Lord Of The Rings: The Main Characters Ranked By Fighting Ability

Given that The Lord of the Rings is a fantasy epic with huge battles, it makes sense that many of the main characters are extremely skilled warriors and fighters. However, some of them have a lot more experience in the world of combat than others, and this is especially true when it comes to members of the Fellowship of the Ring. While some characters, like Legolas and Aragorn, have been fighting for years, others, like the Hobbits, never even saw combat before.

Because of this, there is actually a wide range of ability in fighting between different main characters. Many of the characters who have no experience do gain a lot more skill over time, however.

10 Frodo

While Frodo is the Bearer of the One Ring, he’s definitely not the best fighter in the group by any means. Because he’s carrying the Ring, the rest of the Fellowship is tasked to protect him, so he doesn’t often end up in fighting situations himself.

Also, carrying the Ring is a very heavy weight to carry, both emotionally and physically, so he’s not really in a good state to try and fight anyone.

9 Pippin

Pippin starts out as a Hobbit with no battle experience and who is naive to a lot of things about the world, and he is then placed into a war situation that he never expected.

However, he doesn’t actually get all that much direct fighting experience, at least in the movies. He is a part of the battle for Minas Tirith, but he is mostly kept safe by Gandalf and others during this time.

8 Sam

While Sam might be one of the gentlest, and also best, characters in the series, he can put up a fight when he needs to, and it mostly comes down to when he’s trying to protect others.

His first time fighting is in the mines of Moria when he uses his frying pan, but he does get some experience with a sword in Mordor when he defends Frodo from monsters like Shelob and orcs. However, he doesn’t get as much experience as some of the other characters.

7 Merry

While Merry, just like Pippin, starts out the journey with no experience in the world or with a sword, he does learn some things over time. Both he and Merry are taught some fighting skills by Boromir, and then Merry has these skills a bit more put to the test as time goes on.

He goes with Eowyn into the Battle of Pelennor Fields, and while he doesn’t suddenly become an amazing warrior, he does show that he can hold his own more than people might expect from him.

6 Eowyn

From Merry to Eowyn, there is a bit of a large jump in skill. While Eowyn didn’t have much battle experience, she was actually trained throughout her life to know how to use a sword in case she ever needed to protect herself and others.

So, when she goes into battle, she isn’t completely unaware of what to do. And, she also kills the Witch King which gives her extra points.

5 Boromir

Boromir is someone who has even a lot more experience than Eowyn because he has been training and fighting for years. As the son of the Steward of Gondor, he knew how to defend himself and to fight orcs.

However, because he’s only a human, he didn’t have the same years of experience as some of the other members of the Fellowship. He could hold his own in these battle situations and was very strong, but he wasn’t an elf or dwarf.

4 Gimli

While Gimli would likely protest Legolas being put higher on the list, it really is a bit of a draw as to who is better between the two of them. The truth is that they both have very different strengths when it comes to battles, so it’s like comparing apples to oranges. Gimli really represents the best of dwarven warriors while Legolas represents the strength and skill of the elves.

Gimli is extremely strong and able to hold his ground against many enemies at once. He’s particularly suited to close combat, and he’s an expert at using axes. However, while he is really tough, he’s not as good in long-distance battles and has less endurance.

3 Legolas

Legolas is another amazing warrior, but his skill set is very different than Gimli’s. He’s very lithe and has heightened senses and balance because he’s an elf.

While the movies probably go a bit too far in giving him almost superhero abilities, he is supposed to be a good warrior. He’s best in long-range battles because his preferred weapon is a bow and arrow, but he can also fight in hand-to-hand combat when needed.

2 Gandalf

Gandalf might not seem like he’s the best warrior around, but he does have some tricks up his sleeve. While he’s much less physically strong and skilled than some of the other individuals in the Fellowship, he’s one of the Istari which makes him a somewhat supernatural being.

He has wizard magic as well as years of experience. And, he’s the only one in the Fellowship who had the strength to go against and eventually defeat a Balrog.

1 Aragorn

Aragorn is shown in the movies to be one of the best warriors and also leaders in the world of Middle-Earth, and these facts are driven home even more in the books.

While in some ways, it might not make the most sense as he’s not nearly as old as characters like Legolas and Gimli, he is one of the Dunedain. His morality is a driving force, and he’s spent most of his life as a Ranger. He’s known for being one of the best warriors in the series.

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