Was Piccolo stronger than Vegeta after fusing with nail?

In Dragon Ball Z, the fusion between Piccolo and Nail is a significant event that boosts Piccolo’s power considerably, but the question of whether Piccolo was stronger than Vegeta after the fusion requires some analysis of their abilities and the context of their battle.

The Fusion with Nail:

When Piccolo fuses with Nail on Namek, his power increases dramatically. Nail, a Namekian warrior, was already quite strong, being one of the few survivors on the planet after Frieza’s attack. However, Piccolo's power was not at the level of someone like Vegeta at this point in the story.

Before the fusion, Piccolo was already a formidable fighter, but after merging with Nail, his strength is significantly enhanced. This fusion provides Piccolo with not only an increase in physical strength but also new techniques and wisdom passed down from Nail, which makes him an even more well-rounded fighter.

Vegeta’s Strength at the Time:

At the time of Piccolo's fusion with Nail, Vegeta was significantly stronger. After the events on Earth, Vegeta had trained and fought fiercely during the Saiyan Saga, which made him a powerful opponent. During the Namek Saga, Vegeta was much stronger than most of the Z Fighters, including Krillin and Gohan, who were struggling to fight against Frieza’s forces.

By the time Vegeta faces off against Frieza, he has already ascended to a higher level of strength, and he is still growing. While Vegeta wasn’t at his full strength yet, he was certainly stronger than Piccolo pre-fusion, and the fusion with Nail only increased Piccolo’s fighting capabilities to a level where he could hold his own, but not surpass Vegeta.

Who Was Stronger After the Fusion?

Even after the fusion, Piccolo was still not quite at Vegeta’s level of power. Here’s why:

1. Vegeta's Saiyan Potential: Vegeta, being a Saiyan, has incredible growth potential. Saiyans grow stronger after each battle, especially if they survive near-death experiences. Vegeta was also constantly pushing his limits, and his Zenkai boost (the ability to become stronger after recovering from near-fatal injuries) made him a continual threat.

2. Piccolo's Power Boost from Nail Fusion: While Piccolo's power did grow immensely after merging with Nail, this boost wasn’t enough to put him above Vegeta in terms of raw power. Piccolo was still far behind Vegeta, who had more training and battle experience than Piccolo at the time. Although Piccolo became stronger, Vegeta's base strength and battle experience were still superior.

3. Vegeta’s Battle Experience: Vegeta’s battle experience as a Saiyan prince made him a more instinctive and ruthless fighter. He had fought many powerful enemies, including the Z Fighters, and had seen first-hand the kinds of techniques and strategies used by various opponents, which made him more effective in battle than Piccolo, despite the Namekian’s fusion.

4. Vegeta’s Final Form (Post-Fusion): After the fusion with Nail, Piccolo is indeed stronger than many of the Z Fighters, including Krillin and Gohan. However, Vegeta was still more powerful due to his superior strength and his Super Saiyan potential, which he would soon unlock after the death of Krillin at the hands of Frieza.

Conclusion:

While Piccolo’s fusion with Nail boosted his strength significantly, Vegeta was still stronger overall. The fusion put Piccolo on a higher level, making him one of the strongest characters on Namek, but Vegeta’s Saiyan heritage and potential for growth allowed him to maintain his superiority in terms of raw power. Ultimately, while Piccolo’s fusion with Nail made him an extremely capable fighter, Vegeta’s strength at the time was still superior.

This dynamic would change over time, with Piccolo continuing to grow and improve, but in this particular battle, Vegeta remained the stronger of the two.