[Lundos]

Tattersail mentions in GotM that QB is the best she's ever seen. Not the most powerfull but the best. With his newfound powers after his defeat to Icarium that must go a long way.

Tay shows several times he has the goods. Just read the thread.

Kruppe is called a man several times in GotM and I believe he's human. In MoI he's deemed the most intelligent (with QB as a close second). Now that is telling something. He faces off Caladan Brood without flinching, and he's running in circles around everybody in Darujhistan.

Kimloc, Sinn, Pust, the Crimson Guard mages, Obo, Agayla, Mallick Rel, Vorcan, Seren Pedac, The Shal Morzin Triumverant. Take your pick.

With regards to the Ceda, Sormo and Beak, they're all dead. If you're the most powerfull, you don't die. Simple as that. No matter the circumstance.

Bottle is just a kid now. He's shown nothing in raw power. Only minor abilities with animal control, and he needed Fiddlers help to get his scying ritual right. That leaves him out of the top 10 for now.

Bauchelain and Korbal Broach are both defeated by QB and later by Blend and Picker. That leaves them out of the top 10.

Silverfox isn't human.

After trying to put together a list, I think it's easier to say who's not on it and see who's left.

[Carnifex]

So you're saying that the most powerful guy in the world can't be killed, even if he's ganged up on by a horde of weaker guys?

That seems a bit off.

[Aptorian]

Lundos;327741 said:

With regards to the Ceda, Sormo and Beak, they're all dead. If you're the most powerfull, you don't die. Simple as that. No matter the circumstance.

Bullshit. Everyone is vulnerable in the Malazan world. Gods die, Elder beings die, no one goes free.

Lundos;327741 said:

Bauchelain and Korbal Broach are both defeated by QB and later by Blend and Picker. That leaves them out of the top 10.

Nonsense. Both times it's the two necromancers arrogance that gets the best of them. Are you saying Gesler couldn't punch Quicks light out?

Lundos;327741 said:

Silverfox isn't human.

I'm not sure about that. Kallor of course thinks of her as an abomination, but she's born by a Rhivi and she's described as being human looking. I think she's a Rhivi woman with the soul of a god and two mages.

[Lundos]

Aptorian;327904 said:

Bullshit. Everyone is vulnerable in the Malazan world. Gods die, Elder beings die, no one goes free.

Everybody can die. The best ones just happen to avoid it. Rake is still alive. So are a host of unpleasantries from the old days. Kellenvad and Dancer didn't die. Neither did Dassem. Ofcourse all of these ascended, but they were mortals once. Oh, they might die over the course of time. I mean who's to say something nastier isn't on it's way?

Aptorian;327904 said:

Nonsense. Both times it's the two necromancers arrogance that gets the best of them. Are you saying Gesler couldn't punch Quicks light out?

Of course Gesler could knock out QB, but QB wouldn't give him the chance, and he would have sniffed out Blend in the other situation. Besides QB took out both of them. Maybe it was arrogance, but they were warned when he released their pet demon, and that would be enough for a clever mage. What use is insane raw power (which we haven't seen from them) if you never get to use it, because you're outsmarted every time?

Aptorian;327904 said:

I'm not sure about that. Kallor of course thinks of her as an abomination, but she's born by a Rhivi and she's described as being human looking. I think she's a Rhivi woman with the soul of a god and two mages.

The first born Imass in 200.000 years or so. Isn't that why she commands them (or tries to)?

Granted it's been awhile since I last read the books, but my memory isn't that bad yet.

[Lundos]

Carnifex;327855 said:

So you're saying that the most powerful guy in the world can't be killed, even if he's ganged up on by a horde of weaker guys?

That seems a bit off.

Is the Crippled God being killed right now?

[Silencer]

Hmmmm....I can certainly see where you are coming from, Lundos. Although, admittedly, I can see the other side too.
I think you've got a pretty good point there. At the same time, if we're talking about the "most powerful" mages, then surely the only criteria is that you weren't killed by another mage?
QB
Tay
Obo, Agayla
Ceda
Beak
Kimloc
Cowl

That's only 8, but the others are harder to pick. These ones we KNOW are powerful. Cowl may be above Kimloc, and perhaps even as high as Tay/QB.
The only thing I ranked them on, however, is what we have SEEN them do. Simple. Anybody see any mages on their that took out the equivalent of 3 dragons? No? Hence why QB is currently the top. Cowl we've heard about. (Or, if you've read the RotCG prologue.....)
Beak hasn't done any offensive magic.
Obo and Agayla are Tayschrenn's colleagues, Kimloc we've only heard about, Kuru Qan we've seen do some pretty neat stuff, although only rituals.
Obo and Agayla are perhaps disqualified, for being Ascendants, but that's not confirmed.....and if we were to take that then Tay would also be out, as would Kimloc (probably).
I'll re-arrange later, as I'm not happy with this list myself....I think we have to settle for "ten mages who could be the most powerful".

