Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Characters: Soul Exchange, Custom Fighters, and Roster Guide

Are you ready to jump back into the Time Patrol? With the highly anticipated next installment on the horizon, fans are already buzzing about the massive lineup of dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters. From customizable heroes to legendary warriors, the way we interact with dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters is getting a complete gameplay overhaul. Set 148 years after the events of the previous game, this sequel is poised to redefine the arena brawler genre with innovative mechanics and a deep narrative foundation laid out by the legendary Akira Toriyama.

Developed by Dimps and published by Bandai Namco, the upcoming title moves away from the older visual style of past entries, opting for a highly fluid, modern aesthetic that is consistent with recent anime releases. Players will explore New City, a massive vertical hub teeming with life, flying vehicles, and iconic heroes waiting to assist you in battle. Whether you are a competitive fighter or a casual fan of the franchise, understanding how characters function in this new sandbox is crucial to mastering the game.

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The Dawn of Age 1000: A New Era for Time Patrollers

The story of the new game is set in Age 1000, placing it nearly a century and a half after the conclusion of the second game. By setting the game in Age 1000, Dimps is able to introduce a highly diverse selection of dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters that span multiple eras, timelines, and completely original story arcs. Akira Toriyama was deeply involved in the development of this game, laying out the narrative foundation of Age 1000 and designing several key characters, including the male and female custom player protagonists, Bulma, and a new hero named Brett.

Instead of waking up in a sterile Time Patrol plaza, players begin their journey in a realistic, lived-in apartment building in New City. Upon stepping outside, you are greeted by a sprawling metropolis where legendary fighters reside as your neighbors. For instance, early gameplay showcases reveal Saiyan Saga Vegeta hanging out near your apartment complex, while Future Trunks stands guard just outside your door. The city is highly interactive, featuring shops, mission desks, and a sky filled with controllable vehicles, offering a true MMO-lite experience.

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Soul Bonding & Soul Exchange: A Revolution in Combat

One of the most ground-breaking features introduced in this sequel is the concept of Soul Bonding, which draws inspiration from mechanics seen in Dragon Ball FighterZ and The Breakers. This system allows your custom character (CaC) to form a deep spiritual connection with legendary Z Warriors. During combat, this bond manifests in two distinct ways: Soul Exchange and Soul Assist.

Through Soul Exchange, players can literally channel the soul of an iconic hero directly into their custom character. When activated, a stunning cutscene plays where the hero's soul merges with your avatar. For a limited time (initially set to 41 seconds in early gameplay builds), you take full control of that character, gaining complete access to their physical combat style, supers, and ultimate abilities. While the Soul Exchange is active, your character's maximum health increases dramatically, and a unique Capsule Corp-styled halo appears above their head.

Example: A human custom character named Sen has her health boosted from 60,900 HP to 79,200 HP immediately upon exchanging souls with Future Trunks.

This mechanic adds deep tactical layers, especially when coordinating with teammates who are also running different **dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters** as their primary souls. Once the Soul Exchange timer runs out, the soul icon slowly regenerates throughout the battle, allowing you to trigger the transformation multiple times if the match lasts long enough.

| Feature | Soul Exchange | Soul Assist |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Primary Function** | Complete character takeover and moveset swap | Single-use iconic attack enhancement |
| **Duration** | Limited timer (e.g., 41 seconds, upgradeable) | Instantaneous execution |
| **Stat Buffs** | Massive health increase, physical damage boost | Cooldown reduction, localized team buffs |
| **Visual Indicator** | Capsule Corp halo above the character's head | Brief spectral appearance of the assisting hero |
| **Recharge Method** | Slow passive gauge fill during combat | Cooldown-based charges (e.g., 2 charges max) |

Alternatively, Soul Assist allows players to call upon a bonded hero for a quick, devastating attack. For example, you can summon Saiyan Saga Vegeta to temporarily boost and double-charge your Galick Gun. These assist moves operate on a charge-based cooldown system, meaning players who build their characters around cooldown reduction can stagger these powerful attacks repeatedly.

