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[Imperfected]

I do appreciate that despite being a surprisingly capable combatant in the show, Ex-Ser Friend Zone is relegated to the dregs due to just being generally unlikable.

Probably ranks lower than Lyanna Mormont just based on pure inertia of the fandom.

 

[Jarmel]

Jon literally wrecked Ramsay...

I'm thinking more of melee weapon skill. Ramsey at the end was trying to be cute and fire arrows. Should have used his duel wielding skill.

 

[Ocarina_117]

I imagine Cold Hands would be pretty OP.

The lone survivor of a band of heroes sent north to defeat the white walkers (if the most popular theory regarding his identity is true). Guy would have maxed his level long ago.

I believe he also killed the Nights Watch traitors at Craster's Keep single handedly.

Thoros and Jorah are decent shouts to, for their feats during the grey joy rebellion. Robert Baratheon also, more for his pure strength as opposed to finesse.

 

[jotun?]

Not a lot of Khal Drogo in here

It's like everyone's forgotten
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HqdSjdtPAQ

 

[pablito]

Yeah honestly Khal Drogo looked super scary the few seconds of fighting he did. If he wasn't stupid and died I have a feeling he'd give anyone a problem.

 

[darkwing-buck]

I think (show) Jon deserves to be in the top 5, his feats are too big to overlook. I mean he went toe to toe with a white walker!

 

[Coriolanus]

I think (show) Jon deserves to be in the top 5, his feats are too big to overlook. I mean he went toe to toe with a white walker!

So did samwell.

 

[jdstorm]

Ned Stark getting pretty underrated in this list. He might not be Tier 1 but he's definitely a high tier 2

As for the show. Power rankings are normally updated regularly so only living characters count. Also this list assumes that named characters are better then unnamed characters unless the unnamed are collectively viewed as supperior. IE Dothraki vs low level named Westerosi Knight. Also usually in game of thrones it goes Nickname (Arthur "Sword of the Morning" Dayne, Barriston "The Bold" Selmy, Jamie "Kingslayer" Lannister) > Named > Unnamed

1. Jaquen

A shadowy master assasin who runs the most deadly group on the planet. He's the Ras Al Ghul of GoTs

2.Jon Snow

The Bruce Wayne of GoTs. Jon and his trusty plot armor was arguably the best Sword in the Knights Watch when he got there. Since then he has fought off a knights watch betrayal, Defended the Wall from a large scale invasion (although this was more bow then sword), fought off a mix of wrights and walkers at hardhome and then almost singlehandedly beat Ramsey Bolton and Ser Twentygoodmen

3. Grey Worm

The Dothraki only respect combat prowess and Grey Worm is the best unsullied (Named > Unnamed) and likely the best of Dany's Dothraki. A child soilder shaped for killing and now in his prime, Grey Worm is also battle tested and proven.

4. Jorah Mormont

While a fringe upper tier knight before he left Westeros (once won a tournament) experience and desperation has been good for Jorah. He's not as fast as he used to be but he did win out in the Mereen fighting pits.

5. One Handed Jamie Lannister

Once in consideration for greatest swordsperson when he had 2 hands, Jamie still retains all of his footwork and intelect that took him that far. Jamie's off hand has also improved to the point where he can beat low level named opponents (Dorne) and now a Tyrell Army. He's no longer the best but he is still top tier.

6. Bronn

Beat the best knight from the erie in one on one combat, survived whispering wood, and the blackwater before riding into Dorne with Jamie Lannister and kicking ass. Generally seen as an equal with a one handed Jamie, but Jamie gets 5th on reputation.

6. Brienne

Was the best of Renly's kingsguard, defeated a malnourished handcuffed Jamie Lannister, fought the hound to a standstill and was given the points decision.

7. The Hound

Mostly ranked this highly because of his willingness to do things others wouldnt. Most notable accomplishments were fighting Brienne and The Mountain to a draw. So its only fair that he should be between them.