[dolfanuk]

if we're ruling ascendants out i think we have to look seriously at most peoples top 2.

1. QB - ok so we know the BB's Have ascended and lets not forget you don't have to die to ascend. and something happened to QB when fighting iccy that seemed like a switch had been flicked. so i think he may be ascended/sort of.

2. tay - he was in the deadhouse with kel and dancer. lived for a long time and incredibly powerful. plus he stood with agayla and obo against something that may have overwhelmed the azath. he could well be ascended or close to.

[Aptorian]

I'm two chapters into TtH and with what I've read combined with RCG, I think it's safe to put Cowl way up on the powerfull mages list. At least as powerfull as Tay and Quick... at least.

[dolfanuk]

bloody hell apt that sounds fierce.

can't wait till tomorow, gonna ambush postie.

[BeLeG]

Aptorian;337787 said:

I'm two chapters into TtH and with what I've read combined with RCG, I think it's safe to put Cowl way up on the powerfull mages list. At least as powerfull as Tay and Quick... at least.

at least???
omg....

[dolfanuk]

i've heard a lot of people say about how QB can open six at once, is this strictly true?

when he ko's bachelan and broach he hits the first with sx warrens, to which the other replies, something like "i would have only shown a half of what i was capable of",

to which QB repies "oh but i did."

then blasts him, so what i'm asking is the second blast, was that six again or all 12?

[Aptorian]

Six again. Basically, Quick used one half of his warrens, then the other... and the scary thing is with the power he was wielding, pretty much the full power of Hood, he could probably had done much more, much much more.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Aptorian;337787 said:

I'm two chapters into TtH and with what I've read combined with RCG, I think it's safe to put Cowl way up on the powerfull mages list. At least as powerfull as Tay and Quick... at least.

Come on man, that's another TtH spoiler. Granted, not a big one, but still. Please, for the love of God, use spoiler tags if you're going to give away ANYTHING about TtH. Especially this soon after release. There's even a spoiler button! is your friend, and ours.

[Aptorian]

But it's not a spoiler, just an assesment. Trust me, it's like... well, when Brood tells Kallor he's never faced Dassem, The First, Skinner, etc.

That's how Cowl is viewed, you don't get any pictures, just profound respect.

But you're right, I'm gonna shut my trap and not comment on anything spoilerish from now on.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Aptorian;338982 said:

But it's not a spoiler, just an assesment. Trust me, it's like... well, when Brood tells Kallor he's never faced Dassem, The First, Skinner, etc.

That's how Cowl is viewed, you don't get any pictures, just profound respect.

But you're right, I'm gonna shut my trap and not comment on anything spoilerish from now on.

Good man. Just try not to let the enthusiasm bubble out.

[Bauchelain the Evil]

@Silencer: You skipped Pust!!!??!

[Bauchelain the Evil]

Lundos;327741 said:

Bauchelain and Korbal Broach are both defeated by QB and later by Blend and Picker. That leaves them out of the top 10.

I'd like to point out

1)KB wassemblng when QB attacked him nd couldn't defend himself. Bauchelain was careless because he couldn't think that QB still had 6 warrens in store.
2)QB said that conjuring was the most difficult of negromantic arts and Pran Chole a T'lann Imass Bonecaster said that Bauchelain was a conjurer of great power.

Thusat least Bauchelain has to be in the top 10

[Silencer]

I think you over-estimate the power of Bauchelain as a mage. He may be powerful, but no where near Quick Ben status. He probably has two warrens, one he may not know about (Aral Gamelon). Look at it this way, he was impressed by QB's control of 6 warrens, the way he blended them together. Quick also held back on that. He can take out dragons, he can push back Icarium. He can definitely do worse than blast a guy through a wall. So Bauchelain would be in the top 10, possibly for the top 1, necromancer, but he falls outside the power scale of the top 10 most powerful mages.
I skipped Pust because, while he is powerful, he is untested against other mages/magical creatures. He only defeated Dejiim, and we have seen him get beaten by a lot of things. I have no doubt he is powerful, although I do wonder how much of that comes from being Magi.
We have to leave out all the untested people. Bauchelain also fall into this category, although he also falls into the "defeated by better person" category. Admittedly the guy who I think is the #1 mage in the world, but still. That's where the 'untested' bit comes in.
Hope that made sense....

[BeLeG]

in BH I remember Bottle saying
"Trust me you don't want a war fought with Holds.You don't."
Or something like that.
Maybe warrens are better in individual combat(faster,more choices) but Holds are better for massive damage?

[Raraku]

It seems like Holds magic is less controllable than House magic cause of the various rituals and such in RG and MT. Hence there is a larger amount of damage caused by people using the Holds.
The Houses have more subtle uses like Mokra and Meanas, while the Holds are just power houses.