10 Strongest Kaioken Versions, Ranked

In the pre-Super Saiyan world, Kaioken was Goku's strongest transformation Dragon Ball Z. Developed by King Kai, the Kaioken was so overwhelming that he never actually managed to master it on his own. It wasn't until Goku died and trained with him that King Kai found someone strong enough—and determined enough—to actually take the Kaioken without literally destroying their body. Unlike other forms, Kaioken has serious disadvantages.

Although Kaioken greatly increases the user's power level depending on the multiplier used, it also risks serious (and permanent) damage to their body. Goku never uses Kaioken to the point of paralyzing himself Dragon Ball Zbut several times he comes dangerously close. IN Dragon Ball SuperGoku uses such an advanced form of Kaioken that he develops a disease called Delayed Onset Ki Disorder. Kaioken is one of the most powerful transformations in Dragon Ball when used properly, but it comes with huge risks that could kill the user if not managed properly.

10

Regular Kaioken greatly increases Goku's power level at the cost of damaging his body

After Goku dies fighting Raditz in the Saiyan Saga, Kami allows him to keep his body so he can cross the Snake Way and travel with King Kai to a future battle with Nappa & Vegeta. While training with King Kai, Goku learns how to use Kaioken, a transformation and equal parts technique that multiplies Goku's base level of power.

Mastering Kaioken is said to be incredibly challenging. Although Tien, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo train alone with King Kai, none of them are able to master the Kaioken. Goku remains the only character in the game Dragon Ball able to actually use Kaioken. As presented in the manga, the Kaioken is supposed to double Goku's Power Level, but the fact that there is a Kaioken x2 suggests that the actual Kaioken multiplier is somewhere between 1.1x and 1.9x, though fan consensus puts it in the 1.5x range.

9

Kaioken x2 doubles Goku's power level

It's honestly debatable whether Kaioken x2 actually exists as a form. During the fight with Vegeta, simply using the Kaioken is not enough for Goku to increase his power level enough to transform. In his desperation, Goku declares that he will use Kaioken x2 (and King Kai specifically warns Goku not to advance Kaioken past x2).

A few fans have written off Goku using the Kaioken x2 as simply a mistake on his part. After all, Kaioken is said to double Goku's Power Level, so x2 really shouldn't make any difference. That means that Dragon Ball the manga portrays Goku a bit better when he uses Kaioken x2 versus Vegeta as opposed to regular Kaioken.

8

Kaioken x3 gave Goku the power to control Vegeta

Vegeta has a power level of 18,000 during the Saiyan Saga, so by using Kaioken x3 Goku actually surpasses the Prince of All Saiyans by increasing his base power level of 8,000 to a whopping 24,000. Kaioken x3 Goku absolutely pummels Vegeta and delivers several heavy, powerful blows that begin to wear down both fighters.

Although Goku seriously damages Vegeta, the Kaioken x3 strain is too much for his body at the time. King Kai warned him not to push the Kaioken past double, as the Ki drain and body strain can kill Goku outright. While Kaioken x3 gives Goku a big advantage, Vegeta is a skilled enough fighter where Goku has no choice but to shift form to x4 during a beam fight.

7

Kaioken x4 Almost killed Vegeta in Saiyan Saga

Goku uses Kaioken x4 during the beam clash with Vegeta at the end of their fight. With no time to keep the battle going due to the severe stress his body is under, Goku counters Vegeta's Galick Gun with a massive Kamehameha that nearly kills Vegeta. Goku's 32,000 power completely overshadows Vegeta, but even that's not enough to actually kill him.

Goku's Supercharged Kamehameha pushes Vegeta far into the sky and deals massive damage, but Vegeta is able to escape the blast before it can kill him. Goku barely has any energy left after using Kaioken x4, as shown when Yajirobe slaps his back lightly, only for Goku to flinch in pain.

6

Kaioken x10 was Goku's strongest form for most of his match with Frieza

After his battle with Vegeta, Goku spends his six-day trip on the way to Namek training in high gravity. Whether he realizes it or not, Goku pushes himself to the brink of death several times in order to undergo Zenkai Boosts that radically raise his Power Level to extreme heights. After his later Zenkai Boost from his fight with Captain Ginyu, Goku becomes strong enough to hold the Kaioken x10.

Goku uses Kaioken x10 for most of his fight against Frieza. Goku's mastery of Kaioken is so natural at this point that Tien doesn't even realize that Goku used the transformation at all. Unfortunately, Frieza is so strong that Kaioken x10 can barely give Goku a fighting chance.

