In a world full of superheroes, warriors in armor, and magicians capable of mystifying things, it only makes sense for there to be legions of monsters and maniacs for them to put themselves up against. Some of the greatest conflicts in fiction are those against supernatural entities. After all, without a monster or two it's hardly a quest, right? Who doesn't like seeing their favorite hero(es) go up against a slew of vampires, demons, zombies, or otherworldly horrors? Unfortunately, the likes of Batman, Silver Surfer, and the Guardians of the Galaxy can't deal with the undead hordes and creatures of the night on the regular. Luckily for us, we have quite a few amazing characters with the words "monster hunter" right in their resumes.

Where most protagonists and heroes deal with gangsters, aliens, and supervillains bent on world domination, we have those select few who venture forth against the armies of darkness nearly every day. These magnificent monster hunters keep the world safe from the supernatural creatures that might want to make us their lunch. There are loads of characters that spend their adventures taking on the supernatural, but today we've compiled a list of some of the best in the business. These characters are more than qualified to take on the monsters they face, and we cannot get enough of their adventures. Better bring your crossbows, your stakes, and your holy water, because we're going on a monster hunt with some of the biggest claims to the title. These are our top sixteen monster hunters.

17 MYSTERY INC.

While it's true that the monsters seen by Scooby-Doo, and the rest of Mystery Inc. are rarely true threats, they're perhaps one of the most iconic teams in the field. They're easily one of the oldest players in the game. How many times has the gang loaded up in the Mystery Machine to unmask whatever phantom might be prowling?

The threats they face may not be conventional monsters, but Mystery Inc. has gone up against the real deal more than once. From the ghouls on Zombie Island to a witch's ghost, they've gone through more than their fair share of creeps and creatures. They might just be a pack of meddling kids, but they know how to hold their own when it comes to monsters.

16 GHOSTBUSTERS

Ghostbusters Movie

If there's something weird in your neighborhood, you're definitely gonna want to call these guys. Peter, Ray, Egon, and Winston are not only armed to the teeth to fight paranormal and supernatural phenomenon, but they're also highly educated in their fields. With the help of their proton packs and gadgets, they're ready to defend New York from swarms of the undead.

Small cases like Slimer and the evil librarian are as common as they come for this team of ecto-exterminators. But that doesn't mean they aren't prepared to take on the likes of Gozer the Gozerian, Vigo the Carpathian, or Mr. Stay Puff. No matter what specter may sneak up on them, the guys have a beam and a box for just the occasion.

15 DOOMGUY

With a name as simple as "Doomguy" you'd think he'd be a little less prepared to take on the hordes of Hell. You'd also be what we in the business like to call "wrong." This suped-up space-marine is the godfather of the FPS genre, packing an arsenal of deadly weapons and dishing out lead to whatever beast crawls through the portal.

In space, no one can hear your chainsaw. Packing a spacesuit, pistols, rifles, shotgun, and loads of bullets, Doomguy is here to kick some tail and take names as he rips, tears, and blasts his way through Hellspawn. The '90s classic got a juicy reboot in 2016,  proving that demon hunting is just an activity that gets better with age.

14 RUBY ROSE

The main protagonist of Rooster Teeth's RWBY, Ruby Rose might be cute and bubbly, but with that Sniper Scythe, she means business. The heroes of the anime-inspired series go up against monsters called "Creatures of the Grimm," resulting in some fierce and beautiful fight sequences between the hunters/huntresses and the creatures of the night. The battles alone make the show worthy of a binge watch.

The monsters, the giant weapons, the fairytale motifs all come together beautifully to give the show its own distinct flavor. Ruby is one of those characters you can't help but root for. Cute and deadly, we can't leave her off the list.

13 BLADE

Blade II

Eric Brooks/Blade is easily one of the coolest characters on our list. This half-vampire hero slashes his way through the undead with a smooth and sleek style all his own. With his shades, trenchcoat, and a samurai sword, he makes slaying look good.

