Who would win? Barristan Selmy vs. Robert Baratheon

[Melpomene]

It's kind of tricky.

Selmy probably would have the advantage of being clear headed and thinking things through...Robert has the advantage of being big, strong, with a unique skill. Both had inklings at being good leader-types in battle.

I guess I'll go for Selmy. Even at a young age maturity seems apparent, and Robert can be a bit hyper. He managed to beat Rhaegar on account that Rhaegar wasn't exactly that talented at real life warriorship, especially since he only had just started recently.

[TheZone]

Selmy defiantly Robert comes up with his hammer leaving everything open, Semly is fast enough to see the opening in the armor and strike him in the arm from there it would be an easy hack job.

[TheZone]

It's kind of tricky.

Selmy probably would have the advantage of being clear headed and thinking things through...Robert has the advantage of being big, strong, with a unique skill. Both had inklings at being good leader-types in battle.

I guess I'll go for Selmy. Even at a young age maturity seems apparent, and Robert can be a bit hyper. He managed to beat Rhaegar on account that Rhaegar wasn't exactly that talented at real life warriorship, especially since he only had just started recently.

And he was pissed the fuck off, the dude kidnapped and raped his fiance(in his eyes)

[The Great Walrus]

And he was pissed the fuck off, the dude kidnapped and raped his fiance(in his eyes)

Princess Anna, i've finally found you. You always seem to get off whenever i try to talk to you.

[Rheagar Prime]

hey barristan himself said if he found out robert had smiled at seeing the corpses of the royal family no army could have stopped him from killing him. I'll take his word for it, but its a fight anything can happen look what happened with rhaegar and robert, ned/reed v dayne etc.. anything can happen. Still if i were a betting man i go from selmy.

[JP Dayne]

sammy woulda cut robby in half

[tallTale]

Robert was strong enough to wear the heaviest/toughest armor so it would be tough for Selmy to finish him with his sword.

He doesn't have Sandor's insane reach advantage but the hammer only needs one good hit and Selmy would go down.

Since they are not simply fighting with swords and equal armor, I would have to go with Robert.

[Fat Mac]

I can see how people think Selmy would win. However, I don't understand how people think he'd have a relatively easy victory. In my opinion, if he fought Robert and managed to win, he'd probably almost be done for himself. I'm not an expert on armor and weapons, but isn't it extremely difficult for swords to pierce plate? Meanwhile hammers can more easily crush the plate. Sure Selmy is quicker, but I don't think Robert was all that slow. Not to mention with a sword, he'd have to get really close to try and pierce between the plates, probably closer than one would want to get with Robert. To be honest, we have no idea how good Selmy was in his prime, but we can assume it was around the time he slew Maelys the Monstrous, so he was about 22 or so. We do have a bit more of an inclination as to how good Robert was, slaying Rhaegar and all that, being renowned as a fierce warrior if anything.

Either way, I'd say the fight would be close no matter who actually won. I still say Robert would most likely emerge the victor. The man was a brute, and if enough was on the line, he'd be even fiercer.

[Artos Stark]

I can see how people think Selmy would win. However, I don't understand how people think he'd have a relatively easy victory. In my opinion, if he fought Robert and managed to win, he'd probably almost be done for himself. I'm not an expert on armor and weapons, but isn't it extremely difficult for swords to pierce plate? Meanwhile hammers can more easily crush the plate. Sure Selmy is quicker, but I don't think Robert was all that slow. Not to mention with a sword, he'd have to get really close to try and pierce between the plates, probably closer than one would want to get with Robert. To be honest, we have no idea how good Selmy was in his prime, but we can assume it was around the time he slew Maelys the Monstrous, so he was about 22 or so. We do have a bit more of an inclination as to how good Robert was, slaying Rhaegar and all that, being renowned as a fierce warrior if anything.

