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Who Is Smarter, Varys Or Littlefinger?


kittenmittens

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Yea my money is on Varys as well, Littlefinger is cunning no doubt but Varys' network seems more effective. Varys himself was able to disappear completely for all of two books and mysteriously reappear in the capital to assasinate a leading figure. Littlefinger by contrast holes himself up in the Eyrie and is trying to play politics there. Varys has been doing that for a hell of a lot longer. In summation Varys seems to have more of an iron will to get things done, is smarter more deceptive and has been playing the game longer moneys on the eunuch.

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Littlefinger, I think, but not by much. LF is better at turning situations to his advantage, although that might just be because his ultimate loyalty is mutable, making him more flexible. I think Varys is a slightly more moral (and loyal) individual, so he's less able to respond to events with the best possible response.

Really, though, the two of them are in a different league to almost everyone else.

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Varys only got to where he was because of his partnership with Ilyrio and his network of child-spies, without that, he'd still be successful, but not in the position he's in now. He's also currently a fugitive in hiding, with none of his plans going the way he meant them to, and Aegon likely to fail completely.

Littlefinger, on the other hand, rose from the most useless of lordships to where he is now using only his own mind and his master's degree in manipulation. That magnificent bastard.

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Littlefinger's game is far more obvious than Varys. Littlefinger wants the ruin of House Stark. He wanted Cat but will settle for her daughter. He wants the Iron Throne for himself. What does Varys truly want? Littlefinger is depraved and immoral, he's greedy and only out for himself. Is Varys the same, or does he truly "serve the realm" and what does serving the realm entail?

I think Varys network is more pervasive and effective as well, as is his own ability to infiltrate and hide in plain sight.

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Varys just might have more patience and subtlety than Littlefinger.

Also, I am not sure if he has a vulnerable point.

Littlefinger has the whole Cat thing, still unclear about to what degree anymore, but also derived from that is his drive to succeed and never be in a position where lords look down on him, where he was once vulnerable or can't get something he wants due to others like in his youth, I think is a fear of his.

Any fears Varys has are unclear.

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At this point its hard to tell. Most people underestimate LF because so far he has no plan for when the Targaryens come, and lacks Varys' network. However, the fact that he can compete on Varys' level without a vast network in a way shows his intelligence. Not to mention he has a mind for money, and also knows how to play people. I'd say LF for now (partially my bias). However, they both are out of anyone else's league.

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According to both official ASOIAF RPGs, both have the same Inteligence score. But Varys has more levels / more abilities to improve his efficiency at plotting. So I guess they are both equally smart (or close anough for it not to make a difference), but Varys is slightly more experienced and skilled and thus likelly to win or get closest to winning in the end.

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I would put my money on Varys as well, I cant think of anything he has to lose to be honest which gives him an advantage over anyone, his network of spies seems to be spread throughout the world and I think he probably has more contacts than Little finger. All little finger does is play politics in the Vale and manipulate naive girls. They are both extremely intelligent but im surprised Varys isn't the king or whatever he would be...

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Tyrion.

But... if I have to choose one of the two, I choose Varys. There is a sinister, creepy, yet... somehow honorable quality to him. He isn't looking out for himself; he is doing it for the realm. Littlefinger is only out for #1.

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Littlefinger is waaaay smarter than Varys IMO. Littlefinger had nothing and earned his spies, rankings and connections. Varys had the bank of Illyrio who practically gift wrapped the little birds.

Personally I respect Littlefinger more than Varys because Littlefinger is honest about what he wants....everything. He is out for himself and damn near everyone knows it.

Varys hides behind the bullshit "for the realm' yadda, yadda, yadda. 'I'm in honorable man.' Its equivalent to a politician claiming to be an honorable man. It screams bullshit.

Im sure Varys has a weakness somewhere too

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