The Greatest Warriors of the Westeros- #12 Bronn of the Blackwater

Bronn by Amok ©

Update (July 2026):

(Since the conclusion of the television series, I have gone back and reworked all of the “Top Warriors of Westeros” posts. What began as a Top 10 has now expanded to a full Top 20 in light of the additional material and perspective we gained.

With George R.R. Martin’s remaining books still unwritten, these rankings remain a mix of book canon and informed speculation. The core arguments and personal opinions are unchanged, I’ve simply improved formatting, clarity, spelling, and flow so the series reads better and holds up as a proper archive piece.)

The overall Top 20 Greatest Warriors of the Westeros can be found here.   

Before diving in, I know there’s a large faction of readers who consider Bronn the greatest warrior in the entire series. I respectfully disagree, and the reasons are laid out below. Much of his popularity stems from the classic anti-hero appeal that dominates modern storytelling. Yes, he’s a sharp-tongued sellsword with undeniable charisma—but that doesn’t automatically make him the best.

As we move higher up this countdown, it becomes clear that Bronn would truly struggle against the elite tier (#1–4) and have a chance at the rest of the Top 10. That said, there are also readers who argue he doesn’t belong in the Top 20 at all. Read on and you’ll see why I believe he earns his place.

#12-Bronn 

The lean, mean, two-fisted sellsword of Westeros earns his spot on this list—and he earns it well.

We first meet Bronn in A Game of Thrones during Caetlyn Stark’s journey, when she brings Tyrion Lannister to the Eyrie for judgment. Ever the opportunist, Tyrion demands trial by combat. Bronn steps forward to champion him against Ser Vardis Egen, the captain of the Vale’s guard. In a display of practicality over chivalry, Bronn easily dispatches the heavily armored knight and wins Tyrion’s freedom. Later, he helps repel an assault by the Mountain Clans in the Mountains of the Moon, further proving his worth.

His sell-sword mentality is succinctly summed up after dispatching Ser Vardis.

Lysa Arryn: "You don't fight with honor."

Bronn: "No...He did." 

Strengths of a Survivor Bronn is not the strongest warrior in the series, nor is he necessarily the quickest. What sets him apart is his intelligence. He is one of the smartest fighters we meet—perhaps the smartest—because above all else, he survives. Bronn knows when to fight, how to fight, and—most importantly—when not to fight.

Only he and Oberyn Martell (the Red Viper) show no visible intimidation in the face of Gregor Clegane. Bronn even explains to Tyrion exactly how the Mountain could be beaten. Tellingly, he refuses to champion Tyrion a second time when the opponent is Gregor—leaving that honor (and the risk) to Oberyn. It’s not fear; there’s simply nothing in it for him. That mercenary calculus is Bronn’s greatest strength: he fights only when there is something tangible to gain.

Style and Practicality As a sellsword, Bronn fights light and agile, often in less armor than his opponents. He is comfortable with two weapons and is not above dirty tricks or pragmatism. Formality and knightly honor mean nothing to him. In that sense, he is the polar opposite of someone like Loras Tyrell, The Knight of Flowers.

So far in the books, Bronn has not faced truly dangerous opponents in single combat—foes who would truly test his limits. He is too smart for that. He picks his battles carefully, only engaging when the odds favor him and the reward is worth the risk.

At the same time he can be cocky when he knows he can beat someone. Case in point with the look he gives Meryn Trant (a composite of him and Ser Boros Blunt) in the the television series:

Tyrion: "Bronn, the next time Ser Meryn speaks, kill him."

Battlefield Courage Bronn is undeniably brave, yet his powerful survival instinct makes him a fascinating case. At the Battle Blackwater (for which he would eventually be knighted) he could easily have slipped away. Instead, he fought well, leading sorties alongside the Hound. That decision speaks volumes about his loyalty when it suits him—and his ability to thrive in chaos.

Adding to the overall idea of the series of command experience being useful? Bronn replaces Janos Slynt as the Captain of the Gold Cloaks in King's Landing and does a good enough job under Tyrion when he was acting Hand. 

Final Thoughts I have nothing against Bronn. He is not the greatest warrior in Westeros, but he is almost certainly #1 or #2 when it comes to battlefield intelligence. He possesses a keen eye for an opponent’s weaknesses and the ruthlessness to exploit them. That combination is why he makes the Top 20. Against the absolute elite higher on this list, however, his smarts alone might not be enough to save him.

