You've finally pulled that shiny new LR. Your Dragon Stones are gone, your stamina is low, and now you’re staring at a Level 1 unit that needs to be combat-ready for the next Red Zone. Most players immediately dump a bucket of Turtle School Training Items or Z-Swords onto the card and call it a day. That’s fine for the base level. But if you actually want that unit to tank a 2-million damage Super Attack, you need Link Skills. That's where training in the clouds dokkan comes into play. It’s one of the oldest daily events in Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle, yet it remains arguably the most misunderstood tool in a veteran player's kit.
Honestly, the event is weirdly nostalgic. It features Mr. Popo, a character we rarely see in the meta these days, and it feels like a relic from the 2015 era of the game. But don't let the dated art fool you. While newer events like the Guru's Guidance limited-time stages offer massive bursts of Link Skill leveling, they aren't always available. Popo is there every single day. He’s the reliable, silent guardian of your unit’s power ceiling.
Why Training in the Clouds Still Matters in 2026
Back in the day, we ran this event just for the character XP. We were desperate for any way to hit Level 120 or 150 without burning through all our training locations. Today, character XP is a joke. You probably have 9,999 Platinum Turtle Shells sitting in your gift box. So, why bother clicking on "Training in the Clouds" every morning?
It's all about the hidden mechanics of Link Skill leveling.
Every time you clear a fight in this stage, you get a roll of the dice for your Link Skills to increase. Unlike the standard 15-2 or 28-3 quest stages that people normally farm for links, this event is a "guaranteed" daily boost. Well, "guaranteed" is a strong word in a game governed by RNG, but the rates here are significantly higher than your average story mode stage. It’s designed to be a low-effort, high-reward ritual. If you aren't doing it, you're leaving free stats on the table. Think about Big Bad Bosses. At Level 1, it provides +25% ATK & DEF when HP is 80% or below. At Level 10? That restriction vanishes. You get the boost regardless of your health. That is the difference between winning and losing in the late game.
The Mechanics of Mr. Popo’s Map
The map for training in the clouds dokkan isn't just a straight line. It's a small grid with multiple paths. You’ll see various Z-Awakening medals and training items scattered around. Honestly, most of those items are trash. You don't need another bronze Agility medal. What you’re looking for is the "Boss" encounter at the end.
The fight is trivial. You could probably sneeze on Mr. Popo and win. However, the game calculates Link Skill level-ups based on the "stamina cost" of the stage and a hidden multiplier assigned to specific events. Because this is a daily limited event, the multiplier is generous. You’re essentially getting the value of a 25-stamina run for just a handful of points.
The Link Leveling Myth
There is a common misconception that you should only bring your strongest teams into this event. That’s a massive waste. You should be curated a "Link Leveling Team" specifically for this.
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I usually keep a dedicated team slot labeled "Work in Progress." These are the units that are already at Link Level 7 or 8. Why? Because the jump from Level 9 to Level 10 is notoriously brutal. It’s a literal grindhouse. Using your daily training in the clouds dokkan run on units that are already at Level 10 is a cardinal sin of resource management.
- Swap out any unit that hits a "Gold" Link Level.
- Prioritize units with links like "Big Bad Bosses," "Royal Lineage," or "Majin" as these gain the most utility from hitting Level 10.
- Don't worry about type advantage; the boss has negligible health.
Sometimes, you’ll go five days without seeing a single link go up. That’s just Dokkan. Don't throw your phone. The math works out over the long haul. AKATSUKI (the developers) haven't officially released the exact percentage chances for link increases in this specific stage, but community testing on platforms like the Dokkan Subreddit and Discord suggests the "weight" of this stage is roughly equivalent to three standard Quest Mode runs.
Hidden Benefits You’re Overlooking
Beyond the links, there is the Incredible Gem aspect. Occasionally, you’ll see special tiles or drops that provide Treasure items. While the 2026 version of the Baba Shop is overflowing with stuff, you can never have enough Blue or Green gems for the Elder Kai resets.
Also, let’s talk about the support items. The event drops "Senryu" and other lower-tier items that you might think are useless. But in the current "Limited Item" missions for various Challenge events, having a deep inventory of "bad" items is actually a sneaky way to fulfill mission requirements without wasting your precious Whis or Icarus damage reduction items.
Comparing Popo to Guru and Turtles
Is Mr. Popo the best? No.
