| Overview | Combos | Strategy/Counter Strategy | Full Frame Data | Discord |
Goku (Super Saiyan), often referred to as SS Goku or SSJ Goku, is this game's resident shoto Short for "Shotokan" A character archetype defined by being similar in some way to Ryu from Street Fighter. Shotos usually have a horizontal fireball, an invulnerable reversal, and a forward moving special move. and an excellent Anchor for any team. Very simple to pick up and effective at nearly every level, SS Goku can do just about anything with his very solid tools and can ensure your other characters can do the same thanks to his amazing assists. SS Goku has good normals, a solid beam, and great pressure. However, his mix-up is a little poor, relying on more orthodox methods of opening up the opponent. Thankfully, SS Goku can fake-out a cross-up with his Kamehameha which helps that a little.
| "I am a warrior, pure of heart, awakened by rage. I am the legendary Super Saiyan, Son Goku!" | |
| Lore: | Born "Kakarot", Son Goku (named directly after the Chinese naming of Journey to the West protagonist Sun Wukong) was sent to Earth shortly before the Saiyan race was driven to extinction by Frieza. Found and cared for by martial artist Grandpa Gohan, and brought up by the Turtle Hermit, Master Roshi, Goku would eventually grow into a young man, with both a burning passion for testing his might against other fighters and a strong sense of justice. His journey to Namek leads him face the monstrous Frieza, who murders his best friend Krillin, his pure rage awakening the forgotten Super Saiyan transformation, the first in possibly thousands of years. Since then, Goku has pushed the form to its' limits, stepping up to face challenging opponents time and time again, although never forgetting his love for a good fight, which often gets in Goku's way. |
| Voice: | Japanese: Masako Nozawa English: Sean Schemmel |
- Jack of All Trades: Goku is able to perform well in most aspects of the game, with generally great traits all around to the point of having few major flaws.
- Damage: Goku can convert any hit into high reward, leading to either a knockdown or exceptional damage near the corner.
- Space Control: Goku's solid normals combined with great ki-blasts and multi-directional beams give him strong neutral and zoning.
- Assist Variety: Goku's assist are great, as A is a general purpose beam and B is two very fast strikes that grant high blockstun.
- Mix-ups: Goku relies on universal options and fake-outs to open up opponents.
- Lacks Specialization: Goku's tools are powerful, but quite straightforward and outclassed by specialist characters.
| SS Goku | |
|---|---|
 |
Normal Moves
5L
| 5L |
|---|
| 5LL |
| 5LLL |
5L is a basic jab, can cancel back into itself or 2L once and is the fastest attack in Goku's kit along with 2L. You'll want to use this to challenge/mash, or to reset pressure like 4LL dash 5L.
All 5L can also cancel into Dragon Rush on block/hit and act as a universal tickthrow. Since all normals can kara cancel their first 4 startup frames into DR, you can also try something like 5L > 2L~DR, which will visually show Goku crouching for a few frames before DR-ing and throw the opponent off (assuming they're at the level where they can see these frames...)
5LL mostly used as combo/blockstring filler. On hit, 5L along with 5LL and 5M are the 3 jump cancelable normals Goku (and most characters) has. While the basic combo structure is something like 5L > 5LL > 2M > 5M > jc into airstring, if you get a stray 5L or 5LL hit against airborne opponent, be ready to jump cancel right away since continuing down the grounded string will drop the combo.
- Stays grounded.
- Jails into Vanish on its own, or true string into 236S and then Vanish.
5LLL ends the blockstring very early and is very niche as a combo filler. While it does have abnormally high blockstun, being one of the very few normals in the game that can jail into Vanish, it's still not worth using for most purposes.
On block, 5LLL > SD is not 2H-able in the corner (3f gap), which puts Goku airborne for potential assisted mix-ups with late airdash high or land low. However, his fastest low, 2M, has startup of 12F making this very nonthreatening.
5M
Good button with a high hitbox. Though both of Goku's M buttons are punishable on block so beware of ending blockstring with these moves during stagger pressure.
