Talk:Erya Uzruth/@comment-33998180-20180721015249/@comment-45.56.46.26-20180721093953

Numbers matter.

If Gazef were an adventurer, then he could put together a team of people very near his own level, competitive with (if ultimately weaker than) Blue Rose. Because it would be able to cover different roles at a high level, rather than just having one strong vanguard.

Erya is a sack of shit who can only put together a 'team' by buying slaves (with barely adequate gear) and keeping them in line by constant threats of violence. The second he could no longer hold a sword, they all betrayed him without hesitation. Not only is he such worthless garbage that was the only way he could have a team at all (and apparently even preferred a team like that), but he was so stupid he didn't even realize what would happen the moment he lost the ability to immediately punish them.

Of course, there is also the fact that Erya is only comparable to the Gazef of a long time ago, when Gazef was unquestionally weaker than at the time of his duel with Ainz (having developed several new techniques as well as mastering an ultimate move that was only theory of the genius of the previous generation). And there is a bit of pride inflation going on as well, Gringham probably rates Erya higher both because he is of the same nation (and worker rank) as well as because his younger self probably lacked sufficient insight to understand Unglaus and Gazef's strength properly.

But even if Erya were close enough to level 30 for Hamsuke to not be forced to go easy on him to avoid killing him instantly, he'd still never be worth much as a 'team' that was essentially just himself and some mooks who merely serve as potion dispensers. Really, he'd have been better off buying magic items, except then he couldn't rape them and pretend that made him cool.