Who is the Strongest in Vox Machina? A Critical Analysis

As an avid fan of The Legend of Vox Machina, I‘m constantly impressed by the incredible talents of each member in my favorite adventuring group. But who stands above the rest in terms of pure power? That‘s a tough question! Each hero brings unique strengths to Vox Machina‘s dynamic team. In this in-depth article, I‘ll analyze all the abilities, feats, and growth of each character across the show to definitively rank who ends up the mightiest member of Vox Machina.

Setting the Stage – Introducing Exandria‘s Mightiest Heroes

Before diving into the rankings, let me give you some background if you‘re not familiar with Vox Machina. This ragtag band of eight adventures come together in the magical world of Exandria to fight forces of evil and chaos as heroes for hire. Their epic journey takes them through every kind of danger – dragons, vampires, evil sorcerers, vengeful gods, you name it.

But this isn‘t your typical band of muscle-headed warriors. Vox Machina‘s members include wonderfully complex characters with unique skills and charming flaws. There‘s Keyleth, a naïve half-elf Druid; the twin half-elves Vax‘ildan the brooding Rogue and his sister Vex‘ahlia the keen Ranger; Grog, the big-hearted and bigger-muscled Goliath Barbarian; Scanlan the quick-witted and quicker-tongued Gnome Bard; Percival, the smart and brooding Human Gunslinger; Pike the gentle but mighty Gnome Cleric; and Tiberius the eccentric Draconic Sorcerer.

Over 115 action-packed adventures together across 8 exciting levels of advancement, Vox Machina‘s heroes gain enormous power. But who becomes the strongest? Let‘s kick off the rankings and find out! I‘ll be considering all factors – weapons, magic, abilities, durability, growth, damage dealt, and overall usefulness in Vox Machina‘s adventures.

8. Tiberius Stormwind

Kicking off the rankings is Tiberius Stormwind, the Draconic Sorcerer played by Orion Acaba in Vox Machina‘s early adventures. Tiberius dealt decent damage slinging firebolts and fireballs, but his squishy constitution left him vulnerable in close combat. His proficiency in Arcana made Tiberius quite knowledgeable, yet he often got sidetracked by bizarre curiosities. Tiberius‘ player Orion left Vox Machina after episode 27, so we didn‘t get to see the full heights of his power. For these reasons, the eccentric sorcerer sits at the bottom of the rankings. But he contributed some key moments like decimating enemy airships with his spells.

7. Scanlan Shorthalt

Next is my personal favorite hero – Scanlan Shorthalt, the quick-witted Gnome Bard played by the hilarious Sam Riegel. What Scanlan lacks in strength, he more than makes up for in charisma and charm. He rarely dished out big damage himself, focusing instead on supporting the team with inspirational songs and cutting words to debuff foes. Spells like Counterspell helped Scanlan fill a utility caster role, while Bigby‘s Hand gave him some offensive options. His most memorable moments came from thinking outside the box, like using Wish to revive ally Vax. Scanlan‘s value was more in his morale boosts than raw power, landing him at 7th place. But we love Scanlan for bringing the laughs, the passion, and reminding us of our connections.

6. Percival de Rolo

The brooding gunslinger Percival Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III (Percy for short), played by Taliesin Jaffe, relied on brains over brawn in Vox Machina‘s battles. His high Intelligence allowed Percy to craft intricate gadgets and ammunition infused with magic. His namesake pepperbox pistols provided solid ranged damage dealing an average of 6 Firearm damage per round according to CritRoleStats. Gizmos like Bad News gave Percy some extra firepower with 4d12 damage, while the Deathwalker‘s Ward granted advantage on saves and resistance to necrotic damage. But Percy‘s lack of magic and low constitution limited his durability on the frontlines of battle. Still, his analytical thinking and tinkering brilliance proved essential to Vox Machina‘s strategies.

5. Vax‘ildan

Sneaking into the #5 spot is Vax‘ildan, the brooding Half-Elf Rogue brought to life by critical role veteran Liam O‘Brien. Vax specialized in stealth and precision strikes, delivering devastating Sneak Attacks with his daggers averaging over 20 damage per round. His assassin skills let him take down high-profile targets like Professor Anders and deliver victory for Vox Machina against the Chroma Conclave. Vax‘s access to paladin abilities later in the campaign expanded his power with divine smites and healing hands. His iconic Deathwalker‘s Ward gift from the Raven Queen granted powerful flight and teleportation abilities. But Vax‘s specialized strengths in stealth and mobility made him less versatile than those higher in the rankings. Still, every great team needs a cunning rogue, and Vax more than fills those shoes.

