User blog comment:Leolab/DFWiki Anniversary battle: Dalinar vs Marsh/@comment-143604-20120727211050

Drayco90's Edgy Edges of Edgy AMERICA!


 * Close Range- Marsh. The Armored Fists may be pretty brutal sounding with the benefit of the Shardplate, and I doubt there would be much use of the weapon without this added bonus because without it, it doesn't do much more than a standard punch. The Pewter-Enhanced Fists not only hit harder, proving pretty damn fatal in a single blow, but the speed at which the weapon's wielder can move while using it allows them to do ridiculous amounts of damage up close, crushing an opponent with a flurry of deadly strikes. When the weapon is not only stronger, but faster, the edge is an easy to give, it helps that Marsh will be able to make his version even stronger than what we've already been presented here, while Dalinar won't be able to get much more stronger than what the Shardplate provided.


 * Mid-Range- Marsh. The Axe has some powerful benefits, that's for certain- it's much faster, doing some serious damage in very little time and while it can be enhanced with various special abilities, it's also going to have some trouble against Shardplate. I don't doubt that Marsh will cleave through the Shardplate, it won't be the kind of quick, crippling blow that Marsh needs to get with this weapon, and it leaves him vulnerable to a blow from the slower Warhammer. That hammer has some serious blow behind each strike, and it's not /so/ much slower than the Axe that the differences are huge- this thing could take off a head or end a life in a single blow if Marsh gets in too close and doesn't deal with it. The problem for Dalinar? He /can/ deal with it- his magical abilities will allow him to manipulate Dalinar's own weapon, although to what extent I admit to not knowing- any manipulation, even minor, available to Marsh is a huge edge. This is a close one- speaking from a mere weapon perspective, I'd almost call this in Dalinar's favor, but taking both warrior's special abilities into account in addition to their weapon, Marsh's axe is a much more potent weapon indeed.


 * Special- Marsh. Damn, Dalinar just isn't getting any love here. The Shardplate seems like a fantastic defense, something of a more balanced fantasy equivalent to the MJOLNIR armor- it is not only a fantastic defense against attacks, but augments the wearer as well. The problem with the Shardplate is that it's going to get weaker, making Dalinar weaker, quite easily by Marsh. It'll take a lot of time, but Marsh has already shown that he can attack at speeds faster than can be observed, allowing him to deliver a flurry of crushing blows to begin sapping the Stormlight that powers the suit. With enough time, Marsh is going to be able to break, and as a result, strip Dalinar of his best defensive AND offensive advantage- and that's something he simply can't afford to lose. Sure, he can get a hit on Marsh, but comparing the amount of damage dealt by both warriors during such a process, it would still be clear that Marsh would have a higher output, and when you're getting notably weaker with each hit, losing your Stormlight as it goes, it becomes a much greater disadvantage. Marsh's magical abilities are also incredibly varied and allow him a huge array of abilities both offensive and defensive, making him the FAR superior warrior in this regard.


 * One-Hit Kill- Dalinar. Oathbringer, quite frankly, sounds like an amazing game-changing weapon. Dalinar hasn't earned many edges this fight so far, but this one edge that makes what could have been a one-sided match up neck-and-neck. The six foot blade may be large, but it is /fast/ and it seems to be stopped by nothing. If Marsh raises a weapon against it, it makes a clean cut through the weapon, and if Marsh doesn't react fast enough, the next clean cut will end the match. The idea of killing anything the weapon touches is an incredible advantage. Marsh's weapon is a more subtle tool, it seems- no where near the length/range, and it's going to be an uphill battle for the Marsh to use it, and it simply leaves him too vulnerable throughout to be a workable edge. There's no way he can get close enough to use the weapon without Dalinar being alerted to his coming, and despite Marsh's speed, I doubt he could recover from such a lunge before being taken out of the fight by Dalinar. The only way I could see the spike really making the most of its potential is once Marsh has already nullified the majority of the Shardplate's Stormlight, allowing him to easily avoid a much slower, weaker and less defended Dalinar's attacks and move in for a finishing move.


 * X-Factors- Marsh. I know from a pure mathmatical perspective, this goes to Dalinar, but looking at the individual factors, Marsh takes Intimidation, Experience and Wiil. Bloodlust has never sounded like an advantage to me- it doesn't necesarilly make one a better warrior, though it will indicate that Dalinar will be just as brutal with his Oathbringer as the demonstrator was, but it won't make him a better fighter. The discipline difference is so minor, I don't feel it is worth noting on. While Marsh falls behind in pure numbers, I still give this to him because the X-Factors he does take are so damn effective as edges themselves.


 * Deadliest Warrior- Marsh. Marsh is simply a more varied warrior, overall. He attacks with greater strength, speed and variety that Dalinar can't keep up or compete. His one-hit kill may not be up to par with Oathbringer, but with every other edge under his belt and one of the most versatile special "weapons" ever highlighted on this wiki, he's going to be able to overcome one powerful weapon and take a narrow victory. As a side-note; I apologize if I sound like a moron during any of this- I'm not familiar with the source material and am only voting based on the context of the writing here.