This post is about the original Dragon Ball (not Z, GT, or Super). Here are lists of the Top 10 Strongest fighters on Earth at the beginning of the series (Pilaf Saga) versus the end of the series (Piccolo Junior Saga).

NOTE: These lists are in order from the strongest to the weaker.

I did not include Tien and Chiaotzu on the first list because we do not know how strong they were three or more years before the 22nd World Tournament. Chiaotzu was also too weak to be in any Top 10 Strongest list (I'd rank him below Chappa, who actually is a very strong Human).

Top 10 Strongest on Earth during the Pilaf Saga:

1. Kami (the strongest)

2. Mr. Popo

3. Korin

4. Mercenary Tao

5. Master Roshi

6. Spike the Devil-Man

7. Bandages the Mummy Man

8. General Blue

9. Goku

10. Yamcha

NOTES: Roshi in the Pilaf and World Tournament Sagas was significantly weaker than he was during the Tien Shinhan and King Piccolo Sagas. I state this because he was equal to Goku at the 21st World Tournament and nearly lost, sustaining damage, but he had done well against Tien in the 22nd World Tournament. Roshi trained before the 22nd World Tournament because he had said Goku surpassed him by training with Korin. This is also why I put Tao above Pilaf Saga Roshi.

See-Through the Invisible Man doesn't even make it in the Top 10 because he was actually very weak. Yamcha had trained for a month before the 21st World Tournament in the wilderness on his own, barely becoming stronger than he had been in the Pilaf Saga. See-Through's only advantage was his invisibility. Without this, he had been easily defeated by Yamcha.

General Blue is the only Superhuman member of the Red Ribbon Army and I won't count androids like Eighter and Metallitron. Colonel Silver and General White are Olympic level athletes at best. Ninja Murasaki is just a normal Human who has a few special abilities and ninja skills.

Top 10 Strongest on Earth during the Piccolo Junior Saga:

1. Goku and Piccolo (on par)

2. Kami

3. Mr. Popo

4. Tien Shinhan

5. Krillin

6. Yamcha

7. Master Roshi

8. Mercenary Tao

9. Master Shen

10. King Chappa

Basically agree with this although I would place Tao above Korin, and I would probably replace Chappa with Chiaotzu on the second list.

Although if you think about it Majin Buu was technically on Earth the whole time so he should really be number one. Lol.

@axolyte: Roshi should still be in the top 3. His buff form puts him arguably above everyone, and even without it he was holding back on Goku.

Beginning of dragon ball

1.Kami

2.Popo

3. Roshi

4. Korin (could be bellow Tao or Shen)

5. Shen

6. Tao

7. Spike

8. Mummy

9. Android 8 (could be higher)

10. Blue

23rd

1. Goku

2. Piccolo

3. Kami

4. Popo

5. Tien

6. Roshi

7. Krillin

8. Yamcha

9. Tao

10. Shen or Korin

Beginning of Series

1. Kami

2. Mr. Popo

3. King Chappa

4. Tao Pai Pai

5. Akkuman

6. Mummy-kun

7. Eighter

8. Muten Roshi

9. General Blue

10. Nam

End of Series

1. Goku

2. Piccolo

3. Kami

4. Mr. Popo

5. Tien

6. Krillin

7. Yamcha

8. Tao Pai Pai

9. Chi-Chi

10. Yajirobe

Why do you put Roshi below Eighter? Also Son Gohan was the most powerful of Baba's fighters and he should be on par with Roshi, which would put him abobe mummy and spike

@rukelnikovftw: @axolyte: @DBZAOTA482: @alextheboss:

Beginning of Dragon Ball:

1. (Arale)
   Kami (god)
2. Mr Popo
3. (king piccolo sealed)
   Karin
4. Tao pai pai
5. Crane hermit
6. Master Roshi
7. King chappa
8. Akkuman
9. Bora
10. (Android 8 android)
    Mummy-man

If you are counting sealed King Piccolo, shouldn't you also count sealed Majin Boo??

