Burter

Burter Overview

Burter is the towering blue speedster of the Ginyu Force, a mercenary squad so confident in their abilities that they treated planetary conquest as performance art. With his electric blue skin, elongated serpentine frame, and crackling energy aura, Burter was visually one of the most distinctive members of an already flamboyant team. His claim of being the fastest being in the universe, while ultimately proven false, was backed by genuinely impressive velocity that made him a formidable opponent for anyone below the top tier of fighters.

What makes Burter memorable is not just his speed but the contrast between his serious combat capabilities and the Ginyu Force's absurd theatricality. Like his squadmates, he took the team's elaborate synchronized poses with deadly seriousness, treating their choreographed introductions as sacred ritual. This blend of genuine threat and comic opera is the essence of the Ginyu Force appeal. Burter's partnership with Jeice formed a two-man combat unit that was greater than the sum of its parts, with Burter's speed setting up Jeice's finishing strikes.

Burter's defeat on Namek at the hands of Goku marked a pivotal moment in the Frieza Saga. After Goku's 100x gravity training, his speed so vastly exceeded Burter's that the blue speedster's entire identity crumbled. The psychological destruction was as complete as the physical defeat — a warrior whose entire identity was built around being the fastest was reduced to disbelief and helplessness. Burter encapsulates the Ginyu Force's unique place in Dragon Ball Z: a threat that was terrifying until the heroes surpassed them, and then a cautionary tale about the dangers of overconfidence. For more, visit the Dragon Ball Fandom Burter page or the Ginyu Force Wikipedia entry.

Burter Basic Data

Burter's estimated power level of approximately 40,000 made him the second-strongest member of the Ginyu Force after Captain Ginyu himself. His true value, however, lay in his speed rather than his raw power. His serpentine, elongated body was aerodynamically optimized for velocity, and his Blue Hurricane technique combined mobility with destructive force in a unique package that few opponents could handle before Goku's arrival on Namek.

Burter Ability Analysis

Burter's primary combat ability is his extraordinary speed, which far exceeded his power level would suggest. In the Dragon Ball universe, speed typically scales with power, but Burter appeared to be specifically optimized for velocity, suggesting his species naturally excelled in this area. His attack pattern relied on overwhelming opponents with strikes too fast to perceive, creating a barrage from all angles that even experienced fighters struggled to defend against. This speed made him a terrifying opponent for anyone below the elite tier.

His signature technique, Blue Hurricane, showcases his speed in a concentrated form. Burter spins at incredible rotational velocities, creating a cyclone that traps opponents and batters them with centrifugal force. This technique serves multiple tactical purposes: it can be used offensively to damage and disorient opponents, defensively to create space, or as a mobility tool to reposition during combat. The visual effect — a crackling blue vortex of energy — made it one of the most memorable techniques in the Namek arc.

Burter's partnership with Jeice formed the core of the Ginyu Force's tactical flexibility. The pair fought as a coordinated unit, with Burter using his speed to create openings and Jeice providing the finishing power with his Crusher Ball technique. This partnership compensated for Burter's relative lack of raw power — while his individual strikes were less damaging than Recoome's or Ginyu's, the speed at which he could deliver them made up for their individual weakness. Their combo attacks required precise timing and demonstrated the Ginyu Force's training as a cohesive unit rather than just five strong individuals.

Burter's critical weakness is the fragility of his speed-based identity. When facing an opponent who can match or exceed his velocity, his entire combat philosophy collapses. He has no backup plan for when speed fails, no secondary technique or strategy that compensates for being outrun. This psychological vulnerability was brutally exposed by Goku, whose superior speed reduced Burter to disbelief and helplessness. Additionally, his elongated body, while aerodynamically optimized for speed, may be more vulnerable to physical damage than more compact frames, and his lack of demonstrated energy techniques limits his tactical options against prepared opponents.

Best Build for Burter

In Dragon Ball video games where Burter is playable — primarily Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, the Budokai Tenkaichi series, and Dragon Ball Legends — the optimal build emphasizes his speed-based rushdown playstyle. Burter is a hit-and-run specialist who excels at closing distance quickly, landing rapid strikes, and retreating before opponents can counter. His playstyle rewards aggressive, relentless pressure and punishes defensive hesitation.