5

Kaioken x20 was Goku's first trump card before unlocking Super Saiyan

According to Frieza Saga, Goku's base power level is high enough for his body to handle the stress of using Kaioken x20 without seriously crippling him. Unfortunately, Goku knocks out the Kaioken x20 as soon as Frieza corners him. Even then, Kaioken x20 Goku is barely strong enough to take on Frieza fighting at 50% full power.

Goku saved Kaioken x20 as one of his trump cards against Frieza. While Kaioken x20 is actually capable of hurting Frieza, it's nowhere near enough to kill him. Now depleted and dangerously low on Ki, Goku is forced to use a Spirit Bomb (which also fails) to stop Frieza. If Krillin hadn't died and triggered Goku's Super Saiyan transformation, he would have died without ever overcoming Kaioken x20.

4

Kaioken x100 made Goku stronger than Super Saiyan in DBZ Movie 4

Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug is fourth DBZ movies and takes place in a timeline where Goku somehow manages to kill Frieza without ever turning Super Saiyan (presumably using a more powerful version of the Spirit Bomb). Lord SlugThe main claim to fame was the introduction of Goku's Pseudo Super Saiyan transformations just days before Akira Toriyama introduced the real Super Saiyan version in Dragon Ball manga.

Pseudo Super Saiyan Goku ultimately fails to kill Lord Slug, which is when he busts out the Kaioken x100 – a non-canon version of the transformation that makes Goku strong enough to defeat Slug. Interestingly, since Kaioken x100 has a multiplier of 100, Goku is actually stronger using KKx100 than Super Saiyan, since SSJ only has a multiplier of x50. Of course, the strain of using Kaioken x100 would be too much for Goku in the actual canon story, so it tops out at x20.

3

Super Saiyan Kaioken Goku could kill a cell

Another non-canon version of the Kaioken, Goku stacks the regular version of the Kaioken into a Super Saiyan during his fight with Pikkon in Dragon Ball ZAnother World Tournament filler saga. Super Saiyan Kaioken is one of the best versions of Super Saiyan, based on power level alone. Stacking Kaioken's Doubler on top of the x50 Super Saiyan multiplier gives Goku a x100 power boost equal to the Super Saiyan 2 multiplier.

Goku never actually uses the Super Saiyan Kaioken in the canon story, but according to Dragon Ball Z filler, he would be able to kill Super Perfect Cell himself if he used the form. Pikkon is stronger than Super Perfect Cell in the Other World Tournament Saga, and Goku is shown to be equal to Pikkon's power level when using SSJKK. Of course, this goes against the main theme of the next generation being stronger than the previous, and it also reduces Goku to pass the torch to Gohan at the end of the Cell Games.

2

Super Saiyan 4 Kaioken is an exclusive form for Xeno Gogeta

Super Saiyan 4 Kaioken is the only version of Kaioken that can be used by anyone other than Goku. Xeno Gogeta is a powerful version of Gogeta from a timeline where Goku and Vegeta experienced some variation Dragon Ball GT (though not the whole story since Xeno Goku is still alive and grown up). Xeno Gogeta does not have access to God Ki like his Capsule Corp counterpart, but can instead use an extremely powerful version of Super Saiyan 4 and stack Kaioken on top of it.

Xeno Gogeta is already a beast of a fighter and using the Super Saiyan 4 Kaioken makes him even stronger. As a Dragon Ball Heroes character, Super Saiyan 4 Kaioken Xeno Gogeta would be stronger than Perfected Ultra Instinct Goku without having to use any God Ki. While nowhere near Xeno Gogeta's level, v Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2Super Saiyan 4 Goku can build Kaioken x20 on SSJ4 when using Kamehameha for a massive power boost.

1

Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken is the most powerful version of Kaioken – and the most dangerous

Image via Toei Animation.

Xeno Gogeta is a stronger character than the canon version of Goku, but Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken is much stronger than Super Saiyan 4 Kaioken. Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken combines Saiyan Ki and God Ki along with an amazing increase in Kaioken power. IN Dragon Ball Super anime, Goku uses Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken x10 to overpower Hit in the Universe 6 Tournament. In the manga, Goku uses Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken to try to reach Jiren's power level before Roshi helps him unlock Ultra Instinct.

Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken strains Goku's body enough to make him suffer from a delayed onset Ki disorder. However, in the Tournament of Power, Goku has developed his Ki mastery to the point where he can use Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken x20 multiple times without risking illness. In terms of raw power, Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken x20 was on par with Super Saiyan Blue Evolved Vegeta, making SSBKK one of the strongest God forms in the entire series.

television shows

Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball DAIMA

First TV show

Dragon Ball

Created by

Akira Toriyama

Latest TV show

Dragon Ball DAIMA

Upcoming TV Shows

Dragon Ball DAIMA

Air date of the first episode

February 26, 1986