8. Robert Strong

Cersi's never as clever as she thinks she is, and reanimating Gregor The Mountain Clegaine while a good power move likely isn't as good as she thinks it is. Dead Robert Strong feels no pain but also lacks any inteligence. Therefore he is worse then a living Gregor Clegaine a swordsman who was handily beaten by The Red Viper and most notably beat Loras Tyrell (who had previously lost to Brienne)

9. Euron Greyjoy

Most notable achievement is beating a few sandsnakes who are giant jobbers. He might deserve to be higher but he hasn't proven anything yet.

TBD - Arya Stark

Had an impressive sparring session vs Brienne of Tarth and training with Syrio (I fought off multiple lannisters with a wooden sword) Forell and Jaquen for close to half a decade has made her an extremely polished fighter. Still Arya has proven nothing in actual combat yet.

 

[pablito]

So did samwell.

I recall Sam going Howland Reed on the white walker, not clashing blades with it.

 

[UnObtainium17]

1. Khal Drogo
2. Arthur Dayne - dude was like doing young MJ numbers vs Bird squad at the garden in a playoff game.
3. Viper - finesse on the highest level.
4. Arya - time will tell. On pace to be number 1.
5. Brienne
6. Jaime 2 hands
7. Jon - dude has survived how many combats by now? I lost count.

Not a big fan of hound or mountain.. if they were normal sized they'd be wrecked by those 7.

 

[Galang]

I'd definitely say Arya and Jaqen are at the top. Arya is unstoppable!

 

[TheRagnCajun]

Based on unfolding events that I've actually seen on the show I'd say Jon snow. He's seen the most action and lived to tell the tale. Guys like Arthur Dayne, Barriston Selmy and Jamie we can only go by legend - and tales have a way of being embellished.

 

[Kieli]

Based on unfolding events that I've actually seen on the show I'd say Jon snow. He's seen the most action and lived to tell the tale. Guys like Arthur Dayne, Barriston Selmy and Jamie we can only go by legend - and tales have a way of being embellished.

Barriston is by no means embellished. He's still kicking ass at age 61 in the fighting pits against the reigning champion.

 

[Romez]

Arya being heavily overrated because of a little sparring match, if it was serious Brienne would have destroyed her.

 

[Imperfected]

Arya being heavily overrated because of a little sparring match, if it was serious Brienne would have destroyed her.

Think about it this way: Podrick has been actively training with Brienne for basically the entire time Arya was ignoring 90% of what Jaqen told her and murdering her assistant tutor, plus a bit, and how much has he picked up?

Like I said earlier in the thread, she's a Shonen Protagonist wandered into Westeros. Give her two weeks and she'll probably have mastered using the Brienneo-Ken to turn herself six feet tall. Her heat is mostly based on the fact she's obviously not playing by the same narrative ruleset as everyone else, much like Jon "Jesus" Snow and his Plot Armor.

 

[Maxim726X]

The show made Barristan Selmy into a chump.

To this day one of my biggest complaints about the show.

 

[Coriolanus]

I recall Sam going Howland Reed on the white walker, not clashing blades with it.

Toe to toe.

Not his fault that the stupid thing opted to turn its back to him after shattering his blade.

1. Khal Drogo
2. Arthur Dayne - dude was like doing young MJ numbers vs Bird squad at the garden in a playoff game.
3. Viper - finesse on the highest level.
4. Arya - time will tell. On pace to be number 1.
5. Brienne
6. Jaime 2 hands
7. Jon - dude has survived how many combats by now? I lost count.

Not a big fan of hound or mountain.. if they were normal sized they'd be wrecked by those 7.

fwiw the Normal Sized argument should also apply to Drogo and Brienne.

 

[LordKasual]

If i had to guess, in 1v1 combat

0) Jaquen / Arya
- They're assassins. They are able to kill their enemies without them even knowing they were in danger in the first place. Thus, with prep time they could kill just about anyone on any of these lists, free.
- Arya's planning to kill Cersei. There's little reason to believe she couldn't manage to do it. She ended an entire bloodline ffs

1) Oberyn
- He fights with a spear. Immediate advantage over all these silly swordsmen
- A poison-tipped one at that, but it's clear that he didn't actually need it to finish Gregor off.
- He beat the mountain

2) Barriston / Jamie
- Because literally everyone in the show say they were both the realest shit when one wasn't dead and the other was whole.

