How Does Cell's Absorption Works?

[Let's Go Fearless!]

Does is multiply his strength or just a mere addition? His absorption through the Androids is not a mere addition at all but I'm curious about the others like him absorbing the humans?

 

[Papasmurf]

Piccolo could precisely calculate how much power he'd gain from the arm he absorbed so I assume it's just addition and the 100s of thousands of ppl made him like 3x stronger!!1! part is just AT's oversight due to forgetting power levels

 

[withheldforprivacy]

If it's mere addition, and going by my gaps, even absorbing the whole Earth's population,
cannot explain the difference between Ginger Cell and the Cell that fought 17/Kamiccolo.
Also, to absorb billions of humans, he'd need decades. However, i'm not against assuming
that Kamiccolo's energy would be a mere addition, because, obviously, that's how AT viewed
Cell's absorptions, he was just not thoughtful enough to calculate how many humans Cell
needed to absorb.

 

[Super Saiyan Overlord1007]

That's kind of hard to answer. Cell was getting thrown around by Piccolo in Ginger Town, absorbed a ton of people and was taking him and 17 at the same time and winning. Even broke Piccolo's neck with a single punch. As for Stage 2 Cell. I honestly add Cell and 17.

 

[SSJ2]

Think about how much power like 20 people were able to donate to the Genki Dama in Super. Perhaps Shello's absorption works the same, explaining the yuge power up.

 

[Evil Vegeta]

Cell did say he gained his great speed from #17, so that absorption was likely an addition.