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 Westeros- Revised 2026

 

I am a huge fan of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF). I’ve read the main novels multiple times, devoured Fire & Blood, and re-watched the various television series multiple times as well. Across the five published books, the companion volumes, and the broader history of Westeros, Martin has given us an incredible roster of warriors: shining paragons of knighthood, cunning tacticians, and downright devious (or monstrous) fighters.

Back in 2011, before the release of A Dance with Dragons, I originally compiled a Top 10 list of the greatest warriors in Westeros (see the orginal list below). With new material and years of additional perspective, it was clear the rankings needed a thorough revision. Some positions have shifted, a few names dropped off, and the list has now expanded to a full Top 20.

What follows is my current, updated ranking—part tribute, part analysis, and entirely my own opinion. Rankings are based on a mix of demonstrated skill, battlefield reputation, leadership, and overall impact within the world of ice and fire.

What Matters in This Ranking

• Warrior Ability First — Raw combat skill, proven feats, and battlefield effectiveness take priority. (Note: “Best knight” in the chivalric sense and “best warrior” are not always the same thing, as the Red Viper clearly demonstrates.)
• Prime Condition — Characters are judged at their peak, not in their current or declining state.
• Books Take Precedence — The novels are the primary canon. The television show is secondary. When both align (e.g., Ser Arthur Dayne), it strengthens the case. When they diverge (e.g., Brienne of Tarth), the books win. Example: Brienne is one of the strongest fighters in the current timeline, but her book feats (including nearly dying to Biter) keep her from ranking higher. The show version becomes somewhat inflated in later seasons.
• Reputation + Results — What other characters say about them, combined with what they have actually accomplished.

Note on Leadership: While this ranking focuses primarily on individual warrior ability and combat prowess, leadership is used as a secondary tiebreaker when two warriors are otherwise close. Ser Arthur Dayne needs no help here—his reputation stands on pure skill. For something like Jaime Lannister versus Barristan Selmy, Jaime earns a slight edge due to his battlefield command experience. Robert Baratheon’s leadership during Robert’s Rebellion (ultimately winning a kingdom) boosts him significantly. The same logic applies elsewhere when feats are nearly equal.

So with all that said here are the new updated rankings. It's also important to note the tie at #3. The daylight between the two is so small in my opinion its near impossible to say one is better than the other.

Map of Westeros by Arwo1f can be found here

 

Twenty Greatest Warriors of Westeros

1. Ser Arthur Dayne, The Sword of the Morning - Untouchable #1. Near-universal consensus as the greatest knight Westeros has ever seen.

2. Oberyn Martell, The Red Viper of Dorne - His fight with the Mountain alone and overall deadliness justify it.
3A. Ser Jamie Lannister, The Kingslayer - Perhaps the greatest natural talent and prodigy of his generation.

3B. Ser Barristan Selmy, The Bold, - Lord Commander of the Kingsguard - All-time great. Legendary longevity and skill.

