How strong is the Warrior of Light?

[SenshiDon]

Before we begin, I think we can all agree that as of this point in the story, the WoL is much stronger than anything else that's been introduced. However, I'm a huge nerd, and I always thought that quantifying a given character's power level was an interesting conversation to have. That being said, I have my own ideas for how strong the WoL is, along with my thought process for believing so, but I want to hear what the community has to say first.

So! Hit me with how strong, fast and tough the WoL is, along with why you think this way.
Aaaaaaaand, go!

EDIT: It's been pointed out to me that there are in fact cases where beings are stronger than present WoL.

[FireMage]

Before we begin, I think we can all agree that as of this point in the story, the WoL is much stronger than anything else that's been introduced.

Emet-Selch and Endsinger were both still stronger. As are a lot of other things

[SenshiDon]

Emet-Selch and Endsinger were both still stronger. As are a lot of other things

Hmm... I'm not sure about that. As for Emet-Selch, he was stronger than us before we fused with Ardbert, sure, but after G'raha summoned warriors to help us (which is something we can do at will now thanks to Azem's Crystal), we were able to best him. Same thing with the Endsinger, although I will concede that in the case of the Endsinger we did have outside help.

[Caitlinzulu]

Cant resist.
WE ARE OVER 9000!

[Hurlstone]

Well we have Hydaelyns Ward/The Echo, multiple Job crystals, plus Dynamis now to add into the stew of our character. We certainly hold advantages over most adventures and side character of the story for sure. In the end though, we are basically as strong as the writer for the story wants us to be.

[Korbei]

Well we have Hydaelyns Ward/The Echo, multiple Job crystals, plus Dynamis now to add into the stew of our character. We certainly hold advantages over most adventures and side character of the story for sure. In the end though, we are basically as strong as the writer for the story wants us to be.

Actually very little of that matters. Hundreds or thousands of other adventurers also have the Blessing of Light. Including the Warriors of Light from the First. Most characters with the Echo are not particularly powerful by comparison.

The player character is, even before starting the game, 7 times rejoined. Your character is over halfway to being fully unsundered. This isn't true of all denizens of the Source. By the end of Shadowbringers, you are 8 times rejoined. Somewhere in the Thirteenth there may lurk a 9th.

Then add to that, the Blessing of Light, the collected crystals of light, soul stones. By modern mortal standards, the WoL is deific.

[SentioftheHoukai]

Actually very little of that matters. Hundreds or thousands of other adventurers also have the Blessing of Light. Including the Warriors of Light from the First. Most characters with the Echo are not particularly powerful by comparison.

The player character is, even before starting the game, 7 times rejoined. Your character is over halfway to being fully unsundered. This isn't true of all denizens of the Source. By the end of Shadowbringers, you are 8 times rejoined. Somewhere in the Thirteenth there may lurk a 9th.

Then add to that, the Blessing of Light, the collected crystals of light, soul stones. By modern mortal standards, the WoL is deific.

I never quite understood the justification for WHY we seem to be the only soul on the Planet that is Rejoined like that. Aside from "plot convenience", was that ever explained?

The Ascians seemed to think it mattered.

We kicked their asses pretty soundly. If anything it seems like there's a negative correlation, the more fragmented-down souls seem to have an edge in at least the initial fights. (Or, more likely, it doesn't actually correlate to any meaningful level.)

I'm not even remotely convinced of this, to be perfectly honest. Seems to me the only thing "beyond" the Ancients is Dynamis, and even that is arguably a stretch. Take Dynamis out of the equation, and Unsundered Souls and Creation Magicks trump those without in nearly every instance. The narrative outlined it as near godlike power for a reason, so as far as pure power levels are concerned it's clear the Unsundered are the superior combatants and win that fight. We won against the Ascians Three because the power of plot demanded we do so. Even Emet-Selch says so, he could have just killed us as we remained blissfully unaware of his presence.

[Jandor]

I'm not even remotely convinced of this, to be perfectly honest. Seems to me the only thing "beyond" the Ancients is Dynamis, and even that is arguably a stretch. Take Dynamis out of the equation, and Unsundered Souls and Creation Magicks trump those without in nearly every instance. The narrative outlined it as near godlike power for a reason, so as far as pure power levels are concerned it's clear the Unsundered are the superior combatants and win that fight. We won against the Ascians Three because the power of plot demanded we do so. Even Emet-Selch says so, he could have just killed us as we remained blissfully unaware of his presence.

Beyond creating weapons, the Unsundered don't actually seem to use creation magic in combat. Their normal go-to for combat is to create a staff, or sword, or bow, or whatever, and then fight in much the same manner as the sundered do, albeit it with larger reserves of aether.

The fanciest thing we've seen is changing their own form, which has resulted in some pretty tough fights, but not insurmountably so.

[Wyssahtyn]

As strong as the plot demands

[Zero-ELEC]

As strong as the plot demands them to be or as strong as will make for an interesting story.

If you want "feats", there's no clear answer as almost every big thing that the WoL faces is done so with the help of the Scions, Adventurer buddies, or some other manner of boost (empowered by the eye of Hraesvelgr when fighting Nidhogg; suffused with the Light of all the lightwardens when facing Hades, only able to control it thanks to the rejoining of Ardbert and the WoL; pushed forward by the prayers and hopes of the Scions on the edge of existence; etc.).

The biggest, baddest, thing that the WoL has faced and defeated on their own is, well, Zenos and Shinryu, and even then it's unclear if the WoL was alone when fighting Shinryu. Certainly they were when fighting Zenos at the edge of existence but how much they were empowered at that point with the wishes of the Scions that they return is unclear (after all the edge of existence is more of a metaphor than a tangible place). And even in that situation they nearly died.

In the end, looking at things in a "feats" perspective is reductive, since it dismisses the realities of combat. The WoL, in the end, is still just a person, if you poison them or stab them, they'll crumple like any other, if they get distracted while engaged in combat, they'll take blows like any other. They're just unique in that their soul is more dense and have access to the Echo (and the Blessing of Light besides), and well in that they help people out which makes them liked and then they help out.

People can and will match them martially or mystically.