9 Most Powerful Servants in the Fate/Stay Night Franchise

As an observer within the vibrant world of anime, I can’t help but notice the immense popularity of the Fate franchise. It seems to have captured the hearts of many with its diverse array of shows, visual novels, and games, all woven together into a captivating lore. Among the most favored entries are Fate/stay Night, Fate/Zero, and Fate/Grand Order.

This narrative revolves around mages invoking historical powerhouses, known as Servants, to engage in a fierce competition for the legendary Holy Grail. Each of these Servants is associated with a distinct class that shapes their unique traits and strength levels: Saber, Archer, Assassin, Lancer, Caster, Rider, and Berserker. Quite intriguing, isn’t it?

In each Holy Grail War, distinct Servants with unique talents, skills, and Noble Phantasms (their ultimate powers) participate. The Fate series has expanded with new character classes and versions of commonly summoned Servants, but the original Fate/stay Night timeline remains significant for its influence on the franchise and setting fan expectations. This article delves into the nine Servants involved in the Fifth Holy Grail War across different Fate/stay Night, Fate/stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works, and Fate/stay Night: Heaven’s Feel storylines. Keep reading to discover which Servants I believe are the strongest based on their displayed abilities.

9) Hassan of the Cursed Arm

Hassan of the Cursed Arm is an intriguing Servant, as his original place in the Fifth Holy Grail War was stolen by Sasaki Kojirou’s summoning. Over time, his true identity has been lost to history, and he adopted the title Hassan-i-Sabbah, one of the nineteen to bear this name, also known as “The Old Man of the Mountain.” Each individual who has assumed the role of Hassan concealed their personal identity and visage behind a characteristic mask, emulating their predecessors. Notably, Hassan is the figurehead of a formidable assassins’ guild that originated in the Middle East.

In the story Fate/stay Night: Heaven’s Feel, Hassan is known as the True Assassin, contrasting with Sasaki who is the Fake Assassin. Zouken Matou summons Hassan into the Grail War. Notable about Hassan is the cursed arm that he carries, which is said to have been joined to a demon’s remains. Although he may seem menacing, his expertise isn’t in magic or head-on combat, but rather assassination, as hinted by his class type. Instead of clashing with Masters personally, Hassan chooses to target them. In battle, he uses small daggers called dirks, trapping and cornering his foes while keeping a safe distance. His powerful attack is named Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat, which creates a replica of an enemy’s heart for him to destroy.

8) Sasaki Kojirou

During the Fifth Holy Grail War, Medea summons Sasaki Kojirou, who’s recognized as the Fake Assassin due to his unusual status within his class. His irregularity, which complicates the war, stems from the fact that he isn’t an authentic member of the class he is assigned to. This anomaly can be attributed in part to Sasaki Kojirou being modeled after a legendary swordsman who battled Miyamoto Musashi – however, this swordsman was a figment of folklore rather than a real person, resulting in a Servant rooted in myth instead of historical fact.

In rather unusual circumstances, Sasaki Kojirou proves himself to be a formidable warrior among all Servants in the war, boasting unmatched skill with a sword. He brandishes Monohoshi Zao, an extraordinarily long blade that relies on his agility and grace to catch enemies off guard. Although Sasaki doesn’t have access to Assassin-class techniques, he demonstrates innate abilities in stealth and camouflage. It’s worth mentioning that Sasaki lacks a Noble Phantasm by classification, but rather uses Tsubame Gaeshi – an impressive maneuver that generates three swirling blades assaulting the enemy from all directions.

7) Medusa

In the storyline of Fate/stay Night, Medusa initially serves Shinji Matou but later it’s revealed that Sakura Matou is her true Master during the Heaven’s Feel route. Medusa is depicted as a powerful Servant who struggles to fully utilize her abilities due to having a weaker Master. This character originates from Greek mythology, although her portrayal in Fate differs significantly from historical accounts. However, one consistent aspect across both versions is Medusa’s fearsome gaze, which mirrors her legendary monstrous attributes.