3) Arya (forreal) / Brienne / The Hound
-Arya, purely for the element of surprise. I highly doubt anyone would think much of short little Arya and her shitty little needle. She plays coy, fight starts, she kills them in one stroke. 1v1 against an opponent who actually took her seriously, I doubt she'd fare as well, as seen by Brienne's ability to lay her flat on her ass with one kick.
-The Hound wasn't at full strength fighting Brienne, he was suffering from a festering wound by his neck. So I really don't know how to rate either of these two.
- If i had to actually split them for duels, i'd go Brienne / The Hound / Arya.

4) The Mountain
- Because nobody else in the show probably could have dealt with him, to be honest.

5) Jon Snow
- Because nobody has actually managed to kill him in combat

Not a lot of Khal Drogo in here

Probably because technically, that guy killed him.

Shit like that is how smarter characters would end up undoing him, even if Drogo is one of the best fighters on these lists skill wise.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

Jaqen H'ghar is the one distingtivelly really high level human in the show, everyone else is within mortal standards. Even zombie Mountain is probably not better than living mountain.
The night King may be above Jaqen notheless.

 

[Decado]

Jon has to be above Bronn. The Hound seems more skilled than Bronn. I love Bronn too.

Why? He hasn't done much. I'd put Bron easily above Jon.

 

[Imperfected]

Drogo probably would have gotten sniped by a random arrow in a large-scale battle since he wasn't super keen on shirts.

 

[old]

Team Arya takes the trophy.

 

[DrForester]

Arya being heavily overrated because of a little sparring match, if it was serious Brienne would have destroyed her.

Seriously. People look too much into it. Briene, even when she started being more serious, was still just playing with her. She kicked her down and just waits for her to recover.

Arya is very skilled as a ninja, but her skill is surprise. Both in her small stature, and in her stealth.

 

[Hyun Sai]

1. Khal Drogo
2. Arthur Dayne - dude was like doing young MJ numbers vs Bird squad at the garden in a playoff game.
3. Viper - finesse on the highest level.
4. Arya - time will tell. On pace to be number 1.
5. Brienne
6. Jaime 2 hands
7. Jon - dude has survived how many combats by now? I lost count.

Not a big fan of hound or mountain.. if they were normal sized they'd be wrecked by those 7.

Gwendoline Christie / Brienne is 6 pi 3 po. She is around The Hound size. She is out of the list too then ?

 

[cubicle47b]

GRRM said Arthur Dayne beats Barriston Selmy if he wields Dawn and that it is a draw if they're equally armed. I don't know that anyone's accomplishments match Selmy's.

 

[Lulubop]

Ned said that Dayne was the GOAT according to Bran.

 

[Kallor]

Show Jamie is a joke. In his fight with Brienne he reminded me of palpatine during his fight with Windu, stabbing his sword around like a clueless fool. In the books he keeps up with her despite months of malnutrition and being chained during the fight. He does note that she is stronger than him tho (I think he even says shes stronger than Robert and others as well..)

He was also about to get bodied by Ned in his fight on the show until one of his soldier stabs Ned. Show Jamie is a Joke

Alive on the show :

0) Undead Gregor. Whos going to beat this dude? I'm not even going to count him.

1) Jon Snow . I think he has the Will and Skill to best pretty much anyone in Westeros right now (max level plot armor too). Can't wait for Jon and Jamie to meet again after the way Jamie shat on him in their first meeting.

2) Brienne

3 ) The Hound

4) Euron (The dude did defeat lots of bad pussy)

5) Bronn

6) Arya (so fuckin OP)

Cannon book lore :

1) Arthur Dayne

2 ) Barristan Selmy

3) Drogo

4) Robert

5) Rhaegar

6) Jamie

7) Oberyn

8) Brienne

9) The Mountain

10) The Hound

I don't even know If Jon would crack the top 20 (alive) in the books.

 

[Momentary]

Arthur Dayne is number one in the show and the books.

 

[hendersonhank]

Barriston is by no means embellished. He's still kicking ass at age 61 in the fighting pits against the reigning champion.