5. Daemon Blackfyre - The Black Dragon. Fire & Blood confirms his strength as a warrior and leader.

6. Aemon the Dragonknight - Legendary Targaryen hero. One of the most revered knights in history.

7. Robert Baratheon - An absolute monster in his prime during Robert’s Rebellion.

8. Sandor Clegane, TheHound - Fearsome size, skill, and surprising conscience make him a standout.

9. Gregor Clegane, The Mountain - Brutal strength and terror personified. Westeros’ most monstrous fighter.

10. Daemon Targaryen, The Rogue Prince - Charismatic, daring, and exceptionally skilled in battle.

11. Victarion Greyjoy -Ironborn brute force and veteran of countless raids and battles

12. Bronn - The smartest fighter on the list. Survives by knowing exactly when and how to fight.

13. Brynden Tully, The Blackfish - Uncompromising defender of Riverrun and one of the most respected knights alive.

14. Garlan Tyrell - Skilled and often underrated warrior of the Reach.

15. Gerold Hightower, The White Bull, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard - Tower of the Joy legend.

16. Rheagar Targaryen - The Prince of Dragonstone. Warrior-poet with immense talent.

17. Mance Rayder - King-Beyond-the-Wall. Battle-hardened leader of the Free Folk

18. Jon Snow - Rising force with proven skill, leadership, and resilience.

19. Qhorin Halfhand - Elite ranger of the Night’s Watch. Legendary among the brothers.

20. Brienne of Tarth - One of the strongest current-timeline fighters, despite some early setbacks.

In time I'll be reviewing all of them fully and adding the links back here. Part of the fun of this its all 

For the sake of completeness the original list from 2011 was as follows. In all cases I've gone back and repurposed the exiting entries and updated rather than leave them as is. I did this to avoid confusion of having two sets of posts for the same character on the blog. 

1. Ser Arthur Dayne, The Sword of the Morning

2. The Red Viper of Dorne

3. Ser Jamie Lannister, The King Slayer

4. Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard

5. Sandor Clegane, The Hound

6. Syrio Forel

7. Gregor Clegane, The Mountain

8. Robert Baratheon

9.  Bronn

10.  Brynden Tully, The Blackfish

There you have it, the old list for historical purposes with the new updated ranking above. Opinions can (and will) be made as to why one warrior is better than another, but there can be some informed debate by reading the text closely and with the added bonus of the television show when it matches the character depicted.

Let me know your thoughts.

The Greatest Warriors of the Westros- #2, Oberyn Martell- The Red Viper of Dorne

The Red Viper 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.   

When you look up “bad-ass” in the dictionary, there’s Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne, staring back at you — and kicking your ass from the page at the same time. Prince Oberyn is just that hardcore. If he met up with Chuck Norris… I’m not so sure Chuck would win.

The mercenary, screw-everything-that-walks, kill-it-all, balls-to-the-wall Red Viper stands head and shoulders above almost everyone else in the books and rightly takes his place as #2 of the Greatest Warriors of Westeros.

#2- Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne

Right before he dies (in perhaps the ultimate combat of the books), who does the Red Viper slay? None other than The Mountain that Rides, Ser Gregor Clegane, that’s who. That’s right — the largest warrior to walk the Seven Kingdoms falls to the Red Viper’s spear.

Using poison? Dies in the attempt?

Doesn’t matter.

While a Prince (and hardly a knight), he eschews the traditional weaponry of knights — the sword — and prefers to fight with a spear. While his climactic opponent uses massive plate armor, he is armored lightly, dancing around the Mountain, taunting him. One gets the sense that the Red Viper could kill him at any time, but wants to draw it out after the murder of his sister Elia of Dorne during the Sack of King’s Landing at the culmination of Robert’s Rebellion. The epic duel of Oberyn and Gregor is one of the, if not the, best duels in the entire series thus far. 

Before he fought the Mountain That Rides, he was in a duel when he was just sixteen. Apparently he was found bedding the paramour of Lord Yronwood. Due to his age, a duel to first blood was arranged. Well, Oberyn won the duel, drawing first blood as prescribed by the rules. The problem was that Lord Yronwood’s wound festered and he died from but a scratch. It was rumored that Oberyn poisoned his spear, and thus the legend of the Red Viper was born.

 Oberyn Martell’s actions are also responsible for the enmity between House Martell and House Tyrell. At a joust, Willas Tyrell had his leg mangled in a freak accident. Oberyn was blamed. Interestingly enough, there is no bad blood between Oberyn and Willas over this incident. Oberyn even sent his own maester to tend to Willas.

Adding to his fame is the fact that he served as a mercenary leader, studied at the Citadel and forged six links of his chain before becoming bored, as well as serving in the Free Cities. And it was not “just” in the Free Cities, but the Disputed Lands, where warfare is constant, serving with the Second Sons.

