Greatest Fantasy Warriors?

[Olgar Shiverstone]

If you were to list the greatest fantasy warriors of all time -- a top ten, whatever -- who would they be? By warrior I mean a character who is primarily seen as a user of weapons who fights physically, not a wizard who fights with magic, though some magic might be part of their makeup -- so for example I'd put the Witcher into the Warrior category, but not Gandalf (though Gandalf does fight a lot with a sword, and you could probably argue he uses less magic than the Witcher).

I'm looking to create lists in two general categories: fantasy (ie. fantasy fiction -- Aragorn, Conan, Fafhrd, etc) and mythology (historical/cultural: Hercules, Theseus, Gilgamesh, etc). I realize there might be some overlap between categories.

So who are your picks?

(OK, here's why: we're having a contest to name a bunch of conference rooms where I work; warrior culture/references are good for that, and thematic consistency will matter.)

 

[ichabod]

I can only think of three I would truly call great: Fafhrd (Fritz Leiber), Conan (Robert E. Howard), and Thomas Boniface (Martha Wells).

 

[Deset Gled]

Link and Odysseus were the first that came to my mind.

 

[Umbran]

So, you hit Fafhrd, and Grey Mouser goes with him
Conan goes almost without saying.

Others, in no particular order...
Red Sonja
Elric of Melnibone
Aragorn, Isildur, Boromir
Tulkas (obscure Tolkien to most - he's the one who captured Sauron's boss Melkor in battle)
Kull
Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter
Sir Lancelot du Lac
Robin of Locksley/Sherwood
Roland/Orlando
Boudica
Morrigan
Scathach
Beowulf
Sigurd "Fanfnirsbane" Sigmundson
Gilgamesh
Enkidu
Hanuman
Hercules
Odysseus/Ulysses
Hyppolyta
Penthesilea
Atalanta

 

[MGibster]

Nobody ever mentions Diomedes. Dude went into battle with fire shooting out of his head and ends up throwing a spear at Ares, hitting him under the girdle, and causing him to withdraw from the battle.

 

[Divine2021]

First that came to mind was my childhood crush, Tanis the Half Elf.

 

[Sacrosanct]

My mind instantly went to classical heroes rather than modern (last century) characters. Huh. So I was thinking of Gilgamesh, Roland, Perseus, Arthur, Lancelot, Sigurd, Beowulf, Scathac (sp, one of the few female characters reknown for her warrior skills), etc

 

[Umbran]

....Scathac (sp, one of the few female characters reknown for her warrior skills), etc

Well, actually....

List of women warriors in folklore - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Sacrosanct]

Well, actually....

List of women warriors in folklore - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Well, of course there were many women warriors in folklore. But very few were considered the best warriors in the world by their respective cultures, and Scáthach (now that I'm at my computer I could look it up) was. Most people familiar with Irish folklore know who Cú Chulainn was. Well, she's the one who taught him everything he knew...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Seeking to add some heroes not explicitly mentioned so far:

Hiawatha
David (Biblical)
Joan d’Arc
Samurai Jack
Little John
Will Scarlet*
Sir Gawain



* EDIT: I meant William Tell