Dragon Ball FighterZ’s Latest Patch Makes Major Adjustments to Game Roster

Dragon Ball FighterZ, Bandai Namco’s popular anime fighting game based on the Dragon Ball franchise, just received a major balance update that tweaks numerous characters. Version 1.32 of the game is now live, making significant changes across the roster.

While the official English patch notes have not yet been released, we have translated the Japanese notes to give players an early look at the major adjustments coming in this update. These translations may not perfectly match the final English patch notes, but provide a good overview of the types of balance tweaks coming for each character.

The Version 1.32 update appears focused mainly on balancing slightly overpowered and underpowered characters. Many formerly “top tier” fighters received nerfs to reign in their power, while lower tier characters received buffs to make them more viable at high levels of play.

Dragon Ball fans who enjoy DBFZ’s competitive multiplayer will likely appreciate the studio’s goal of making character balance as even as possible and opening up more team composition options at the highest levels of tournament play. We expect Bandai Namco will continue monitoring character usage and win rates after this patch to identify the next characters in need of adjustments.

It’s encouraging to see live service games like DBFZ constantly refined through patches even three years after release. With any luck, Version 1.32 will breathe new life into the fighting game and keep its community engaged for many months to come.

Dragon Ball FighterZ Version 1.32 Patch Notes — System Changes

Z Assist (C Type)
Reduced the amount of cooldown time before they can be used again.

Ki Gauge

Adjusted the amount of ki gauge gained for the following characters: Hit, Fused Zamasu, Janemba, Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta, Vegito, Blue Gogeta and Lab Coat Android 21.

Goku

Dragon Flash Fist (Strong)
– Added invincibility from the middle of the action.

Kamehameha
– Increased untechable time.

Z Assist A
– Increased untechable time.

Vegeta

Super Dash Kick (Light)
– Changed the way the opponent bounces on hit by pressing forward.

Consecutive Energy Blast
– Can now use a special move or Super Dash after hitting the opponent.
– Can now use Vanish move after whiff.
– Adjusted damage scaling.

Interceptor Kick
– Added a medium version.

Piccolo

Standing Light Attack Follow-up 1 & 2
– Increased movement value.

Jumping Strong Attack
– Adjusted the opponent’s knockback.
– Increased untechable time.

Homing Energy Blast
– Horizontal rigidity decreased.

Demon Slicer (Light, Medium)
– Increased horizontal movement of grounded version.

Z Assist B
– Reduced startup.
– Adjusted position of where the character appears.

Teen Gohan

Z Assist A
– Increased untechable time.

Z Assist B
– Increased number of hits.
– Adjusted knockback on hit.

Frieza

Standing Light Attack 2
– Increased attack speed.

Standing Medium Attack
– Increased movement distance.

You Might Not Survive This Time
– Projectile speed changes when pressing back input.
– Breaks out of move when Frieza takes damage.

Z Assist A
– Down-back or down-forward changes spawn position

Z Assist B
– Projectile speed changes when pressing back input.

Z Assist
– Adjust spawn location.

Trunks

Standing Strong Attack
– Increased movement distance.

Jumping Strong Attack
– Reduced startup.

Masenko
– Increased untechable time.

Change The Future
– Now possible to perform a special move while the button is held down.

Shining Slash (Light)
– Increasd movement distance.
– Increasd movement distance of air version.

Shining Slash (Strong)
– Increasd movement distance of air version.

Z Assist A
– Reduced startup.
– Adjusted movement value.

Z Assist B
– Increased untechable time.

Android 18

Barrier
– Now possible to use other special moves while Barrier is active.

Support Attack (Medium)
– Increased movement value of Android 17’s ground version.

Support Attack (Heavy)
– Decreased startup.

Support Attack (Special)
– Hold down button to change performance of the move.
– Now Possible to perform a special attack while standing during the move’s startup.

Gotenks

Standing Light Attack 2
– Adjusted input timing to make the move less likely to trigger on accident.

DIE DIE Missile Barrage
– Now possible to use a special move or Super Dash after hitting the opponent.
– Now possible to Vanish after missing the opponent.

Vengeful Shout
– Increased Untechable time.

Krillin

Solar Flare
– Added invincibility agaisnt jump attacks at the start of the animation.

Kamehameha
– Increased untechable time.
– Increased the timing at which Super Dash can be performed after ground version.

Afterimage (Heavy)
– Changed properties when button is held down.
– During ground version, properties will change with forward input.

Z Assist B
– Increased untechable time.

