Blood Knives vs. Fades vs. Gawyn

[NetSlider]

So, anyone else thinks that Blood Knife can take on a Fade pretty easily, or is it just me? Also, if Gawayne took out three of them (granted by taking pretty bad wounds) you think he can take out three, or at least, two fades?

 

And to make it even more interesting, let's have a little poll!

[Jon Paul]

Lan > Galad > Gawyn.

[Aquarius]

Lan > Galad > Gawyn.

I have a hard time believing Lan to be on top. Not the best in New Spring, somewhat old, plus, now Gawyn also has the warder effect.

Gawyn or Galad imho.

[johthohar]

I would guess Lan based on experience. But it's been shown that both Galad and Gawyn have very high skill. Rand, the last time we saw, was still not on par with Lan and was bested by another blade master (can't remember name) in the rebels' camp just before the bubble of evil struck. Or at least he was about to be bested by all appearances. I have to disagree with Jon Paul, however, about Galad being better than Gawyn. I think it is said earlier in the series that Galad is the better swordsman but isn't this from Gawyn's POV? And therefore colored by his idolatry of his half-brother. Not to mention the fact that Gawyn defeated one (maybe two?) blademaster during the White Tower coup who had the added benefit of being a warder. Then he killed three bloodknives still without having the benefit of the warder bond himself. I would have to say that I think Gawyn would lay some serious pwnage on Galad at this point.

 

Another thought, LTT was a blade master in the AoL if I'm not mistaken. Now that Rand has fully integrated his memories it could be possible that he is the blade master with the most badassery in the land.

[blazetheearth]

I would guess Lan based on experience. But it's been shown that both Galad and Gawyn have very high skill. Rand, the last time we saw, was still not on par with Lan and was bested by another blade master (can't remember name) in the rebels' camp just before the bubble of evil struck. Or at least he was about to be bested by all appearances. I have to disagree with Jon Paul, however, about Galad being better than Gawyn. I think it is said earlier in the series that Galad is the better swordsman but isn't this from Gawyn's POV? And therefore colored by his idolatry of his half-brother. Not to mention the fact that Gawyn defeated one (maybe two?) blademaster during the White Tower coup who had the added benefit of being a warder. Then he killed three bloodknives still without having the benefit of the warder bond himself. I would have to say that I think Gawyn would lay some serious pwnage on Galad at this point.

 

Another thought, LTT was a blade master in the AoL if I'm not mistaken. Now that Rand has fully integrated his memories it could be possible that he is the blade master with the most badassery in the land.

 

Toram Riatan - whom Lan later killed in Far Madding.

 

But RJ said something about the Hierarchy of Swordsmen in WoT, if I can just find it. If I remember right, it was between CoT and KoD, and RJ said that the order of the best swordsmen in Randland was Lan then Rand then Galad then Gawyn. But since then Rand lost his hand and that would entirely change his standing.

[DPT24]

Brandon's also said it's Lan, Galad, Gawyn. Which makes sense, as Valda was one of the best blademasters around, and Galad killed him. Plus, Galad had no fear of the Shienarians in Fires of Heavan.

[NetSlider]

Gawyn takes out two warders (one of whom is a blademaster) and than THREE bloodknives. How does that make Galad a better swordsman when he barely takes on one blademaster?

 

Maybe before tGS Gawyn was not that good, but since than he got a lot, a lot better. Plus, didn't even Brin said that he was the talented one in the first place?

[nwash_10]

When BS was answering question via twitter he stated that Lan>Gald>Gawyne. I don't have the quote but I'm pretty sure BS stated that Gawyne is not as good as he thinks and has gotten lucky.

[Grandis]

So, anyone else thinks that Blood Knife can take on a Fade pretty easily, or is it just me? Also, if Gawayne took out three of them (granted by taking pretty bad wounds) you think he can take out three, or at least, two fades?

And to make it even more interesting, let's have a little poll!

