How powerful could Cell get?

[moochfloatjr]

This may be a weird question, but what would be Cell's absolute peak power?

After self-destructing, Cell came back with a Zenkai boost that put him from somewhere between SS Gohan and SS2 Gohan to roughly a SS2 level himself. We know Zenkais become less effective over time, but assuming Cell could keep blowing himself and regenerating stronger, what kind of levels could he reach? Could he also get large boosts from small training like Freeza?

[Lord Beerus]

Unless Cell plans of absorbing people stronger than him or abusing the Zenkai power up, he pretty much hit his peak when he returned from blowing himself up as "Super Perfect" Cell.

[moochfloatjr]

Unless Cell plans of absorbing people stronger than him or abusing the Zenkai power up, he pretty much hit his peak when he returned from blowing himself up as "Super Perfect" Cell.

I suppose I worded it a bit vaguely - the general question is how much he could abuse the Zenkai powerup or other means of powering up.

[Lord Beerus]

Unless Cell plans of absorbing people stronger than him or abusing the Zenkai power up, he pretty much hit his peak when he returned from blowing himself up as "Super Perfect" Cell.

I suppose I worded it a bit vaguely - the general question is how much he could abuse the Zenkai powerup or other means of powering up.

Well, Cell got off extremely lucky the first time round he tried killed himself, so I doubt he tried to take the Zenkai route, even if he knew the benefits. And he did absorb Goku in GT, but Goku being how he is in GT, crawled out of Cell even after he absorbed him. Although, there's nothing stopping him from absorbing Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, Gotenks, Majin Boo etc. if the situation were to arise. Then he'd be insanely powerful.

[The Monkey King]

Unless Cell plans of absorbing people stronger than him or abusing the Zenkai power up, he pretty much hit his peak when he returned from blowing himself up as "Super Perfect" Cell.

I don't know why people keep on saying this.

He has the DNA of Piccolo, Goku, Freeza and co who can all make astounding gains with a few months of training. What stops him from doing the same?

According to the logic set out in 'Ressurection F' I can see Cell taking out Whis if he trains seriously for a year straight.

[Dyno]

Cell could go Super Saiyan 3 if he trains one year straight, as well. Wouldn't push him to Wiss level, but Bills maybe.

[Lord Beerus]

Unless Cell plans of absorbing people stronger than him or abusing the Zenkai power up, he pretty much hit his peak when he returned from blowing himself up as "Super Perfect" Cell.

I don't know why people keep on saying this.

He has the DNA of Piccolo, Goku, Freeza and co who can all make astounding gains with a few months of training. What stops him from doing the same?

According to the logic set out in 'Ressurection F' I can see Cell taking out Whis if he trains seriously for a year straight.

Cell has bits and pieces of Piccolo and Freeza's strength. Most of the strength he taps into comes from the Saiyan DNA he has. Even then, he doesn't full blown access to all of their raw skill and potential. So even if he did train, he'd still hit a brick wall at his equivalent of SSJ3. The only area Cell was shown to able to exploit about Piccolo's DNA was his ability to regenerate. And the only area that Cell was shown to able to exploit about Freeza's DNA was his ability to survive fatal wounds.

[moochfloatjr]

Unless Cell plans of absorbing people stronger than him or abusing the Zenkai power up, he pretty much hit his peak when he returned from blowing himself up as "Super Perfect" Cell.

I don't know why people keep on saying this.

He has the DNA of Piccolo, Goku, Freeza and co who can all make astounding gains with a few months of training. What stops him from doing the same?

According to the logic set out in 'Ressurection F' I can see Cell taking out Whis if he trains seriously for a year straight.

On the one hand, I feel like pretty much no one can even get near Whis's level (at least in the 7th Universe), but on the other hand, apparently 4 months is enough time for Freeza to go toe-to-toe with SSGSS Goku, who could potentially be as strong as an SSG.

Between Zenkai boosts and Freeza genes, I could probably see Cell getting to around Beerus's power level, if not higher. Using the tried and true Toriyama "one to ten" metaphor, Cell could hit a solid 12 if we're running on Resurrection F rules.

[dbzfan7]

Unless Cell plans of absorbing people stronger than him or abusing the Zenkai power up, he pretty much hit his peak when he returned from blowing himself up as "Super Perfect" Cell.

I don't know why people keep on saying this.

He has the DNA of Piccolo, Goku, Freeza and co who can all make astounding gains with a few months of training. What stops him from doing the same?

According to the logic set out in 'Ressurection F' I can see Cell taking out Whis if he trains seriously for a year straight.

Agreed. Who says he'd hit a brick wall? There is no real answer to confirm or deny this.

[Lord Beerus]

Unless Cell plans of absorbing people stronger than him or abusing the Zenkai power up, he pretty much hit his peak when he returned from blowing himself up as "Super Perfect" Cell.

I don't know why people keep on saying this.

He has the DNA of Piccolo, Goku, Freeza and co who can all make astounding gains with a few months of training. What stops him from doing the same?