He's not the toughest warrior on the list, but the case can surely be made for being the smartest when it comes to combat. 

The Greatest Warriors of the Westeros- #7 Robert Baratheon

Robert Baratheon by Amok ©

Update (July 2026): (Since the conclusion of the television series, I have gone back and reworked all of the “Top Warriors of Westeros” posts. What began as a Top 10 has now expanded to a full Top 20 in light of the additional material and perspective we gained.

With George R.R. Martin’s remaining books still unwritten, these rankings remain a mix of book canon and informed speculation. The core arguments and personal opinions are unchanged, I’ve simply improved formatting, clarity, spelling, and flow so the series reads better and holds up as a proper archive piece.)

The overall Top 20 Greatest Warriors of the Westeros can be found here.   

Continuing, it’s time to add another warrior on the Top 20 countdown of the Greatest Warriors of Westeros in the Song of Ice and Fire. At #7 is Robert Baratheon: King, drunkard, and warrior. An absolute beast with his warhammer, and a monster on the Trident.

Let’s get something straight beforehand: it’s obvious that Robert Baratheon is ing Henry VIII I of England turned up to 11. It’s hardly a revelation. But one important note here: we are talking about Robert at his prime, not when he was the later king, grown down by years of kingship and warring with his wife Cersei.

Robert himself understood it best when talking to Ned in A Game of Thrones, about how he (paraphrasing) wishes he and Ned should become sellswords, drinking, whoring, and fighting across Essos.

In a way this parallels what Spock tells Kirk in Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan:

“If I may be so bold, it was a mistake for you to accept promotion. Commanding a starship is your first, best destiny. Anything else is a waste of material.”

And so it was with Robert.

#7-Robert Baratheon

While other knights use sword and lance, Robert uses a hammer to utterly smash his foes into submission, or death, or both. This is no understatement. His hammer is massive and hard to wield for other men, yet in his prime he does it with ease. Presumably he’s trained in the others, but he really doesn’t need them. Want proof? Prince Rhaegar on the Trident — where Robert wrests the crown from the Targaryens — lies smashed to pieces at his feet.

While others might shrink from danger, he tackles it head on to the point of rash foolishness.

Living up to his family’s words “Ours is the Fury” is just part of his character. He’s as tempestuous as they come as the Lord of Storm’s End. Probably fitting that he should wed Cersei Lannister, who is as volatile as he. Anyone who can stand up to that… woman… is pretty damn tough.

The series of books that Martin writes all hinge on the The War of the Usurper, or Robert’s Rebellion as it is also known. It’s the focal point of “before” and “after.” It is the fact that many of the lords rise up in rebellion against the Mad King Aerys after his many atrocities — the leading noble lords and their sons (including Ned’s father and brother Brandon) — sets the stage for the events of the current timeline, culminating with Robert’s rise to king.

The fact that Robert is past his prime by the time of A Game of Thrones is doubly sad, as we see him as the hollow shell of what he once was and greatly unhappy for it. For him, striving for the crown was more of a challenge and more rewarding. Actually governing bores him, so he tells Ned as much in that “that damned chair will rub your ass raw.”

Of all the warriors in the book, Robert has probably fallen the farthest from what he once was. When he fought Prince Rhaegar he crushed his chest and armor, smashing the very ornamentation off of the Prince’s armor as well. And by all accounts Prince Rhaegar was a stout warrior. By the time of A Game of Thrones instead, we get a worn and spent Robert. So much so that Eddard can poke fun at him for getting fat, and Robert at himself telling Lancel Lannister to fetch the "breastplate stretcher" at the Tourney of the Hand.

Just like every character in Martin’s pantheon, Robert is flawed — but in his case, magnified. He is a drunk and above all a womanizer, sleeping with any woman around it seems. His bastards are numerous, his appetites legendary, but it’s clear that Robert was never cut out to be king. His kingship shows how far he has fallen, and it’s Robert’s death in A Game of Thrones that leads to the War of the Five Kings.

Robert makes the list at #7 as a powerful warrior in his prime and for being such a catalyst to the overall story. Robert was relentless. His power faded to the shell that we see him in before his untimely death. But in his prime? Robert was as fearsome as they come.

Of special note is his leadership. Throughout the list it serves as bonus and a tiebreaker of sorts. In that regard he rises to the top. He won a kingdom — hard to beat that.