Since Fades don't have eyes, we don't even know if the Blood Knife ter'angreal has any effect on them. Wouldn't it be funny if Gawyn used one of the rings and tried to kill a Fade, only to get skewered?

[Kierkegaurdian]

I think it depends. In defense of Nynaeve, for example, Lan is probably one of the best swordsmen in the books. Rand, in defense of Min or whatnot, would use the One Power ... it isn't necessary for him to push himself to his absolute limits, so his true strength is hard to judge. Galad is extremely strong, obviously, but hasn't gone head to head with the type of competition that Gawyn has. Gawyn (who I voted for in the poll) seems to be the strongest, besting three Bloodknives at once, before becoming a Warder and having the added benefits. This was, of course, in defense of Egwene, so he was probably on kamikaze-sacrificial-go-for-broke overdrive mode. So I think that under the highest duress, Gawyn is probably the strongest. I wonder, incidentally, how Mat would fare against both of them at once now ... Galad + Gawyn (the two strongest Blademasters in the world, imo) versus Mat (an increasingly ta'veren luck machine who would probably keep tripping and evading their blows).

 

Edit: Hasn't Mat defeated numerous Fades without really trying? I seem to remember him hardly expending any effort to defeat one in Fires of Heaven, to say nothing of going toe-to-toe with the gholam.

[NetSlider]

I think it depends. In defense of Nynaeve, for example, Lan is probably one of the best swordsmen in the books. Rand, in defense of Min or whatnot, would use the One Power ... it isn't necessary for him to push himself to his absolute limits, so his true strength is hard to judge. Galad is extremely strong, obviously, but hasn't gone head to head with the type of competition that Gawyn has. Gawyn (who I voted for in the poll) seems to be the strongest, besting three Bloodknives at once, before becoming a Warder and having the added benefits. This was, of course, in defense of Egwene, so he was probably on kamikaze-sacrificial-go-for-broke overdrive mode. So I think that under the highest duress, Gawyn is probably the strongest. I wonder, incidentally, how Mat would fare against both of them at once now ... Galad + Gawyn (the two strongest Blademasters in the world, imo) versus Mat (an increasingly ta'veren luck machine who would probably keep tripping and evading their blows).

 

Edit: Hasn't Mat defeated numerous Fades without really trying? I seem to remember him hardly expending any effort to defeat one in Fires of Heaven, to say nothing of going toe-to-toe with the gholam.

 

Mat is the MAN!!!!

 

Though not a blade master. Plus, his memories now make him very, very good with his spear (not that he needed any help before).

[johthohar]

So, anyone else thinks that Blood Knife can take on a Fade pretty easily, or is it just me? Also, if Gawayne took out three of them (granted by taking pretty bad wounds) you think he can take out three, or at least, two fades?

And to make it even more interesting, let's have a little poll!

Since Fades don't have eyes, we don't even know if the Blood Knife ter'angreal has any effect on them. Wouldn't it be funny if Gawyn used one of the rings and tried to kill a Fade, only to get skewered?

 

The rings don't have any effect on anyone other than the user. I think what you mean to say is we don't know how the Fades "see". In any case, Rand is able to hide from a myrddraal in tEotW when he's dragging Tam back to Emonds Field I suspect their vision is similar to ours. It might be easier for them to see somebody using a bloodknife ring but I would guess it would still be difficult.

[Jblaylock]

So, anyone else thinks that Blood Knife can take on a Fade pretty easily, or is it just me? Also, if Gawayne took out three of them (granted by taking pretty bad wounds) you think he can take out three, or at least, two fades?

And to make it even more interesting, let's have a little poll!

 

 

 

I think it's reasonable to believe that Gawayn could probably best a couple of fades. I mean, Lan takes out fades pretty easy (easy considering how feared they are). Lan could best the hell out of Gawayn, I know, but I would think Gawayn could at least best a couple of fades, if not quite as easily as Lan could.

 

But any Asha'man could just vaporize a fade.