All attacks in DBFZ are late cancelable, which means you can turn any true blockstring into a frame trap by simply delaying the next attack. This is why your opponent will respect your stagger: while 5L > 2L dash 5L blockstrings have a gigantic gap, there's a risk to mashing back because you can instead do 2L > delay 5M as a frame trap, and all M buttons are very combo starters damage wise.
5H
- Wall splats on Smash hit. Combos into Super Dash.
- Non-Smash hit can still combo into Super Dash in the corner.
2M > 5M > jc is usually the better combo route with easier confirm, but if you get a 5M starter, you can do 5M > 2M > 5H instead. Advanced rejump combos from 5H can rival 2M > 5M air combos in term of damage while also giving higher corner carry as well.
Almost all H buttons in DBFZ on Smash hit will center the opponent to a set position before launching them away, which makes them very reliable combo fillers.
5S
- Ki Blast property.
- Mash or hold S to shoot up to 6 Ki Blasts.
- Last Ki blast launches on hit.
Really good button to stagger with as it's safe and push the opponent out a decent amount. Since all Ki Blasts' blockstun can be Guard Canceled with Reflect or SD, 5S(1) acts as a very basic blockstring "mini-game": 5S(1) 2M is a stagger that beats GC Reflect and most 5L/2L mashing, loses to GC SD. Mean while, 5S(1) > 5H is a true blockstring that beats GC SD and loses to GC Reflect. Of course, they can also choose to just block.
In neutral, 5S is also a good zoning tool as it's a fast, low-commitment fullscreen control button. It's also repeatable up to 6 times so can beat out characters with less amount of repeatable Ki Blasts.
Zoning with 5S has 2 simple counterplays: SD or dash jump-in. SD can be beaten very easily if 5S made contact with them at all as you'll be able to cancel into 2H. Dash jump is a lot more effective since they'll fly over the Ki Blasts altogether, so you always wanna only use 2 Ki Blasts before stopping and starting again for zoning: shooting more is easier to confirm, but shooting less is safer overall, 2 is the perfect amount to confirm into Vanish or recover fast enough to punish with 2H or block the jump-in.
2L
Inferior to 5L in almost every way. Though it's not at all a "dead" button as it can be inputted with 1L: when used to mash out of pressure or as stagger pressure with dash 2L, Goku will get the button out if the opponent blocks, but will block himself if they attack. This is better than 5L/4L as you'll be blocking low instead of high, protecting you from characters with low 2L.
While 2L and 5L can only be used twice per blockstring, by delaying button presses, you can make it ambiguous whether or not the last 5L/2L started new string, creating a seemingly infinite blockstring.
2M
The slowest 2m in the North, South, East, And West
- Launches on hit.
Has great range, very active hitbox and low hurtbox. However, it cannot be true string'd into from 5L and 2L (1f gap) and is very punishable on block, making Goku's blockstring rather predictable and vulnerable to Reflect.
Goku along with most characters use 2M as his main combo extender. For Goku, 2M > 5M > j.M will always combo so this is what you'll be confirming into most of the time.
2H
- Puts Goku airborne.
- Launches on hit. Smash hit combos into Super Dash.
Go to anti-air against jump-ins, SD, tag, Guard Cancel, etc. Somewhat risky since his cancel options on block are either unsafe or leave a gap.
2S
Hitstun in a can
- Ki Blast property.
- Very high hitstun.
Insane combo filler. It combos straight into SD, can link into super jump j.L or even itself at the right height. 2M > 5M > 2S > SD can be used as an alternate route to 2M > 5M > jc, this is commonly utilized in Goku's Vanish confirm (post U-Smash) when j.2H can no longer combo into SD.
Can somewhat be used to snipe airborne opponents, but the angle is too steep for screen control and it can be SD'd through.
6M
- DBFZ SSGoku 6M.png
- Universal overhead. Puts Goku airborne, cannot be canceled into anything when not in Sparking.