The Greatest Warriors of the Westeros- #13 Brynden Tully, The Blackfish

The Blackfish by Amok ©

Update (July 2026): (Since the conclusion of the television series, I have gone back and reworked all of the “Top Warriors of Westeros” posts. What began as a Top 10 has now expanded to a full Top 20 in light of the additional material and perspective we gained.

With George R.R. Martin’s remaining books still unwritten, these rankings remain a mix of book canon and informed speculation. The core arguments and personal opinions are unchanged, I’ve simply improved formatting, clarity, spelling, and flow so the series reads better and holds up as a proper archive piece.)

Previous he had ranked #10 but as I expanded the list I revised him to his current position. 

The overall Top 20 Greatest Warriors of the Westeros can be found here.   

#13- Brynden Tully, "The Blackfish"

Few knights in Westeros embody stubborn honor and quiet competence quite like Ser Brynden Tully—the Blackfish.

The name originated as an insult from his older brother, Hoster Tully. Brynden turned the slight into a badge of pride, adopting the black fish as his personal sigil. By the time we meet him in A Game of Thrones, he has left the Riverlands and entered the service of House Arryn in the Vale.

Defender of Riverrun Brynden earns his place on this list not only for a lifetime of exploits, but for one standout moment: when Lannister forces besiege Riverrun, it is the Blackfish who holds the castle while his brother Lord Hoster lies dying in his bed.

In A Feast for Crows, Jaime Lannister rides out to parley. The Blackfish meets him coolly, largely unimpressed by the famous Kingslayer. While Jaime engages in banter, Brynden calmly sizes him up with barely a flicker of concern. That composure alone marks him as a badass. The Kingslayer—widely regarded as one of the finest swords in the realm—fails to intimidate him in the slightest. It is also worth noting that a young Jaime was inspired to become a knight after witnessing Brynden’s prowess in the War of the Ninepenny Kings.

The Blackfish is willing to let his nephew Edmure hang rather than yield, calmly calling the Lannisters’ bluff. In short, he bends the knee to no one.

The overall impression you get from Brynden is that he's the type of guy that if you ever get into a fight? You want him on your side because you know he isn't going to quit. 

Reputation and Resolve We see relatively few direct battle scenes featuring the Blackfish (here’s hoping for more in future books), yet everyone who speaks of him reaches the same conclusion: he is one of the finest knights and warriors in the Seven Kingdoms. His reputation stands alongside that of Ser Barristan Selmy.

Even after Robb Stark’s murder at the Red Wedding, Brynden refuses to surrender. He continues the fight long after many others would have yielded. When Riverrun is finally handed over, he makes a daring escape by swimming through the Water Gate rather than submit. If you looked up “uncompromising” in a dictionary, you would likely find the Blackfish’s face staring back at you.

Final Ranking Thoughts Ser Brynden Tully ranks at #13 on this list. He may be the most well-rounded knight in the series—skilled, respected, and utterly resolute. In a world full of larger-than-life warriors, the Blackfish proves that quiet competence and unbreakable will can be just as formidable.

Restless Rust Monster Games- WA2- Assault of the Hill Giant Raiders, a Free Module

 

Raiding and pillaging just for fun!

 

(Edit 7-6-26) This post has been rewritten to allow for the free download of one of my modules WA2- Assault of the Hill Giant Raiders, set in my campaign world. In the end I decided against becoming a published module writer and focused on other endeavors.

WA2- Assault of the Hill Giant Raiders can be downloaded here. 

Original Post

I've mentioned it a few times on various websites, but I've been ever so slowly expanding my written modules for 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The ultimate goal of this is to get a number together for sale and make them available for print-on-demand at Lulu.

Eventually I think I might include some 1st edition ones as well but we'll have to see where this takes me first. One idea for 1st edition I've been mulling over is a Tiamat inspired adventure. Plus as time and creatively allows I'm re-writing the Planar Webs of Lolth (in place of Queen of the Demonweb Pits).

The Tiamat one could be sprawling and like the redo of the Webs is planar. Maybe I should key them as modules OP2 and OP3; after all I don't think there were any that I remember of after OP1...But I digress.

As of right now I've got my first one WA2 - Assault of the Hill Giant Raiders well underway, but at the rate I'm going it still could be a while. The reason it's WA2 and not WA1 is that WA1 is mammoth and is taking forever to write. What I need to do is focus and finish on something. WA2 is the closest to being done as I ran it in my 2nd Edition AD&D game a few months back. I'm at the point where the layout is largely ready and it's finally down to art being needed. And therein lies the tough part: As I've said at www.purpleworm.org (now mirrored here). I'm willing to meet an artist(s) in terms of "talking turkey", but the costs I've heard so far are way up there. 