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## Confirmed Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Characters Roster

The dynamic roster of **dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters** includes both fresh faces and returning legends. Players can look forward to a healthy mix of customizable avatars, storyline NPCs, and formidable boss enemies. The game features an original storyline that integrates classic saga elements with brand-new conflicts unique to Age 1000.

| Character Name | Roster Category | Key Role / Affiliation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Custom Player Character** | Playable (Male / Female) | Time Patrol Protagonist (Age 1000) |
| **Future Trunks** | Playable / Soul Exchange | Time Patrol Leader |
| **Bulma** | Non-Playable NPC | Tech Support / Great Saiyan Squad Recruiter |
| **Brett** | Non-Playable NPC | Great Saiyan Squad Member (Saiya Brett) |
| **Gamma 1** | Non-Playable NPC | Great Saiyan Squad Ally |
| **Rom** | Non-Playable NPC | Popular Female Singer in New City |
| **Lilica** | Non-Playable NPC | New City Resident |
| **Tap** | Non-Playable NPC | New City Resident |
| **Shenron** | Summonable Entity | Wish Granter |
| **Saiyan Saga Vegeta** | Hub NPC / Soul Assist | Neighborhood Resident / Combat Mentor |
| **Broly** | Boss Enemy | High-Difficulty Raid Target |
| **Appule** | Enemy | Frieza Force Minion |
| **Battle Jacket** | Enemy | Mechanized Threat |
| **Nabana** | Enemy | Minor Antagonist |
| **Navel** | Enemy | Minor Antagonist |
| **Raspberry** | Enemy | Frieza Force Minion |
| **Roberry** | Enemy | Frieza Force Minion |

### Spotlight on New Original Characters

To make the world of Age 1000 feel truly alive, several new characters designed by Akira Toriyama have been integrated into the core narrative. These characters help build the lore of New City and guide the player through the updated Time Patrol missions.

*   **Brett (Saiya Brett):** A prominent member of the Great Saiyan Squad. He wears a futuristic, Great Saiyaman-inspired outfit complete with a high-tech visor and a Capsule Corp ear device. Brett acts as a rival and ally, often calling the player to assist with sudden city emergencies via a wrist-worn communication device.
*   **Bulma (Age 1000):** Sporting a sleek, futuristic look and a unique halo-like device around her neck, this version of Bulma is deeply involved in recruiting new talent for the Great Saiyan Squad. She serves as the main bridge between the player and the high-tech defense forces of New City.
*   **Rom:** A popular female pop singer in New City whose music releases are advertised on giant holographic billboards across the hub. Her presence highlights the peaceful, culturally rich civilian life that the Time Patrol is fighting to protect.

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## Custom Characters (CaCs) and Fighting Style Sharing

One of the most requested features in the history of the franchise has finally been implemented. In this sequel, custom characters are no longer locked into generic, race-based basic attack strings. Instead, the game introduces Fighting Style Sharing, which allows you to borrow the movesets and combat styles of iconic **dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters**.

If you prefer the elegant, sword-based combat of Future Trunks, you can assign his exact melee flow to your Earthling, Saiyan, or Namekian custom character. If you prefer the aggressive, close-quarters rushdowns of Vegeta or the highly calculated combat flow of Ultimate Gohan, you can master their styles and equip them directly to your avatar. 

Unlike previous games where custom avatars had restricted movesets, the list of **dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters** serves as a direct training ground. This feature functions similarly to specialized sports game builds, giving players complete freedom to mix and match their favorite fighter's physical animations with their custom character's unique aesthetic.

| Step | Action | Description |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **1** | **Bond with a Mentor** | Interact with legendary characters in New City to unlock their combat styles. |
| **2** | **Master the Flow** | Complete combat trials and training missions to fully unlock their melee animations. |
| **3** | **Equip the Style** | Go to the customization menu and apply the unlocked fighting style to your CaC. |
| **4** | **Combine with Supers** | Pair your newly acquired melee animations with any compatible super attacks. |

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## Enhanced Transformations and Visual Upgrades

Transformations have received a massive overhaul, addressing a long-standing critique from the community. In previous titles, transforming into a Super Saiyan would change your character's hair color, but the actual 3D model of the hair remained identical to its base form. 