Very telegraphed and can only solo extend into a combo if it hits airborne opponents or very meaty against grounded opponents. In a blockstring, 6M will leave at least a 9F gap, making you very vulnerable to mashing. It's also ±0 on block, which means any character with a 6F attack can initiate a clashing sequence afterward, be ready to engage with something like 5L > 4LL or 5L > Reflect.
A lot more potent when paired with an assist as it can cover for the gap or give advantage on block/allow for a combo on hit. In Sparking, you can do 6M > airdash j.M (1f gap on block) which allows you to continue the blockstring or solo confirm with 5L on landing. 6M > airdash j.LL is gapless on block, but you can't truestring into grounded buttons after landing.
j.L
Basic punch normal, nothing outstandingly good or bad. As a combo filler, while the BnB is 2M > 5M > jc.MLL2H, at max range, j.M > j.L will whiff against small characters, so it's better to do 2M > 5M > jc.M2H in that situation instead.
j.L is notably a good air-to-air button or combo filler for most characters despite its often short range thanks to the ability to confirm with j.LL on hit, which pushes your character toward the opponent.
j.M
Great air-to-air thanks to its range. In midscreen blockstrings, IAD delay j.M is Goku's best cross-up option which he can confirm with dash 5L on landing.
Inputting forward IAD the common way with 956 covers a lot of distance, making it so that Goku can only attempt cross-ups at a set distance away from the opponent, and sometimes this will also only hit opponents that stand up in reaction to you jumping. You can get around this and performing cross-up j.M even at point blank with 866 or even 766 (this will be easier with dash shortcut enabled, i.e. 79H+S).
Note that a frame perfect IAD will not cross over tall, standing characters like Android 16 or Cell.
j.H
Hammer
| 5LLLLLLL |
|---|
| j.H |
- 5LLLLLLL Smash hit can wall bounce.
5LLLLLLL has a slightly different knockdown angle and effect on Smash hit than j.H, but this move is mostly unused. The wallbounce can be used to tag your teammates in and follow up with a combo, but there better alternatives like 5H, j.2H, or Vanish.
This is however the most consistent source of Dragon Balls and also the only way to summon Shenron. It is possible to mess up mashing L 7 times and get j.H instead, so make sure that there isn't any gap between the automatic SD and j.L.
- j.H forces crouching on grounded hit. Causes a sliding knockdown on Smash hit.
Downward angle makes this Goku's most common jump-in.
Also used as an alternate combo ender to j.S > j.236L. Though since it's faster, doesn't affect Goku's own momentum and is a D+ Type Smash, this is more often used for assisted combos.
j.S
- Ki Blast property.
- Stalls momentum temporarily.
Jump or IAD back j.S is a good keep away and/or to snipe grounded opponent, but beware that if it has quite a lot of landing recovery, aka punishable on landing.
On jump-ins, j.L > j.S is a "Reflect proof" string: if the opponent reflects j.L and try to cancel into a non-invulnerable attacks, they will be stuffed by j.S, this forces them to either go back to blocking or gamble a second reflect. IAD j.M > j.S or j.H > j.S also add some extra damage for the combo on hit while maintaining roughly the same frame advantage on block/hit. On safe jumps, something like j.M 4S is an OS that gives j.L > j.S on block/hit or a Reflect on landing if they reversal.
This is also another great combo filler due to its relatively high hitstun, being used in all combos from basic BnBs to advanced Sparking loops.
j.2H
- Pushes Goku forward.
- Launches on hit. Smash hit combos into Super Dash.
Strictly combo filler. Since it centers the opponent on Smash hit, any combo after j.2H is consistent everytime.
Special Moves
Dragon Flash Fist
236L/M/H (Air OK)
| Ground L |
|---|
| Air L |
| Ground M |
| Air M |
| Ground H |
| Air H |
- All ground versions don't have Head attribute.
- Air verions remove any landing recovery.
- On Smash hit, all versions can combo into any Supers.