He wasn't in the fighting pits. He fought the guy in a bedroom and hallway, where the pit fighter's weapon size worked against him. The guy was also naked or close to it while Barristan was fully armored iirc.

 

[kaname-san]

Arya's teacher.

1. Jaqen
2. Arya
3. Dothraki # 345
4. Dothraki # 454
5. Dothraki # 2385

Arya had 2 teachers. I don't see how either one could be #1 though. Syrio got bodied and Jaqen got captured by a bunch of noobs.

 

[Psychoward]

Well the show kinda fucked with their power levels since brienne beat the hound, Selmy died like a chump and euron and ramsay were near invulnerable so

 

[HarryKS]

I really like power rankings threads. We should get more of those. Kudos.

Numero uno that guy with the two swords who got backstabbed, or Rhaegar.

 

[Phased]

I really like power rankings threads. We should get more of those. Kudos.

Numero uno that guy with the two swords who got backstabbed, or Rhaegar.

He was only in the show for a millisecond and is only talked about in past tense in the books, but it's hands down Arthur Dayne.

Ned is a very good swordsman and he fights Jaime, also a good swordsman, to basically a standstill until he gets speared in the leg.

Arthur Dayne schools Ned and literally everyone else Ned brought in a fight quite badly and the only reason he lost is he got stabbed in the back, it isn't even a contest. Not to mention Jaime even admits he isn't as good as Dayne was.

 

[Lulubop]

He was only in the show for a millisecond and is only talked about in past tense in the books, but it's hands down Arthur Dayne.

Ned is a very good swordsman and he fights Jaime, also a good swordsman, to basically a standstill until he gets speared in the leg.

Arthur Dayne schools Ned and literally everyone else Ned brought in a fight quite badly and the only reason he lost is he got stabbed in the back, it isn't even a contest. Not to mention Jaime even admits he isn't as good as Dayne was.

In the flash back Bran tells use that Ned considered Dayne the GOAT

 

[zeshakag]

I'm glad Barristan gets mad props in the books. He was my favorite character of S1 of the show.

 

[Bounceounce]

If we're going by the word of God then according to Grrm, Arthur Dayne is the definitive greatest of all time.

I'm suprised at the lack of Garlan Tyrell mentions.
Also Victarion Greyjoy has to be somewhere up there and just wait until Darkstar steals Dawn in TWOW, he'll be shooting up the rankings.

 

[Ratrat]

Isnt Loras supposed to be up there? He's a young Jaime.

 

[Bounceounce]

Isnt Loras supposed to be up there? He's a young Jaime.

Loras is skilled, but he's more of a young Jaime in terms of personality/emotions rather than in terms of raw skill, Loras's niche is the joust.
Garlan is the Tyrell to watch.

 

[Ratrat]

Loras is skilled, but he's more of a young Jaime in terms of personality/emotions rather than in terms of raw skill, Loras's niche is the joust.
Garlan is the Tyrell to watch.

The only thing I remember is that he isn't as handsome. Clearly the worst brother.

 

[QuantumZebra]

Arya just showed she could probably kill her at will.

Just watched the new episode

Spoiler

Arya can kill anyone in the Seven Kingdoms

except I guess possibly Jaqen

Yea if we're talking book and show though Dayne is typically the GOAT.

I have no idea who Gerold is though. I only got to A Dance With Dragons.

 

[Kard8p3]

Arya had 2 teachers. I don't see how either one could be #1 though. Syrio got bodied and Jaqen got captured by a bunch of noobs.

To be fair about Syrio, he only had a wooden sword, but in the books he did a fuck ton of damage with it (I went back and looked at a synopsis of that chapter, and apparently he's surrounded by several dead or dying men), not just knocking them out with it as in the show. He was also the first sword of Braavos, though I'll admit that's more than just swordsmanship, according to him.

But yeah, I also agree with the earlier sentiment about drogo needing more love.

 

[Nameless]

These "Jon hasn't done much" posts are hilarious especially when they go on to list people who've done way less.

