Of the Blademasters, who are the top 5?

[Hand of the Creator]

We know that Lan is 1, and that Rand is/was 2, but what about 3,4, and 5?

[Noreallyjustsomeguy]

Like him or not, Gawyn is apparently the baddest thing with a sword these days.  He seems to eat blademasters for breakfast.  Blademaster Sleete could hold his own with Lan, and Gawyn repeatedly, routinely trounced him in two-on-ones with Marlesh.  If I had to lay money on a Lan/Gawyn fight ... I would reluctantly come down on Lan by a hair, only because he is more clear on what he is fighting for than Gawyn.  Rand is (and always was) too emotional, even in the void, and Galad is too worried about niceties (and frankly isn't as good as Gawyn), and everyone else in the conversation is a good step below those.

 

So, if I HAVE to pick (keeping in mind that rankings like these are silly, and if these guys were to fight, chance and circumstance would play as much of a role as skill)

 

1. Lan

1a. Gawyn

3. Rand

3a. Galad

5. Tam, just for kicks

 

But of course ... Jearom, number 0.5!

 

And Mat with his ashandarei: death incarnate.  You can't beat lucky.

 

P.S. - Of course, one-handed Rand drops out of the list ...

[Luckers]

It's either Sheriam or one of her coterie that is cited in KoD for being one of the best Gaiden with the sword.

[Noreallyjustsomeguy]

Having read that sentence a few times now, it seems like it says that Sheriam is cited as one of the Gaidin, which I'm pretty sure is not what you meant.  Sheriam has (or rather, had) only one Warder, Arinvar, who I don't think is in this conversation.  If by "her coterie" you mean the Salidar Six, then:

 

Carlinya has no Warder

 

Anaiya and her Warder Setgana are dead

 

Myrelle's (acknowledged) Warders are Croi, Avar, and Nuhel

 

Beonin's is Tervail

 

Morvrin's is Jori.

 

Siuan Sanche thinks to herself in KoD ch 1 that Morvrin's Jori is "Supposedly ... among the best of the Warders with a blade."  Hardly a ringing, unequivocal avowal of his ultimate supremacy.  ;)

[Luckers]

Yet still a destinction that has never been thought about for Lan.

[makaveli422]

But we do know he has fought six men and lived. Barley. But he lived. What do we know about Jori besides the Siuan Sanche comment?

[Demiandre]

But we do know he has fought six men and lived. Barley. But he lived. What do we know about Jori besides the Siuan Sanche comment?

 

Isn't sleete the Warder that was badly injured in Dumai Well, that went away losing blood, setting for healing in a village and defeated a brigant crew half injured before coming back to his Aes Sedai?

 

I find this a better proof of goodness than Jori supposedly bestness as a warder, for which we only have comments.

 

And Rand is first in my opinion. He just has to bafire them all hahaha!! Post VoG, however, I'd say its Gawyn first, Galad then, And Lan/Sleete and finally maybe Bryne with his new bond...

[RembrandtQ.Einstein]

How exactly is Gawyn better than Galad? Galad was always superior back in their training days. Even later in the books Galad fights Valda and claims his heron blade.

 

In truth I'd put Galad over Gawyn.

[Demiandre]

How exactly is Gawyn better than Galad? Galad was always superior back in their training days. Even later in the books Galad fights Valda and claims his heron blade.

 

In truth I'd put Galad over Gawyn.

 

We indeed see in Samara, in the Tower, in his fight against Valda that Galad is an awesome blademaster. He dances as he strike, he is fast, and the rest.

 

However, when you look closely, Gawyn never went on the foreground because of his dept toward Galad for why-did-he-do-that saving his life twice. He stayed behind, somewhat hidden. But since the Coup, he managed to fight himself quite a good place as blademaster. Killing Hammar, defeating Slerte and Marsch in training, and Bryne describe him as having a gift with swords. So I'll think he is better in power, but Galad is cooler.

[Luckers]

But we do know he has fought six men and lived. Barley. But he lived. What do we know about Jori besides the Siuan Sanche comment?