Cell

Standing Medium Attack
– Increased movement value.

Rolling Crush (Light, Medium)
– Last hit of aerial version will now face the opponent.

Kamehameha
– Increased untechable time for non-grounded versions.
– Adusted knockback.

Z Assist A
– Increased untechable time.

Z Assist B
– Increased untechable time.

Captain Ginyu

Standing Medium Attack
– Reduced recovery.

Crouching Medium Attack
– Increased startup.

Standing Heavy Attack
– Increased movement value.
– Can now call in the Ginyu Force during the spin attack.

Special Attack (Recoome)
– Increased movement value.

Strong Jersey
– Increased movement value of grounded version.

Powerful Energy Wave
– Adjusted knockback.
– Can now use specials moves and Super Dash during first charge level.
– Adjusted damage of first charge level.

Z Assist A
– Increased untechable time.
– Adjusted knockback.

Z Assist B
– Can now call 2 members of the Ginyu Force.

Kid Buu

Kamehameha
– Increased untechable time.

Pearl Flash
– Increased minimum guaranteed damage.

Earth-shattering Blow
– Increased minimum guaranteed damage.

Majin Buu

Sweeping Breath
– Reduced recovery.

I hate you!
– Added invincibility during middle of the animation.

Turn into candy!
– Reduced chance of unusual behavior when KO’ing opponent under certain conditions.

Nappa

Blazing Storm
– Increased untechable time.

Z Assist A
– Increased untechable time.

Android 16

Dynamite Driver (Light)
– Increased attack speed.

Dynamite Driver (Heavy)
– Increased movement value.

Flying Powerbomb
– Increased movement value.

Yamcha

Standing Medium Attack
– Added invincibility against attacks other than lows during middle of the animation.

Standing Heavy Attack
– Added invincibility from middle of the action.

Kamehameha
– Increased untechable time.

Z Assist A
– Increased hit stop.

Z Assist B
– Increased untechable time.

Adult Gohan

Masenko
– Increased untechable time.

Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta

Standing Light Attack
– Increased movement value.

Big Bang Attack
– Increased damage.
– Made it possible to perform special moves and Super Dashes after hit.
– Adjusted damage scaling.

Z Assist A
– Increased damage.
– Increased untechable time.

Z Assist B
– Adjusted knockback.

Beerus

Crouching Medium Attack
– Added invincibility against projectiles other than lows during middle of the animation.

God of Destruction’s Judgement
– Increased damage.
– Reduced recovery when whiffed.

Goku Black

Black Kamehameha
– Increased untechable time.

Binding Black Kamehameha
– Increased untechable time.

Z Assist A
– Increased untechable time.

Android 21

Total Detonation Ball
– Increased timing at which Super Dash can be performed.
– Adjusted the hit stop when blocked.
– Reduced recovery.

Kamehameha
– Can now perform Super Dash and other special moves after hit. (Absorbed moves will not appear by inputting down).
– Increased untechable time.

Consecutive Energy Blast
– Can now perform Super Dash and other specials after hit.
– Can now perform a forward air dash after attack.

Explosive Energy Blast
– Increased untechable time of explosion.
– Now hits opponents during sliding knockdown.

Homing Energy Blast
– Reduced recovery.

Solar Flare
– Added invincibility agaisnt jump attacks from start of animation.
Broly

Standing Light Attack 2
– Increased movement value.

Jump Heavy Attack
– Increased untechable time when the effect occurs.

Jump Down Heavy Attack
– Changed behavior by pressing forward before attacking.

Bardock

Rebellion Spear (Light)
– Increased attack speed.

Rebellion Spear (Heavy)
– Increased movement value.
– Reduced hit stop when blocked.

Tyrant Lancer
– Increased attack speed.

Riot Javelin
– Increased attack speed.

Z Assist A
– Adjusted knockback.

Base Goku

Kamehameha
– Increased untechable time for non-follow-up versions.
– Adjusted knockback for non-follow-up versions.
– Adjusted hit stop when hitting at long distance for non-follow-up versions.

Kaioken Follow-up Light
– Recovery reduced.
– Adjusted the hit stop and guard recovery when blocked.

Kaioken Down Follow-up Light
– Increased attack speed.
– Increased hit stop on hit.

Kaioken Follow-up Heavy
– Increased attack speed.

Cooler

Standing Heavy Attack
– Increased untechable time when effect occurs.
– Increased guard recovery.
– Increased opponent’s hit stop when blocked.

