#tiadrin is a somewhat close second

[madefate-a]

don’t reblog // consider: ethari is the only one in the chaos quad who can reliably & sustainably hold their alcohol 

[beautifulterriblequeen]

I don't know if you've been asked this before but based on what we saw in the show, who do you think is the better fighter among Runaan, Lain and Tiadrin? Bonus question, who do you think would win in a fight between Runaan and Janai? (Plus, am I the only that thinks that these two would make very good friends?)

Ooh, anon, let’s see what we got.

We’ve seen Lain and Tiadrin fight two-on-one against Viren, and we’ve seen Runaan fight one-on-one with Rayla and five-on-five with Soren and his guards.

They all trained regularly, no doubt. But--assuming a recent but pre-coin status for each of them--something tells me that Runaan’s more dedicated in his training than the Skywings that Lain and Tiadrin had at their disposal. That one Skywing Dragonguard who fled had a criss-cross scar on his left cheek, but since he was fleeing, I kinda assume he gave it to himself like those French dudes who’d scar their left cheeks to make it seem like they’d been in a duel and were therefore cool like the real duelists were. So Lain and Tiadrin probably trained and sparred with each other most of all. That makes them really good against each other, but less adaptable against others. So I think that Runaan would have a slight edge on them because he trains with a wider variety of partners, and he’s also in charge of the training so he can push everyone as hard as he likes. Which is probably pretty hard.

Advantage: Runaan. But only just. 

In the past, I’m sure all three trained together at least somewhat, so if Lain and Tiadrin decided to gang up on Runaan, I bet they’d give him a serious run for his money. He may be built like a deer on springs, but he’s only one elf and they are two. Plus, they know pretty much all the same tricks he does. He couldn’t get away with that DFA leap he does all the time, not without getting DFA’d himself half a second later. Lain’s aerial attacks are gloriously terrifying.

I’m not saying he’d definitely lose. But everyone would need a good long minute to catch their breath no matter how it ended.

Runaan vs Janai? Oh my. Well, I’m imagining a proper fight instead of just sparring, for these two, because way more is at stake.

His bowblade would be toast with the first hit. One of those swords would lose its tip, and then Runaan would have to decide whether to keep the one remaining sword or find a whole new strategy.

I think he’d choose a new strategy. And that strategy would be to stay the heck out of that Sunforge sword’s reach while trying to get close enough to Janai to take it from her.

Runaan’s battle style is very aerial. He bounces off floors and walls like he’s made of rubber, and he can turn in midair like a cat. He’d use the airspace over Janai’s head as best he could to try and leap in behind her before she could spin and slash him. She’s a grounded fighter. Her strategy, as we’ve seen, is to hold her position and destroy everything that gets close to her. She can leap and slash, but she sticks a lot closer to the ground than Runaan does. 

And it’s very possible that she’s taller than he is, so the only advantage he’d have in open combat is his speed and flexibility. He’d have to be a rabbit on crack, but I think he could manage to twist himself into exactly the right position where he could separate Janai from her sword. Especially if he had a little help from the full Moon or some handy battle enchantments/illusions from Ethari. (unless that’s considered cheating, which Runaan Does Not Do)

That position would probably be something crazy like landing in a seated position on her shoulders, grabbing her arm as she tries to stab him, and launching them both into a backflip throw to disorient her while he disarms her.

I can see him smirk at her in the glow of her blade and do the “bring it” gesture. And then lose the smirk in sudden alarm when she shifts into Heat-being and tries to scorch him with her bare hands. He’d leap into a tree, and she’d set it on fire... Runaan better have somewhere very safe and fireproof to uhhh tactically retreat to after that, because Janai won’t let him just up and steal her sword. He’ll probably end up behind Ethari and Amaya. That seems like a really safe place.