Rules for Dragon Ball Wishes

1. Earth’s Dragon Balls (Shenron)

Creator & Limitations

Created by Kami and later reactivated by Dende. Shenron cannot grant wishes that surpass the power of his creator; for instance, he cannot kill someone stronger than the creator.
Wishes are granted precisely as spoken; Shenron may interpret them with some discretion. For example, when restoring Frieza (after Future Trunks’ attack), Shenron noted Frieza’s incapacitated state might not match Sorbet’s expectation but would honor the wording.

Number of Wishes & Cooldown

Initially, Shenron offered one wish, but Dende’s upgrade later allowed up to three wishes, though this number fluctuates across media.
Earth’s Dragon Balls typically require a one-year cooldown before reuse. Exceptions occur when the creator spells otherwise; for instance, Kami allowed an immediate reuse to revive those killed by King Piccolo.

Resurrection Rules

A being can only be resurrected once by Shenron unless revived by a different dragon.

Energy & Shadows

Each wish generates negative energy absorbed by the Dragon Balls. If they accumulate too much, as in GT, Shadow Dragons may appear.

Origins & Mechanics

Created by Grand Elder Guru, Porunga can grant three wishes per summoning, though limitations apply (e.g., one resurrection per wish in earlier arcs).
Wishes require command in the Namekian language, typically via Dende’s translation.
Unlike Earth’s, Porunga’s Dragon Balls do not scatter after use and can be used again after 130 Earth days (one Namekian year), a shorter cooldown than Earth’s.
Early on, only single-person revivals were allowed; this was later lifted (e.g., mass revivals during Buu arc).

Origins & Power

Older creation of the Nameless Namekian. Summoning Ultimate Shenron grants powerful wishes, including killing someone.
Two major drawbacks:
1. After use, they scatter across the galaxy, not just Earth.
2. The planet on which the wish was made will be destroyed within one year unless the balls are returned.

Divine-Level Power

Created by the dragon god Zalama, these massive orbs (planet-sized) can grant literally any wish, no apparent limits.
They allow only one wish per summon, even though they’re staggeringly powerful.
Must speak the Divine Language to summon Super Shenron (“Come forth, Dragon of the Gods, and grant my wish…”).

Unique Characteristics

Originating from Planet Cereal, there are only two Dragon Balls here.
They don’t turn to stone after use and can be reused immediately once collected again.