Death Chaser (Medium)
– Adjusted movement value of grounded version.
– Ground version’s startup has been reduced.

Death Shaker
– Increased attack speed.

Death Flasher
– Increased untechable time when hit from long distance.

Death Crusher
– Increased attack speed.

Jiren

Crouching Light Attack
– Increased attack speed.

Standing Medium Attack
– Increased attack speed.

Crouching Medium Attack
– Increased attack speed.

Colossal Uppercut
– Increased damage.

Videl

Crouching Medium Attack
– Increased attack speed.

Crouching Special Attack
– Reduced recovery.

Moonsault Kick (Heavy)
– Adjusted movement value.

Justice Revenge
– Increased attack speed.

GT Goku

Standing Special Attack
– Added ability to reflect projectiles during the animation.

Jump Heavy Attack
– Can now be canceled into jump.

Kamehameha
– Increased guard recovery on ground version.
– Increased untechable time.
– Adjusted knockback of air version.

Z Assist A
– Increased guard recovery.
– Increased untechable time.

Super Ultra Spirit Bomb
– Adjusted maximum height position when opponent is at a high position on screen.

Gogeta (SSGSS)

Crouching Heavy Attack
– Added landing recovery.

Super Broly

Crouch Special Attack
– Increased untechable time.

Jump Special Attack
– Reduced recovery.
– Change projectile speed by pressing up or down during animation.

Z Assist B
– Adjusted knockback.

Kefla

Standing Medium Attack
– Reduced recovery.

Jump Heavy Attack
– Increased attack speed.

Ain’t nobody that can stop me!
– Increased attack speed.

Super Cannonball
– Can now perform Time to test this power out! during animation.

Super Cannonball (Light)
– Increased timing that Super Dash can be performed.

Ultra Instinct Goku

Kamehameha
– Can now perform Super Dash after hitting opponent.
– Increased untechable time.

Z Assist B
– Increased untechable time.

Master Roshi

Wise Warrior
– Increased attack speed.

Thunder Shock Surprise
– reduced recovery on hit.

Kamehameha
– Can now perform other special moves after hitting the opponent.

Z Assist A
– Increased untechable time.

Super Baby 2

Crouching Light Attack
– Increased attack speed.
– Adjusted movement value.

Standing Medium Attack
– Increased attack speed.

Revenge Final Flash
– Increased untechable time.

Lab Coat Android 21

Savory Slicer
– Added Ki blast attribute.

Vertical Savory Slicer
– Added Ki blast attribute.

Connoisseur Cut
– Reduced damage.

Appetizing Rush
– Made it less likely that opponent’s assist characters will behave abnormally under certain conditions.

Z Assist A
– Added Ki blast attribute.

Dragon Ball FighterZ Review

An Arc System Works masterpiece that fans of Dragon Ball and fighting games can’t afford to miss.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is a stunning achievement for Arc System Works and a love letter to fans of the Dragon Ball franchise. With its gorgeous anime art style, faithful character representations, and deeply satisfying 3v3 tag team combat, FighterZ nails the feel of the Shonen series’ over-the-top battles better than any game before it.

The large cast of 28 playable characters features iconic Dragon Ball heroes and villains like Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Frieza and Cell. Their supers and ultimate moves are recreated shot-for-shot from the series, making them a joy to witness even for casual fans. Arc System Works’ trademark air-dashing and assist mechanics mesh perfectly with the fast-paced, aerial combat of Dragon Ball, helping battles feel as explosive as they look.

While the story mode follows the events of the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z sagas loosely, the real highlight is FighterZ’s online and local versus modes. The depth of the gameplay and breadth of strategic options for team construction and assists make for incredibly fun and addicting matches against other skilled players. DLC characters like Broly, Bardock, Vegito, and Gogeta have only expanded the strategic diversity since launch.

However, the competitive scene has gravitated mainly toward a subset of “top tier” characters and team compositions that remain largely unchanged through major balance patches. Arc System Works will need to continue refining the game’s balance if they want to see truly optimal team variety at high-level play.

Despite some balance issues at the highest levels of competition, Dragon Ball FighterZ remains a must-play fighting game for anime and Dragon Ball fans alike. Its exceptional visual style, faithful character incarnations and rock-solid 3v3 mechanics make it the definitive Dragon Ball combat experience. New players and series veterans alike will find countless hours of enjoyment powering up and discovering synergies across the massive roster. This is one of Arc System Works’ finest projects to date, and a love letter fighting game fans have been waiting decades for.