The Best Swordfighters In Game Of Thrones Ranked

Summary

• Swordfighting is a crucial element in
  Game of Thrones
  , often leading to shocking deaths and settling disputes in court.
• The debate on the best swordfighter is intense with legendary characters like Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth in consideration.
• Characters like Bronn, Mance Rayder, and Arya Stark showcase unique skillsets and demonstrate proficiency with a blade.

The debate around the best swordsman in Game of Thrones (or, in the case of many of the best and most deadly characters, swordswoman) is still ongoing despite the series concluding several years ago. Swordfighting became a staple of Game of Thrones throughout it’s run. It’s how characters settle disputes, even official trials in a court of law. It was also the buildup to some of the most shocking deaths on the show too, with many of its most brutal moments being when one character beat another with a blade.

What makes the debate around the most skilled swordfighter in Game of Thrones so intense is that many characters have an almost legendary proficiency with their weapons, with more than one gaining a reputation throughout Westeros for just how deadly they are with a blade. Whether it’s the Kingslayer Jaime Lannister or the bias-defying Brienne of Tarth, there are multiple contenders for whom the best character with a sword in Game of Thrones actually is — though one clearly stands out as being the most technically proficient (even if their presence in the show was minimal).

20 Bronn

Played By Jerome Flynn

Bronn is far from the best fighter in the Seven Kingdoms, but he is certainly one of the most reliable and consistent warriors on the show. Perhaps Bronn’s best moment came when he fought as Tyrion’s champion in the Eyrie, winning the Lannister’s freedom in the process. The fight as Tyrion’s champion showed that Bronn, while not being the most skilled swordsmen, is one of the cleverest and is more than able to use his environment to win a fight.

While he’s not the most proficient swordfighter in
Game of Thrones,
he is still one of the best, and this is partly why he manages to survive the brutal events of the series despite being in the midst of most of them.

Bronn is an easy opponent for his foes to underestimate, especially highborns who think little of him due to his status. However, the fact that Bronn is a successful sellsword is of itself testament to his skills with a blade. While he’s not the most proficient swordfighter in Game of Thrones, he is still one of the best, and this is partly why he manages to survive the brutal events of the series despite being in the midst of most of them.

19 Brynden “The Blackfish” Tully

Played By Clive Russell

Many of the best Game of Thrones swordsmen aren’t main characters in the series, and this fact is perhaps evident in none more so than Brynden Tully, also known as The Blackfish. The Blackfish may be one of the most underrated characters in Game of Thrones. The uncle of Catelyn Stark and Edmure Tully, Brynden gained a reputation for being a fearsome warrior and skilled commander during his time fighting during the War of the Ninepenny Kings.

Blackfish would gain his name after refusing to marry a girl from House Redwyne, much to the disappointment and anger of his brother, Hoster Tully. A legendary warrior from a time that’s all-but-gone-by at the point Game of Thrones starts, Brynden Tully was also well known for his skills as a tactician and commander as well as his abilities with a blade.

18 Loras Tyrell

Played By Finn Jones

Loras Tyrell’s reputation was played down slightly for the Game of Thrones TV series, but like many of the most skilles swordsmen in Westeros, the books detail just how deadly he can be with a blade. In the books, Loras Tyrell is compared to Jaime Lannister, with Jaime himself even suggesting that Loras reminds him of himself. Additionally, Loras Tyrell joined the Kingsguard after being a member of Renly Baratheon’s Rainbow Knights.

A Lannister guardsman is heard proclaiming that Loras is a better swordsman in his estimation than bother Jaime Lannister and The Mountain.

One doesn’t just join the Kingsguard on a whim, it is a high honor that requires a high level of skill and there’s no denying that Loras Tyrell is one of the best fighters in the Seven Kingdoms. Also known as the Knight of Flowers, Loras’s skills in combat don’t just extend to swords, either. He bested Jaime in a jousting tournament despite Jaime being the clear favorite to win. Moreover, in a season 2 episode, a Lannister guardsman is heard proclaiming that Loras is a better swordsman in his estimation than bother Jaime Lannister and The Mountain.