Bear in mind this is an old school hobby individual (me), not a major, mid or even lower level publisher we are talking about.

In any event, keep an eye out for Restless Rust Monster Games in the future, but just don't hold your breath for things being quick unless I see a high level of demand.

Who Inherits Old School? A Look at D&D’s Generational Divide

 

Buckle up...this one could get bumpy.

On the way to work the other day, I found myself thinking about succession—not in the Game of Thrones sense, but in the natural evolution of Dungeons & Dragons. Specifically, who are the heirs to the older editions of the game? Where does the torch pass, and when does that lineage end?

The Dungeon Master himself!

To even begin to answer that, you have to look at the early generations of players—those who played Basic or 1st Edition AD&D when those were the current versions. These were the gamers of the late ’70s and early ’80s, many now in their 50s and 60s (and now even older). A number of the original creators: Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson, are no longer with us. And with each passing year, the pool of gamers who experienced that era firsthand grows smaller. 

OD&D (as its called retroactively) got the ball rolling with the first iterations of the game and Chainmail that proceeded it. Those guys were the start of RPGs as we know them now.

Even 2nd Edition AD&D, the version many of us later adopters came up with, is now over two decades old. A whole new generation has emerged since then, shaped by modern design philosophies, digital interfaces, and the ever-growing influence of video games.

It’s easy to forget that there was a time when RPGs had no expectations or templates. Some of the earliest players were literally inventing the hobby as they went. Many of them were gaming when computers like the Altair were considered cutting edge( see below). Compare that to now; when the average new player likely encountered role playing first through a Twitch stream or a sleek, modern rule set like 5e.

Never had one, I had an Atari 800 XL!

As someone who was born in the early ’70s and got the Moldvay Basic Set for Christmas in 1981, I straddle a particular generational line. I’m certainly not one of the original "old-schoolers", but I’m also not part of the modern wave. I sit squarely in the middle: a "hybrid player" as I call them who grew up with Basic, 1st Edition, and eventually 2nd Edition, sometimes all at once.

And I think that "middle-ground generation", players like me—might be the last true link to the wild, formative years of tabletop role playing. This is for no other reason of timing of our age.

We were there for the late bloom of 1st Edition, with all its quirks and contradictions. We embraced Unearthed Arcana, the Wilderness Survival Guide (somewhat) and all the other modules and side books that added flavor to our sessions despite their flaws. We transitioned into 2nd Edition when it launched in 1989 and treated it not as a hard reboot, but a continuation. We didn’t draw stark lines between editions; we mixed and matched freely, long before the idea of edition purity became a talking point.

Sure, purists might argue that only the earliest wave of solely 1st Edition players are the real inheritors of “old school.” But I disagree. That later wave, those who played Basic and 1st and 2nd concurrently, were the last ones who treated those versions as living systems, not museum pieces. We were the ones who grew up with the original rules. We may not have written them, but we lived them.

And then came 2000...and everything changed.

That year marked the release of 3rd Edition, and with it, the true dividing line between old-school and new-school D&D. It wasn’t the 1989 launch of 2nd Edition that splintered the player base. It was the OGL, the d20 boom, and the re-imagining of the game as a more balanced, codified system. It introduced a new design era, one heavily influenced by the structure and sensibilities of video games, MMOs and tactical skirmish rules.

From that point forward, the DNA of D&D started to shift. Not for the worse—but certainly away from its roots.

So who, then, are the true heirs to “old school?"

This awesome art made a huge impression on an 8-yer old gamer...

In my view, it’s the "hybrid generation": the kids who played Moldvay and Mentzer versions of Basic, who experimented with 1st and 2nd, who witnessed the transition but were shaped by the era before it. We’re the ones who were some of the last who grew up on when D&D was scribbled maps, inconsistent rules, and house-ruling everything from initiative to encumbrance. We’re the ones who saw the pulp inspirations firsthand, (but not necessarily the pulps themselves). Those who read The Sword of Shannara and The Hobbit before we even heard of Vance, Lieber, or Moorcock. Our aesthetic and influences were already a generation removed, but the game wasn't per se.

We were the last generation raised solely on print modules, on Dragon Magazine articles, on clashing art styles from Elmore to Otus. We didn’t just play D&D, we absorbed it in all its chaos, contradictions, and creativity. When we eventually aged out, the game moved on without us. But the memory of what it was that remains with us and all at a time before the rise of the internet.

