Who are the 10 best swordsmen in the series?

[Dimnara]

I would say:

1. Jaimie Lannister (two handed)

2. Syrio Forel

3. Sandor Clegane

4. Brienne of Tarth

5. Jon Snow (in the last book)

6. Gregor Clegane (he's freaking big and hard to kill, but I would not count this as swordfighting skill)

7. Victarion Greyjoy

8. Barristan Selmy

[feardeathbywater]

I would say:

1. Jaimie Lannister (two handed)

2. Syrio Forel

3. Sandor Clegane

4. Brienne of Tarth

5. Jon Snow (in the last book)

6. Gregor Clegane (he's freaking big and hard to kill, but I would not count this as swordfighting skill)

7. Victarion Greyjoy

8. Barristan Selmy

Victarion's weapon of choice seems to be an axe. Jon doesn't think of himself as a great swordsman; certainly not when comparing himself to the Halfhand. As for Gregor....its hard to take stock of his ability. If he were normal-sized, he might not be all that impressive a fighter. Selmy (and the rest of the Kingsguard) are pretty good. Garlan Tyrell should make the list, and possibly Loras -though Loras comes in for praise as a lancer/jouster, not so much as a swordsman. Jorah Mormont maybe?

[Fireball07]

Swordsmen? That technically rules out Brienne ;)

Victarion and Areo Hotah can't be included or Balon Swann, who uses a morningstar.

I'd say:

1. The Hound

2. Jaime Lannister

3. Barristan Selmy

4. Syrio Forel

5. Garlan Tyrell

6. Bronn

7. Gregor Clegane

8. Brienne

9. Qhorin Halfhand

10. Loras Tyrell

Hard to say with Andrik the Unsmiling, he's counted as the best of the Ironborn, but I'm not even sure he uses a sword. Mandon Moore and Arys Oakheart are but skilled members of the KG, and are probably above any of the others, bar those I've mentioned. The reborn Beric Dondarrion probably has some skill-at-arms and went up against the Hound, even with an advantage. Randyll Tarly is supposed to be the best soldier in the realm, but may be a bit old to be a truly great swordsman, and that may be talking about his leadership abilities.

EDIT: I forgot those in the Vale: Lyn Corbray and Bronze Yohn are well-renowned knights. Also some of Dany's men- Belwas can't be underrated and Daario aswell, though we have no evidence of his true fighting ability. I suppose Darkstar has to be mentioned too.

[Spaceman Hobbes]

Howland Reed could potentially be on this list. Ned is described as being an average swordsman and somehow him and Reed defeated Arthur Dayne. Presumably Ned fought Dayne to a stand still while Reed and company finished off the rest of the KG. Considering that Dayne is supposed to one of the greatest swordsmen ever and Ned is average, Reed would need to be something special to tip the balance in their favor.

Garlan is probably better than Selmy at during the series. Selmy might have been better in his prime, but he's is getting old.

I'd leave the darkstar off the list until we see him fight someone who isn't a ten year old girl.

Do we know how the Red Viper was with a sword?

[Fireball07]

Howland Reed could potentially be on this list. Ned is described as being an average swordsman and somehow him and Reed defeated Arthur Dayne. Presumably Ned fought Dayne to a stand still while Reed and company finished off the rest of the KG. Considering that Dayne is supposed to one of the greatest swordsmen ever and Ned is average, Reed would need to be something special to tip the balance in their favor.

Garlan is probably better than Selmy at during the series. Selmy might have been better in his prime, but he's is getting old.

I'd leave the darkstar off the list until we see him fight someone who isn't a ten year old girl.

Do we know how the Red Viper was with a sword?

I don't think we can assume that at all. How would Ned hold Arthur Dayne? That seems very improbable, and I don't think we can include Howland Reed without further information.

I think the spear was always the Red Viper's favourite weapon, while Darkstar is called "the most dangerous man in Dorne" and that included the Red Viper and Areo Hotah.

[Spaceman Hobbes]

I don't think we can assume that at all. How would Ned hold Arthur Dayne? That seems very improbable, and I don't think we can include Howland Reed without further information.

Well when it comes down to it Ned and Howland somehow defeated the Sword of Morning. If Ned is an average swordsman and it was a relatively fair fight(ie, Arthur Dayne wasn't shot in the back), than Howland Reed has to be the deciding factor and certainly belongs on a list.