Either way, I'd say the fight would be close no matter who actually won. I still say Robert would most likely emerge the victor. The man was a brute, and if enough was on the line, he'd be even fiercer.

In this book series, swords don't seem to have much of a problem taking down armored knights. Even with other weapons such as a spear, a quicker opponent such as The Red Viper was able to find weak spots. That may not be how things were in real life (I'm not sure actually) but in these books a man with a sword can kill a man in armor. I just don't see any way that Robert lands a kill shot on Selmy.

[Spotted Cat]

wow this topic is still online... MODS may not have seen it yet

my vote is with selmy.. skill defeats brute strength.

[Harald Hard-Ruler]

I guess, but what about when Jaime cuts down like ten guys at the ww as they try to capture him? Those men were the best of Robb's castle born trained and equipped with the best stuff money can buy. Yet Jaime cuts them down like nothing, he leaves his sword in karstarks head was karstarks not wearing a helmet? How is it possible to cut down so many men in plate just like that?

That's true. There's a couple of fights which don't actually happen on page which seem like that (Harras Harlaw fighting and defeating 7 men in a row seems pretty crazy too).

I suppose in general I find that GRRM tends to actually write some fairly realistic fight scenes. And most of the guys (even the top fighters) when you actually see their fighting prowess aren't gods but mere mortals with good skill and the right circumstances. Even Sandor Clegane (considered one of the top warriors in Westeros) has his work cut out for him when he faces 2 swordsmen who aren't described as anything special. Most of the fights in ASOIAF aren't of the Spartacus: Blood and Sand variety where one guy takes out legions of foes without breaking a sweat, and I love that and really hope that doesn't change in the last few books.

We (readers of the books) tend to spend quite a bit of time of message boards and other discussion areas arguing about who would win in a fight between so many different characters (Robert vs Selmy, Ramsay vs Jon, Dayne vs Selmy, Sandor vs Gregor, the list goes on and on). But I've always felt that one of the cliches that GRRM has tried to avert is that of iconic super warrior. Even the most capable of fighters like a Khal Drogo can take the wrong cut in a fight, have it get infected and then die. I love that unpredictability.

[Summer is Ending]

Northmen don't wear plate as much as men in the south.

Plate is more common in the Reach say, while mail is more the rule in the North

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Yet_More_Questions

His brother wore grey chainmail over bleached leathers, sword and dagger at his waist, a fur-trimmed cloak across his shoulders. “You must take my place, as I took Father’s, until we come home.”

...

His quarry met him sword in hand. He was tall and spare, wearing a long chainmail hauberk and gauntlets of lobstered steel,

...

The longsword caught it a foot from Ser Jorah’s face, and held it quivering for an instant as Qotho howled in fury. The knight was clad in chainmail, with gauntlets and greaves of lobstered steel and a heavy gorget around his throat, but he had not thought to don his helm.

...

She could hear the sand shifting around inside as Elmar pried open the lid and pulled out a chainmail hauberk. “Do you think it’s clean enough?” As Roose Bolton’s squire, it was his task to keep his mail shiny bright.

...

The captors and the captives looked much alike; big men, every one, with thick beards and long hair. Two of the Greatjon’s men were wounded, and three of their prisoners. Only the fact that some had spears and others empty scabbards served to set them apart. All were clad in mail hauberks or shirts of sewn rings, with heavy boots and thick cloaks, some of wool and some of fur. The north is hard and cold, and has no mercy, Ned had told her when she first came to Winterfell a thousand years ago.

...

One was gaunt, with flinty eyes, a long white beard, and a face as hard as a winter frost. His jerkin was a ragged bearskin, worn and greasy. Underneath he wore a ringmail byrnie, even at table.

Is there even a passage making definite mention of a northman wearing plate armor? I can't think of any.

[Helgar]

I'm always quick to commend Robert's battle prowess, but I don't think there's any character in the series who stands a chance against Barristan. According to Word of God, even Arthur Dayne would need Dawn to beat him. Then again, I don't know. Warhammers are serious business.

