Summary
Fate/Stay Nightfollows the story of the Fifth Holy Grail War, in which several Magi are called to summon powerful servants in order to fight a massive battle royale. While someMastersalready wield exceptional power, others are much less willing to use it, or are entirely unaware of their abilities. The strength of each Master is determined by the successof their summoning ritual, as well as their abilities and their relationship with their servant.
Though they are relatively powerless on their own, the Masters often have some form of hidden ability, whether in the form of magical items or incantations. The Masters are ranked only based on their performances inFate/Stay Night,rather than in alternate timelines.
6Shinji Matou
Despite His Family History, Shinji Is Out Of His Depth
ThoughShinjiis born from a Magi lineage, he is inept when it comes to taking part in the Holy Grail wars. His power is derived almost entirely from his family grimoire, rather than any innate magical abilities. Shinji has potential, but his ego prevents him from being a truly formidable Master.
Summoning Rider as his Epic Hero, Shinji certainly relies on her to survive tough encounters. He doesshow some strategic intelligenceby drawing Saber to the roof of a skyscraper, allowing Rider to make use of her Noble Phantasm, but ultimately it isn’t enough for Shinji to survive.
5Shirou Emiya
The Unwitting Hero Takes A While To Improve His Abilities
ThoughShirouis the central protagonist ofFate/Stay Night, his powers are fairlyweak for the majority of the series. His innate tracing ability, which enables him to form replicas of any weapon he sees, is certainly a massive advantage, but he struggles to put it to good use until Saber’s second encounter with Berserker.
Shirou’s noble intentions and selfless desire to put himself in danger before his servant has certainly put him in peril on more than one occasion. Several times, he relies upon both Rin and Saber to revive him, though ultimately he does grow to become one of the strongest Masters overall.
4Kuzuki Souichiro
The Trained Assassin Is On A Personal Mission
Kuzukuis an interesting case, because he is the only Master inFate/Stay Nightwho has no magical abilities whatsoever. This doesn’t make him weak, however, since he is a trained assassin with expertise in martial arts. His daytime disguise as a history teacher makes him appear weaker than he truly is, and especially with Augmented Fists, he can hold his own against most other Masters.
While he may not be all that powerful on his own, his unique bond with Caster makes them aformidable pair of antagonists. Caster’s willingness to serve him is also a unique advantage when it comes to Master-servant relationships, as he has no need for Command Seals.
3Rin Tohsaka
A Powerful Mage With Several Key Artifacts
Rin Tohsakacomes from a well-respected lineage of powerful mages who previously competed in the Holy Grail Wars. As a result, she is imbued with all manner of useful charms and items, as well as having plenty of her ownmagical spells and utterances. Along with her many gemstones, which increase her life force and mana, Rin is also in possession of the Azoth Sword, a supremely powerful dagger that ultimately plays a major role in the final battle of the series.
Partnering with Archer, Rin shows her skills on multiple occasions, including during her summoning ritual. She’s also a capable fighter herself, playing a key role in the defeat of both Caster and Berserker. Her knowledge and expertise are the only reason Shirou is able to survive and develop his own powers.
2Illyasviel von Einzbern
The Tiny Master Wields Exceptional Control Over A Powerful Servant
Illya von Einzbernis one of the most tragic characters in theFateseries for many reasons. Nonetheless, she is an extremely powerful Magi who has essentially been bred to fight in the Holy Grail Wars. Her summoning of the great Berserker is a testament to her powers, and she displays a flawless command of her servant, unlike most other Masters.
Along with her servant, Illya has her own arsenal of Magi talents, including the ability to hypnotize others andput them into a trance-like state, as she does to Shirou. She is also granted an entire mansion from which to plot her strategies and take her prisoners. Though she may appear relatively innocent at first, Illya has a brutal streak which also sets her apart from more empathetic Masters, who may hesitate before killing anyone standing in their way.
1Kirei Kotomine
The Key Antagonist Is Strong In Every Area
Kireiis supposed to be the impartial overseer of the Holy Grail Wars, but it soon becomes apparent that he would rather interfere. Having previously won a Holy Grail War with Gilgamesh as his servant, Kirei now commands two servants along withhis own magical abilities.
Though Lancer is his main servant and Gilgamesh is more independent, Kirei still issues orders to both on occasion, but it is his abilities that make him the most powerful Master. Along with his top-tier martial arts and gun skills, Kirei also has a strong grasp of magic, as evidenced by his summoning of The Avenger. Even though he is eventually defeated this time around, it is fair to say that Kirei is by far the toughest challenge any other Master could hope to face.