4. Vex‘ahlia

Just beating out her twin brother Vax is Vex‘ahlia or Vex, the Half-Elf Ranger brought to life by the talented Laura Bailey. From the start, Vex established herself as the keen negotiator of Vox Machina, securing riches through masterful haggling. In battle, she consistently dealt heavy damage from range with her enchanted bow, averaging 17 damage per round according to CritRoleStats. Her loyal companion bear Trinket also provided tanking abilities and powerful attacks. Vex secured a blessing from the Raven Queen mid-campaign, adding necrotic damage and Misty Step to her arsenal. While not as specialized as her brother, Vex contributed more consistently high damage and utility, earning the #4 spot. She also cares deeply for Vox Machina behind her stoic demeanor, rising to leadership when they needed her most.

3. Grog Strongjaw

Now we‘re getting into Vox Machina‘s true heavy hitters, starting with my pick for third place – Grog Strongjaw, the hulking Goliath Barbarian played perfectly by Travis Willingham. As a towering hunk of muscle and rage, Grog dished out devastating blows with his bloody greatsword Craven Edge. Wielding his Titanstone Knuckles and entering a frenzied rage let Grog deal upwards of 30 damage per round, more than any other member. His brutal strength allowed Grog to wrestle vampires, slay a young dragon in one hit (ep. 50), and battle the goddess Kord head-on. Grog also frequently put himself in harm‘s way to protect his friends, soaking up damage and drawing enemy focus thanks to his rugged constitution and Mountain Damage Reduction ability. Some lack of intelligence and vulnerability to mind-controlling spells balance out Grog‘s mighty talents. But whether he‘s chopping foes to bits or just providing goofy comedy, Grog Strongjaw is an absolute legend.

2. Pike Trickfoot

While she may stand just three feet tall, Pike Trickfoot punches far above her weight class. Brought to life by the talented Ashley Johnson, cleric Pike repeatedly manifested incredible divine power to protect Vox Machina throughout their adventures. Though gentle by nature, Pike unleashed devastating holy vengeance on undead like the skeletal horrors she Turned in the Temple of the Raven Queen. Her spiritual connection to the divine allowed phenomenal feats like scaling a 200-foot waterfall (ep. 41) and surviving Vorugal‘s frozen breath. Pike also served as the party‘s backbone, keeping allies fighting with potent spells like Healing Word and Guardian of Faith.

But her true power emerged battling Vecna where she drew on the full might of her goddess Serenrae. Here Pike shined, using high level spell slots to dish out hundreds of points of healing and damage. Without her Holy intervention, Vox Machina would certainly have perished. As the moral compass and very heart of Vox Machina, Pike earns her spot as second strongest member.

1. Keyleth

Claiming the top spot as the most powerful member of Vox Machina is Keyleth, the Half-Elf Druid played masterfully by the talented Marisha Ray. Keyleth began as a somewhat naïve young woman struggling with confidence issues and grief over her slain mother. But her incredible magic abilities shone through from Vox Machina‘s earliest adventures. As a Druid, Keyleth wielded primal magics over life, nature, and the elements with incredible versatility. She could decimate foes with fiery meteors and lightning, then heal her allies with healing word. Her Wild Shape let her transform into elementals and beasts to gain new powers and mobility.

But Keyleth truly soared ahead of her party in power upon achieving level 20 and becoming the Voice of the Tempest. Her 9th level spell Shapechange let Keyleth transform into an Ancient Brass Dragon (ep. 102) and obliterate foes with its deadly breath. Later she planes walked Vox Machina out of the belly of a titan (ep. 103). Achieving the Circle of the Moon archdruid class granted Keyleth wild new abilities. Most importantly, it made Keyleth effectively immortal, able to reincarnate endlessly so long as she avoids death by old age. Beyond raw strength, Keyleth‘s compassion and devotion to protecting life itself cements her as Vox Machina‘s MVP. She ends the tale as one of Exandria‘s most powerful forces for good and change.

Vox Machina‘s Shared Strength

While Keyleth takes the top spot, all of Vox Machina‘s heroes brought unique value to the team. Together they accomplished more than the sum of their parts, defeating villainy that no individual could best alone. Pike‘s unyielding spirit kept them standing against the Chroma Conclave; Scanlan‘s cunning overcame Vecna‘s magic; Grog‘s ferocity felled foes five times his size. It took Percival‘s inventive gadgets, Vex and Vax‘s stealth and sabotage, and Keyleth‘s raw power combined to finally eliminate Vecna for good.

In the end, friendship and sacrifice for each other gave Vox Machina the strength to persevere through incredible odds. Their bonds of camaraderie proved the greatest magic of all. Each member of Vox Machina shines in their own way, making them forever legends in Exandria‘s history.

So in summary, while Keyleth takes the top spot for sheer magical might, the heart of Vox Machina beats in all its heroes. Their diverse talents and charm are what we love most about these characters. I hope you‘ve enjoyed this deep dive into critiquing the mighty Vox Machina. Let me know who your personal favorite is in the comments!