Dragon Ball

Dragon Balls are mystical crystalline spheres created by Namekians, each set containing seven orbs marked with a number of stars ranging from one to seven. When all seven balls of a set are gathered together, they allow the summoner to call forth an eternal dragon who will grant wishes before scattering the balls across the planet (or universe, depending on the set) once more.

The concept of Dragon Balls originates with the Namekian race, whose most gifted members possess the ability to create both the orbs and the dragons that inhabit them. Each set of Dragon Balls is linked to a specific Namekian creator; if that creator dies, the Dragon Balls permanently turn to stone and become inert. The power of any given set is directly proportional to the strength and skill of its creator.

Known Sets

Several distinct sets of Dragon Balls exist across the multiverse. The Earth Dragon Balls were originally created by Kami and later recreated by Dende, summoning Shenron. The Namekian Dragon Balls, crafted by Grand Elder Guru, summon the larger dragon Porunga and grant three wishes instead of one. The Super Dragon Balls, created by the dragon god Zalama, are planet-sized spheres scattered across Universes 6 and 7 that summon Super Shenron, who can grant any wish without limitation.

Additional sets include the Black Star Dragon Balls (created by the Nameless Namekian), the Cerealian Dragon Balls (a unique two-ball set on Planet Cereal), the Dark Dragon Balls (corrupted orbs from the Dark Empire), and the Demon Realm Dragon Balls. Each set has its own rules, limitations, and consequences for use.

While the wish-granting power of Dragon Balls appears limitless on the surface, each set operates under specific constraints tied to the power of its creator.

Earth Dragon Balls

Under Kami's original creation, Shenron could grant a single wish and could not revive someone who had already been brought back once. After Dende recreated the Dragon Balls, Shenron gained the ability to grant two wishes (later upgraded to three) and the restriction on repeat revivals was loosened. However, Shenron cannot grant wishes that exceed the power of his creator, meaning he cannot kill or permanently alter beings significantly stronger than Dende.

Namekian Dragon Balls

Porunga grants three wishes per summoning and has fewer restrictions on revival, able to bring back individuals multiple times. The Namekian Dragon Balls are physically larger than Earth's set and require wishes to be spoken in the Namekian language.

Super Dragon Balls

The Super Dragon Balls have no known limitations whatsoever. Super Shenron can grant any wish, including those involving the erasure or restoration of entire universes. They are scattered across both Universe 6 and Universe 7, requiring travel between universes to collect them all. Their immense size, each ball being as large as a planet, makes gathering them an extraordinary undertaking.

After a wish is granted, all sets of Dragon Balls (except the Black Star and Cerealian sets) turn to stone for a period, typically one year for Earth's set and 130 days for the Namekian set. The Super Dragon Balls' dormancy period has not been specified.