Of course, being half vampire has its advantages when pursuing the worst of bloodsuckers. Blade possesses many superhuman abilities as well as an arsenal of anti-vamp weapons to do the job right. Some may consider this man of Marvel a bit overpowered for taking on vampires and the undead, but when your job includes taking on Dracula reincarnated, it helps to be prepared.

12 JOHN CONSTANTINE

Legends of Tomorrow John Constantine

This working-class occult detective pits his magic and wits against the forces of Hell in DC's Hellblazer series. Dabbling in occult affairs comes with a few strings attached to this ambitious antihero. While being able to cast spells and see demons do have their perks, the abilities also come with a heavy risk to Constantine's immortal soul.

When he's not jamming out with his band, chain-smoking, or hanging out with the members of Justice League Dark, Constantine performs exorcisms, banishes malevolent spirits, and goes toe to hoof with some pretty gross demons. If he's not tangling with the likes of Doctor Destiny and Astaroth, he's duking it out with the devil himself. Not the most heroic on our list, but one we can't go without.

11 DANTE

Dante is what happens when you take John Constantine and mix him with a little anime flair. The son of an angel and a demon, Dante inherits abilities from both sides of the family as he takes on demonic forces wanting to tear the world apart. With his sword, pistols, and sweet motorcycle, he's ready to rip, roar, and ride his way to victory.

With a series of games as iconic as Devil May Cry, it helps to be good at your job. Dante has been hacking and slashing up demons with monstrous combos since 2001, and now has the fifth game in the works. It looks like we're not gonna be running out of demon slaying fun anytime soon.

10 KRATOS

Kratos Screaming in God Of War

We know what you're thinking, what does Kratos have in common with the rest of the members on our list? While he's known as the God-Killer, think about how many different monster's Kratos has gone up against on his path to revenge. He's impaled the Hydra, sliced up Cerberus, and ripped who knows how many gorgons asunder. Kratos has no mercy for monsters.

What Playstation fan hasn't enjoyed ripping and tearing their way through hordes of monsters from Greek mythology? Kratos sure doesn't seem to let them get in the way, and we love him for it. Though it's not something on the top of his list, we can't deny his prowess as a creature slayer.

9 GERALT OF RIVIA

Henry Cavill Is The Witcher’s Geralt in New Fan Art

Sometimes you need a hero, sometimes you need a professional. With a reputation like that, it's no wonder Geralt is one of the best in the business when it comes to monster hunters. The title character of the Witcher game series, Geralt is more than prepared when it comes to dealing with creeps and creatures.

As a Witcher, Geralt's main mission in life is to rid the realm of monsters and witches. As fun as that sounds, it's not all black and white for the silver-maned slayer. The series is famous for its sense of storytelling and the choices Geralt makes on his quest will impact the outcome. It all comes down to knowing when to slay and when to spare.

8 HELLBOY

Of course, we can't leave this list without some monster on monster action. As stated in the film, there are things that go bump in the night, Hellboy and his crew are the things that bump back. Brought to life by the talented Ron Perlman, Hellboy is locked and loaded to take on any number of Del Toro's magnificent monsters.

With his demonic strength, guns, and gauntlet, Hellboy is ready for nearly anything the world of the paranormal can dish out. Based on the comic by Mike Mignola and brought to life by Guillermo Del Toro, this big red monster masher has more than a fan following. He's not your typical superhero, but one any number of creature-feature freaks can get behind.

7 NEWT SCAMANDER

Fantastic Beasts Newt Scamander header

Until now, we've only addressed characters interested in hunting monsters, but now we have an individual who devotes his life to studying them. Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is new to the monster hunting gig, but certainly not unwelcome. Newt's mission is to rescue and research various monsters of J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World.

It's refreshing to see an attitude towards monsters like Newt's. Instead of carrying stakes, holy water, and automatic weapons, he packs a wand and a magical suitcase for field research. He is not only fascinated by monsters but loves them with all his heart. It's nice to see a character who can love things many consider unlovable.