17 Ser Harrold Westerling

Played By Graham McTavish

Being a member of the Kingsguard is always a sign that a Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon character will be incredibly skilled with a sword, and being promoted to Lord Commander doubly so. This is definitely the case for Ser Harrold Westerling, who becomes the Lord Commander in HotD season 1 following the death of Ser Ryam Redwyne. A knight of House Westerling, King Viserys trusted Ser Harrold with the life of both himself and his family, and at various points, Ser Harrold shows he’s more than capable when it comes to his duties.

Unfortunately, the Game of Thrones prequel hasn’t yet given Ser Harrold many opportunities to fully display his skill with a blade for viewers. His reputation and the way he’s spoken of by other characters (along with, of course, his rank) solidifies that he’s a more-than-capable swordsman. Until he’s had a bit more screentime putting these skills on display, however, it’s difficult to see exactly where he’d rank against some of the proven best fighters in Game of Thrones.

16 Jon Snow

Played By Kit Harrington

The combination of being raised at Winterfell with the Starks, his Targaryen heritage, and the harsh conditioning of life with the Nights Watch, it’s no surprise at all that Jon Snow is close to being the best swordsman in Game of Thrones. However, despite being perhaps the closest thing Game of Thrones has to the “hero” in the show, he’s still not the most skilled with a blade. Jon is bested several times throughout the show’s run, and even dies at one point. However, this is more a testament to the skills of his opponents than it is any fault of his own.

Among the men of the Night’s Watch, it’s likely that few can match Jon Snow’s skill with a weapon, and the same is likely true throughout most of Westeros. However, given that Jon is a ranger and not a knight, he has a much broader skillset than some of the other swordfighters of renown on the show, who often tend to focus purely on their skills with a blade at the expense of everything else.

15 Mance Rayder

Played By Ciaran Hinds

Mance Rayder is one of several characters whose role was greatly reduced in the Game of Thrones TV series, but even with the diminished presence in the plot, it was clear that he was incredibly skilled with a blade. While his storyline in the books is similar to the show, in the books Mance isn’t burned alive by Melisandre. A glamoured Rattleshirt is burned in his place, with Mance Rayder heading to Winterfell under the name of Abel.

Given the might-makes-right culture of the Wildlings, it’s almost a given that Mance Rayder was a fierce warrior, as they simply wouldn’t have accepted an outsider as their leader if he wasn’t lethal with a blade.

As King Beyond the Wall and a former member of the Night’s Watch, there’s no denying that Rayder was a strong fighter. In fact, he even defeated Jon Snow in a duel with relative ease. Given the might-makes-right culture of the Wildlings, it’s almost a given that Mance Rayder was a fierce warrior, as they simply wouldn’t have accepted an outsider as their leader if he wasn’t lethal with a blade (and it’s entirely likely that if Rayder had been anything other than deadly, he wouldn’t have lasted long among them at all, much less lived long enough to become the King-Beyond-The-Wall).

14 Rhaegar Targaryen

Played By Wilf Scolding

Rhaegar Targaryen was known for having a general disdain for violence and combat. He preferred his books and his harp, was actually pretty melancholic and didn’t much like the idea of fighting — and yet, he was known to be an amazing knight anyway, and the only reason Robert Baratheon bested Rhaegar in combat when dueling him was because he was wielding his hammer, not a sword.

Despite the fact he’d rather have been known for something other than sword fighting, Rhaegar Targaryen was a swordfighter of renown with a reputation for his skills with a blade that preceded him in Westeros. Unfortunately for Rhaegar, his reputation for both was overshadowed by the fact that by the time he died his father had become The Mad King. This was especially tragic given that, for his part, Rhaegar was known to be disgusted by his father’s actions.

13 Qhorin Halfhand

Played By Simon Armstrong

A lesser known character in the show who is still undoubtedly one of the best swordfighters in Westeros, Qhorin Halfhand didn’t really get the treatment he deserved on the Game of Thrones TV series. In the Game of Thrones novels, the Halfhand was one of the most feared Rangers of the Night’s Watch, with a reputation for being one of the best fighters in the land, and was considered a living legend up until he ordered Jon Snow to kill him.

Since most fighters in Westeros are right-handed, they’re also trained to block attacks coming from a right-handed opponent.

The Halfhand gets his name from the fact that he lost most of the fingers on his right hand to a Wildling axe. However, Qhorin Halfhand taught himself to fight with his left hand. This gave him a distinct advantage in more ways than one. Since most fighters in Westeros are right-handed, they’re also trained to block attacks coming from a right-handed opponent. By using his left, but still trained at blocking attacks from his opponents right, Qhorin enters almost every confrontation on the upper hand, forcing his opponents to think and consider their movements much more than he does.