This game introduces dynamic hair rendering for transformations. When your custom character transforms into a Super Saiyan, their hair physically spikes up and shifts into an entirely unique, aggressive style. For advanced forms like Super Saiyan 3, the game features highly cinematic, real-time transition animations. The camera zooms in, pans behind the character's head, and shows the hair physically growing longer in realistic, staggered stages until it reaches its full, iconic length.

| Transformation | Visual Hair Changes | Combat & Gameplay Effects |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Super Saiyan 1** | Base hair spikes up dynamically into a classic Super Saiyan style | Moderate physical and Ki blast damage increase |
| **Super Saiyan 3** | Hair grows progressively longer in stages with a dramatic camera zoom | Massive physical damage boost, faster Ki regeneration |
| **Soul Exchange (Trunks)** | Avatar takes on Trunks' physical appearance with a Capsule Corp halo | Complete moveset swap, massive health pool expansion |

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## Cooperative Combat and Boss Mechanics

The multiplayer experience has been heavily upgraded to emphasize team coordination and strategic planning. The combat system incorporates MMO-lite mechanics, allowing players to coordinate their offenses to lock down powerful raid bosses like Broly. 

For instance, players can coordinate their attacks to specifically target and drain an enemy's Ki gauge. Successfully draining this gauge prevents the boss from executing high-damage ultimate attacks, effectively neutralizing their offensive capabilities. Additionally, if a teammate is knocked down in battle, the entire surviving team can rush to their aid. Having multiple players participate in a revive significantly speeds up the recovery animation, getting your ally back into the fight almost instantly.

According to player experiences and early community reports, the game also features a highly amusing yet practical combat behavior: while an enemy boss is locked in an animation manhandling or ragdolling one of your teammates, the other players can continue to deal massive damage to the boss from a distance. This means getting targeted by a boss can actually serve as a tactical decoy, allowing your squad to dogpile the enemy with physical strikes and Ki blasts while their guard is down.

For a deeper dive into the lore and community discussions, visit the [Dragon Ball Wiki page on Xenoverse 3](https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Dragon_Ball_Xenoverse_3).

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## Frequently Asked Questions

### Who are the confirmed dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters so far?
The initial roster of confirmed **dragon ball xenoverse 3 characters** features a mix of classic fighters and completely original heroes. Playable characters include the custom male and female Time Patrollers and Future Trunks. Notable NPCs include Bulma (Age 1000), Brett (Saiya Brett), Gamma 1, Rom, Lilica, Tap, Shenron, and Saiyan Saga Vegeta. Confirmed enemies and bosses include Broly, Appule, Battle Jacket, Nabana, Navel, Raspberry, and Roberry.

### How does the Soul Exchange mechanic work in battle?
Soul Exchange allows your custom character to merge with the soul of an iconic hero like Future Trunks. When activated, you take full control of that hero's moveset, super attacks, and physical combat style for a limited time (initially 41 seconds). This transformation also grants a massive temporary boost to your maximum health pool and displays a unique Capsule Corp halo above your character's head.

### Can my custom character use the fighting style of iconic characters?
Yes! The game features a Fighting Style Sharing system. By bonding with and training under various legendary characters throughout New City, your custom character can learn and equip their exact basic melee attack strings and animations. This allows you to fight using Trunks' sword style, Vegeta's aggressive rushdown, or Gohan's tactical combat flow, regardless of your character's chosen race.

### When is the game releasing and on what platforms?
The game is currently scheduled for a Japanese release in 2027. It is being developed by Dimps and published by Bandai Namco. The confirmed platforms for the game are the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Microsoft Windows via Steam.