[Liadin]

The fight was 7 on 3. Unless we know that everyone else was dead and Ned and Howland teamed up on an unwounded Arthur Dayne, a lot of truly unfounded assumptions are being made here. Just because they were the only two to survive didn't mean they were the only two involved in defeating Dayne. Do we even know for a fact that Ned personally fought him?

And how can 7 on 3 really be a "fair fight"? It sounds to me like a bit of a melee, or a small battle. I don't see any reason not to stab people in the back when you're fighting to the death anyway.

[GrimTuesday]

First we need to decide if we are talking about swordsmen specifically or are we talking about fighters in general.

Swordsmen

1. Sandor Clegan

2. Jamie with two hands

3. Garlan Tyrell

4. Syrio Forel

5. The Greatjon

6. Bronn

7. Barristan Selmy

8. Mandon Moore

9. Loras Tyrell

10. Halfhand

If we are going fighters in general

1. Sandor Clegan

2. Jamie with two hands

3. Areo Hotah

4. Gregor Clegan (not on the swords me list cause I doubt he has the technical skills as some of the others)

5. Victorian Greyjoy

6. Garlan Tyrell

7. The Red Viper

8. The Greatjon

9. Dagmer Cleftjaw

10. Bronn

[Spaceman Hobbes]

The fight was 7 on 3. Unless we know that everyone else was dead and Ned and Howland teamed up on an unwounded Arthur Dayne, a lot of truly unfounded assumptions are being made here. Just because they were the only two to survive didn't mean they were the only two involved in defeating Dayne. Do we even know for a fact that Ned personally fought him?

And how can 7 on 3 really be a "fair fight"? It sounds to me like a bit of a melee, or a small battle. I don't see any reason not to stab people in the back when you're fighting to the death anyway.

I'm pretty sure it says somewhere that Dayne was the last one too go down, I could be wrong about that though. Ned and Howland are the only survivors so the two of them would have to best Dayne.

[Liadin]

I'm pretty sure it says somewhere that Dayne was the last one too go down, I could be wrong about that though. Ned and Howland are the only survivors so the two of them would have to best Dayne.

Even if you're right that Dayne died last, that doesn't necessarily lead to the conclusion you've reached.

1) One or more of the other 5 may have been involved in killing Dayne, but didn't survive it. Dayne's outliving his brethren doesn't mean he also outlived the 5 others on Ned's side.

2) Dayne may have been wounded or disabled by this point.

3) In battle, things happen very quickly and are confusing. Dayne might have survived the other members of the KG for all of about 30 seconds. And despite the fancy chivalric setpiece Martin gives us for the beginning of the duel, I doubt very much that it would still look like that at the end. Howland may well have gotten lucky while Dayne wasn't looking.

[Hnim]

As Purely Fighters, accounting for both skill and other attributes (Strength, speed, stamina and equipment), let's say end of AGOT and before Jaime has withered and lost much of his fitness and strength in the cell I'd go for:

1. Ser Jaime Lannister (Jaime states that he could beat Dayne, Hightower, and both Cleganes, and though Jaime may be prone to arrogance, I'm going to have to believe him)

2. Sandor Clegane (In his prime, devastating fighter, brutally strong, but very skilled)

3. Ser Garlan Tyrell (Though not renowned as well as some of the others and with only the Blackwater to his credit, he has proven himself an elite fighter)

4. Victarion Greyjoy (Very capable fighter, certainly elite)

5. Ser Barristan Selmy (At age 20-35 he'd top that list but being realistic with his advanced age he would not be able to stand up to those men)

6. Oberyn Martell (Quick-witted, quick-footed, has the advantage of poison, agile. Without poison I'd put him lower due to his lack of armor. Armor is one of the most underestimated factors in fantasy combat, watching LOTR is great but seeing Gondorians clad in steel getting killed so easily is sort of unrealistic.)

7. Bronn (Once again, lacks the armor, and 9 times out of 10 speed and skill won't make up for that (See: Syrio Forel vs Meryn Trant), but he knows how to use his environment to his advantage)

8. Brienne of Tarth (Very skilled, very, very strong, well equipped with high-quality plate, she's definitely a great warrior)

9. Ser Loras Tyrell (I'd say if he was older he'd jump a few more spots up the list, but since he's around 16? 17? at this time I'll put him here)

10. Ser Gregor Clegane (A lumbering brutish moron, but he is described as having warrior's instincts, and of course he could probably bench a car)

Those I'm not sure where they should be:

Areo Hotah, I don't know how great he is because all I've seen him do was kill a knight with two crossbow bolts stuck in him who was already on the ground.

