rage
• Beserk Rage
• Gigantic Impact
• Gigantic Throw
• Beserk Blaster

While the early Sagas of Dragon Ball only included men from the Saiyan race, Super introduced multiple female Saiyan, all possessing deadly powers.

In Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, Kale is the deadliest of the bunch, especially in her Beserk transformation. She is a brick wall and deals huge damage at close range, and given her size, she is very hard to counter, and if you do, she’ll counter you right back.

Broly (Super) Super Saiyan full power

Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Wild Move
• Untamed Instinct
• Gigantic Cannon
• Blaster Meteor
• Gigantic Catastrophe

Broly is a heavy hitter, no matter which version of the character it is. While not as balanced as Broly (Z), the Super version of the character does huge damage at close range and is surprisingly quick and agile despite his large and menacing design.

While he may have limited Ki charge, this version of Broly doesn’t really need to use any Ki-based attacks, simply get up in your opponent’s face, land a few blows and you’ll see their health bar deplete in no time.

Great Ape Vegeta and Great Ape Baby (GT)

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Great Ape Vegeta moveset:

• Explosive Wave
• Howl
• Chou Makouhou
• Chou Makouhou Barrage
• Super Galick Gun

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Great Ape Baby (GT) moveset:

• Moveset
• Explosive Wave
• Howl
• Super Galick Gun
• Gigantic Flame
• Revenge Death Ball Final

Throughout the Dragon Ball franchise, Saiyans can transform into Great Apes (so long as they still have their tail) and boost their strength, size, and durability.

In Sparking Zero, there are two Great Apes to play as, both of which have huge attack stats. However, given their size, they play very slowly and cannot combo, so they are limited.

Great Ape Vegeta and Great Ape Baby (GT) are great choices for taking down other heavy hitters but struggle against quick and nimble characters.

While they may not be as well-rounded as some of the other brawlers in Sparking Zero, these Great Apes are the biggest hitters in the game and are helpful to have on your team. Power them up into Sparking Mode, and they are almost indestructible; once you get a striking pattern going, opponents will be hard-pressed to counter or block their blows.

In addition, their throws also deal a deadly blow and are also very tricky to block, given the size of these Great Apes compared to every other character on the roster.

Best Ki-based fighters

Ki is the Dragon Ball franchise’s fighting power and life force characters harness to use devasting beam-like abilities that can be used from any range. In Sparking Zero, each character has unique Ki abilities, and a dedicated stat in the game dictates how much Ki each character can harness and charge up.

The more Ki at your disposal, the more blasts you can hit your enemies with. Here are the Sparking Zero characters who are the best to use when focusing on taking down your opponents with long-range attacks.

• Beerus
• Goku (GT) Super Saiyan 4
• Whis
• Golden Frieza
• Fused Zamasu

Beerus

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Sleep
• Verdict of Destruction
• Sphere of Destruction
• Hakai Headshot
• Super Sphere of Destruction

As the god of Destruction, Beerus is one of the best characters to select in Dragon Ball and has become one of the most powerful figures since his introduction in the Super Saga. He is without a doubt a character that can do it all.

His Ki attacks inflict huge damage and his brawling power is just as deadly. Furthermore, his fast-paced and nimble movement makes him the perfect counterpunch against bigger hitters like Broly.

In particular, Super Sphere of Destruction is almost impossible to avoid when shot and as the name implies, it really is a massive ball of chaos that chews through health.

Goku (GT) Super Saiyan 4

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Instant Transmission
• All I Need is Five Seconds!
• x10 Kamehameha
• Meteor Crash
• Dragon Fist

Fans of the original Budokai Tenkaichi games will not be surprised that Goku (GT) is one of the best fighters in Sparking Zero. After all, he was always one of the most powerful in the early games, and to see that legacy hold up in Sparking Zero is refreshing.

While his combo stats are the weakest of the bunch, regular and super attacks are almost maxed out, and Goku (GT) also has an extended supply of health and Ki at their disposal.

When charged up in Sparking Mode, landing the character’s special Ki move, Dragon Fist will also tear through most of the health of any opposing character. Meteor Crash and x10 Kamehameha are fantastic Ki attacks and difficult for opponents to counter.

Whis

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Barrier
• Snack Time
• Prelude to Destruction
• Symphonic Destruction
• Epilogue to Destruction

While Whis does not often engage in combat in the anime series, Beerus’s right-hand man is a force to be reckoned with in Sparking Zero. Both quick and deadly, Whis can take down enemies up close while also sitting back and hurling Ki attacks at them.