So yes, the OSR (Old School Renaissance) has taken up part of the mantle. But it’s not the same as having been there. You can emulate the rules. You can recreate the vibe. But you can’t replicate the culture of discovery and experimentation that surrounded the game in its early years. Fans who superscribe to OSR have their own place in all this in my pinion it simply differs on the the lineage.

Eventually, even we hybrid players will be gone. And when that happens, the link to the original age of RPGs, warts and all, will be gone too. What’s left will be interpretations, homages, and inspired re-imaginings.

Still, it’s a fascinating position to hold: one foot in the origins, the other foot in the modern age. Not the pioneers, but the last of their direct descendants. It also mirrors a lot of Gen Xs experience in life so probably not too surprising.

And maybe that’s not such a bad place to be.

The Dogs of War Nippon Army Style

Years ago I created a Nippon army list, its fairly crude and I have updated it a few times, but never really play tested it.

Somewhat because of this I starting to formulate a strategy for my own Dogs of War force, but one based on Nippon.

I've been a big fan of the Nippon forces since back in the 3rd Edition Warhammer days and always liked the look of them. Plus I've never really seen a good assembled force or really many at all. It's always been a shame that Games Workshop never released an actual army for them. But no matter, between the old range being available (somewhat) on eBay and these guys from Curteys Miniatures I think I'm going to be OK for the kind of force I want to assemble.

While the GW range was/is nice for 5th/6th edition Dogs of War its never really held my interest. Plus add to the fact that in order to get them now its either crazy prices off of the GW UK website or crazy prices off of eBay. Not willing to do either really. As I mentioned that's where these Mounted Samurai from Curteys come into play: 12 metal minis for $47? Yes please, GW should take note.

One of the coolest artillery sets in Warhammer

 

So with all that as I noted above I'm formulating a plan as most of my Warhammer stuff is packed up in anticipation for a move to a new house. So what I'm doing is seeking out all of the parts that I'm looking for before I start my force. This will be a novel idea for me as I usually acquire minis as I'm painting. Starting off I'm going with the Nippon Rocket Crew from Games Workshop back in the 3rd edition days. and thanks to a few chaps over on Chaos Dwarfs Online I think I'm set with that part. I will be getting the Rocket Launcher and 3 out of the 4 crewmen which is fine with me. Fine because when I run these guys as Dogs of War I plan on using it as a "Count As" Halfling Hot Pot, when used as a "Count As" Empire force I'll use it as a undersized Hellstrom Rocket Battery.

My buddy Baggronor over at Chaos Dwarfs Online (now Chaos Dwarfs Online) also has informed me that he has some 3rd Edition Games Workshop Ninjas as well. After all, even a renegade warband of Nippon mercenaries is going to have some ninjas squirreled away inside of it!

Other ideas include: a mounted Geisha for a wizard along the lines of the PC game Shogun: Total War; a band of mercenary dwarfs, a converted unit or from (Curteys line) of crossbowmen from Cathay. I don't see the Nipponese Samurai or their retainers using crossbows but a mercenary force? Sure in the right hands. This opens up possibilities of a renamed Marksmen or Miragliano renamed as well. Other ideas are a giant, but not as a Eastern giant per se, rather painted up like normal. The reason for this is I want to tie into the Old World as well. This as yet unnamed force has been fighting all over the continent and is made up of various parts. At its core is the Nippon forces yes, but other elements as well. It will be weird painting the giant in such a manner will make him appear unusual because his supporting troops will look so different.

That's it for now. Drop me a line ion the 3rd edition Citadel Oriental line of miniatures or the army in general.

Word of Hashut #11 Released – Update and Future Plans

Well, it was another overly long production cycle on the ezine, but Issue #11 of the Word of Hashut is finally out.

As I note in my editorial inside the issue, the Word of Hashut will be undergoing a "diet" in the future in order to manage to get it out on time. In short it’s about time or more precisely the lack thereof.

I will point out however that issue #12 is slated for release in late March, but with going on vacation I don’t think that is going to be likely. So it’s probably up to the Summer issue in June to get back on track but with moving (hopefully) you know the drill...

(EDIT - 7/7/26- Issue #11 was the last issue I created for the ezine. The crew at Chaos Dwarfs Online at the time soldiered on with Issue #12 which ended up being the last.