Some good ones here.

Even though the story was kinda weak, the Dumbledore vs. Harry duels in The Warlocks Apprentice were pretty cool IMO.

 

Agreed. I add some dark horse contender because the duel is viewed inside a Pensieve but absolutely unique fighting style by Voldemort.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5383310/1/Harry_Potter_and_the_Alternate_World

That story had so much potential.

 

Off the top of my head, any of the duels in The Sound of Sorcery would be up there easily (example)

The duel between Scrimgeour and...one of the many OC's in the Sacrifices Arc, for being inventive and moving and brilliantly written. I would put up a link for this, but I can't remember which chapter or which of two books it was. It was epic though. On a related note, the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort in Sacrifices is about as far away as you can get from an earth-shaking duel, and it is possibly the best such finale in fanfiction. Yeah.

Voldemort vs Kingsley Shacklebolt in Renegade Cause.

 

at the price of sounding like an fool- what the hell is this sacrifices people keep on talking about

 

Pretty much the only slash fanfic that DLP has collectively liked. I actually haven't read it yet, though I keep meaning to.

Linky!

 

I wouldn't say collectively liked so much as collectively-not-hated. But yeah, the action sequences are pretty incredible.

 

Not sure if I can name a TOP five, but let's name a few.

Harry v Dumbledore in Catharsis was incredible, and opened my eyes to stuff beyond the crap fights we generally see in canon. Same with the A Black Comedy fight already mentioned.

I love the aforementioned Greater Demon fight in Bungle, and that Harry was just badass in every way. The new take on his Patronus is one of my favorite parts.

Not exactly just fights, but the tasks in The Lie I've Lived were also inspired and great to read. And every single fight in The Unforgiving Minute kept me on the edge of my seat/keyboard.

To throw out some new stuff, every fight (three of them?) between Dumbledore and Voldemort in Hallowed is pure win and complete awesomesauce.

 

The duels between Harry and various Servants in Fictional are pretty awesome. Same with the battle in the Nevernever in Awaken Sleeper.

 

I forgot about the Hallowed battles. Agreed on their awesomeness.

 

The duel between Harry, Sirius & Voldemort in A Black Comedy is certainly the most vivid one that comes to mind. Of the other stories I've read I can't really come up with another good duel. Which tells me I need to read these stories being mentioned here. :awesome

 

Oh wow I thought Lightning on the Wave's Sacrifices Arc was my personal guilty pleasure. when I saw sacrifices I kinda thought "nah, they must mean something else"

Oh just remembered
Prince in a Dark Kingdom - Harry vs German? Invasion (I liked the paper bird animus + wandless control of the brooms)

Its still new but props must go
Master of Death opening fight scene with the summoners and DuMorne

 

Harry vs. Death Eaters in Tequilla is definitely one of my favorites.

 

That would be better qualified for a "Best Curbstomps in HP Fanfics" thread. Seriously, he just mopped the floor with them, and the way he dealt with Justin was wtf-awesome.

 

Only story wich hasn't already mentioned that I can remember would be On the way to Greatness DoM fight scene wich was good.

 

In no particular order;

Dumbledore vs Voldemort in Renegade Causes

Dumbledore vs Voldemort in jbern's To Fight the Coming Darkness (the scene where Dumbledore and Hagrid ambush Voldemort)

VotN's Concentric Wavelengths - basically one big fight

Dumbledore and Harry vs Death Eaters/Voldemort in Andro's Assassin's Creed story

Harry in the alternate world in Water Mage's Project M (more of one big fight but I think it's worth mentioning anyway)

 

Yes. VotN has written several of my favorite scenes, as has Swimdraconian. The resurrection scene Shezza wrote was superb as well.

 

I wanted to put CR on the list as well, but despite it being my favorite fic of all time, it really doesn't have duels so much as massacres. Swim's promised an escalation in the level of individualized violence, though, so we'll see.

 

Nuhuh's action scenes are frankly amazing. Catharsis Dumbledore v Crazy HP, MPDF Voldemort v Merlin, Retsu's Folly HP's various encounters.

They're all really really good.

Voldemort v Merlin fight in MPDF (the whole chapter, actually) has to be my one of my all time favourite pieces of fanfiction.

NMB's scenes in By the Divining Light, Conlaodh's Song and The Sun Dog are also very good.

Good stories have good action, but its obviously not just the action that makes the scene good. The sum of all the emotions and feelings that the story is making you experience come to its conclusion.

If you could divorce most of the action scenes listed above, I'd bet that while they would be enjoyable they wouldn't have the effect that makes everyone instantly go "This is an awesome scene."

tl;dr Surprisingly good authors write good scenes, go figure.

 

There are loads of great scenes here. I was just wondering if there is any consensus on a number 1.

For me I think Stranger in Unholy/ Promised Land pipped it. The physical, Dark Knight-esque vibe to all the fights makes it stand out to me.

P.S Thumbs up if you agree. Alternative if you don't.

 

Sorry, did you miss the bit where you aren't on youtube?

On topic:

I've read so many excellent duels over the years...hmmm. Only Enemies always stands out in my mind, as does Bungle in the Jungle.