In the Fifth Holy Grail War, Medusa is classified as a Rider-type Servant. Notably, Medusa leans more towards being a Divine Spirit rather than a Heroic Spirit, similar to many summoned combatants. Her Noble Phantasm capabilities are versatile and potent, making her a genuine danger (although in the series we don’t witness her fully utilizing these abilities due to Shinji not being her true Master). Medusa is one of the quickest Servants, demonstrating immense power in combat, and employs both with remarkable strategic acumen. As with any Rider Servant, Medusa can command a wide variety of mounts during battle, the most iconic being a winged Pegasus crafted from her own blood. Additionally, she is equipped with the Mystic Eyes of Petrification that can solidify weaker adversaries in place.

6) Medea

In simpler terms, Medea is a character summoned during the Fifth Holy Grail War, initially serving under Atrum Galliasta. However, Medea later betrays and kills her Master. Subsequently, she forms a bond with Souichirou Kuzuki, a mage who recognizes Medea’s kind nature beneath her icy facade.

In mythology, Medea was once a Greek princess who was deceived by the goddess Aphrodite into betraying her family to aid Jason, a legendary hero, in his journey. As a result of the betrayal and other wrongdoings, Medea turned to magic as a means of seeking vengeance, particularly against Jason, leading her to be known as a sorceress or witch.

Despite lacking considerable physical strength and skill in hand-to-hand combat, Medea stands out due to her remarkable magical abilities, making her a Caster class character. Unlike most characters, Medea doesn’t possess a conventional Noble Phantasm; instead, she has access to the Rule Breaker dagger, which enables her to break Command Seal connections and take control of them. In combat situations, Medea might not hold her ground, but her deep understanding of magic allows her to summon a Servant, thus influencing the course of the war indirectly without having to engage directly. Furthermore, she demonstrates power over others by manipulating them with fake Command Spells, effectively making them her puppets.

5) Cú Chulainn

In the realm of mythology, I am none other than Cú Chulainn, summoned as a Lancer-class Servant to engage in the fierce Fifth Holy Grail War. My initial ally was Bazett Fraga McRemitz, yet when tragedy struck and she fell, I found myself joining forces with Kirei Kotomine. My past is deeply rooted in Irish folklore, where I was nurtured as a demigod destined to safeguard the kingdom of Ulster. Even at a tender age, my deeds of extraordinary strength foretold the formidable warrior I would grow into. Though I am known for my fierce combat prowess, I hold values of fairness and justice close to my heart, abhorring the thought of harming innocents unjustly.

In a nutshell, Lancer class characters are typically proficient in close-quarters combat, showcasing quick reactions and physical power while wielding melee weapons. The Irish hero Cú Chulainn embodies this trait, engaging opponents with a long spear that helps maintain distance. His fighting approach has minimal weak points, but they often go unnoticed in battle due to Kirei’s orders for him to attack and withdraw to avoid losses.

Cú’s Noble Phantasm revolves around the formidable Gáe Bolg spear, which allows him to counteract damage inflicted upon himself onto his adversary and hurl the spear with lethal force. It is mentioned that when summoned in his homeland, Cú has access to additional Phantasms.

4) Emiya

During the Fifth Holy Grail War, it’s Rin Tohsaka who summons the character known as Archer, or simply Emiya in another context. What makes Emiya fascinating is that he’s an alternate reality version of Shirou Emiya from the future. In this parallel world, instead of being a regular human, Shirou struck a deal with Alaya, becoming a Heroic Spirit and a Counter Guardian.

Initially, Shirou’s actions were driven by his altruistic wish to aid humanity, but as he witnessed more of humanity’s cruelty and wickedness in his role, Emiya, the transformed spirit, became a bitter reflection of Shirou. This embittered version of Shirou longed to be summoned so he could eliminate his past self and free himself from his contract.

