Sparking Zero Neo NEO Roster Tier List

This page ranks all 33 fighters introduced in the Super Limit-Breaking NEO DLC for Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, which launched July 30, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. Rankings reflect community early meta from the first week of ranked queues, local versus, and Limit Breaker Journey clears—not official Bandai Namco statements. Revisit the Tier List hub after patches listed on Updates.

The free July 29 patch added Sparking! Boost and Chain Blast for every owner. Those mechanics elevate characters with strong tag synergy and explosive Sparking finishers. Read the Sparking Boost and Chain Blast guide before you assume a character’s placement will hold once players optimize reserve swaps.

Tier list at a glance

Tier	Fighters
S	Bardock (Super Saiyan), Super 17, Vegeta (GT) Super Saiyan, Demon King Piccolo
A	Pikkon, Champa, Salza, King Vegeta, Zangya
B	Mercenary Tao, Supreme Kai, Trunks (GT) Super Saiyan, Hell Fighter 17, Nuova Shenron (GT), Tora, Fasha
C	Vegeta (GT), Trunks (GT), Chilled, Mighty Mask, Uub (Kid), Cheelai, Jaco
D	Goku (23rd World Tournament), Tien (23rd World Tournament), Ma Junior, General Blue, Grandpa Gohan, Android 8
F	Chi-Chi, Nam, Eighter, Spike the Devil Man

Costume-only variants such as Ma Junior (Giant) and additional outfit slots are excluded from this table when they do not change the base moveset category; check individual character pages for transformation-specific notes.

Video guide

S-tier — tournament-ready on day one

Bardock (Super Saiyan)

Bardock anchors S-tier because his Saiyan rush tools convert light confirms into heavy Sparking damage. His Ultimate Blast finishers carry cinematic priority, making him a premier Sparking! Boost candidate when you can afford the post-boost stat dip. Players report consistent wall-loop routes on new NEO stages without exotic execution. Pair him with offensive Battle Arts from the builds hub.

Super 17

Super 17 combines absorption, energy drain, and counter-friendly armor in one GT package. He wins extended neutral against blast-heavy teams and shines in Limit Breaker Journey where sustain matters more than burst length. See the dedicated Super 17 guide for combo routes and Journey stat priorities.

Vegeta (GT) Super Saiyan

The Super Saiyan GT prince delivers arrogant rush pressure, strong aerial follow-ups, and finishers that match classic Vegeta pacing. He benefits from Chain Blast tags when a partner holds ki for immediate blast coverage. Compare toolkit differences against base Vegeta (GT) before committing practice time.

Demon King Piccolo

Demon King Piccolo offers destructive area attacks, giant-form presence, and zoning waves that control space on wide maps. His villain interactions and regeneration-flavored tools make him a defensive terror in online footsies. Full breakdown on the Demon King Piccolo page.

A-tier — strong with minor gaps

Pikkon earns A-tier for wall carry, straightforward confirms, and excellent tag value after launch states—ideal for Chain Blast teams in online meta. Champa brings God of Destruction weight with surprising mobility when labbed. Salza and Zangya represent the Cooler’s Armored Squadron with armor-heavy strikes and movie-flavor supers that punish greedy approaches.

King Vegeta sits at the top of A-tier rather than S-tier because his royal kit rewards lab work: strong finishers, but tighter Sparking timing than Bardock or GT Vegeta. Still a ranked-viable pick with correct builds.

B-tier — solid picks for Journey and locals

Mercenary Tao and Supreme Kai offer unique pacing—Tao for lethal rush loops on human-sized hitboxes, Supreme Kai for tricky movement and support-flavored tools. GT entries Trunks (GT) Super Saiyan, Hell Fighter 17, and Nuova Shenron (GT) deliver fan-service power with narrower win conditions in ranked. Bardock’s squad mates Tora and Fasha reward players who enjoy mid-speed rushdown without top-tier damage scaling.

These fighters climb when paired with specific Battle Arts or AI-exploit routes documented on Journey picks.

C-tier — situational but usable

Base Vegeta (GT) and Trunks (GT) lack the Super Saiyan forms’ damage ceiling but teach GT movement at lower execution cost. Chilled, Mighty Mask, Uub (Kid), Cheelai, and Jaco fill novelty and Episode Battle niches. Jaco in particular struggles in ranked but entertains in casual lobbies. Do not write them off for Journey if you enjoy their kits—stat investment can compensate.

D-tier and F-tier — challenge and flavor picks

Classic Dragon Ball tournament fighters—Goku (23rd World Tournament), Tien (23rd World Tournament), Ma Junior, General Blue, Grandpa Gohan, and Android 8—sit in D-tier for serious versus. They lack the ki scale and defensive tools NEO’s heavy hitters bring, though Ma Junior players can steal games with giant-form reads.

F-tier entries (Chi-Chi, Nam, Eighter, Spike the Devil Man) are meme-adjacent in ranked but perfect for Episode Battle completionists and local joke matches. Tier placement here measures efficiency, not affection for the source material.

How to use this list

1. Shortlist S-tier and A-tier picks matching your playstyle (rush, zoning, or defensive).
2. Read linked character guides for your main candidates.
3. Check online meta for team-based adjustments.
4. Plan Journey investment via Journey picks and the Limit Breaker Journey guide.
5. Re-test after each entry on Updates.

Early meta favors complete kits over incomplete joke characters, but Sparking Zero history shows B-tier dark horses rising once tech spreads. Lab your favorite fighter before abandoning them for tier letters alone.