12 Ser Harwin Strong

Played By Ryan Corr

The fact that his nickname is Breakbones is already a sign that Ser Harwin Strong is considered an incredibly dangerous character in House of the Dragon. Much like GoT’s The Hound and The Mountain, Ser Harwin is a swordfighter who relies more on his brute strength than he does on his technique or expertise with a blade, though this doesn’t serve to make him at all ineffective. Ser Harwin is still incredibly skilled in his own right, but as (supposedly) the strongest man in the Seven Kingdoms, he simply doesn’t have to rely on his knowledge all that much with most foes.

Ser Harwin was the commander of the City Watch of King’s Landing in HotD, a position not quite as prestigious as the Kingsguard, but still one that would only ever go to an incredibly adept and skilled swordsman. While Ser Harwin ultimately wouldn’t be that long-lived in the show, and viewers perhaps didn’t get to see him in as many combat situations as some other characters, it was never in doubt that he ranked among the best fighters in the Game of Thrones spinoff.

11 Syrio Forel

Played By Miltos Yerolemou

A man from Braavos, Syrio was specifically hired by Ned Stark to train Arya Stark, and it’s safe to say that —as House Stark is a great house and Ned was Hand of the King — Syrio was the absolute best money could buy. Syrio doesn’t appear much in Game of Thrones, and died in season 1 at the hands of Ser Meryn Trant, but it was proven pretty quickly that he was an amazing sword fighter and that Arya was learning from the best. His skills are evidenced in his various lessons with Arya, but it’s in his final moments that his true skill becomes apparent.

Armed only with a wooden sword and his wits, Syrio was able to defeat an entire squad of Lanniest guards, immobilizing all of them with relatively little difficulty. It’s highly unlikely that Meryn Trant could have killed him had Syrio been equipped with a proper weapon instead of a wooden sword, too. What makes Syrio Forel particularly interesting among the most skilled swordfighters on Game of Thrones is his use of fencing weapons and focus on footwork, a distinct difference between the straightsword wielding knights and warriors that make up most of the rest of the characters.

10 Arya Stark

Played By Maisie Williams

Arya Stark is perhaps the youngest Game of Thrones character to be skilled in the art of swordplay, though this doesn’t mean she’s any less lethal with a blade — as evidenced by the fact she was the one who ultimately dealt the final blow to the Night King. From the moment viewers are introduced to Arya in the first episode of Game of Thrones, she detests the idea of being a typical lady and wants to be a knight. Jon Snow, her brother, forges her a sword named Needle to practice with and after Ned is convinced to hire an instructor, Arya begins to train.

It’s her time in Braavos working in the service of The Many Faced God which perhaps gives Arya a unique edge

Arya receives tutelage from various sources, including master fencer Syrio Forel and Sandor “The Hound” Clegane throughout Game of Thrones. This teaches her a lot of technique, especially when it comes to footwork (from Forel) and the importance of being ruthless and unyielding (from Clegane). However, it’s her time in Braavos working in the service of The Many Faced God which perhaps gives Arya a unique edge, as she understands the importance of a single decisive blow and deception perhaps more than any other swordfighter in Game of Thrones.

9 Ser Criston Cole

Played By Fabien Frankel

The knights of the Kingsguard have always comprised the most skilled fighters and swordsmen in Westeros, and this was just as true during the era of House of the Dragon as it was centuries later in Game of Thrones. With this in mind, it’s of little surprise that HotD’s Ser Criston Cole is considered one of the best sword fights in any Game of Thrones show. While perhaps not quite at the level of later members of the Kingsguard, such as Jaime Lannister, it’s a near-given that Ser Criston is a valuable addition to the knights and still would have been centuries later.

Ser Criston Cole is a well-rounded fighter and a knowledgeable one at that, as evidenced by his expert tutelage of Alicent and Rhaenyra’s sons. He’s definitely among the sword fighters in Game of Thrones that relies on technique more than physical strength, although he’s by no means weak — as evidenced by the use of his spiked mace, Morningstar, when he’s not using a bladed weapon.

