Neo Tri-Beam

Directory: Techniques → Offensive Techniques → Energy wave barrages

Neo Tri-Beam (新気功砲, Shin Kikōhō, lit. "New Qigong Cannon") is a significantly more powerful version of the Tri-Beam used by Tien Shinhan.

Overview

First, Tien puts his hands together by the tips of his fingers and thumbs, then he opens them up and zooms in on the target through the "triangle" in between his hands. Once he gathers enough energy, he shouts "Tri-Beam, ha!" and fires Tri-Beams at the opponent while repeating "ha!" multiple times, how many depending on how much he repeats the attack. However, the major drawback of the technique, as with the original, is that it drains Tien's life force, greatly harming and being able to kill him with repeated use. The attack does damage 100x greater than the user's own power.

Usage and Power

Neo Tri Beam — Tien firing the Neo Tri-Beam

Tien used this attack to stall Cell in his Semi-Perfect form so Android 18 could escape with an injured Android 16. Although Cell was leagues ahead in strength and the Neo Tri-Beam did not inflict any real damage, Cell was unable to escape the repeated attacks and kept getting blasted deeper into the crater. However, overusing the Neo Tri-Beam took a toll on Tien and he eventually collapsed from exhaustion. Before Cell could kill Tien, Goku appeared using Instant Transmission and took the unconscious Tien and Piccolo back to The Lookout to recover.

Tien used this technique during the Tournament of Power against The Preecho, successfully knocking him out of the arena.

Variations

Z-Assist Neo Tri-Beam - A variation of the Neo Tri-Beam used by the Future Warrior in Dragon Ball Xenoverse when performing the technique while Tien Shinhan is their current Master. The Z-Assist causes Tien's soul (which appears as an astral projection of Tien performing the technique) to go into the Future Warrior's body while they're performing it, increasing the power of the Warrior's Neo Tri-Beam.^[8]
DUAL Neo Tri-Beam - Tien's Dual Ultimate Skill in Xenoverse 2 which was developed by Tien as a team attack for himself and the Future Warrior. Two users combine their Neo Tri-Beams into a single blast to increase its power.^[6]
Ultra Tri-Beam - An even stronger version of Neo Tri-Beam that appears as one of Tiencha's special moves in Dragon Ball Fusions.

Video Game Appearances

Tri-Beam Zenkai Royale — Tien using the Neo Tri-Beam in *Zenkai Battle Royale*

The Neo Tri-Beam also appears named Converging Beam in Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 and named Neo Ki Blast Cannon the Budokai series. It is named Neo Tri-Beam in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, where it is Tien's Ultimate Blast; in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi, it appears as a larger version of the Tri-Beam in energy wave form, but this is changed in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, Budokai Tenkaichi 3, and Tenkaichi Tag Team. It is a support attack in Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2; Tien appears above the battlefield and repeatedly strikes downwards, which can easily turn the battle in the user's favor if the technique hits. Neo Tri-Beam is also one of Tien's super attacks in Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans, Raging Blast series, Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi, Dragon Ball: Zenkai Battle Royale, Dragon Ball Z For Kinect, and Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z.

Tien uses the move as his Ultimate skill in Dragon Ball Xenoverse, and can teach it to the Future Warrior if he is selected as their master in DLC pack 1. Rather than health or ki, the attack drains stamina, and can be repeatedly used to track and destroy a target.

In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, the Future Warrior can learn the technique from Tien by completing School Quest: "Lesson 3" of Tien's Training.

"An Ultimate Attack requires the ultimate partner! Attack as a pair with a Neo Tri-Beam."
— Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 Dual Ultimate Skill description

After the 1.09.00 Update, it can be added to Yamcha's custom skillset after purchasing it for 15 TP Medals in Partner Customization. Additionally there is also a Dual Ultimate version which the Future Warrior can learn from Tien after reaching maximum friendship with him then speak to him which will unlock the DUAL Neo Tri-Beam team attack. Both Neo-Tri Beam and DUAL Neo Tri-Beam are automatically available for Tien's custom skillset.^[6]

In Dragon Ball Fusions, Neo Tri Beam appears as a Special Move used by Tien and several other characters, including Tien and Yamcha's fusion Tiencha who inherits the technique from Tien.

In Dragon Ball FighterZ, it once again appears as one of Tien's most powerful attacks; while it costs three bars of ki initially, it is nowhere near as powerful as the other 3-bar moves unless the user is willing to continue the attack with successive blasts in which case each blast becomes significantly more powerful. Doing so expends an additional bar of ki as well as 20% of Tien's health that is not recoverable, but substantially increases the move's damage making it one of the most devestatingly powerful moves in the entire game. Thus, although it can be used to end combos, it should only be used if the maximum amount of firepower is required to finish off the opponent; otherwise, using Farewell, Mr. Tien is a much more viable 3-bar ender to combos.

Trivia

Although the Neo Tri-Beam did not inflict any "real damage" on Semi-Perfect Cell, it is still shown (this is much more evident in the manga) that the attack did more than just push him down. Based on Cell's facial expressions and way he was thrown around, plus the fact that he had burn marks all over his body when he came up from the crater, indicates that Cell at least suffered some form of minor damage, even though the maneuver did not weaken him per se.