Originally Posted by
Jabare
these rankings are based on an average of showings past and present. For certain characters like Dragon, Tiger, and Shiva have pre-defined rankings based on their histories
*I will update this later
God Tier (He who stands alone)
1. Karate Kid
-The best fighter in the DC Universe. His feats are cartoony. No one touches Karate Kid
Legendary
2. O-Sensei
-Teach and master of the legendary trio
3. Richard Dragon
-often called the best fighter in the DC Universe
4. Bronze Tiger
-the man who decisively beat Batman multiple times. His exploits in Task Force X are well noted, and although he doesn't get the love he once did his spot is well deserved. He and Shiva are in the same ballpark, but he edges her out based on their fights with Batman. Ben bested Bruce with less effort on both occasions
5. Lady Shiva
-the deadliest non-superpowered woman in the DC Universe
6. Sensei
-probably the most knowledgeable martial arts master in the world.
7. Bruce Wayne
-Nuff said. Frankly, he didn't use to be this high, and the ways some people right him he'd be even higher, but that's Batman for you.
8. Deathstroke
-despite jobbing here and there, he's still the deadliest assassin in the DC Universe. I want to put him over Bruce but he hasn't been written that way in well over a decade
Elite of the Elite
7. Nightwing
-Dick Grayson's rating ebbs and flows. He's going to be below Bruce but ahead of the rest of the Batfamily. He was ranked higher years ago than his stock fell due to an influx of other DC martial artists. However, his higher current ranking is largely due to the gauntlet he ran from 2009 to 2011 where Bruce Wayne is out of the picture and he has to fill those shows. Besting the likes of Ra's Al Ghul, Deathstroke, Cassandra Cain, Cheshire, Jason Todd, etc., etc. Hi stock kind of took a hit in the New 52, but he still has some solid feats over the year
8. Batgirl (Cassandra Cain)
-older comic readers will balk at this ranking, but frankly, she could have been lower. It's been well over a decade since she's been "a top fighter" in the DC Universe. Given her encounters with Jason, Shiva and others. She's still very good but not nearly the level she was at when people ranked her ahead of Bruce. I don't know if DC will ever make her that high again. Some will argue Jason should be ahead of her, but I'm going to keep her this high in recognition of her past feats. Despite what you see of her now at one point she was competing for that top spot as the best martial artist
9. Black Canary
-Black Canary is another incredible fighter and one people will argue should be higher, but recent years matter, and her stock has fallen a little. Still a top 10 fighter
10. David Cain
-Another fighter that used to be higher on the list, but has fallen off in recent years. Still a superb fighter I can't place him outside the top 10
11. Connor Hawke
-This ranking is out of respect for the Pre-New 52 Connor
12. Wildcat
-Ted Grant, while probably not the most skilled of those above him is still incredibly effective and his record speaks for itself.
Superb
13. Katana
-underrated fighter
14. Ra's Al Ghul
-this is more a ranking out of context and where he should be on paper
15. Bane
- this could be too high, this is based on Knightfall and a few showings. If it wasn't for Knightfall he wouldn't sniff this spot
16. Jason Todd
-he could be higher, and probably should be especially if we look at his New 52 showings, but given who his opponents were and the current timeline they don't hold as much weight. I might move him higher tho
17. Damian Wayne
-Damian is hard to rank. DC's been pushing him hard for a while, however, there are certain people you can't put him ahead of
18. Cheshire
19. Batwoman
20. Tim Drake
-Now Tim should probably be higher, so I'll likely come back and move him up like Jason. I just don't feel he's currently as good as when he was Red Robin.
Barbara Gordon
-Barbara's always been a competent fighter, but her feats are not on par with everyone else. unless we pull out the Oracle feats. How she fought so effectively in a wheelchair I'll never know.
Very Good
Oliver Queen
-this feels appropriate. I don't care how much you all love Arrow he's not moving up too much
Roy Harper
-he could be lower honestly
Huntress
-she could be a little higher, but not by much
I'll rank these nine later tomorrow:
Question
King Snake
Rene Montoya
Constantine Drakon
Shado
Shrike
Lady Vic
Stephanie Brown
Hush
unranked:
Midnighter (the original version would probably be in Legendary, the current version is more like Elite)
Ozymandias (he'd be in Legendary)