 

No, but we do know Ryne was better than Lan at that point, so clearly to top of the top of blademasters is better than that.

 

We're all making assumptions that characters we know and love must be at the top of that list, but its not so. Maybe Jori would take Gawyn apart without breathing heavy. Maybe Bobo the swordsman of Amadicia could take Lan, Gawyn and Galad at the same time.

[Tiinker]

Isn't Matt clasified as a Blademaster? Its "Blade"master not "Sword"master so i think the spear still counts.. plus he crushed Gawyn and Galad together right after his healing

[Jon Paul]

I believe that Jordan has said Lan is the #1 Blademaster and confirmed, at least before he lost his second hand, that Rand was #2.

 

But after that, it really is up in the air.  Ituralde is a Blademaster, I think Bashere is a blasemaster and that doesn't take into account the Blademasters who have come with the Ever Victorious Army.  I would like to put Galad at #3 but I could not say for sure.

[RembrandtQ.Einstein]

How exactly is Gawyn better than Galad? Galad was always superior back in their training days. Even later in the books Galad fights Valda and claims his heron blade.

 

In truth I'd put Galad over Gawyn.

 

We indeed see in Samara, in the Tower, in his fight against Valda that Galad is an awesome blademaster. He dances as he strike, he is fast, and the rest.

 

However, when you look closely, Gawyn never went on the foreground because of his dept toward Galad for why-did-he-do-that saving his life twice. He stayed behind, somewhat hidden. But since the Coup, he managed to fight himself quite a good place as blademaster. Killing Hammar, defeating Slerte and Marsch in training, and Bryne describe him as having a gift with swords. So I'll think he is better in power, but Galad is cooler.

 

 

Does Gawyn have a heron-marked blade though?

[Jon Paul]

Does Gawyn have a heron-marked blade though?

 

Lan doesn't.  That really says a lot about the naure of Malkier.  The sword of thier King is a sword of a lowly soldier (Heron being the mark given officers in the Age of Legends).

[Luckers]

I believe that Jordan has said Lan is the #1 Blademaster and confirmed, at least before he lost his second hand, that Rand was #2.

 

Forgive me if I'm wrong--I'm at work and cannot access the interview database--but wasn't it RJ's nephew that said that? James Oliver Rigney the third?

[Thor]

None of them stand a chance against Mat's dad anyways if he gets a shot at them with his bow.

[Jon Paul]

Forgive me if I'm wrong--I'm at work and cannot access the interview database--but wasn't it RJ's nephew that said that? James Oliver Rigney the third?

 

It may actually be, I must confess that I am only going on the fact that I have seen it tossed around quite a bit in Jordan's name.

 

But I still think the numbers are appropriate for Lan and Rand.

[Atan Lodorn]

Forgive me if i'm wrong, but Mat defeats Galad and Gawyn before he realises his luck, yes Gawyn and Galad and in training but they are still considered excellent sword fighters because of their training with Bryne, yes even though it is not a sword, using hand held weapons I would say Mat.

 

As far as 'Heron' blademasters to me Gawyn would be number 1, yes it is training but he routinely beats 2 warders at the same time who are both blademasters.  Would be interesting a fight between Gawyn and Galad, from the books perspective Gawyn has more experience also.

My List would be:

1) Gawyn

2) Lan

3) Galad

4) Byrne

5) Sleete

Rand would be in their, but can beat these guys now due to his injury.

My overall list fighting wise would be

1) Mat

2) Perrin, his combat experience against Aiel especially at Dumais and Malden is exceptional, even the Aiel respect both of these considerig the actual amount of training they have had in comparison to all the others, plus they are good using multiple weapons, blade, staff, bow.

Rand would be in here but is severely disabled due to only having 1 hand, pre Semirhage he would be in with them for the same reasons.

The rest are grouped together.

Ashaman

Seanchen

Aiel

Warders

Borderlanders

Ituralde men

Two Rivers

Can't think anymore

Most useless

Aes Sedai bar Egwene, got owned by the Seanchen.