[Kierkegaurdian]

*secretly hopes for OP Gawyn with three Bloodknife ter'angreal + Power-wrought weapon in AMoL*

[johthohar]

Gawyn takes out two warders (one of whom is a blademaster) and than THREE bloodknives. How does that make Galad a better swordsman when he barely takes on one blademaster?

 

Maybe before tGS Gawyn was not that good, but since than he got a lot, a lot better. Plus, didn't even Brin said that he was the talented one in the first place?

 

HEY! You got it right! Now edit the thread title so it will stop driving me crazy!

[David Selig]

The Bloodknives will struggle mightily against Fades IMO. I doubt their poisons will work on them, and Fades don't die from knife wounds and precise stabs assassin style- they have to be pretty much cut to pieces before they admit they are dead.

[OptimusPrime]

I would guess Lan based on experience. But it's been shown that both Galad and Gawyn have very high skill. Rand, the last time we saw, was still not on par with Lan and was bested by another blade master (can't remember name) in the rebels' camp just before the bubble of evil struck. Or at least he was about to be bested by all appearances. I have to disagree with Jon Paul, however, about Galad being better than Gawyn. I think it is said earlier in the series that Galad is the better swordsman but isn't this from Gawyn's POV? And therefore colored by his idolatry of his half-brother. Not to mention the fact that Gawyn defeated one (maybe two?) blademaster during the White Tower coup who had the added benefit of being a warder. Then he killed three bloodknives still without having the benefit of the warder bond himself. I would have to say that I think Gawyn would lay some serious pwnage on Galad at this point.

 

Another thought, LTT was a blade master in the AoL if I'm not mistaken. Now that Rand has fully integrated his memories it could be possible that he is the blade master with the most badassery in the land.

 

Toram Riatan - whom Lan later killed in Far Madding.

 

But RJ said something about the Hierarchy of Swordsmen in WoT, if I can just find it. If I remember right, it was between CoT and KoD, and RJ said that the order of the best swordsmen in Randland was Lan then Rand then Galad then Gawyn. But since then Rand lost his hand and that would entirely change his standing.

 

Do you by any chance have a link to that? Im not asking because I doubt it, its just Ive always wanted to read an interview where he talked about Blademasters but never found one.

 

I love its intricacy. And while I really like the fact that Rand lost a hand I think it is also a massive shame that we never got to see him finish that arc. Which in some ways is the whole point

[capeta]

I don't think we can consider the blood-knives anywhere near blade masters. They have speed and are hard to see but they are not swordsmen. They deal mostly in stealth and knives and poison, not swords. One thing I am a little surprised at is that their swords and daggers weren't poisoned. The one that Bryne killed still tried to poison him wit a pin, and if I was on a suicide mission trying to do the most amount of damage I wouldn't take the time to fight a swords man I would poison dagger or dart him from a distance and move on. Having poisoned weapons would mean all I would have to do is cut my opponent. I am not sure how well a blood-knife could do against a fade. Fades don't have eyes and we do not know how they see. So the fact that blood-knives become shadows may not help at all... ya know, don't they say that fades ride shadows like horses? It may be that if a blood-knife ran into a fade they might just end up with a saddle on their back.

 

Anyway, looking back it doesn't say how often Gawyn can defeat Sleete in gathering storm but it does say that Sleete managed to beat Lan twice in seven bouts when Lan still sparred with warders.("An Offer and a Departure" tGS pg.215)

 

I agree with the Lan>Galad>gawyn

 

As for Rand when fighting Toram Riatin he was wearing gloves to hide his dragons, something toram advised him against, and he let himself be distracted as the smoke cloud struck. That is when Toram whacked him in the side and told him he was dead.

 

I can see rand being second to lan before the lose of his hand. remember him sparing with 5? 6? guys daily in caemlyn? I bet he could still do quite well for himself now too although he should find him self a one handed sword.

 

-Cap

[Elan Tedronai]

sanderson does not know what he's talking about. If one were to read all the books from start to end without the knowledge of sanderson's remarks then one would say in a fight between the two brothers, the odds are on gawayn to come out victorious.

