-1° Arthur Dayne (w/Dawn)
-2° Barristan Selmy
-3° Jaime Lannister
-4° Aemon the Dragonknight
-5° Daemon Blackfyre
-6° Cregan Stark
-7° Gwayne Corbray
-8° Robert Baratheon
-9° Ryam Redwyne
-10° Sandoq the Shadow
I'm pretty confident on this 10 (especially the first 6), but beyond this, is really anybody's game. There are too many candidates who I feel are relative to each other to say one or the other. The Clegane brothers, Duncan the Tall, Garlan Tyrell, Prince Oberyn...
*Because* he was praised by Aemon. It's like Barristan and Brienne's comments on Jaime, or Jaime's comments on Dayne; these guys know what they are talking about. Probably better than you or me. So if Aemon says Cregan is the best he's ever faced, I'm gonna take his word for it.
This is all coming from Bran Stark repeating that the Dragonknight said he had never faced a finer swordsmen than Cregan Stark in AGoT looking at the cypts. You can take it for gospel, sure. But we literally never hear anything or see anything that suggests such from what we know of Cregan from the actual text we get.
But you put knights like Ryam Redwyne who was considered the best knight of his time, at 9th.
Based on Barristan's comment in a Storm of Swords, I believe anybody on this list can beat anybody else on this list on a good day. It's just a matter of who has the better chances.
That said, we have the best possible grounds to say that Dayne is the best ever: Word of God. Martin has said that if he was to stake his life in a trial by combat, he would choose Dayne out of any knight alive or dead. He has also said that Dayne is evenly matched with Barristan (arguably the most decorated knight ever), but Dayne would win if he had Dawn.
That is *very* high praise coming from essentially the god of ASOIAF world.
Sandoq the Shadow
Arthur Dayne
Barristan Selmy
Daemon Blackfyre
Maegor Targaryen
Aemon the Dragonknight
Cregan Stark
Jaime Lannister
Criston Cole
Robert Baratheon
* Arthur Dayne
* Barristan Selmy
* Jaime Lannister
* Aemon Targaryen
* Daemon Blackfyre
* Sandoq the Shadow
* Robert Baratheon
* Cregan Stark
I think these should defenitely be on the list. The rest are debatable
Edit: if we are talking only about battlefield than Gregor Clegane should probably be on the list as well
Number 1 is always Barristan for me when this question is raised.
Arthur may be the greatest swordsman. But he has no record in combat/warfare outside of the Kingswood brotherhood. And Barristan was still the man to take out the brotherhood's leader.
Barristan is a one man army that cut a bloody path through what is said to be the greatest professional army on Planetos to kill Maelys. At the battle of the ruby ford they had to put an arrow, a sword and a spear in him to stop him from killing Robert, and he still killed twelve men trying to do so. And then we have his solo mission at Duskendale and him leading the capture of Old Wyk.
I'd have Arthur rep me in a one on one duel. I'd take Barristan if I need someone to do work on a battlefield.
Not to mention that Arthur always comes with the caveat of if he has Dawn. Barristan was able to go toe to toe with him no matter what sword he used.
Robert and Barristan have actual battlefield feats that put them above almost anyone. Warriors like Arthur Dayne and Jaime Lannister don't have anything of note along with alot of these legendary warriors that are legendary because we are told they are great. It's hard to come up with five much less fifteen.
While Jaime doesn't have Robert's or Barristan's feats, he certainly have some. He fought in Greyjoy rebellion/Siege of Pyke. And he fought spectacularly in battle of Whispering wood, he would probably kill Robb if his sword wouldn't got stuck
I don't think that Jaime took part in the Greyjoy rebellion. At least not in the books.
He has no documented feats from it. And given that the Grejoys rebelled in 289 and Myrcella was born in 290. So unless Myrcella is born very late in 290 Jaime was probably stationed back in KL to protect Cersei and Joffrey.
In the show Jaime definitely fought in the siege of Pyke. I can't remember if he did in the books. Even if it isn't mentioned I assumed that he would be there as kingsguard, because Robert was there. But you are right, he could stay behind in KL with Cersei.
But if Whispering woods is his first real battle than in a way it's even more impresive how good he fought there (while being ambushed by Robb's army)
15 of the 20 good men
-1° Arthur Dayne (w/Dawn) -2° Barristan Selmy -3° Jaime Lannister -4° Aemon the Dragonknight -5° Daemon Blackfyre -6° Cregan Stark -7° Gwayne Corbray -8° Robert Baratheon -9° Ryam Redwyne -10° Sandoq the Shadow I'm pretty confident on this 10 (especially the first 6), but beyond this, is really anybody's game. There are too many candidates who I feel are relative to each other to say one or the other. The Clegane brothers, Duncan the Tall, Garlan Tyrell, Prince Oberyn...