Darkstar, who I feel is unproven.

Runners Up: Mandon Moore, Balon Swann, Qhorin Halfhand, Syrio Forel (Would be up there but is sort of old),

[moondoggie]

I'd have to say that Syrio should top the lists. As far as "on-screen" appearances go, he provides, hands down, the most stunning display of swordsmanship, with a wooden sword.

[fionwe1987]

1. Ser Jaime Lannister (Jaime states that he could beat Dayne, Hightower, and both Cleganes, and though Jaime may be prone to arrogance, I'm going to have to believe him)

I'm sure there's a passage where Jaime says he wasn't all that good. This was Riverrun, of course.

[Errant Bard]

I'm sure there's a passage where Jaime says he wasn't all that good. This was Riverrun, of course.

There a passage when he travels with Brienne where he says many people are stronger than him: the Cleganes, Strongboar and some others, but it doesn't matter because with his speed and skill, he can beat them all.

Also, "best" should really apply to within one school of fighting. Venetian duelers would have been slaughtered against middle age knights: it's not a coincidence dueling was not for wartime.

[Dimnara]

I would like to discuss the best swordfighters, not fighters in general (My fault with Victarion, I really need to reread the books, my memory played me false there). It's easier to compare within a certain class.

I think Brienne is underestimated. Even Jaime seemed to respect her fighting abilities. Furthermore she won the melee at Bitterbridge (hope the name is correct), killed Rorge and she fought against three Brave Compagnions at the Wispers. Hyle Hunt claims that the way she fought she could have killed three more. In all cases she left with no serious insuries. The Hound on the other hand dies (or nearly dies..) when he fights three of his brothers gang. One has to claim that he was drunk but the others had also something intus and without Arya interferring he would have died there and then.

It's hard for me to judge Syrio Forel. He is very skilled, that's obvious and he was the best fighter in Bravos (a town with quite the "duelling scene") but I think it is difficult to compare him with e.g. Jaimie.

I also forgot Khal Drogo. For me he was clearly one of the best.

[mikeym]

Hodor when controlled by Bran :)

[The SmilingKnight]

1. Barristan the Bold

2. Syrio Forel

3. Jaime

4. Brienne

5. The Hound

6. etc...

[Yakman]

1 - Jaime

2 - Sandor

3 - Garlan

4 - Belwas

5 - Gregor

These are, probably, the top 5 SWORDSMEN, in no particular order at the beginning of AGoT. I hesitate to rank them beyond a top 5.

6 - Bronn

7 - Jorah

8 - Syrio

9 - Barristan

10 - Brienne

These 5 probably round out the list, with the possible additions of Lyn Corbray (whom we haven't seen fight) and some of the other dangerous men whom we've seen little of, like the Greatjon or Darkstar.

[Fireball07]

What evidence do we have that Jorah is anything more than an ordinary knight? Ranking him above Syrio and Barristan is a huge assumption. Barristan is still a brilliant fighter, he beat the Titan's Bastard with a stick. I think he's still one of the best around.

Brienne may be good but she went up against Jaime when Jaime was chained, and couldn't fight properly.

While Garlan Tyrell is reputed to be the best swordsman in the Reach and performed some great feats on the Blackwater.

I think it's between the Hound and Jaime for top spot though.

[Bronn55]

1. The Hound- he defeated the reborn Beric Dondarrion even with his extreme fear of fire.

2. Jaime Lannister before the stumpness

3. Bronn- survived crossing the Vale, and defeated Lysa's champion.

4. Syrio- honestly the man killed three lannister soldiers with a wooden sword and held back Meryn Trant for Arya to get away, he deserves a spot on everybody's top five for pure swordsmanship

5. Garlan- led the victory on the Blackwater, and is better with a sword than his brother

6. Arthur Dayne- the best swordfighter of all time according to some in the books, but since we never see him and he does end up dead I bumped him down on the list

7. Mandon Moore

8. Halfhand

9. Jorah Mormont- he did kill one of Drago's bloodriders in single combat

10. The Greatjon

Brienne was nearly killed by Rorge in single combat... no offense to Brienne fans but that seems pretty weak to me, nearly getting killed by a deranged no name outlaw. She has skills that we witnessed in her fight with Jaime but in a fight to the death she proved a little lacking... at least in that fight.