- 236L does sliding knockdown on Smash hit.
- Goes half screen.
j.S > j.236L is Goku's anywhere meterless sliding knockdown. It's essentially free damage/meter over j.H, there's not much reason not to end your combo with j.236L beside at high hitstun decay where it'll whiff.
Can be done after a jump in as a double overhead of sort, but the reward isn't great, it can whiff over them, and there'll always be a gap as you're charging forward.
- 236M ground bounce sliding knockdown on Smash hit.
- Goes almost fullscreen.
j.236M can be linked from 214M and j.214M in the corner, which is also the only way for him to solo extend meterlessly with the ground bounce. Close to the ground, he can do j.236M ▷ 5L or 2L, slightly higher up he can do j.L > j.S on the way down, very high up it's j.M > j.S. Note that there's a small "deadzone" where you can't link neither j.L nor 5L/2L.
Learning the range and height at which he can extend with j.236M will boost Goku's damage significantly. For example, he can do SD > j.M > j.214M near the corner into j.236M which is way better than simply ending with j.LLS > j.236L, and it doesn't hurt to attempt doing the extension since the opponent will be in sliding knockdown anyway if you miss it.
- 236H teleports to the opponent, ground version has no vertical tracking, air version tracks everywhere on screen.
- Values in [ ] are when the opponent is in untech time (air hitstun).
- Ground bounce sliding knockdown on Smash hit.
While the ground bounce is the same as M version, the fast teleport on startup makes it a lot more flexible to combo into and solo extend.
A lot stronger as a jump in double overhead compares to j.236L, as the animation is more ambiguous, it can't whiff, and on hit you can extend with Vanish. It can be used as a decent Spark bait thanks to being full invul during the teleport.
Teleport comes from the direction Goku's facing and not the opponent's. So a cross-up dash jump into j.236H will hit from their back for a "double" cross-up. Doing it after an airdash, double jump or super jump won't work because Goku will turn around.
Flurry Kick
214L/M/H (Air OK)
TATSUMAKI SENPUKYAKU
| Ground L |
|---|
| Air L |
| Ground M |
| Air M |
| Ground H |
| Air H |
- Ground versions don't have Head attribute.
- Air version launches on hit.
214L functions as a safe blockstring ender, turning Goku's punishable M and H buttons into unpunishable, e.g. 2M > 5M > 5H > 214L.
j.214L after a blocked SD (yours or the opponent's) is a good check to see if they are pressing any button since it has startup of a j.L but with a big hitbox on top of pushing him forward.
- Has great corner carry. Launches on hit.
- Smash on last hit. Smash hit wall splats, Smash 5MMM wall bounces.
- Ground version recovers in the air.
214M is borderline suicidal to use in neutral. It is mostly used in corner BnBs with Smash hit and linking into 2M, j.236M or SD.
- Has amazing corner carry. Launches on hit.
- Smash on last hit. Smash hit wall bounces, has massive hitstun that can link into SD anywhere on screen.
- Ground version recovers in the air.
214H can be used as a pseudo fullscreen "airdash" to traverse around the screen, but it really leaves you wide open...
Kamehameha
236S (Air OK)
"I've waited
5 episodes
for this!"
| Ground |
|---|
| Air |
- Both versions can be angled by holding
or 
after the input. - Values in [ ] are for angled version.
- Ground and air horizontal Kame wall splat on hit.
- Ground aimed up and air aimed down launches on hit.
- Jails into Vanish.
Its ability to be used both on the ground or in the air as well being able to angle both versions gives Goku a commanding presence at long range. Tk.236S[9] is also a very efficient cross-up fake out.
2H (blocked) > j.236S[2] cannot be mashed back, counter 2H'd, or jumped out due to it only having a 3f gap. If they try one of those things and get hit in the corner, he can combo straight into 2M and do a full combo. Goku's in a safe-ish range after doing this in midscreen, but it's still best to Vanish and take your plus frames.