6 CASSIE HACK

Cassie Hack is certainly one of the more interesting characters on our list. Everyone's familiar with the Final Girl in slasher movies, the one victim that always survives. Well, Cassie is by no means the victim. The titular character of the Hack/Slash series, Cassie's mission in life is to rid the world of vengeful spirits known as Slashers. Armed with a baseball bat and her steal nerve, Cassie would give Freddy nightmares.

Assisted by her gentle giant friend, Vlad, Cassie goes issue to issue defeating evil spirits and entities that terrorize the living. This bat-brandishing bombshell is fierce and fearless, even putting slashers like Victor Crowley, Herbert West, and Chucky in their place. Gritty and just gory enough, Hack/Slash is a horror fan's dream.

5 ABRAHAM VAN HELSING

The grandfather of all monster hunters, Doctor Abraham Van Helsing is one of the most famous names in the hall of horror. The good doctor has been keeping Dracula at bay since his debut in Bram Stoker's original novel in 1897. Armed with crosses, stakes, and holy water, Van Helsing has been the model for nearly every succeeding monster hunter since.

With a career lasting over a century, Van Helsing has appeared in various forms of media. With nearly as many adaptations as his vampiric adversary, he's been brought to life by the likes of Edward Van Sloan, Peter Cushing, Anthony Hopkins, Mel Brooks, and Hugh Jackman. When it comes to monsters, Van Helsing is the founding father.

4 BUFFY SUMMERS

Buffy Summers

Known to most audiences as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy Summers is just your typical teenage girl who fights the undead on a regular basis. Okay, so she's not that typical... but she certainly made a name for herself amongst horror heroines in Joss Whedon's famous TV series. Reluctant at first, but soon she embraces her destiny and wears her Slayer name with pride.

Buffy and her friends square off against vampires, demons, witches and just about every other fiend we can think of. With the brilliant writing of Whedon backing up the phenomenal cast, the show still holds up today as a monster-filled thrill ride. Buffy still remains one of the most iconic heroes in the realms of horror and fiction.

3 ASH WILLIAMS

Things take a groovy turn for our next contender as we add Ash Williams of the Evil Dead franchise to our list. Armed with his chainsaw and boom-stick, Ash is one dude who won't let Lovecraftian Horrors put him in a corner. With his swagger, smile, and one-liners, he proves fighting the forces of evil doesn't have to be so serious.

Zombies and demons and Deadites, oh my! Ash certainly can dish out some pain to these undead hoards, regardless of whether he may or may not have unleashed them. From a house full of demonic entities to an army of darkness, he'll send them packing one by one, most likely with a shotgun shell.

2 SIMON BELMONT

Perhaps the most famous vampire slayer in video game history, Simon Belmont has been cracking the whip on monsters and madmen since the early days of the NES. Along with Richter and Trevor, Simon and his clan have been squaring off with Dracula for centuries with no signs of letting the lord of vampires off easy. With enough weapons and powerups to leave Van Helsing speechless, he's more than prepared.

Right from the first screen, Simon goes up against zombies, skeletons, hellhounds, and flying medusa heads all on level one. It's quite a tall order for a normal hunter, but not for a Belmont. With his trusty whip, daggers, crosses, and holy water, Simon is ready to take on whatever horrors await in Dracula's castle.

1 SAM AND DEAN WINCHESTER

Supernatural time travel

There is no name more hated and feared in the realm of monsters than Winchester, specifically Sam and Dean. The awesome twosome from Supernatural, the Winchesters have been battling forces both divine and infernal for fourteen fearsome seasons. Sam and Dean don't limit themselves to demons and zombies alone, but every supernatural entity under the sun.

From djinn and fairies to wraiths and werewolves, the Winchesters definitely pack some power when they go on a hunt. They've faced anything and everything there is, and have always come out on top. Whether by luck, skill, or brotherly love, they keep coming back for one more ride.