In essence, Emiya’s name reflects his role as an Archer-class Servant, a category known for having powerful Noble Phantasms and hailing from the Age of Gods. However, unlike many others in this class, Emiya doesn’t fit these qualifications because of his unique origin. Instead, he boasts a skill called Reality Marble, Unlimited Blade Works, which functions somewhat like a Noble Phantasm. This ability allows him to duplicate and store lesser versions of legendary weapons, including Excalibur. Moreover, he can even replicate Gilgamesh’s talent for summoning an endless barrage of arrows. What sets Archer apart is his strategic acumen in combat, using his wisdom and adaptable abilities to outthink and outmaneuver more powerful Servants.

3) Artoria Pendragon

Artoria Pendragon is practically synonymous with the Fate series, although she isn’t the primary character in the series. Instead, she’s usually referred to as “Saber” by fans rather than her full name. In the original Fate/stay night, Artoria was summoned by Shirou Emiya; however, in different routes like Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works and Fate/stay night: Heaven’s Feel, she changes masters – Rin Tohsaka in the former and Sakura Matou in the latter. Artoria is also known as King Arthur, the “King of Knights” or the “Once and Future King”.

Saber stands out as an exceptionally potent Servant, renowned for her exceptional swordsmanship. As suggested by her class name, she demonstrates remarkable combat prowess in both offense and defense, surpassing many other Heroic Spirits in skill level. Her instincts on the battlefield are particularly keen, often anticipating threats before others even sense them. Saber’s abilities prove useful against enemy attacks, encompassing horse riding proficiency, powerful mana bursts, and resistance to magic.

Among her notable skills, it is perhaps Saber’s Noble Phantasm that garners the most attention. However, she possesses more than one such ability. Her signature move is Excalibur, a Holy Sword of immense power that becomes nearly invincible when summoned and is considered among the strongest of all Holy Sword weapons.

2) Heracles

In many discussions about the most powerful characters in the Fate/stay Night narrative, Heracles is frequently overshadowed. A Servant belonging to the Berserker class, he was summoned by Illyasviel von Einzbern during the Fifth Holy Grail War. Similar to Lancer, Heracles was a demigod in his human life, born from the union of Zeus and a mortal woman. Regarded as the mightiest hero in Greek mythology, he completed twelve labors of escalating difficulty that ultimately granted him an immortal body and divine status upon death.

Known for being one of the mightiest Heroic Spirits that can be summoned, Heracles matches or surpasses many other Servants in terms of brute force. Endowed with skills across all classes, Heracles, however, functions as a Berserker, which means he has lost much of his rationality and logic during the Fifth Holy Grail War, significantly limiting his potential. For instance, while Heracles is incredibly powerful and resilient, his Berserker status restricts many of his weaponry skills and portions of his Noble Phantasm. Nevertheless, his Noble Phantasm, God Hand, transforms Heracles’ body into a nearly indestructible force against most Servants’ attacks; even if he is killed, God Hand revives Heracles up to 12 times, mirroring the number of labors he completed.

1) Gilgamesh

In simpler terms, Gilgamesh is a well-known character from the Fate series, often recognized as the most powerful Servant that can be summoned due to his exceptional adaptability and ingenuity. His alliance with Kirei Kotomine lasts for ten years, ending during the Fifth Holy Grail War. Gilgamesh is often referred to as the “King of Heroes” and considered one of the oldest legendary heroes. As a god-human hybrid, he ruled as King of Uruk in ancient Mesopotamia. Throughout his life, no one could match Gilgamesh in battle, earning him the title of the greatest hero and king. His legend was preserved for thousands of years through an epic tale.

Gill-gamish is a Servant, specifically of the Archer class, who boasts a Noble Phantasm so powerful it places him at the pinnacle of this ranking: Gate of Babylon. This formidable ability grants him access to a collection of riches he amassed during his lifetime – including the Noble Phantasms of other potent Servants. Typically, Gilgamesh employs these treasures to create a catastrophic barrage of arrows that pummels his adversaries with lethal precision and intensity. Among his most formidable assets is Ea, an unparalleled sword solely in the possession of Gilgamesh, which he can use to discharge energy blasts comparable to, or even surpassing, those of Excalibur.

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2025-09-06 04:43