8 Brienne Of Tarth

Played By Gwendoline Christie

Brienne of Tarth managed to carve out a reputation as a fierce warrior and skilled swordfighter despite the inherent sexism throughout the medieval culture of Westeros — and this alone already gives an indication that she ranks among the most skilled fighters in Game of Thrones. That’s not to say that the women of the series are lesser than the men at all. Rather, it’s rare for women in the Seven Kingdoms to receive the same training with swords as the men, so when a woman like Brienne of Tarth manages not only to equal them but to best them in most cases, it speaks volumes.

Brienne, despite not being a knight, bests some of the greatest fighters in Game of Thrones, and even almost defeats Jaime Lannister. She’s also very young in the books, which suggests that, with some training and experience, she won’t only be the best female swordfighters in Westeros, she’ll be one of the best overall. The main thing holding Brienne back is her code of honor, which she adheres to rigidly. Warriors like The Hound and Jaime Lannister have proved they’re willing to fight dirty to gain the upper hand, something that it’s unlikely Brienne could ever bring herself to do.

7 Aemond Targaryen

Played By Ewan Mitchell

Aemond Targaryen is one of the most morally ambiguous characters in House of the Dragon, which makes him incredibly intriguing to watch. However, he’s also one of the best sword fighters in the Game of Thrones prequel, and could arguably go blade-to-blade with many of the GoT characters and still come out on top. Aemond’s abilities with a sword are often overlooked given his proficiency as a dragon rider (he rides Vhagar, the largest living dragon at that point in the Game of Thrones timeline).

However, even without Vhagar, he’s still an incredibly dangerous individual. When it comes to his skills with a sword, Aemond is clearly incredibly proficient. He’s shown to have an incredible knowledge of footwork, positioning, and technique, embodying many of the lessons Syrio Forel would impress upon Arya Stark decades later. While the son of Alicent and King Viserys may not be the absolute best sword fighter in House of the Dragon, he is still one of the most skilled that the Game of Thrones prequel introduced to the canon.

6 Sandor Clegane

Played By Rory McCann

Though not quite as formidable an opponent as his older brother, Gregor Clegane, Sandor Clegane — the Hound — still ranks among the best swordfighters on Game of Thrones. Despite his impressive size, Sandor relies just as much on skill and ferocity as he does on brute strength. What he may lack in finesse compared to some he more than makes up for in his willingness to improvise and sheer ruthlessness. Sandor first killed when he was 12 years old, and taking down a trained adult soldier at such a young age speaks volumes about his fighting ability.

Although Sandor was mindlessly loyal to the Lannisters, this wasn’t the only thing that attracted him as a guard for them.

Such is The Hound’s proficiency with a blade that Joffrey had him on his Kingsguard without Sandor being a knight — and this break from tradition raised more than a few eyebrows at the court of Kings Landing, though none doubted the logic of the decision. Cersei trusted The Hound to protect her son as his personal bodyguard, a position that she wouldn’t afford to just anybody given that she knew Joffrey’s enemies were incredibly competent. Although Sandor was mindlessly loyal to the Lannisters, this wasn’t the only thing that attracted him as a guard for them.

5 Gregor Clegane

Played By Conan Stevens/Ian Whyte/Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson

As his nickname of “The Mountain” reveals, it’s unsurprising that Gregor Clegane is one of the most feared swordfighters in Westeros, as his sheer size alone makes him an almost-impossible opponent to defeat. Jaime Lannister himself admits that there’s only two men that he believes might be able to defeat him in a fair fight, and although they’re never named, it’s implied the Mountain is one of them.

The Mountain is one of the most terrifying characters in Game of Thrones, probably because he fights entirely without conscience and has no problem taking out innocent people. But he’s very efficient at what he does, which is why Tywin kept him around and eventually, why Cersei did too. As far as his skills with a sword go, The Mountain can rely on brute strength rather than technique, though he’s far from clumsy with a blade, and would likely still be incredibly deadly even without the strength to shatter a shield with a single blow.

4 Daemon Targaryen

Played By Matt Smith

While it’s ultimately difficult to fully compare House of the Dragon characters with those from Game of Thrones due to the considerable number of years between GoT and its prequel, there are some HotD names that stand out. While he existed several centuries before the best fighters in Game of Thrones, it’s incredibly likely that Damon Targaryen (Matt Smith) would have been able to best many of them in a one-on-one fight.