[Noreallyjustsomeguy]

I'm not aware of any statements by Jordan ranking blademasters ... it doesn't seem like something that he would do given everything else I've read that he said on the subject.  But that is merely my opinion.

 

How exactly is Gawyn better than Galad? Galad was always superior back in their training days. Even later in the books Galad fights Valda and claims his heron blade.

 

Galad seemed superior for the reasons that Demiandre cited, but in the Tower rebellion, it was Gawyn who killed Hammar (a blademaster) and Coulin long before Galad ever fought Valda.  And while Galad was badly wounded fighting Valda, Gawyn was apparently fine after those fights: there is blood streaking his face, but either it isn't his or its not from a serious wound, given how he interacts with Siuan and Min.

 

Gawyn would be number 1, yes it is training but he routinely beats 2 warders at the same time who are both blademasters.

 

Well, to be accurate, Marlesh is not a blademaster, only Sleete is.

 

As far as putting Lan at the top of my list, I think it is safe to say that he is on par with a blademaster now, skill-wise: he's not a man given to boasting, and claims he can make Rand into a blademaster as early as book 2.  But what gives him the edge in my mind is the very strength of will that allowed him to kill Ryne even when Ryne was the better swordsman.  Lan's sense of purpose, which he translates into a seemingly unsurpassed degree of focus, gives him the edge, in my opinion, over swordsmen who may be faster or technically more skilled.  In another year or two (or if he clears his mind a little) I would give the edge to Gawyn.

 

Finally:

 

Does Gawyn have a heron-marked blade though?

 

No, and decorations on a sword have absolutely no relation to a person's skill.

 

 

[Fains nose]

I dont know why brynes on your list, i was suprised to find out he was a blademaster. Anyway we know fron RJ that Lan is the best, and that Rand could beat Galad(two hand Rand). I personaly think Gawyn could beat Galad, hes just had more battlefield experiance. So what i wonder is could Gawyn beat two hand Rand(not that its relevant anymore, still interesting though). I would say he is very very close behind Rand. So heres my list 1. Lan 2. Rand 3. Gawyn 4. Galad 5. Sleete. I honlestly think Mat would beat any but maybe not Lan with his Ashandarei. Its just a better weapon than a sword, though Lans been around for a while, hes about 50, and i reckon hed have killed a fair few trolocs with spears, and random people Moiraine wanted dead with quaterstafs or spears, so maybe Lan could beat Mat, though i wonder...

[DPT24]

Mat's not a "blademaster" because he fights with a knife, Japanese Spear, and massive bow.

 

RJ or his nephew stated RJ said Lan is number 1.  Between Gawayn and Galad, I'd say Galad, we've seen less of what he's done, so we don't know what other accomplisment's he's had besides killing the Captain of the Whitecloaks.  He was always MUCH better than Gawayn, and I think Gawayn's improved, but I'd still say, Galad would win.  Outside of them, Rand was number two, but he's fallen, and the Great Captains are all blademasters, but they're older, and without the Warder Bond Lan has, so they're probably not quite as good.  Pure non channeling fighting, though, Lan, Mat, Bridgette,Perrin, Galad, Gawayn, 

[azrael.1289]

Everyone seems to be forgetting how strong a taveren(sp?) Rand is. So, that makes Rand #1 because if theres even a 1 in 1000 chances that he can beat anyone, he can still beat him every single time because of his tavereness.  ;D :P

[Noreallyjustsomeguy]

Well, if we're going to powers beyond what you can do with a sword, then Rand can beat them all simultaneously: balefire.

[Noreallyjustsomeguy]

Also, for those worried that "Lan isn't technically a blademaster," he killed Toram Riatin in WH ch 33, so, welcome to the high-muckety-muck brotherhood, al'Lan Mandragoran.

[The Fisher King]

I know hes dead, but Eamon Valda HAD to be considered near the top in his day.

 

I also would rank Galad way over Gawyn.

 

 

Fish