@apex_pretador: Roshi should be above Tao and Crane with his buff form. Tbh I think he is above even without it but that's debatable. I feel he was holding back on Goku just like Beerus was. Both seemed to be using a lot of power, but they were retconned to be stronger later. I know he trained, but Roshi was confirmed greater than Gohan, and Gohan was stronger than Tao. Also had no intention of killing Goku so he was holding back in the tournament compared to Tao who was going for the kill.

@apex_pretador: why are bora and chappa above android 8 and bandages? They aren't exactly superhuman.

@alextheboss:

Tbh I think he is above even without it but that's debatable.

I don't think it is even debatable. Roshi had trouble keeping up with the movements with Mummy-Man. Tao was far superior to mummy man..

I feel he was holding back on Goku

I also feel like that. He went all out against moon. Then he went all out against goku with whatever little energy he had left.

just like Beerus was.

No, beerus wanted a good fight, that's why he held back. Roshi probably held back due to not wanting to kill goku.

Both seemed to be using a lot of power, but they were retconned to be stronger later.

I never thought Roshi's power was retconned.

I know he trained, but Roshi was confirmed greater than Gohan,

Roshi was never confirmed to be stronger than Goahn pre training.

and Gohan was stronger than Tao

No he wasn't. Tao actually harmed Goku, while Gohan didn't. He was only able to keep up with Goku briefly because he knew goku better than goku himself.

Bora was implied to be around or above the Goku who fought Tao pai pai. Tao said he is well trained and took him seriously.

Chappa has no feats, but he took several hits from goku and wasn't even KO'd. By implication and hype, he should be above most characters.

8 could be argued to be above Bora, but not mummy-man, who I see below 21st TB goku.

I'm not counting sealed piccolo.

@apex_pretador:

I don't think it is even debatable. Roshi had trouble keeping up with the movements with Mummy-Man. Tao was far superior to mummy man..

When was he having trouble keeping up with mummy man? I only remember him having trouble seeing Goku when he one shotted devil man.

I also feel like that. He went all out against moon. Then he went all out against goku with whatever little energy he had left.

Ya I agree with that, but after busting the moon he had so little energy he couldn't even fire a kamehameha anymore while Goku could, yet Roshi still won. He used his size to win, but that also means in his even more exhausted state he was still about equal to Goku in that last kick.

No, beerus wanted a good fight, that's why he held back. Roshi probably held back due to not wanting to kill goku.

Ya. I didn't mean the reason for holding back. I just meant he was holding back like Beerus.

I never thought Roshi's power was retconned.

Well I wouldn't say retconned, just more like revealed Roshi was stronger than he seemed before. RoF kind of seemed like a retcon though.

Roshi was never confirmed to be stronger than Goahn pre training.

In the 21st tournament Roshi said he beat Gohan with his lightning attack. That means 21st Roshi could beat Gohan, at least with the lightning attack.

No he wasn't. Tao actually harmed Goku, while Gohan didn't. He was only able to keep up with Goku briefly because he knew goku better than goku himself.

I don't remember Tao harming post tower Goku.

But... its in your list , unless parenthesis mean something else??

I left him out because Gohan is dead.

Chapa went an entire Tenkaichi Budokai untouched and can move so fast he gives the illusion of having 8 arms

Oh shit, forgot all about Crane Master. Dunno where he fits in the beginning of the series.

That doesn't answer explain why is Roshi below Mummy and Akkuman

Roshi >= Gohan > Akkuman > Mummy

I believe that Roshi at the 22nd World Tournament was stronger than he was at the 21st World Tournament. Also, I think Chappa was stronger than Chiaotzu during Dragon Ball because Roshi was really surprised when Goku beat him. Roshi also began to think Goku had surpassed him after that, which means that Chappa probably gave Roshi a bit of trouble in the past.