Symphonic Destruction and Epilogue to Destruction are heavy-hitting Ki-based attacks. Unlike many other characters, Whis can also use their Ki defensively, thanks to their ability to use a barrier.

Golden Frieza

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Wild Sense
• True Golden Frieza
• Great Death Beam
• “No Hard Feelings” Hit
• Earth Breaker

Frieza is one of the most iconic villains in the whole Dragon Ball franchise. While he has always been a powerful foe, his Golden form is his best.

While he is a great character, his Ki attacks are his strength. Golden Frieza’s Earth Break Sparking move completely obliterates opponents when it lands. Thankfully, Golden Frieza’s Ki meter is easy to max out quickly, thanks to his speed, so you can spam Ki-attacks and stay out of harm’s way with ease.

Fused Zamasu

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Immortal Body
• This is True Justice!
• Holy Wraith
• Blades of Judgement
• Lighting of Absolution

Zamasu is a worthy opponent, but after they fuse with Goku Black, they are one of the strongest characters in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero.

All these Ki-attacks deal heavy damage and are easy to hit, but Lightning of Absolution will make any opponent look like child’s play.

Furthermore, Fused Zamasu is quick to control and can charge up their Ki meter quicker than most, meaning you’ll be able enter Sparking mode and blast away before other characters have even had the chance to fill up a few bars.

Best all-around fighters

While some characters have particular strengths in Sparking Zero, a few dominate across the board and are likely to be your go-to when jumping into online battles. These characters have powerful close-range attacks and Ki-abilities and are also good for combo chains.

Here are the best all-around fighters in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero that will help you get the job done no matter your opponent.

• Goku Black
• Gogeta (GT) Super Saiyan 4
• Jiren (Full Power)
• Gogeta (Super) SSGSS

Goku Black

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Instant Transmission
• Audacious Laugh
• Black Kamehameha
• Godly Display Slash
• Godly Black Kamehameha

It should not be surprising that Goku Black is one of the best characters in Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero. After all, they almost defeat Goku and company even at full strength.

In all honesty, Goku Black is probably a bit too powerful; their Sparking move, Godly Black Kamehameha, literally decimates enemies and is tricky to avoid. If you can land this move twice any character on the roster will meet their end.

Gogeta (GT) Super Saiyan 4

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Wild Sense
• Power Up to the Very Limit
• Big Bang Kamehameha
• Ultimate Impact
• Ultra Big Bang Kamehameha

While the characters from Dragon Ball GT may be forgotten about in the anime, they are always some of the best fighters when they are included in the video games. In Sparking Zero, Gogeta (GT) Super Saiyan 4 is as close to the perfect fighter as possible.

He’s quick, has a huge chunk of health, and has devasting Ki attacks. As expected, this fusion between Goku and Vegeta is a straight-up boss and, when struggling in battle, is the best character to select to get the job done.

Jiren (Full Power)

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Ki Storm
• Strength is Absolute!
• Heatwave Magnetron
• Overheating Blast
• Omegaheat Magnetron

Jiren is the main antagonist across the Super Saga and is a force to be reckoned with even when Goku finally manages to harness and control his Ultra Instinct transformation. As such, it should be no surprise to see Jiren as one of the best well-rounded characters in Spakring Zero.

In their full power transformation, Jiren has some of the best health stats in the roster alongside Special Attack damage. Moreover, Jiren can pack a huge punch in close-range combat and deal with huge damage thanks to his Ki-based attacks.

Gogeta (Super) SSGSS

Dexerto/Bandai Namco

Moveset:

• Instant Transmission
• Starburst Barrier
• Starburst blaster
• Meteor Explosion
• Ultimate Kamehameha

Anytime Goku and Vegeta fuse in Dragon Ball, the result is always powerful. Gogeta’s Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (SSGSS) form from the Super Saga is one of the best of all fusions between the two.

With fantastic stats, Gogeta is quick and powerful and has a large amount of health in its SSGSS form.

Instant Transmission lets you jump on your opponent from any corner of the map. If you can land the character’s Sparking move, Ultimate Kamehameha, you’ll laugh as you watch their health bar fade away.

We’ll update this article regularly as more characters are added to Sparking Zero’s roster, so be sure to check back in. In the meantime, you can check out how to dodge, Sonic Sway, and Deflect Beams, as well as how to get more Dragon Balls.