Note that the opponent can hard read the Kamehameha with Reflect, at which point there isn't much you can do if you have no assists to back you up. Definitely do not panic (or auto-pilot) Vanish and put yourself in the corner if you see the Reflect.
Z Assists
Assist A
Kamehameha
Neutral 101
- Wall splats on hit.
The beam will wash away everything on ground level, letting you approach pretty much risk-free.
Though since it's very telegraphed, a good player wouldn't just let you run in with a beam assist backing you up, and will instead Reflect or super jump out of the way. It's still a very good assist regardless.
As a combo extension tool, it's rather lacking midscreen, but really good in the corner. It's typically used at the end of combos after bringing the opponent back to the ground, either to continue the combo with its wall splat or into ground DR > combo ender.
Assist B
Flurry Kick
Lockdown 101
Extremely fast and boasts high blockstun, a good competition for his A assist. While A assist excels in neutral, B assist is better used for blockstring purposes: covering for mixups, restarting blockstrings, covering for a blocked SD, etc. Hitbox is lower to the ground than the animation suggests.
Assist C
Dragon Storm
- Teleports to the opponent on ground level. Launches on the second hit.
- On hit, teleports again behind them after the second hit and knocks down into a ground bounce SKD.
- Values in [ ] are when the opponent is in hitstun/untech.
A basic C assist: high blockstun, easy for combo extension, but has slow startup in neutral and blockstring, absurdly long cooldown, and almost doesn't do anything that A and B assists can't.
C assist can enable some unique synergies over the other 2 assists, such as some characters can benefit more from the long animation it does on hit, or they can use the backward hit to pull the opponent out of the corner for setups.
Super Moves
Super Kamehameha
236L+M (Air OK)
The signature move
The snipe
The aerial signature move
| Ground |
|---|
| Air |
- Both versions can be angled by holding or after the input. Angled Kames at close range will hold them in place until the last hit.
- Values in [ ] are for angled versions.
- Horizontal and aimed up versions launch on hit. Aimed down version causes a sliding knockdown.
- Minimum damage: Horizontal: 77*10, Ground aimed up: 81*10, Air aimed down: 75*10.
In the corner, j.236LM[2] can set up safe jumps if Goku isn't too high up and still has his air options. By airdashing after the super has ended into falling j.H, this covers every wakeup options beside delayed wakeup.
DHC-ing into Goku still lets him aim it up for more damage. And he can also aim after DHC-ing out, that plus its "suction" enables some unique synergies like down Kame into Piccolo's fully charged SBC at high up, or down Kame > AGohan Lv1 (whiff) DR, etc.
Warp Kamehameha
236H+S (Air OK)
"Dodge this one, Yamcha!"
"I'll be sure to visit your grave!"
| Ground |
|---|
| Air |
- Teleports to the ground and to the opponent's back during the super freeze.
- Values in [ ] are when the opponent is in hitstun/untech.
- Minimum damage: 81*10.
Goku's most common bar dump as it can combo from almost any Smash or non-Smash j.H/j.236X while also holding the opponent in front of Goku for grounded DHC. Its only real downside is the sideswitch.
Since it's really fast mid-combo and only tracks the opponent's current position, you almost always wanna delay this Super to make sure they won't fly past Goku, e.g. j.LLS > j.236L > delay j.236H+S.
Meteor Smash
214L+M or 214H+S
HUP
Oh, is it gonna kill?
NO WAY IT KILLED!!1!
- Stays grounded, teleports to the opponent's back after the super freeze.
- Causes a hard knockdown on hit, positions them at the opposite edge of the screen.
- Minimum damage: 1759.
Goku's only invincible reversal and a proficient combo ender bar dump. On hit, Goku can continue pressure with a safejump by buffering dash jump j.M.
Some characters can DHC into this Super and have it stays same side, either by side switching before the DHC, or by hitting them in a way that turns their backs away from the corner (Tien Lv1+1 or Yamcha Lv1).
External References
move and the move Full sections. One is shown on the character page, while the other is shown on the frame data page.