-Beat a fookin legend in Tanner and several mutineers
-Single handedly changed swung the courtyard fight in the Battle for The Wall, killing Styr in the process

-Ran into a sea of wights at Hardhome, took down a White Walker with a clean fucking parry

-stacked countless bodies in the Bastard Bowl

He's not up there with the Daynes or Barristans of the world yet, especially in the wider lore, but he why would be this early in his career? His legend is growing, though. Easily top 5 we've seen on the show.

 

[HarryKS]

Khal Drogo deserves a shout.

 

[TheTurboFD]

These "Jon hasn't done much" posts are hilarious especially when they go on to list people who've done way less.

-Beat a fookin legend in Tanner and several mutineers
-Single handedly changed swung the courtyard fight in the Battle for The Wall, killing Styr in the process

-Ran into a sea of wights at Hardhome, took down a White Walker with a clean fucking parry

-stacked countless bodies in the Bastard Bowl

He's not up there with the Daynes or Barristans of the world yet, especially in the wider lore, but he why would be this early in his career? His legend is growing, though. Easily top 5 we've seen on the show.

I agree with this

 

[AlphaDragoon]

Yeah, Jon is legit. With more time he'll definitely be on legendary status.

As of now, Arthur and Barristan are the GOAT swordsmen of the series.

 

[pretty done]

Arthur Dayne is #1

If you say anyone else you're just ignit. Alive it has to be King Snow.

 

[zer0das]

My highly biased opinion (going with warriors, not pure swordsmen):

1. Meera Reed-

Spoiler

she took out a whitewalker while helping deal with that jobber Bran's dead weight. She also managed to be the only party member Bran didn't get killed. I'd like to see anyone else in the Westeros or Essos do that. She also had the mental fortitude to not beat the crap out of Bran when he just sat there staring blankly when she was saying goodbye.

2. The Hound- tenacious veteran. He got burned in the face as a kid. He got his ear bit off. He got kicked off a cliff and left for dead. Short while later? Hacking through the brotherhood deserters like it isn't a thing. He's got an inexorable rage that's hard to quantify.
3. Bronn- he's not exactly the best at anything, but he'll find a way with dirty tricks. And he's a jack of all trades.
4. Oberyn- if he wasn't drunk on the desire to get revenge he'd probably beat anyone.
5. Howland Reed- he's like an older version of Bronn, and he gets bonus points for raising the greatest daughter ever.

Yeah, I'm a Reed stan.

 

[Obliterator]

I think (show) Jon deserves to be in the top 5, his feats are too big to overlook. I mean he went toe to toe with a white walker!

People are overlooking him "because reasons" but again if you are a show watcher only there is no one you can put above Jon.

Oberyn? Cool beat the Mountain. How many war scenes have we seen with the Mountain. Or with The Hound? Or with Arya? Or Jamie? Or with any of these "amazing warriors"

The only person you see on the show consistently in massive battles wrecking and killing people is Jon Snow.

 

[neurosisxeno]

The only negative I have to add to Jon's accolades, is that he was often fighting Wildlings--not well trained in combat--and in very chaotic scenarios where he just outlasted his opponents (Bastard Bowl, although he wrecked Ramses). In Hardholm he was at a huge advantage by virtue of having a Valaryian Steel Sword, which is why the White Walker he blocks is confused--you see their ice swords slice right through standard weapons earlier in the battle. The White Walkers are manageable if you have the right tools.

Jon is undeniably a badass, but he hasn't fought any well trained battle hardened warriors south of the wall. He took on Ramses, but that's about it. Most of the Northerners he fought in the Bastard Bowl were foot soldiers. By comparison even in the show it's mentioned Jaime took down like 5 well trained lords before being captured when Robb Stark ambushed him.

 

[JimiNutz]

The most powerful swordsman/warrior in the Game of Thrones universe is whomever the writers decide is the most powerful swordsman/warrior in the Game of Thrones universe for that particular scene/episode.

In all fairness that's probably a pretty accurate way to do it. There are so many variables in a fight thay the strongest fighter doesn't always win. You only have to spend a few years watching MMA to realise that anything can happen in a fight and the favourite or most talented fighters often lose.