According to the logic set out in 'Ressurection F' I can see Cell taking out Whis if he trains seriously for a year straight.

Agreed. Who says he'd hit a brick wall? There is no real answer to confirm or deny this.

Once Cell reaches his own version of SSJ3, he'll gain all the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. His power level will spike, yes, but his ki will deplete like crazy, just like SSJ3 would for any Saiyan. Thus, he hits a brick wall.

[dbzfan7]

According to the logic set out in 'Ressurection F' I can see Cell taking out Whis if he trains seriously for a year straight.

Agreed. Who says he'd hit a brick wall? There is no real answer to confirm or deny this.

Once Cell reaches his own version of SSJ3, he'll gain all the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. His power level will spike, yes, but his ki will deplete like crazy, just like SSJ3 would for any Saiyan. Thus, he hits a brick wall.

Again says who? Ask anyone about Freeza before the movie (I did, and quite a few) and it took a while before they accepted what Freeza did. No one expected it cause they literally now just came out and said he could do all that. No one beforehand believed this was possible before ROF. So by that logic, practically anything isn't improbable until it's officially announced and declared an impossibility.

[Pantalones]

Once Cell reaches his own version of SSJ3, he'll gain all the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. His power level will spike, yes, but his ki will deplete like crazy, just like SSJ3 would for any Saiyan. Thus, he hits a brick wall.

...until he figures out some method of drawing out higher-than-SSj3-level power in lower forms. Or just plain doesn't use his "SSj3-ish" form and trains in his regular form or Super Perfect/"SSj2-ish" instead. It's not like Cell would be locked in perma-SSj3 the moment he unlocks his equivalent of the transformation, unable to ever train or fight for extended periods of time because he'd wear himself out too quickly... he should be able to "power down" to his regular level of power too. (I don't think his "SSj2 lightning aura" Super Perfect self was a permanent change, either -- he just had no reason to power down from that level when he's coming back to kill everyone!)

Honestly, Cell becoming insanely strong seems far, far, faaaaar more realistic to me than Freeza suddenly approaching SSj God levels just by training for 4-6 months and unlocking what appears to be his race's equivalent of SSj3. And that actually "canonically" happened already.

[One_Instance]

Once Cell reaches his own version of SSJ3, he'll gain all the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. His power level will spike, yes, but his ki will deplete like crazy, just like SSJ3 would for any Saiyan. Thus, he hits a brick wall.

If I recall correctly, Cell's ki doesn't deplete.

[FoolsGil]

If Freeza was able to make absurd gains after only 4 months of training, for a perfect being, there is no limit to how strong he'll get in a small amount of time-zenkais, training, absorption, whatever.

[Hellspawn28]

Cell can keep on getting stronger with zenkais after he comes back after being nearly dead. Regen + Zenkai = Deadly Power Boosts

[Brian4205]

Id like to see Dragonball heroes have cell absorb super 17 or something similar.

[voltlunok]

Id like to see Dragonball heroes have cell absorb super 17 or something similar.

They kinda did that but in the reverse...Super 17 with Cell absorbed.

Anyways on topic, I think Cell could surpass everyone really. His genes make him the ultimate prodigy and likes some have said before, he gets zenkais so that's even more power for the big bug. He may be the only character in Dragon Ball to have truly limitless potential.

[Bacon Skittles]

Potential strength:

He could achieve Super Saiyan 3 along with Freeza' Ultimate (Golden) Form. I imagine this could make him as powerful as Beerus, though his Ki would deplete extremely fast.

Possible strength:

It could be possible for Cell to become a Super Saiyan God. If he had found out about the form somehow, he could technically make himself become SSG. Having fetus Pan give Goku his God form shows that the unborn are pure of heart. This could mean that Cell Jr's are pure until born, or at a more developed state. So if Cell impregnated himself with 5 Cell Jr's he could make himself into a SSG. If he could do this and become Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan while Golden Form, he might be unstoppable.

Other Stength:

Considering that movies 1-13 take place in different dimensions, it could be possible for one to exist where Cell absorbed Broly, achieved Golden Form with Cooler's 5th form, and Super Saiyan God Legendary Super Saiyan 3.

[Dyno]

Id like to see Dragonball heroes have cell absorb super 17 or something similar.

Since you asked for something similar, here it is. This is Super 17 after having absorbed Cell.

Spoiler:

[Lord Beerus]

Once Cell reaches his own version of SSJ3, he'll gain all the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. His power level will spike, yes, but his ki will deplete like crazy, just like SSJ3 would for any Saiyan. Thus, he hits a brick wall.

If I recall correctly, Cell's ki doesn't deplete.

I don't know if that's the case though. Cell was somewhat fatigued after battling FPSSJ Goku, which may indicate that like most other fighters in Dragon Ball, his stamina and ki does decrease over time when he's fighting someone. The only character, as far as I can remeber, that was confirmed to have infinite reservoirs of ki was Kid Boo.