If the "Guru's Guidance" event is active, that is your priority. Guru has a much higher rate for Level 10 links. Similarly, the "Growth" events during major celebrations (like the Anniversary or Worldwide Chaos campaigns) usually offer a 7-times-per-week stage that blows training in the clouds dokkan out of the water.
But those events are seasonal. Popo is forever.
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It’s the "slow and steady" approach. If you play Dokkan like a sprint, you'll burn out or run out of stones. If you play it like a marathon—logging in, doing your daily training, hitting the Turtle School stage for Master Roshi’s Link Level growth—you’ll find that by the time the next difficult event drops, your entire box is Level 10 across the board.
Maximize Your Runs: A Quick Checklist
Stop auto-piloting the map. I see people just hitting the "Auto" button and letting the AI pick the path. The AI is programmed to go for the end of the stage as fast as possible. This is a mistake.
- Look for the Gold Capsules: Even if the items are dated, Gold Capsules can occasionally contain Supreme Kai or Elder Kai medals. They are rare in this stage, but they exist.
- Check your Link levels BEFORE entering: If you have a unit with six links at Level 10 and one at Level 9, pull them out. Put in a unit with zero Level 10 links. You want to maximize the "slots" available for an RNG proc.
- Stamina Efficiency: Use this event as a "buffer." If you have 10 stamina left and need to go to bed, Popo is the perfect sink.
The game has evolved significantly. We have "Auto-Battle" and "Auto-Map" now. But the core loop of Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle remains the same: preparation. A unit with Level 1 links is basically a different card than a unit with Level 10 links. The stat differences, especially for DEF-heavy teams like Terrifying Conquerors or Power Beyond Super Saiyan, can be upwards of 50,000 to 100,000 points of raw defense.
Common Questions About Training in the Clouds
Can I farm this multiple times a day?
No. It’s a hard limit of once per day. This is why it’s "precious" real estate for your units. Reset happens at the same time as your login bonus.
Does the difficulty matter?
Always run the highest difficulty available. The stamina cost is low enough that there is zero reason to run the lower tiers. Higher difficulty correlates directly with better Link Skill RNG.
Is it better than Quest Mode 31-4?
For a single run? Yes. For farming? No. You can't farm Popo. You use Popo to supplement your farming. Think of it as your daily vitamin, while Quest Mode is your actual meal.
Honestly, the best part of the event is that it takes about 45 seconds. In the time it takes for your coffee to brew, you’ve given your team a permanent power boost. It’s the easiest "win" in the game.
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Step-by-Step Optimization for Your Account
If you want to take your account seriously, you need a daily routine. Dokkan rewards consistency more than anything else.
First, identify your "carry" units. These are the ones you use in every team—the LR Gods, the New Year's DFE (Dokkan Festival Exclusive), or that one EZA (Extreme Z-Awakening) that just broke the game. Don't waste Popo on them if they are already halfway linked. Use the "Link Leveling" keys if you have them for those units.
Second, use training in the clouds dokkan for your "B-Tier" units. These are the specialized units you need for specific missions like "Special Pose" or "World Tournament" category leads. You don't want to spend hours farming Quest Mode for them, but you need them to be strong enough to survive their specific niche.
Lastly, pay attention to the "Effect" icons. Sometimes, Dokkan runs campaigns where daily growth events have "Double Link Level Rates." When that happens, Popo becomes the most important stage in the game. Do not skip it.
Your Next Steps for Peak Performance
Stop leaving your Link Skills to chance. Right now, open your character box and filter by "Link Level." Find five units that are sitting at Level 8 or 9. Form a team. Call it "Popo Squad."
Every day, the first thing you do—before you summon, before you check the news, before you vent about your bad luck on Twitter—is run that team through the clouds. It’s a 1-minute investment that pays dividends when you’re staring down a boss with three bars of health and no items left.
Once a unit hits all Level 10s, rotate them out immediately. No exceptions. Efficiency is the only way to beat the RNG. Keep that rotation moving, and by the time the next anniversary rolls around, you’ll have a box full of "Rainbow" Link levels ready for whatever power creep AKATSUKI throws at us next.
Go check your stamina. If you haven't visited Mr. Popo today, you're missing out on a stronger team. It’s that simple. Get in there, clear the stage, and get those links up.
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