Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot's latest season pass kicked off with its first DLC on Jan. 13th, 2023 with Bardock as the main character. This expansion was also released alongside the next-gen update for PlayStation 5 with the Xbox Series X update currently delayed.
The new DLC is full of great content where Bardock travels to a couple of different planets fighting various aliens. For the first time, players can also explore a bit of Planet Vegeta. Here players can complete various side quests and work on unlocking Bardock's skills. Each skill is beautifully designed and takes its influence in some way from the TV Special.
Battle Instincts
Battle Instincts is a passive skill that can be unlocked early on but the best form of it is at level 3. Battle Instincts with increase the damage Bardock deals to enemies at a higher level than him by 15%.
This is a useful skill to obtain as early as possible in the Bardock DLC because players will be encountering enemies at a higher level than them almost constantly. The primary exception for this will be in the raids when Bardock will be fighting tons of minions that will die to one or two hits anyway. Even if the player is completing all the side content as they progress through the story, the enemies they come up against will still be at a higher level.
Impact Strike
Impact Strike is a physical skill that has Bardock perform consecutive melee attacks that deal high guard break and stun damage. This skill has to be unlocked at the Training Grounds but is one of the easier levels.
This skill is perfect for players who focus on breaking an enemy's guards to stun them. This is something that will come in handy in difficult battles like against Frieza, one of the best Dragon Ball villains. Players who want to use Impact Strike in this sort of strategy should focus on unlocking the passive skills that also aid the player in dealing guard break and higher damage to stunned enemies. Even if this isn't a player's primary strategy, Impact Strike is still a good skill to get early on as it can deal a lot of damage.
Full Tilt
Full Tilt is a passive skill that not every player is going to care about but for players who charge up their ki constantly, it's perfect. Full Tilt increases damage dealt by 50% when Bardock's ki is full. This includes any type of attack.
Charging up ki to the max and focusing on melee attacks alone is going to be a game-changer for those who don't rely too much on ki attacks. Since normal melee attacks don't require any ki, players can continually use combos with that added 50%. However, this can also make any skill used much more powerful. Bardock's Limit Breaker Spirit Cannon already deals a significant amount of damage and if Bardock fires that when his ki gauge is full, it'll do a lot more.
Limit Breaker Rebellion Rush
Rebellion Rush won't be unlocked until near the end of the DLC, and it might take a while for players to unlock its Limit Breaker upgrade. This skill begins with an aggressive assault that ends with a final punch that deals high guard damage.
Much like Impact Strike, Rebellion Rush is the skill to use for players who want to focus on dealing guard damage and Rebellion Rush is far more proficient and effective at this. Impact Strike is a nice balance though because it does provide added damage toward stunned enemies whereas Rebellion Rush does not. However, Rebellion Rush will also deal overall more damage. The primary downside of this skill is that players won't have much time to play with it unless they're replaying the story.
Super Recovery
Recovery items are one of the most essential features in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and Super Recovery is a blessing. This passive skill increases the health Bardock receives from these items by 15%, which can make even the cheaper vitadrinks far more effective.
Players are going to find themselves beaten into a corner by enemies in the Bardock DLC constantly. This is especially true for those returning players who are a bit rusty and haven't played the game since the last DLC dropped in 2021. Recovery items can turn the tides of any battle as long as Bardock has enough assigned to his item palette. The highest upgrade of Super Recovery should be one of the first skills that players focus on obtaining.
Spirit Of The Warrior Race
Spirit of the Warrior Race came as a surprise as it's a transformation for Bardock, one of the most tragic Dragon Ball characters. This skill gives Bardock support effects and raises the damage he deals by 40%. However, like most transformations in the game, Bardock's ki slowly decreases while it's active, and he'll be reverted to his base form when it runs out.
Bardock already has many great skills that can raise his damage. Mixing those with Spirit of the Warrior Race is going to make Bardock a terrifying force on the battlefield. This transformation improves combat dramatically and the combos Bardock performs are far more effective. Enemies have a more difficult time intercepting attacks when this is active and players should use it in any battle they think they might struggle in.
Limit Breaker Riot Javelin
Riot Javelin has gone through a few different changes depending on the game and the attack in this game has Bardock throwing a ball of energy that explodes on impact. This seems to be the skill that Bardock uses against Frieza in his final stand (which was formerly called Final Spirit Cannon).
Riot Javelin isn't quite as good in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot as it is in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, a Dragon Ball game that deserves a sequel. However, it still is an effective skill that's perfect for use in battles against large swarms of enemies. Most of the battles Bardock faces in the DLC are this, so Riot Javelin is a skill they should hold onto as soon as they get it. This attack can be tossed forward and take out tons of enemies nearby when it explodes.
Ultimate Consecutive Energy Blast
Ultimate Consecutive Energy Blast is a skill that Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot players will already be familiar with due to most characters in the game possessing the skill. It allows the player to manually aim and lob consistent ki blasts in the air at opponents.
This has been and always will be one of the best skills in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot and it is incredibly useful against large swarms of enemies. Players can slowly move to the left or right, slamming ki blasts into the horde of enemies and taking them down one by one. The highest upgrade of this skill will make the mass of minions look far more pathetic and will make the player feel better as they drop like flies.
Limit Breaker Final Spirit Cannon
Limit Breaker Final Spirit Cannon is Bardock's best skill. While the attack consumes a great deal of ki to use it, will fire a massive ki wave that will deal some devastating damage.
This attack is similar to one of Goku's best techniques in Dragon Ball, the Kamehameha. While it is strong, it isn't always the best to use in its weaker forms because it can miss so often. When it hits, it's incredibly effective, but players have to time it just right. Thankfully, the Limit Breaker version has such a massive range that it will hit most enemies the player is aiming at. Not only this, but it will kill weaker enemies almost instantly.
Saiyan Spirit
Saiyan Spirit is likely the last skill players will obtain for Bardock as it is the highest required level in the Training Grounds. However, it's worth getting. Bardock charges at his opponent and slams a powerful punch at them, and then he fires a large ki wave.
While this skill is one of the most visually impressive in the game, it's also one of Bardock's strongest. This will deal an incredible amount of damage to any opponent that Bardock uses it on. While many of Bardock's skills are great at dealing damage to multiple enemies at once, Saiyan Spirit is intended to be used on a single fighter. If players are great at tackling the Training Grounds levels that are much higher than their own then they should try to get Saiyan Spirit as soon as they can.
Source:gamerant.com