 

Gawyn is that lethal with the blade right now.

[capeta]

I think it depends. In defense of Nynaeve, for example, Lan is probably one of the best swordsmen in the books. Rand, in defense of Min or whatnot, would use the One Power ... it isn't necessary for him to push himself to his absolute limits, so his true strength is hard to judge. Galad is extremely strong, obviously, but hasn't gone head to head with the type of competition that Gawyn has. Gawyn (who I voted for in the poll) seems to be the strongest, besting three Bloodknives at once, before becoming a Warder and having the added benefits. This was, of course, in defense of Egwene, so he was probably on kamikaze-sacrificial-go-for-broke overdrive mode. So I think that under the highest duress, Gawyn is probably the strongest. I wonder, incidentally, how Mat would fare against both of them at once now ... Galad + Gawyn (the two strongest Blademasters in the world, imo) versus Mat (an increasingly ta'veren luck machine who would probably keep tripping and evading their blows).

 

Edit: Hasn't Mat defeated numerous Fades without really trying? I seem to remember him hardly expending any effort to defeat one in Fires of Heaven, to say nothing of going toe-to-toe with the gholam.

 

Mat is the MAN!!!!

 

Though not a blade master. Plus, his memories now make him very, very good with his spear (not that he needed any help before).

 

We have been told that Quarter staff can trump sword too. Hammar said that the best blade master of all time was bested by a farmer with a stick.

I bet Mat could still thump Gawyn and Galad. True they have both gotten better but then so has Mat.

 

Though with his luck he could probably close his eye and strike randomly and take them out in two swings but i bet he could do it with his eye open too.

 

-Cap

[NetSlider]

Gawyn takes out two warders (one of whom is a blademaster) and than THREE bloodknives. How does that make Galad a better swordsman when he barely takes on one blademaster?

 

Maybe before tGS Gawyn was not that good, but since than he got a lot, a lot better. Plus, didn't even Brin said that he was the talented one in the first place?

 

HEY! You got it right! Now edit the thread title so it will stop driving me crazy!

 

There you go! :) Sorry, I listen to audio books for the most part and thus spelling is an issue for me.

[Declan]

I am not sure how people can think that Lan can be bested by anyone with a sword. He has never been challenged or come close to losing. In TGS, chapter "An Offer and a Departure", when Gawyn dueled Sleete and Marlesh at once and beat them twice Gawyn recalls that Sleete "was said to have bested even Lan Mandragoran twice out of seven bouts, BACK when Mandragoran had been known to spar with other Warders." This may seem like it is helping prove someone's point that Gawyn is the best but it isn't. That quote can be found on page 214. Gawyn only dueled them twice and yes beat them both times but would he be able to keep that up for a straight seven times. i dont think so.

 

Also whenever Lan goes into battle he NEVER seems to get seriously injured or wounded. He has been in a lot of battles for him to be just lucky and we all know he is not lucky, he is just crazy good. The way the second half of the quote was phrased it seemed that Lan became too good to want to duel with other men. But I do think Gawyn is better than Galad, and that's because Galad just barely beat Valda (who granted is well known for being a great swordmaster) while Gawyn pretty handily beat Sleete who is "near legendary in the White Tower for his prowess" (p.214).

[Declan]

and would you please spell GAWYN correctly. it is bugging me big time.

[ranjitb]

You all seem to overlook the fact that Gawyn is the chosen one of Egwene Sue, and thus automatically the bestest and most perfectest at everything and anything, just like she is.

[Elan Tedronai]

You all seem to overlook the fact that Gawyn is the chosen one of Egwene Sue, and thus automatically the bestest and most perfectest at everything and anything, just like she is.

 

well egwene is the best aes sedai at the moment, if you ignore moraine no doubt about that. But i can never warm up to gawyn as a character. Not after he sided with elaida and killed his own teachers. what a tool. a deadly tool but a tool nonetheless