Power level (Dragon Ball Z)
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The "power level" (戦闘力 sentō-ryoku?, literally "combat power" or "fighting strength") is a concept found within the world of Dragon Ball, a popular manga created by Akira Toriyama, as well as the anime based on it (Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT). It is used most commonly early in the Z series before the existence of Super Saiyans. Many of Freeza's henchmen had scouters that could read the power level of an enemy.
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[edit] The concept
In the universe of Dragon Ball, a being's Power Level is a measure of their destructive or fighting ability. It is closely related to ki, the energy or life force found within all living things. This ki can be manipulated and projected, allowing a trained individual to possess powers far above a common person. Flight, super strength/speed/toughness, and manipulation of numerous forms of energy are all possible to a being who is trained to control their ki. The Power Level measures the exact limit of these abilities, and people with higher Power Levels will be capable of greater feats than those with lesser Power Levels. In short terms, if Person A has a Power Level of 10,000 and Person B has a Power Level of 5000, then Person A can most certainly defeat Person B.
It is possible to increase one's Power Level through intense physical and mental exercise, but exactly how powerful someone can become varies from individual to individual. Throughout the course of the series, characters such as Son Goku and Vegeta are constantly trying to become the strongest in the universe, but are always met by someone who is stronger. In the universe of Dragonball, there is always someone else who has a higher Power Level. The series implies that there is no limit to how powerful a being can be.
The perception of Ki can be manipulated by suppression, in order to appear weaker than one actually is, or a magnification effect seen when using a specialized technique.
[edit] Power level, magic, and psionics
Enhanced fighting prowess is not the only thing that ki can do. Certain characters who are not trained warriors are still able to use potent abilities, such as telepathy or magic. They include Uranai Baba, Babidi, Saichurō, and many others. The relationship between psionics, magical spells, and Power Levels is never made clear throughout all of Dragon Ball.
The Power Level is more closely tied to the physical than the other two areas. Perhaps the clearest way to explain it is to say that Power Levels are the measure of how much force a being can exert, either with their own muscles or by transmitting it (such as ki blasts and energy attacks), as well as how much power they possess (hence its name). By contrast, magical spells and psionic abilities are much more subtle, and perhaps more esoteric.
These abilities are not mutually exclusive. There are several characters who display a wide array of talents, including those that pertain to their Power Level. Majin Buu, Piccolo, and Kaio-sama are three such characters.
[edit] Increasing one's power level
Over the course of Dragonball, characters are always striving to be the most powerful. To do this, they undergo intense exercise regimes which increase their Power Levels, in effect making them faster, stronger, and tougher. This can be observed in the many training montages seen throughout the series. But how exactly this works is never fully explained. Ki has a lot to do with it, but what exactly it does is less clear.
What is known is that ki is the life force found within all living things. Ki is the health and vitality of an individual. Sicker or injured beings have weaker auras, and the reverse is also true.
The rate at which someone's Power Level rises seems to be exponential. Rather than a steady rate of increase, characters have been known to become very powerful very quickly. This most likely has to do with the chain reaction noted above: the higher someone's Power Level is, the more it becomes even higher.
Saiyans are naturally not the most powerful race, however their ki is noted as being able to increase at a substantial rate after a fight higher than any other race is capable of. This is the reason why the Saiyan characters' power levels increased dramatically as the saga continued, while the other characters' that were human or Namekian lagged far behind.
[edit] Recorded power levels
These Power Levels come directly from the Dragon Ball manga unless stated otherwise. It should be noted that the Daizenshū numbers are sometimes questioned, despite the overall coherence with the original manga. Akira Toriyama did not actually write the Daizenshū, but he was consulted for several sections by his staff and approves of the overall product.
Arrival of Raditz
Raditz: Over 1,200 (1,500 from the Daizenshū)
Farmer with sawed-off shotgun: 5
Piccolo with weighted clothing: 322
Piccolo without weighted clothing: 408
Piccolo's Makankōsappō, first attempt: 1,330
Piccolo's Makankōsappō, second attempt: 1,440 (from the Anime)
Goku with weighted clothing: 334
Goku without weighted clothing: 416
Goku (with Kamehameha): 924
Gohan: 1 - 710 - 1,307
After the death of Raditz
Muten-Rôshi: 139
Kuririn: 206
Yamcha: 177
Tenshinhan: 250
Piccolo with weighted clothing: 329
Umigame: 0.001 (from the Anime)
Chaozu fighting power maximum: 610 (from the Daizenshū)
Yamcha fighting power maximum: 1,480 (from the Daizenshū)
Tenshinhan fighting power maximum: 1,830 (from the Daizenshū)
Gohan before fighting: 981
Kuririn before fighting: 1,083
Kuririn fighting power maximum: 1,770 (from the Daizenshū)
Gohan when he fired Masenko: 2,800
Piccolo before fighting: 1,220
Piccolo's fighting power maximum: 3,500 (from the Daizenshū)
Saibamen: Over 1,200 (1,200 from the Daizenshū)
Nappa: 4,000 (from the Daizenshū)
Goku before fighting: 5,000
Goku powered up (base): Over 8,000 (from the Manga)
Goku Kaiō-ken (=x2): 16,000
Goku Kaiō-ken x3: 24,000 (deduced by calculation from the base power given in the manga)
Goku Kaiō-ken x4: 32,000 (from the Daizenshū)
Vegeta (base): 18,000
Vegeta as an Oozaru: 180,000 (from the Anime and calculation)
Touchdown on Namek
Kuririn's true power: 1,500
Gohan's true power: 1,500
Soldier-type Namek fighters: 1,000 (suppressed) - 3,000 (maximum)
Kiwi: 18,000
Vegeta: 24,000
Z Fighters Vs. the Ginyu Force
Kuririn after Saichurō power up: Over 10,000 (13,000 from the Daizenshū)
Gohan after Saichurō power up: Over 10,000 (14,000 from the Daizenshū)
Vegeta: 30,000 (from the Anime)
Goku suppressing his power: 5,000
Goku full power (base): 90,000 ("60,000-85,000" according to Ginyu's underestimation in the manga)
Goku's Kaiō-ken (=x2): 180,000
Captain Ginyu: 120,000
Ginyu in Goku's Body: 23,000
Nail before fighting: 5,000 (from the Anime)
Nail fighting power maximum: 42,000
Freeza (1st form): 530,000
The Battle with Freeza
Goku (base): 3,000,000 (from the Daizenshū)
Goku Kaiō-ken x10: 30,000,000 (deduced by calculation from the base power)
Goku Kaiō-ken x20: 60,000,000 (deduced by calculation from the base power)
Super Saiyan Goku: 150,000,000 (from the Daizenshū)
Freeza: 530,000
Freeza form 2: over 1,000,000
Freeza final form at 25%: 30,000,000 (deduced by calculation from the 100% power)
Freeza final form at 50%: 60,000,000 (from the Daizenshū)
Freeza final form at 75%: 90,000,000 (deduced by calculation from the 100% power)
Freeza at 100%: 120,000,000 (from the Daizenshū)
Arrival of Trunks
Future Trunks (power suppressed): 5
Note: All other power levels from this point on remain unofficial.