[Batman]

Northmen don't wear plate as much as men in the south.

Plate is more common in the Reach say, while mail is more the rule in the North

http://www.westeros...._More_Questions

His brother wore grey chainmail over bleached leathers, sword and dagger at his waist, a fur-trimmed cloak across his shoulders. “You must take my place, as I took Father’s, until we come home.”

...

His quarry met him sword in hand. He was tall and spare, wearing a long chainmail hauberk and gauntlets of lobstered steel,

...

The longsword caught it a foot from Ser Jorah’s face, and held it quivering for an instant as Qotho howled in fury. The knight was clad in chainmail, with gauntlets and greaves of lobstered steel and a heavy gorget around his throat, but he had not thought to don his helm.

...

She could hear the sand shifting around inside as Elmar pried open the lid and pulled out a chainmail hauberk. “Do you think it’s clean enough?” As Roose Bolton’s squire, it was his task to keep his mail shiny bright.

...

The captors and the captives looked much alike; big men, every one, with thick beards and long hair. Two of the Greatjon’s men were wounded, and three of their prisoners. Only the fact that some had spears and others empty scabbards served to set them apart. All were clad in mail hauberks or shirts of sewn rings, with heavy boots and thick cloaks, some of wool and some of fur. The north is hard and cold, and has no mercy, Ned had told her when she first came to Winterfell a thousand years ago.

...

One was gaunt, with flinty eyes, a long white beard, and a face as hard as a winter frost. His jerkin was a ragged bearskin, worn and greasy. Underneath he wore a ringmail byrnie, even at table.

Is there even a passage making definite mention of a northman wearing plate armor? I can't think of any.

This is an interesting point. Why have the North not kept up with the rest of the Kingdoms in terms of protection? I know the Dornish need to wear less armour or the heat will cook them but I dont think chainmail keeps a person warmer in the Northern winter.

I think Marlon Manderly was wearing a breastplate when Davos came to White Harbour and Lord Rickard was supposed to have cooked in his armour. Could have been mail but I have always pictured plate.

[E-Ro]

Northmen don't wear plate as much as men in the south.

Plate is more common in the Reach say, while mail is more the rule in the North

http://www.westeros...._More_Questions

His brother wore grey chainmail over bleached leathers, sword and dagger at his waist, a fur-trimmed cloak across his shoulders. “You must take my place, as I took Father’s, until we come home.”

...

His quarry met him sword in hand. He was tall and spare, wearing a long chainmail hauberk and gauntlets of lobstered steel,

...

The longsword caught it a foot from Ser Jorah’s face, and held it quivering for an instant as Qotho howled in fury. The knight was clad in chainmail, with gauntlets and greaves of lobstered steel and a heavy gorget around his throat, but he had not thought to don his helm.

...

She could hear the sand shifting around inside as Elmar pried open the lid and pulled out a chainmail hauberk. “Do you think it’s clean enough?” As Roose Bolton’s squire, it was his task to keep his mail shiny bright.

...

The captors and the captives looked much alike; big men, every one, with thick beards and long hair. Two of the Greatjon’s men were wounded, and three of their prisoners. Only the fact that some had spears and others empty scabbards served to set them apart. All were clad in mail hauberks or shirts of sewn rings, with heavy boots and thick cloaks, some of wool and some of fur. The north is hard and cold, and has no mercy, Ned had told her when she first came to Winterfell a thousand years ago.

...

One was gaunt, with flinty eyes, a long white beard, and a face as hard as a winter frost. His jerkin was a ragged bearskin, worn and greasy. Underneath he wore a ringmail byrnie, even at table.

Is there even a passage making definite mention of a northman wearing plate armor? I can't think of any.

Good point, the only example I can think of is jory at the neds tourney. But mail is still very good protection, jaime should not have been able to cut down men in mail like that, his feat at the ww is near superhuman.