In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, prioritize equipping supers that enhance Burter's mobility and combo potential: Blue Hurricane (his signature spinning attack), Mach Dash (quick gap closer), and Soaring Fist (a fast strike move). His super soul should grant movement speed bonuses or reduce stamina costs for evasive maneuvers. Attribute allocation: 125 Basic Attack, 125 Ki, remainder in Stamina. Burter's damage comes from rapid physical strikes rather than powerful singular hits, making Basic Attack his most important stat.

For team compositions, Burter excels as a point character who establishes early pressure and builds meter through aggressive combos. His speed makes him an excellent opener who can test opponent reactions and identify weaknesses before the team's heavy hitters engage. Pair him with a power-based teammate like Recoome or Jeice who can capitalize on the openings Burter creates. Avoid pairing with other speed-focused characters as the team will lack finishing power. In 1v1 scenarios, Burter's speed gives him advantages against slower opponents, but he struggles against characters with counter-mechanics who can punish his predictable approach patterns.

Burter Strategy Guide

Mastering Burter requires embracing hyper-aggressive, never-stop-moving combat philosophy. Your primary objective is to control the pace of battle through superior speed, never giving your opponent a moment to breathe or establish their own game plan. Begin each engagement by closing distance instantly and launching a rapid flurry of attacks. Burter wins by overwhelming opponents before they can think — hesitation is death for your opponent, not for you.

On defense, Burter relies entirely on speed and evasion rather than blocking or countering. His elongated body has poor defensive properties, making blocking less effective than for compact characters. Instead, use his superior movement to avoid attacks entirely — dash-cancel, sidestep, and reposition constantly. When forced to defend, use evasive maneuvers to create distance and reset to neutral rather than attempting to block sustained pressure. A Burter who stops moving is a Burter who is about to lose.

Burter's offensive strategy is built around the Blue Hurricane loop. Use Blue Hurricane to close distance and trap opponents in the vortex, then cancel into a normal combo while they are disoriented. The knockdown from your combo sets up another Blue Hurricane approach, creating a sustained pressure loop that opponents struggle to escape. Mix between full Blue Hurricane approaches and dash-cancelled feints to keep opponents guessing about your timing and positioning.

In team scenarios, Burter functions as a disruption specialist who creates chaos and prevents opponents from establishing coordinated strategies. His speed allows him to switch targets rapidly, interfering with all enemy players rather than focusing on one. Coordinate with teammates to time your disruptive runs with their damage windows. Burter's role is to be everywhere at once, preventing the enemy team from executing their game plan while creating openings for his team's damage dealers.

Burter Matchup Analysis

Strong Against

Burter excels against slow, power-based characters who rely on landing single powerful hits. Characters like Recoome or Nappa, who have high damage output but limited mobility, cannot land their attacks against Burter's speed. He also performs well against characters who need time to set up their abilities, as his relentless pressure prevents them from establishing their game plan. In the series, Burter's speed was sufficient to dominate any opponent below the post-gravity-training threshold.

Weak Against

Burter is weakest against characters who can match or exceed his speed while maintaining superior power. Goku after his 100x gravity training is the definitive counter — an opponent who is faster, stronger, and more versatile. Characters with counter-mechanics that punish predictable approaches (like Hit's time-skip counter or Ultra Instinct's auto-dodge) present significant challenges. Defensive specialists who can weather Burter's initial assault and counter-attack during his recovery windows also exploit his fundamental weakness: his offense leaves him vulnerable between flurries.

Expert Tips for Burter

• Blue Hurricane as approach and escape. Blue Hurricane is not just an offensive tool — it can also be used to disengage. When pressure becomes too heavy, activate Blue Hurricane to create space and reposition. The technique's versatility makes it Burter's most valuable move in any situation.
• Speed is a resource, not a constant. Burter's speed-based moves consume stamina or ki. Manage these resources carefully — a Burter with no stamina is a Burter who cannot maintain pressure and becomes vulnerable to extended combos.
• Combo into team attacks. Burter's fast basic attacks build combo meter quickly. Use this to set up team-based ultimate attacks with Jeice or other Ginyu Force members. His speed makes him the ideal combo starter for team finishers.
• Feint to bait reactions. Use Burter's speed to create convincing feints. Dash toward an opponent aggressively, then cancel into a retreat when they commit to a counter-attack. Punish their whiffed attack with a true approach while they are recovering.
• Target switch rapidly. In team battles, Burter's speed allows him to target-switch faster than any other character. Use this to disorient opponents by attacking one, then instantly switching to another. The confusion this creates is more valuable than raw damage.

Burter FAQ