The Targaryens managed to keep hold of the Iron Throne mainly because of their Dragons, but many were also skilled fighters in their own right — Damon is easily the best with a blade. He was even bestowed with the legendary longsword, Dark Sister, by King Jaehaerys in recognition of his prowess. One of his legendary deeds in HotD was killing Craghas Drahar (the prince-admiral of the Triarchy) in a duel, slicing him in half with a single blow.

3 Jaime Lannister

Played By Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

While he’s one of the most controversial characters in the show, it’s clear that Jaime Lannister is among the best swordfighters in Game of Thrones. However, there’s some debate about how he compares to other characters, considering Brienne got the best of him in the show, but she didn’t in the books — and even in the books, she says Jaime was chained and “no knight in the Seven Kingdoms could have stood against him at his full strength.”

Considering how much Brienne hated Jaime at that point, she wouldn’t have paid him a compliment unnecessarily, so her admission of his skill must have had more than a little truth to it.

Considering how much Brienne hated Jaime at that point, she wouldn’t have paid him a compliment unnecessarily, so her admission of his skill must have had more than a little truth to it. Jaime, for all his faults, was definitely one of the best living swordsmen in the series. Even after losing his hand, he was a formidable combatant, learning to use his injury to his advantage and eventually wielding a blade with his off-hand almost as well as the one he’d lost.

While his reputation in Westeros was as the Kingslayer, he was equally known for his prowess in battle — and his place on the Kingsguard shows that the son of Tywin Lannister was far greater than the single act that changed the fate of the Seven Kingdoms.

2 Barristan Selmy

Played By Ian McElhinney

Like many of the most skilled swordfighters in Game of Thrones, Barristan Selmy talents with a blade soon found him becoming of the Kingsguard, first serving Aerys Targaryen and then, after the rebellion, Robert Baratheon. Selmy was known for his loyalty to his position, regardless of who was on The Iron Throne. Aerys and Robert were completely different, and Barristan had to be in full support of them both, one after the other.

It speaks volumes about how great a fighter he is that Robert accepted him in the first place. Selmy’s value as a Kingsguard must have been high, since Barristan fought for Aerys in the rebellion, fighting against Robert right until the moment The Mad King was vanquished — something Robert was willing to overlook. It’s pretty widely accepted that Barristan Selmy is one of the greatest swordsmen of his time. In the season 1 episode “The Wolf and the Lion”, Eddard Stark pays Selmy a compliment that fully establishes his reputation and skill for viewers:

My father once told me you were the best he’d ever seen. I never knew the man to be wrong about matters of combat.

Selmy Barristan eventually meets his end after leaving Westeros and traveling to Meereen to serve Daenerys. His death was a true testament to his skill, as he managed to single-handedly defeat almost all the Sons of the Harpy members who’d ambushed Greyworm and the feared Unsullied. Were it not for his age during this fight, it’s likely he would have survived, too.

1 Arthur Dayne

Played By Luke Roberts

Hailing from Dorne, Arthur Dayne was a member of Aerys II’s Kingsguard and the man to knight Jaime Lannister. Jaime himself admired Arthur, thinking about him often and aspiring to be just like him, which shows exactly the kind of knight and fighter that Arthur was. His morals were a little more questionable when it came to what he was guarding, but in terms of sheer ability, Arthur Dayne was easily the best swordfighter in Game of Thrones.

Dayne notably wielded two swords and held off an entire company of Northmen in Bran’s vision, only meeting his end due to being snuck up on by Howland Reed.

Ser Arthur Dayne only appeared in one episode of Game of Thrones — season 6, episode 3, “Oathbreaker”, and was part of Bran’s vision. However, he was mentioned multiple times throughout the show, such as when Joffrey is reading through his entry in the Book of Brothers, the book which chronicles the most heroic deeds of the Kingsguard.

Dayne notably wielded two swords and held off an entire company of Northmen in Bran’s vision, only meeting his end due to being snuck up on by Howland Reed. Dayne even managed to best Eddard Stark, and would likely have killed him were it not for Reed’s intervention. Even the Three Eyed Raven recognizes Dayne’s proficiency in combat, and it’s hinted that almost nobody in Game of Thrones — living or dead — could have defeated him in a fair fight.