For even more badass: the fact that he has eight bastard daughters known as the Sand Snakes. Lord Walder Frey might be able to fill an army with the fruits of his loins, but I’d take the Red Viper’s progeny any day of the week — twice on Sundays.

Back to THE fight, and I mean THE FIGHT of the series

"Her name was Elia Martell, SAY HER NAME!" 

When Joffrey finally bites the dust inA Storm of Swords, everyone except Cersei is rejoicing. I mean, really — is there anyone who actually liked the annoying, "mini-male version of Cersei?" However, the King being killed is naturally going to cause some accusations to fly, and it’s Tyrion who gets blamed. When it becomes apparent that he will not get justice, he demands trial by combat. To which Cersei gleefully calls for Ser Gregor Clegane to be her champion. Everyone figures that Tyrion is now dead — who is going to fight the Mountain That Rides, let alone for the Imp?

Calmly and coolly, Oberyn Martell tells the court that he will stand for Tyrion. Not for Tyrion’s sake, mind you, but for his thirst for revenge on Gregor for what he did to his sister Elia of Dorne. Tyrion’s defense merely provides the excuse.

 It’s readily apparent that, like Bronn vs. Ser Vardis in the Vale, Oberyn has sized up his opponent quite well. He knows how to kill him. Also on his side is the fact that, unlike everyone else, he is not frightened by Ser Gregor’s size. Ellaria Sand, his paramour, remarks, “You’re going to fight that?” to which the Red Viper dryly replies, “No. I’m going to kill that.”

How about that for hardcore? Most knights would be turning in their ser’s or pissing in their armor, and the Red Viper is ready to kill the most massive warrior in the Seven Kingdoms — and looking forward to it.

Right off the bat, it’s apparent what the Red Viper’s strategy is: wear down the massive Gregor and taunt him. In this, Bronn would approve — it’s the same basic strategy he used in the Vale. Oberyn jabs and thrusts and, most importantly, stays out of Ser Gregor’s massive reach. Simultaneously, he taunts the massive Gregor, knowing this will add to his frustration and open him up to a well-placed strike. Ser Gregor, who is not the most patient under the best of circumstances, falls for this, shouting for him to shut up.

The strategy works as Oberyn continues to strike, eventually wounding Ser Gregor. All the while, the taunting continues: “You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children!” Over and over, the Red Viper speaks this (something akin to Inigo Montoya, but I digress) to wring as much vengeance from the fight as possible. You can feel this scene ooze with tension as well as a deep connection to the backstory of the Seven Kingdoms.

Finally, the Red Viper moves in and, after a running vault, pins the Mountain to the ground with his poisoned spear rammed through the giant’s gut. And with that, the Mountain is defeated. As Oberyn reaches for the Mountain’s sword to finish him off, he continues to taunt him and drops his guard. In coming too close to the dying giant (something he avoided doing all fight), the Mountain is able to grab ahold of him, thrust his hands into Oberyn’s eyes, and bash his skull with his massive fists, shouting, “You mean like this and this?!” in reply to the Red Viper’s taunting. At such close range the Prince is slain, but the Mountain is now succumbing to the poison’s effect. Not even a man as massive as Ser Gregor can shake it off.

So while he is slain because of his own zeal and thirst for revenge, ultimately it’s Prince Oberyn that triumphs. The poison used causes the Mountain to die a slow, agonizing death in incredible pain. His sister is avenged, and his place in the halls of badassery is assured.

Say what you want, but to me the Red Viper of Dorne is as badass as they come and one of the best characters in the books, hands down. It’s unfortunate that he only appears in A Storm of Swords and is gone within a few chapters. But as far as hardcore, kick-ass warriors go: there is only one ahead of him in the Song of Ice and Fire.

Stay tuned.

At this point I'd like to point out the excellent work at The Wiki of Ice and Fire, Westeros.org as well as the Tower of the Hand keep up the great work guys!