Saiyans are some of the strongest characters in Dragon Ball. Despite there being so few of them following Frieza's plan to eradicate the Saiyan race, most of the handful that were left ended up being among the universe's strongest. From Goku to Vegeta and their sons, Saiyans have incredible potential to grow stronger with each battle, and can adapt to almost any situation in combat.
A big part of why Saiyans are so dangerous is the many transformations they can achieve. From the Great Ape to the legendary Super Saiyan and its many iterations, Saiyans can push beyond their limits and reach levels that most in the universe can't. So here's a look at every Saiyan transformation in the series, sticking to purely Saiyan transformations. That means no UI, UE, Ultimate, or Beast forms.
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Great Ape
The original Saiyan transformation and the one most accessible to members of the Saiyan race, the Great Ape form is an imposing, destructive transformation that Saiyans used during their planetary takeovers. It has plenty of destructive force and can be good in direct combat as well, but it's something that Saiyans need to outgrow in order to reach the next level.
Super Saiyan
Still to this day, the most iconic and memorable transformation in the series, Super Saiyan changed Dragon Ball forever. It pushed Goku well beyond what fans expected he could do, and gave him and the rest of the Saiyan cast after him a way to keep up and match up with whatever threats came their way. Plenty have come after it and surpassed it in power, but none will ever be as beloved.
Super Saiyan Second Grade
Not to be confused with Super Saiyan 2, Super Saiyan Second Grade is an enhanced version of the original Super Saiyan transformation. Saiyans can achieve this through training while in the Super Saiyan form. It gives users a massive boost in power and speed, but it uses up so much energy that it can be tough to sustain for long, making it unsuitable for drawn-out confrontations.
Super Saiyan Third Grade
Just like Second Grade, Super Saiyan Third Grade is another enhanced version of the original, giving the user a massive, albeit taxing, boost in power. But the added bulk can be incredibly detrimental to its user, with strength coming at the cost of speed. That makes it tough to actually use in an effective way against stronger or quicker opponents. Like its predecessor, it also drains energy at an alarming rate, making it an incredibly situational transformation.
Super Saiyan Full Power
Goku's initial Super Saiyan transformation was incredibly powerful, but it took time for him and others to truly master it. The Super Saiyan Full Power form is what you could consider to be the true and best use of the original transformation. Users can use SSJ in a more natural state once they reach this level, making them more effective and comfortable with it in battle.
Super Saiyan 2
Next to Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2 might just be the most popular transformation in the series. Initially used to show the extent of Gohan's true potential, the form gradually became obtainable by other characters as the series went on. It looks very similar to the original, but with a distinct lightning aura that surrounds the user. SS2 users experience a massive boost in speed and strength from the original, but like most transformations that came before it, it eventually got phased out.
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Super Saiyan 3
Super Saiyan 3 wasn't featured much compared to other Saiyan transformations. Aside from the visible changes to the user, Super Saiyan 3 is notable for allowing the user to get the most out of their ki. It allows the user to rely on incredible strength but consumes a ton of energy, similar to Second and Third Grade.
Super Saiyan Rage
So far, it looks like Super Saiyan Rage might be a version of the Super Saiyan transformation that only Trunks can achieve. As the name implies, the transformation allows the user to make use of their anger and strong emotions, giving them a considerable power boost. Trunks was able to hold his own against Super Saiyan Rosé Goku Black and Future Zamasu thanks to Rage, proving it a surprisingly useful technique.
Super Saiyan 4
While DAIMA finally did what fans have been begging for for years and brought back Super Saiyan 4, it can be a little tricky to place among the other SSJ transformations. It's definitely stronger than 3, but doesn't seem comparable to Super Saiyan God and Blue. It's just as powerful as it was in GT, and even though Goku has obtained forms that are stronger than it, maybe the series will bring SSJ4 back every now and then.
Legendary Super Saiyan
One of the rarer Super Saiyan variants, the Legendary Super Saiyan transformation is an incredibly intimidating and destructive transformation. So far, only Broly, Kale, and Kefla have been able to use it. Like Super Saiyan Grade 3, the user gains a massive boost in strength and muscle mass but unleashes even more devastating power without sacrificing speed.