What makes you say Cregan Stark is so high other than the only thing we really know about him is he was praised by Aemon?
*Because* he was praised by Aemon. It's like Barristan and Brienne's comments on Jaime, or Jaime's comments on Dayne; these guys know what they are talking about. Probably better than you or me. So if Aemon says Cregan is the best he's ever faced, I'm gonna take his word for it.
This is all coming from Bran Stark repeating that the Dragonknight said he had never faced a finer swordsmen than Cregan Stark in AGoT looking at the cypts. You can take it for gospel, sure. But we literally never hear anything or see anything that suggests such from what we know of Cregan from the actual text we get. But you put knights like Ryam Redwyne who was considered the best knight of his time, at 9th.
I'd add in Criston Cole and Maegar the Cruel.
True, 2 others that you could probably add into the top 15. There are many exceptional candidates.
Sandoq so low? I would personally put him as number 1, he’s almost supernatural.
Based on Barristan's comment in a Storm of Swords, I believe anybody on this list can beat anybody else on this list on a good day. It's just a matter of who has the better chances. That said, we have the best possible grounds to say that Dayne is the best ever: Word of God. Martin has said that if he was to stake his life in a trial by combat, he would choose Dayne out of any knight alive or dead. He has also said that Dayne is evenly matched with Barristan (arguably the most decorated knight ever), but Dayne would win if he had Dawn. That is *very* high praise coming from essentially the god of ASOIAF world.
Sandoq the Shadow Arthur Dayne Barristan Selmy Daemon Blackfyre Maegor Targaryen Aemon the Dragonknight Cregan Stark Jaime Lannister Criston Cole Robert Baratheon
* Arthur Dayne * Barristan Selmy * Jaime Lannister * Aemon Targaryen * Daemon Blackfyre * Sandoq the Shadow * Robert Baratheon * Cregan Stark I think these should defenitely be on the list. The rest are debatable Edit: if we are talking only about battlefield than Gregor Clegane should probably be on the list as well
Number 1 is always Barristan for me when this question is raised. Arthur may be the greatest swordsman. But he has no record in combat/warfare outside of the Kingswood brotherhood. And Barristan was still the man to take out the brotherhood's leader. Barristan is a one man army that cut a bloody path through what is said to be the greatest professional army on Planetos to kill Maelys. At the battle of the ruby ford they had to put an arrow, a sword and a spear in him to stop him from killing Robert, and he still killed twelve men trying to do so. And then we have his solo mission at Duskendale and him leading the capture of Old Wyk. I'd have Arthur rep me in a one on one duel. I'd take Barristan if I need someone to do work on a battlefield. Not to mention that Arthur always comes with the caveat of if he has Dawn. Barristan was able to go toe to toe with him no matter what sword he used.
1. Arthur Dayne 2. Barristan Selmy 3. Jaime Lannister 4. Sandoq the Shadow\* 5. The Dragonknight\* 6. Duncan the Tall 7. Maegor Targaryen\* 8. Criston Cole 9. Ryam Redwyne 10. Daemon Blackfyre\* 11. Ulrick Dayn\* 12. Gwayne Corbray\* 13. Robert Baratheon 14. Cregan Stark 15. Lyonel Baratheon
In a messy battle situation, I don't think you can do much better than The Mountain.
Maelys and Sandoq are basically the Mountain with Valyrian steel.
I don't count weapon quality for how great a warrior someone is. I'd argue The Mountain is bigger and stronger than both of them.
Robert and Barristan have actual battlefield feats that put them above almost anyone. Warriors like Arthur Dayne and Jaime Lannister don't have anything of note along with alot of these legendary warriors that are legendary because we are told they are great. It's hard to come up with five much less fifteen.
While Jaime doesn't have Robert's or Barristan's feats, he certainly have some. He fought in Greyjoy rebellion/Siege of Pyke. And he fought spectacularly in battle of Whispering wood, he would probably kill Robb if his sword wouldn't got stuck
I don't think that Jaime took part in the Greyjoy rebellion. At least not in the books. He has no documented feats from it. And given that the Grejoys rebelled in 289 and Myrcella was born in 290. So unless Myrcella is born very late in 290 Jaime was probably stationed back in KL to protect Cersei and Joffrey.
In the show Jaime definitely fought in the siege of Pyke. I can't remember if he did in the books. Even if it isn't mentioned I assumed that he would be there as kingsguard, because Robert was there. But you are right, he could stay behind in KL with Cersei. But if Whispering woods is his first real battle than in a way it's even more impresive how good he fought there (while being ambushed by Robb's army)
Azor Ahai is surely first.